It's human rights commissioners at twenty paces, as Australia argues about the meaning of free speech and the local implications of the massacre in Paris.
Author: Charles Richardson
Sanctions, east and west
American sanctions against Cuba have had more than fifty years to work, but haven't. Sanctions against Russia, however, are doing unexpectedly well.
We’re back!
World blogging returns, with news from Greece, Japan, the US, Moldova, Tunisia and Hungary.
UKIP scores again
The UK Independence Party wins itself a second seat in the House of Commons. It's bad news for the Conservatives, and not much joy for Labour or the Lib Dems either.
Lessons from Victoria
Some recent stories on the Victorian election contain lessons of more general relevance.
A snap Japanese election
Japan unexpectedly goes to the polls next month, with a faltering economy and an electoral system that's already been ruled unconstitutional.
Romania gets a German president
Romania's voters show they don't want to give their prime minister a promotion, opting instead for an ethnic German from the centre-right.
Catalonia’s “yes” vote is just the beginning
No surprise that the "yes" vote won a big victory in Catalonia's independence referendum. The question is whether it was big enough to bring the central government to the negotiating table.
US midterm elections live (more or less) coverage
Regular updates on the US midterm elections, with Senate control still in doubt.
Two steps forward, one back in Tunisia
Tunisian voters deliver a check to the Islamists, opting instead for secular forces with a link to the authoritarian past. But it's good to have a choice.
The World is Not Enough 