Prime Minister-elect Helen Clark today issued her condolences to the family, friends and colleagues of Warrant Officer Tony Walser, who died yesterday while serving with the New Zealand forces in East Timor.

"It is a tragedy for the family, friends and colleagues. I know that the thoughts of every Parliamentarian will be with Warrant Officer Walser's family.

"While their grief will be deep, those who knew, loved and served with Warrant Officer Walser can be proud of his role in East Timor and his years of service for his country.

"The New Zealand forces are doing a vital job in bringing peace and security to East Timor as the country struggles to establish its independence," Helen Clark said.

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Gordon Campbell: On the Sony cyber attack

Given the layers of meta-irony involved, the saga of the Sony cyber attack seemed at the outset more like a snarky European art film than a popcorn entry at the multiplex.

Yet now with (a) President Barack Obama weighing in on the side of artistic freedom and calling for the US to make a ‘proportionate response’quickly followed by (b) North Korea’s entire Internet service going down, and with both these events being followed by (c) Sony deciding to backtrack and release The Interview film that had made it a target for the dastardly North Koreans in the first place, then ay caramba…the whole world will now be watching how this affair pans out. More>>