Once a shadowy figure whose imprisonment personified the shackles of his apartheid-bound people, a free Mandela brought political calm to a S Africa that had become far more savage since he was jailed.

GCSB head Ian Fletcher yesterday acknowledged there was no protection of New Zealanders' data stored in servers overseas from spy agencies.

Anti-government demonstrators swarmed into the Thai Prime Minister's office compound as police stood by and watched.

Territorial squabbles over uninhabited islands should not be one of the reasons that people are allowed to kill each other.

Ukraine's President Viktor Yanukovych had much explaining to do at the summit meeting of the European Union in Vilnius, Lithuania last Thursday., writes Gwynne Dyer.

Fledgling Government forced to back down over education reforms while suffering defeats in Senate and poor poll results.