Wellington  - New Zealand Foreign Minister Murray McCully Friday expressed his country's condolences on the death of former Indonesian Foreign Minister Ali Alatas, who he described as one of South-east Asia's most eminent statesmen.

McCully said Alatas had been a good friend to New Zealand over several decades and particularly noted the role he played in building the Association of South-east Asian Nations (ASEAN) into a major force for regional progress and stability.

Wellington - A 79-year-old New Zealand woman euthanasia campaigner had the words "Do not resuscitate" tattooed on her chest Thursday.

Paula Westoby, 79, of Dunedin, who was filmed by the TV3 televsion network being tattooed, said that because of her age she would not want to be revived if she had a heart attack.

Westoby, who leads a local euthanasia group called Exit, told an interviewer that she was trying to make a political statement by being tattooed in public.

She said Exit wanted the law forbidding anyone helping another person to die changed.

Wellington  - A New Zealand judge told a teenage girl who turned up in court to face a drunk-driving charge wearing a T-Shirt proclaiming she was "Miss Wasted" to go home and change, news reports said on Thursday.

When Keisha Lee Kubala, 18, returned to the Gore District Court on Wednesday, she pleaded guilty to driving with a breath-alcohol level of 349 micrograms, more than double the legal limit of 150 mcg for a driver under the age of 20.

Wellington, Dec. 10 : Umpiring controversies should be kept at a minimum when the first cricket test between New Zealand and West Indies begins Thursday, says New Zealand captain Daniel Vettori.

The countries'' two-match series is the second on the international calendar to be part of a trial enabling players to appeal decisions.

Rival captains Daniel Vettori and Chris Gayle have the power to refer rejected appeals to the third umpire for his assessment. Batsmen can also ask for a second opinion when they are given out.

Wellington, Dec 10 : Kiwis laid off in the current recession have been offered a new job – testing a sex toy for international condom manufacturer Durex.

Kiwis can apply by visiting www. durextester. co. nz. Applications for this dream job are open until 21 January 2009 and applicants, who must be aged 16 or over, should explain why they are suitable for the job, reports the NZPA.

It does not pay but successful applicants for the 100 ‘sexexcutive’ jobs at Durex will receive a free vibrating sex toy, worth about 25 dollars, to trial.

Wellington, Dec 10 : ‘Closeness’ and ‘intimacy’ are the most valuable things in the sex lives of men, according to a global study.

The survey involved more than 1,000 committed couples aged in mid-life or older, from the US, Spain, Japan, Germany and Brazil, reports the NZPA.

They were asked about the importance of their relationship, sexual behaviour and also the role sex played independently in the health and life satisfaction of the men and women.

Men returned stereotype-busting results on the question of what they derived from sex.

"Partnered sexual activity is important to men and women across all countries," the study said.