Until last weekend, most Australians knew little about Peta Credlin, Tony Abbott's 1.8m (6ft) tall, fiercely loyal and formidably bright chief of staff.

President Barack Obama's ready resort to "fiscal cliff interruptus" does not address the US' entrenched economic problems. It is simply a stop-gap measure that does not face up to America's basic problem of spending far more than it earns.

As Presidents cannot seek more than two terms, the political focus will inevitably be beyond them. This overall domestic policy context means Obama, like other 2nd-term Presidents in the post-war era, is likely to turn his focus towards foreign policy.

Cabinet documents released today reveal the diplomatic, political and military agonies Australia tried to balance because of New Zealand's non-nuclear policy.

Markets in this region yesterday shrugged off the threat of economic disruption from the looming "fiscal cliff" in the United States.

President Barack Obama's victory in November was the climax to an abrasive election season in which both sides raised about US$2 billion ($2.4 billion), a US record. Much was spent on negative TV advertising and get-out-the-vote strategies.

Three weeks before the ceremony and the [Olympic Stadium] was packed with thousands of people all doing things impressively.

And so this is Christmas, and what have you done, New Zealand business?

France is discovering that, when it comes to wealthy taxpayers, you win some - and you lose some.

Egypt's Islamist-backed constitution received a "yes" majority in a final round of voting on a referendum that saw a low voter turnout.

Vice president Mahmoud Mekki's resignation was announced with more than five hours to go of voting in the second and final phase of a referendum on a disputed, Islamist-backed constitution.

Economists and psychologists have long been engaged in understanding behaviour when compromise and self-interest collide, writes Ananish Chauduri.

Fijians has began cleaning up after the effects of Cyclone Evan, which left a swathe of destruction after battering the Pacific nation for more than 12 hours.

When plans to slash $25 million from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade's budget emerged early last year, Joanna Woods' book Diplomatic Ladies suddenly became a lot more topical.

Amid fears that the Newtown shootings will do nothing to shake the United States into tightening gun laws, there was a glimmer of hope.

The United States not only approves of New Zealand's close relationship with China, it is counting on it, says Assistant Secretary of State Kurt Campbell, who was in Wellington at the weekend for strategic talks.

The spectre of another Berlusconi premiership has panicked the financial markets and has Italy and the euro staring into the abyss again.

Editorial: The situation in Syria is "bad and getting worse", according to a joint statement released yesterday after talks in Geneva between the United States, Russia, the United Nations and the Arab League.