Wellington, July 9 NZPA - The outgoing Japanese ambassador in Canberra has urged Australia to take a more "robust" attitude toward the activities of the Sea Shepherd activists -- such as New Zealander Pete Bethune -- in the Southern Ocean.

Wellington, July 8 NZPA - Prime Minister John Key has called for "cool heads" in the wake of anti-whaling activist Peter Bethune's suspended prison sentence, saying continued southern ocean skirmishes could lead to a fatality.

Wellington, May 31 NZPA - Anti-whaling activist Pete Bethune on trial in Japan, today denied an assault charge, saying rancid butter stink bombs he threw at Japanese harpoon ships were no more acidic than orange juice.

Wellington, March 26 NZPA - The New Zealand Government has a duty to investigate the clashes between conservationists and whalers in the Southern Ocean as one of the vessels involved in the clashes is NZ flagged, says a European academic.

By Chris Ormond of NZPA Wellington, March 19 NZPA - The Sea Shepherd Conservation Society (SSCS) has Japanese lawyers lined up to defend incarcerated anti-whaling protester Peter Bethune, but hopes Japanese authorities will consider him a "hot potato" and send him home.

Wellington, March 17 NZPA - The Green Party says whaling protester Peter Bethune may have been legally entitled under international maritime law to attempt a citizen's arrest on the captain of Japanese vessel Shonan Maru, and that the New Zealand Government needs to act to assist him from a legal

Wellington, March 15 NZPA - The arrest of Auckland anti-whaling activist Pete Bethune has drawn a mixed response in Japan, with some officials saying he should have been deported.

Wellington, Dec 16 NZPA - Former round the world racing boat Earthrace, in Hobart after repairs, is awaiting clearance from New Zealand authorities before it can rejoin The Sea Shepherd anti-whaling group in the Southern Ocean.

Wellington, Dec 7 NZPA - New Zealand has joined two other countries in expressing disappointment that the Japanese whaling fleet is heading to the Southern Ocean for the summer.

Wellington, Jan 21 NZPA - Officials are looking into claims there is a new legal avenue that could be used to stop whaling in the Southern Ocean.