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.

By Chris Ormond and Kate Chapman of NZPA Wellington, July 7 NZPA - Prime Minister John Key has stopped short of commenting on the sentence handed down to anti-whaling activist Peter Bethune but says it would have come as a huge relief to him and his family.

Wellington, May 24 NZPA - Anti-whaling activist Peter Bethune will have consulate support throughout his trial in Japan this week, along with his own team of senior lawyers, but the New Zealand Government will otherwise stand back from the court process.

Wellington, May 11 NZPA - New Zealander Peter Bethune needs Maritime NZ's report on the collision between his anti-whaling vessel and a Japanese security ship to defend himself in the trial he is facing, the Green Party says.

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, March 15 NZPA - Prime Minister John Key says the Government can not intervene in Japan's legal processes to help anti-whaling campaigner Peter Bethune. The Australian and New Zealand Green parties have called for their governments to intervene over the case.

Wellington, Feb 16 NZPA - Labour has called for more action from the Government to resolve the conflict between Japanese whalers and the New Zealand environmentalists scrapping with them.