With the economic crisis reshaping British politics, citizens must prepare to fight back and defend democracy, or be faced with a British Berlusconi, writes Richard Overy.
May, 2009
North Korea barks to keep world at bay
With Kim Jong-il getting on a bit, North Korea experiencing a vulnerable time while a successor is picked. Could all this banging just be about getting the world to back off?
Stormy weather: is this climate change?
France’s Champagne region may relocate their crops, farmers in the Cook Islands dive two metres to harvest their Taro crops and Russia anticipates a greater crop yield. Amanda Gearing tours the globe.
Solar suburbs rise to power
Australian neighbourhoods are rallying together to buy up solar panel systems in bulk before the government’s solar rebate ends in June.
VCA cuts an act of barbarism
The loss of Melbourne’s Victorian College of the Arts will be a disaster for arts professions, says Barista.
Versace CEO likely to be fired over handbag spat
Gianni Versace’s board is set to decide the fate of CEO Giancarlo Di Risio, who has been in conflict with Donatella Versace since the two clashed over handbags in February.
Conservatives itching for a fight over Supreme Court
While Senate Republicans know they can’t defeat Obama’s Supreme Court nominee, they still plan to come out with their guns blazing.
weird 
Japanese publisher prints horror novel on toilet roll
A story called Drop that you can read on the long drop.
My Year Without Sex: intelligent if a little too modest
Director Sarah Watts’ penchant for ailments does however beg the question: which illness and what region of the body will her third film target for dramatic effect? Erectile dysfunction, perhaps? Distended bladder?
How Watergate slipped through the NYT‘s fingers
Two former NY Times journalists are claiming they had the scoop on Watergate first, but were pipped at — and by — the Post
Want leg room? Well pay for it, says Qantas
The days of queuing up early at Qantas check-in counters to try and score an exit row seat on long international flights are soon to end.
Video of the Day: Keyboard Cat: True Internet Story
The real history of Keyboard Cat, from Woodstock to his spiral into drug abuse.
First New Yorker cover by iPhone app
Jorge Colombo used Brushes, an application for the iPhone that’s a bit like virtual finger painting, to create this week’s cover while standing for an hour outside Madame Tussaud’s Wax Museum.
North Korea: a timeline
The NY Times gives a visual history of one of the world’s most dangerous and mysterious countries.
Breakfast Media Wrap: Our new Leader of the Opposition
Richard Farmer dishes out the best of the morning media.
Essential Report: Labor’s lead narrows
This week’s Essential Report comes in with the primaries running 49 (down 3) / 35 (up 3) to Labor, washing out into a two party preferred of 59/41 the same way.
Iran says no to nuclear freeze
Mahmoud Ahmadinejad has rejected a proposal for it to “freeze” its nuclear program and is refusing to negotiate with world powers on the issue.
North Korea remains a dangerous enigma
The assumption that North Korea is ultimately willing to negotiate away its nuclear program must be questioned, says Bill Powell.
Bomb test an internal show of strength
The audience for North Korea’s nuclear test may be its own population as much as the United States, says Martin Fackler.
How sand is turned into silicon chips
TechRadar details how sand is turned into Core i7 processors in one of the most complicated electrical engineering feats of our time.
Q&A: What’s the real threat of nuclear North Korea?
Reuters answers some fundamental questions about the threat posed by North Korea’s nuclear programme.
North Korea tests Obama’s nerves
North Korea has upped the ante to remind the US the Taliban don’t have a monopoly on terror, says Tim Kelly.
Al Jazeera: North Korea conducts nuclear test
Al Jazeera reports on North Korea’s recent nuclear test.
North Korea throws a well-timed tantrum
With South Korea still reeling from the suicide of former President Roh Moo-hyun, Kim Jong-il sure has an exquisite sense of timing, says David Pilling.
No ray of sunshine in nuclear test
There are three explanations for North Korea’s nuclear test today, says Simon Tisdall — none of them are palatable.
