Russia will not expel US diplomats in a tit-for-tat response to the White House's decision to send home Russian officials suspected of spying.

Two Texas students were reprimanded after they performed a skit portraying the assassination of President-elect Donald Trump.

Of all the images emerging from this testing week, the sight of a military flotilla standing off Kaikoura counts among the most extraordinary.

The trend against globalisation is a western phenomenon, not matched in developing economies, a visiting expert says.

The Malaysian diplomat convicted of indecently assaulting a Wellington woman has been deported after finishing his sentence.

COMMENT: Melania Trump has been pooper-scooping after Donald since 1998, but she will never be cast as a victim, in her eyes or anyone else's.

The United Nations' next boss is a charismatic, former socialist prime minister who led the UN's refugee agency during one of its most difficult times.

Ties between New Zealand and Sri Lanka have been cemented this morning as Ranil Wickremesinghe visits Auckland.

New Zealand will hand over the responsibility of carrying out polls on the Secretary General job to Russia in September to ensure there is no perception of a conflict of interest.

COMMENT: Russia's President has been taught a lesson with the shooting of a warplane over Turkish air space.

The downing of a Russian SU24 fighter jet by Turkish authorities was inevitable. Russia has flouted the territorial border of Turkey time and again in the past few months so it is no surprise that this has happened.

John Key has hinted that Trade Minister Tim Groser could take over as New Zealand's ambassador to the United States.

Turkey has now bombed a few IS targets to show willing - but if you look at the videos, the Turkish planes are launching missiles at single buildings out in open fields, writes Gwynne Dyer.

Unless we allow borders to reform naturally this Sunni time bomb will blow unpredictably benefitting ISIS, writes Ron Mark.

To mark Bastille Day and 70 years of diplomatic relations between France and New Zealand, the French ambassador Florence Jeanblanc-Risler looks at the relationship between the two countries.

Those military officers will continue to dominate politics, because 25 per cent of the votes, according to the 2008 constitution, can block any changes to the constitution, writes Gwynne Dyer.

More than half the 57 million young children still not in classrooms today live in countries torn apart by conflict or natural disaster, writes Norwegian Prime Minister Erna Solberg.

This week marks the 30th anniversary of the bombing of the Rainbow Warrior off Marsden Wharf. We take a look back.

The world's largest nuclear meeting, the five-yearly Review Conference of the nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT), has just closed at the United Nations headquarters in New York.

This month North Korea claimed to have launched a ballistic missile from a submerged submarine.

Previous experience has been positive and benefits would outweigh the costs.

The dirty secret in global diplomacy is that much can and is accomplished through such simple but secret transactions, Fran O'Sullivan writes.

In November Prime Minister Key referred to ISIL as a ‘game changer’ for New Zealand. I wasn’t convinced, especially as the government was focusing on the domestic aspect in seeking to justify increased surveillance powers.

The decision to commit NZ military contingent to Iraq is a case of misguided foreign policy.

The things you have to do to keep on side with your oil merchant, writes Brian Rudman. Wouldn't a card and pohutukawa blossoms been enough for the Saudi king?

The toothfish pirates refused NZ permission to board, which we meekly obeyed, then, with fuel running out, we retired while the plundering continued, writes Brian Rudman.

Former National MP Michael Cox says Anzus conflict in 1984 will hurt chances of Helen Clark becoming United Nations secretary general.

Nick Sheppard writes: "Due to factors including nationality, gender and timing, Helen Clark may be the front runner" for the top United Nations post.

Whoa, this can't be right. Guys, guys, guys - this isn't the end. It feels like the lights have just come on in the theatre just when I was settling down to my popcorn...