Putin may have done irreparable damage to Russia’s place in the world.
Read MoreHow to Live, and Fail, in a Multipolar World
Putin
World News Brief, Wednesday May 13
John Kerry to meet with Putin in Sochi -- first talks since Ukraine conflict began; six thousand refugees stranded in Malacca Strait; third Bangladeshi blogger murdered; Arctic oil drilling approved; and more
Read MoreWorld News Brief, Tuesday March 17
Iraq puts Tikrit Offensive on hold; China surpasses Germany in arms trade; Japanese delegates to visit Beijing in bid to improve relations with Japan; Sierra Leone vice president seeks asylum in US; Putin puts 40,000 troops on full alert; and more
Read MoreWorld News Brief, Wednesday December 3
Putin scraps $40 billion gas pipeline project; Hong Kong's Occupy Central leaders turn themselves in; rescue effort continues in Bering Sea after South Korean fishing boat sinks; Ukraine and Pro-Russian separatists reach agreement 'in principle'; early elections expected for Israel; and more
Read MoreWorld News Brief, Wednesday June 25
John Kerry pushes for more conciliatory leadership in Iraq; Japanese PM Abe unveils economic reform package; another South Korean politician bows out of PM race in wake of ferry disaster; Syria hands over last of declared chemical weapons; Putin renounces right to use force in Ukraine; and more
Read MoreWorld News Brief, Thursday May 8
South Africans head to the voting booths; Thai court orders PM to step down; Chinese e-commerce conglomerate to go public -- worth more than Amazon; Boko Haram takes 11 more girls, Putin signs restrictive "blogger law"; and more
Read MoreWorld News Brief, Wednesday March 19
Putin moves ahead with plan to annex Crimea; Thailand to lift Bangkok's State of Emergency; owners of Fukushima nuclear plant turning to unskilled workers to decommision site which may have contributed to recent leak; and more
Read MoreWhy the Crimean border matters to New Zealand
There’s been a nasty dose of ‘border relativism' in the debate about Crimea and it misses the point; you can’t have a referendum at the point of a gun, doesn’t matter what history says.
Read MoreTime to put the punch into ‘punch above our weight’
Words are easy. Don’t just ask the world to vote for New Zealand to get on the UN Security Council because “Our foreign policy has been tested by significant confrontations with some major powers, when we have proved our independence and resilience".
Show the world what we mean. Show we deserve a position of global leadership.
Read MoreIs this the "new" Sochi-sanitized Russia?
It's a week since the world was watching Putin's "new Russia" on display at the Winter Olympics. Ukrainians might say the new Russia looks a hell of a lot like that of old, and they'd be right.
Read MoreWorld News Brief, Friday February 14
Putin backs Egypt military chief's run for presidency; John Kerry's visit to South Korea, China and India hoped to ease regional tensions; China plans to curb coal consumption and reduce air pollution; five killed in Venezuelan anti-government protest; 65 prisoners released from Bagram prison over US protests; and more
Read MoreWorld News Brief, Wednesday December 11
Diplomats head to Kiev to help ease tensions; North Korea's leader carrying out "reign of terror", says South Korea; Thailand's PM refuses to resign; delay expected in removal of chemical weapons from Syria; Greenpeace activists and Pussy Riot members would be among those freed in Putin amnesty; and more
Read MoreWorld News Brief, Tuesday November 19
Putin says there is a "real chance" to end standoff over Iran's nuclear programme; Philippines corruption concerns magnified by typhoon; Australian spies have reportedly targeted phones of top Indonesian officials; US-funded clinic in Kabul to close; Boeing books $100 millions in orders; and more
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, Friday August 9
Obama cancels meeting with Putin following Edward Snowden controversy; Japan summons Chinese envoy after Chinese ships entered Japanese disputed territorial waters; Japan launches its largest warship since World War II; India-Pakistan relations fray further; Syrian rebels claim to have hit President Bashar al-Assad's motorcade; and more
Read MoreWorld News Brief, Wednesday August 7
Taliban hold secret talks with Hamid Karzai; China's foreign minister finishes Southeast Asia tour; Japanese prime minister vows to pursue world without nuclear arms; US and Britain withdraw government and diplomatic personnel from Yemen; US evaluating whether Obama will attend Russian summit in wake of Snowden decision; and more
Read MoreTwo days in Transit...so far
After two days of wondering where in the world Eddie was, Vladimir Putin fessed up to his being in the transit lounge of a Russian airport, and, much to the annoyance of the Americans, the elusive Mr Snowden is free to go whenever he likes.
Read MoreWorld News Brief, Friday June 14
93,000 killed in Syria since start of civil war, says UN; Edward Snowden tells Chinese newspaper that US has been hacking into Chinese computers for years; Mugabe fast-tracks electoral change; Putin announces new electoral party in Russia; and more
Read MoreWorld News Brief, Wednesday May 8
John Kerry in Moscow for talks with Putin; North Korea moves two missiles from launch sites on eastern coast; China targeting US government computers as part of cyber espionage campaign, says Pentagon; pre-election violence in Pakistan; Muslim Brotherhood' increases presence in Egyptian government; and more
Read MoreWorld News Brief, Wednesday November 7
Businessman at centre of Bo Xilai scandal had spy links, says Wall Street Journal; US and Japan begin military drill; Putin fires defense minister over corruption allegations; South African police may have tampered with evidence after deadly mining protest; and more
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