The Human Rights Commission has bowed to Catholic Church objections to a statement that NZ was a secular state and religion was only for the "private sphere".

Pete Bethune says he fully supports Sea Shepherd, despite the organisation "booting him out" during his trial in Japan.

Asian women lured to NZ with cash offers to work in the sex industry are being forced to work in slave-like conditions, a Herald investigation finds.

Good on Pete Bethune, writes Matt McCarten.

Anti-whaling activist Peter Bethune has arrived back in New Zealand, ending his five month-long nightmare.

Teams of police patrolled streets in the western region of Xinjiang last night as stringent security was imposed for the one-year anniversary of China's worst ethnic violence in decades.

The Chicago City Council on Friday approved what city officials say is the strictest handgun ordinance in the United States

A new movie throwing light on the plight of refugees in Calais longing for a new life in Britain caused a political storm in France. Peter Calder spoke to its director in Paris.

A top TV star unleashed a racist outburst at a high-profile media event this week - claiming that "Jews were expendable". He also claimed that "Hitler had a right" and HIV sufferers deserved to be "roasted".