UN to hear disarmament proposal for Syria; Japan may station government officials on disputed islands; China's economy rebounds; four convictions in Delhi rape and murder case; Conservative Party takes control in Norway; and more
Read MoreWorld News Brief, Tuesday September 10
Obama mounts campaign to win support for military strike on Syria; Tony Abbott pledges to redice taxes and boost Australian economy; Muslim rebels alleged to have attacked villages in Philippines; drone and Taliban attacks hit Afghan civilians; US spied on Brazilian oil firm; and more
Read MoreHuge risk of environmental damage and loss of local democracy from planning reforms
Proposed planning reforms have been heavily contested by environmental, community, legal and professional organisations around the country
From the ridiculous to the disgraceful
No, this isn't a post on Labour's leadership election (zing!) But it is about elections - more specifically, who can't take part in them.
Read MoreWorld News Brief, Friday September 6
Syria casts pall on G20 Summit; Bank of Japan says economy on track to recovery; Cambodia criticised for not paying its share of costs for Khmer Rouge tribunal; Pakistan gets $6.7 million IMF loan; US car sales rebound; and more
Read MoreDecoding 3rd Degree and the Labour 'conspiracy'
What an interesting online and social media fuss there's been about the 3rd Degree piece on Shane Jones this week. To me it just seems like a misguided argument based on the tired olf 'journalists are so awful' meme
Read MoreWorld News Brief, Thursday September 5
Putin warns West against taking action on Syria; China's economy slowed intentionally, says President Xi Jingping; Communist Party members in China to be tried for torture and death of another party member; World Bank to help Lebanon raise funds for Syria fallout; Eurozone shows signs of firmer recovery; and more
Read MoreWorld News Brief, Wednesday September 4
Syrian refugees number two million; Japan reveals strategy to deal with Fukushima leaks; Dennis Rodman returns to North Korea; Microsoft buys Nokia's phone business; Egypt closes four TV stations; and more
Read MoreNorman & Key compete to speak most nonsense about asset sales referendum
I'm no great fan of referenda, but when phrases such as "elected dictatorship" start getting bandied around we all need to draw breath and remember how this 'running the country' thing really works
Read MoreUnglücklich das Land, das Helden nötig hat
Who should we really thank for the British House of Commons vote against attacking Syria?
Read MoreThis is a public service announcement, with guitars
The following is an exercise in introverted nostalgia, for which I apologise in advance. That said, some readers may enjoy it, and a few may even understand what it's talking about.
Read MoreLaws, like the spider's web, catch the fly and let the hawk go free
The way the police have approached the GCSB's covert recording of Kim Dotcom is markedly different to how they approached Bradley Ambrose's recording of John Key. Why is that?
Read MoreFour easy pieces
In which your esteemed author tells you who the Labour leader must be, explains why the Government had to appeal the "Quake Outcasts" case, warns you that your right to wear silly lapel pins on election day is under threat, and calls on David Farrar to save Great Britain.
Read MoreWorld News Brief, Thursday August 29
UK to submit draft resolution to UN condemning Syrian chemical attacks; special envoy to North Korea seeks amnesty for American missionary held in Pyongyang; ethnic Muslims killed in "anti-terror" operation, says China; thousands of Chechens seek asylum in Germany; Indian rupee hits historic low; and more
Read MoreInternational law is on the side of intervention in Syria
The disastrous American led invasion of Iraq is exactly why the West should intervene now in Syria. Those who protested against the illegal war in Iraq should be calling on the UN and civilized countries to take action under international law
Read MoreWorld News Brief, Wednesday August 28
Chemical use in Syria a "moral obscenity" says Kerry; Chinese anti-trust probes not aimed at foreign companies, says Beijing; Japanese PM investigates plannes sales tax increase; Sudan opposition pushes to dismantle Bashir's regime; Egypt Muslim Brotherhood leader denies terrorism claim; and more
Read MoreWorld News Brief, Tuesday August 27
British and US militaries prepare for strikes on Syria; tens of thousands protest corruption in the Philippines; US to sell eight Apache helicopters to Indonesia; Karzai asks Pakistan for help in peace process; CIA helped Saddam Hussein in chemical attacks on Iran; and more
Read MoreLabour leadership: 3 telling & diverse launches
What the start of the Labour leadership campaign tells us about the candidates...
Read MoreThe Inquiry into the Inquiry into the Inquiry into the Inquiry
How it all came to pass
Read MoreSilence of the lambs: freedom of speech in New Zealand
A steady erosion of human rights in New Zealand through legislation is being accompanied by Ministerial attempts to avoid searching scrutiny of these measures, and to silence dissenting voices.
Read More