Prime Minister Tony Abbott faces a gruelling final two weeks of the political year with rebellion on education plans.

Barack Obama's White House has been accused by press photographers of producing Soviet-style propaganda.

It is not a matter of if but when Snowden makes damaging revelations about New Zealand's role in the 5 Eyes network, writes Paul Buchanan.

The most popular giant panda in US-China relations finally was given an identity as the Smithsonian's National Zoo named its female 100-day-old cub Bao Bao after receiving more than 123,000 votes online from the public.

An Australian judge has held that Victoria's Transport Department is racially discriminating against New Zealand students - but has allowed it to continue.

Australia's conservative Government intends to dump laws that ban hate speech on the grounds that they inhibit free speech.

The world's great powers are channelling John Lennon and Yoko Ono: "All we are saying," they are saying, "is give peace a chance", writes Paul Thomas.

New Zealand is lying relatively low amid increased tensions in the East China Sea dispute between China, and the United States and its allies, and seems determined not to criticise anyone.