New Zealand’s foreign minister today condemned a local television host’s “insulting” comments on air about an Indian official’s name which drew a complaint of racism from the New Delhi government.

The International Whaling Commission has proposed allowing the first legal commercial whale hunts in 25 years, ending an outright ban that had many exceptions.

Senior officials from New Zealand and Fiji may hold informal talks next month - the first such meeting since Fiji’s military chief seized power in a coup three years ago.

An anti-whaling activist from New Zealand is in custody on a Japanese vessel and will be taken to Japan to face charges after secretly boarding the ship as part of a protest, officials said today.