Eduard Shevardnadze, the last Soviet foreign minister, dies peacefully in retirement. His life is worth remembering.
Author: Charles Richardson
Blood and iron in Ukraine
Progress towards a resolution in eastern Ukraine has been made not by negotiation but by military action. Sad as it may be, that's how the world often works.
Notes on a new Senate
With any luck, Australia's latest contingent of new senators will be the last to be elected with automatic ticket voting. The debate shows minor parties to be just as much captives to self-interest as anyone.
Kurds move closer still to statehood
With continued chaos in Iraq, the country's Kurds find that independence may now be within their grasp.
Another early election for Bulgaria
Bulgaria's deadlocked parliament is to be dissolved next month for an October election. The centre-right opposition seems to be well placed.
Howard Baker, RIP
Howard Baker, who died on Thursday aged 88, led the first Republican Senate majority for a generation. His leadership style would be unwelcome among today's Republicans.
Far right still out in the cold
The party makeup of the new European parliament reflects a shift towards the extremes, but the far right was still unable to form a political group of its own.
Britain vs Europe, yet again
David Cameron is fighting against the likely nominee for the presidency of the European Commission – not just because he thinks it's the wrong choice (although he does), but because he has a different view about the process.
A flawed election in Mauritania
Mauritania's president is re-elected overwhelmingly in an election boycotted by the major opposition forces. It's an improvement on naked dictatorship, but well short of real democracy.
Indexing democracy
The Economist publishes its latest Democracy Index, raising some interesting questions about just what it's trying to measure.
The World is Not Enough 