Sir Geoffrey Palmer has been cautiously silent about his recent stint as chair of a UN inquiry into Israeli troops boarding ships trying to breach the Gaza strip naval blockade – with one exception: his grandson, journalism student RUSSELL PALMER:

A Wellington Jewish folk band performing at the Botanical Gardens was offered extra security by Wellington City Council, which feared it might attract anti-Israel protests.

The band declined, reports LAURA FRYKBERG.

Hordes of protesters have taken to Wellington streets to condemn Israeli attacks on Palestine. NewsWire’s PAUL MCBETH and LUKE APPLEBY were there to catch the action.