Sydney lawyer and author of Once Were Radicals: My Years as a Teenage Islamo-facist writes that republican-steered terrorism hearings entirely off the mark.

Lukashenko blasts 'cheap trick' but opponents act over his human rights abuses

Saudi Arabia announced it would ban all protests and marches.

Libya's second largest city, Benghazi, has fallen to anti-government forces after a crack army unit defected to the opposition and clashes spread to the capital, Tripoli, residents and news reports say.

The son of Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi has appeared on that country's state-owned television to make a statement denouncing the current civil unrest.

Bahrain's Shia Muslims ran in their tens of thousands back into Pearl Square in the centre of Manama.

Lessons from an extraordinary uprising - for protesters and police alike.

The Egyptian military has reinforced its efforts to try to return the country to normal.

Hone Harawira is remaining defiant and has criticised the "public relations disaster" for the Maori Party, but wants to stay with the party and stand for it at the next election.

Phil Goff has refused to rule out Hone Harawira as a somewhat unlikely potential coalition partner following this year's election.

Division between Hone Harawira and Maori Party leadership ran so deep the party caucus had difficulty working together, Derek Fox claims.

MP Hone Harawira has arrived at Parliament to front up to Maori Party colleagues after being suspended from their ranks yesterday.

Hone Harawira has widespread support in his electorate - but that support is starting to wane, a Ngapuhi kaumatua says.

Hone Harawira's suspension from the Maori Party caucus this afternoon apparently took Harawira by surprise, as it did everyone else.

A chartered flight will not be sent to evacuate New Zealanders caught amid intensifying violence, looting and arson in the Egyptian capital Cairo. Gangs of thugs supporting embattled Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak have started attacking

PM John Key has poured cold water on the idea of allowing holidays that fall on the weekends to be taken on another day.