The CIA has released records that show US concerns about the rise of communism in New Zealand and Russia's spreading influence in the Pacific.

The CIA has finally made public previously top secret files including about 4000 records about New Zealand.

Russia will not expel US diplomats in a tit-for-tat response to the White House's decision to send home Russian officials suspected of spying.

COMMENT: Welcome to the return of an independent foreign policy.

China has flown a nuclear-capable bomber over disputed islands in what some see as a message to the US after Trump's controversial phone call.

Fortunately, the Government has experience in turning out all the lights and pretending it's not home when faced with the prospect of diplomatically unwelcome visitors.

The US Admiral who ordered the USS Sampson to divert to the earthquake disaster zone has a long history with New Zealand.

India's quest to join a nuclear club will be discussed when Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi hosts John Key in New Delhi today.

Prime Minister John Key has finally made it to India after a plane breakdown shortened his trip.

More UK citizens are researching their family histories online in the hopes of securing an EU passport, despite voting to Brexit.

COMMENT: Far be it for us to suggest Peters would be motivated by old grudges, but there are old grudges aplenty.

NZ Trade and Enterprise has released a new set of guidelines for doing business with post-sanctions Iran.

The New Zealand Middle East Business Council says they are monitoring "the potential of opening up of trade with Iran".

While the world is distracted by the Greek saga and China something really important is going on: Iran and oil.

In a speech before a business group, Jeb Bush, expected to announce a run for the US presidency, praised his father George H.W. Bush but failed to mention his brother.

Hillary Clinton has fallen silent on the TPP, an interesting departure from her statements as the nation's top diplomat.

It may not be making much news, but New Zealand's UN Security Council role is stretching the Ministry of Foreign Affairs & Trade.

So much for the catchphrase "Don't mention the war" - these days no leader in want of a free trade deal should let a historic war go to waste, writes Claire Trevett.

The domestic dimension of the response to Isis, which according to Key is a "game-changer for NZ", contained confusions of its own, writes Toby Manhire.

Isis is a nasty, brutish group that uses terror in parts of the globe, but it doesn't threaten the entire world. So Kiwis don't need to fight, says David Shearer.

If New Zealand becomes a member of the UN Security Council early tomorrow, hoping to get a pay-off for the hundreds of thousands of dollars in schmoozing we've done to get there, let us see how much of an independent voice we will retain.

PM John Key appears to have been misinformed by the Defence Force about the nature of a Washington meeting of the United States-led coalition to defeat Islamic State.

The information just released suggesting William Sutch really was a KGB agent means I've personally known two potential spies during my sojourn in New Zealand.

The Labour Party came out of the weekend looking surprisingly smart, and still in the game, writes politics commentator Bryce Edwards.

This could be the Tweedledee and Tweedledum election, with Labour struggling to differentiate itself from National, writes Bryce Edwards.

Is New Zealand an independent global citizen, or a US ally in all but name? That's the big question after the PM's visit to the US, writes Bryce Edwards.