US Senator Roy Blunt  weighs in on Fox News.

Former CIA Director David Petraeus stoked the controversy over the Obama administration’s handling of the Libya terror attack, testifying Friday that references to “Al Qaeda involvement” were stripped from his agency’s original talking points — while other intelligence officials were unable to say who changed the memo, according to a top lawmaker who was briefed. Rep. Peter King, R-N.Y., told …

As the world’s most populous nation unveils its new leadership, China’s political masters now face the unenviable task of addressing a slowing economy, rampant corruption, environmental pollution and deteriorating relations with some of its neighbours. The FT’s Beijing correspondents outline some of the challenges faced by China’s new generation of political leaders.

Xi Jinping is to take the reins of China’s all-powerful Communist Party in a leadership transition that will put him in charge of the world’s number-two economy for the next decade. Xi, the current vice president and successor to President Hu Jintao, assumes power at an uncertain time with the party facing urgent calls to clean its ranks of corruption and overhaul …

U2’s Bono sits down with World Bank President Jim Young Kim to talk about what’s needed to end poverty. Bono estimates that the billions of dollars of tax hikes and potential funding cuts in the US could affect  275,000 people and lead to around 65,000 deaths.  The figures come from the American Foundation for AIDS Research. Bono said based on …

The Land and Water Forum is to be congratulated for a comprehensive third report that has the buy-in of most interested parties and provides a strong path forward for the management of freshwater in New Zealand, says Labour’s Environment spokesperson Grant Robertson. “The Land and Water Forum’s collaborative process takes into account the views of 58 interest groups and yet …

The Land and Water Forum (LWF) today published its third and final report on how freshwater management in New Zealand can be improved. The forum proposes a collaborative approach at both national and catchment levels to set and implement objectives for waterways, prescribe limits for takes and discharges where these are required, and to find fair, efficient and accountable ways …

Defence Minister Dr Jonathan Coleman is departing for Perth today to hold talks with the Australian Defence Minister, Stephen Smith on the outskirts of the Ausmin conference. It will be their first formal talks since they signed the Australia-New Zealand Defence Relationship Review at Melbourne in January this year. “We have an excellent defence relationship with Australia and this meeting …

The Government is supporting a $26 million initiative that seeks to boost aquaculture by domesticating the New Zealand Greenshell Mussel. SPATnz is a venture led by Sanford which has received a commitment of up to $13 million from the Government’s Primary Growth Partnership Fund for a seven-year project. Formal contracts have just been signed, following development of a business plan. The …

IBM has announced Christchurch has won an IBM Smarter Cities Challenge grant – one of 31 cities globally for 2013. The grant provides Christchurch with access to some of IBM’s top experts to analyse and provide recommendations to drive economic development and sustained growth for the city. Launched in 2011, the IBM Smarter Cities Challenge is a three-year, 100-city, US$50-million competitive grant program …