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Latest update: 15/01/2010

- Australia - environment - Japan - New Zealand - whales - whaling

The Whale Dispute

A collision between an anti-whaling speed boat and a security ship that's protecting a Japanese whaling fleet has added fresh fuel to a long-running debate. It's brought the spotlight onto the practices of both the whalers as well as some of their worst critics, a group called 'Sea Shepherd'. It's also unleashed a diplomatic row between Japan, Australia and New Zealand.

FOCUS

02/05/2013 - SYRIA

Refugees seek a better life in France

More than 1.4 million Syrians have now fled the war-torn country as fighting continues to rage. Most refugees have settled in neighbouring Middle Eastern states where many cram into overcrowded camps, but a number have made their way to European countries like France. Our reporters caught up with some Syrian refugees who are now living in Paris.

02/05/2013 - DAGESTAN

Quelling the insurgency in Dagestan

The Russian republic of Dagestan, in the North Caucasus, has hit the headlines recently because of its connections with Boston marathon bombing suspects Dzhokhar and Tamerlan Tsarnaev. Their parents live there and both brothers spent time there. The region has seen increasing Islamic radicalisation and a fierce struggle by the authorities to quell the insurgency.

01/05/2013 - LIBYA

Libya militiamen step up pressure on government

Powerful militiamen are once again showing their muscle to press their demands on how Libya should be run. The gunmen are still surrounding the justice and foreign ministries in Tripoli. They are calling for an "isolation law" to pass, which would bar any former member of the Gaddafi regime from political life. But some believe they are using the law as a pretext to try to bring down Prime Minister Ali Zeidan.

01/05/2013 - FRANCE

Tackling unemployment with 'Generation Contracts'

With French unemployment at record levels, President François Hollande has launched a number of programmes to tackle joblessness, such as "Contracts of the Future," and "Generation Contracts", aimed at the young in particular. The government has promised financial help to companies willing to hire people under the age of 26, and more money to companies willing to hold on to senior workers that can train them up.

30/04/2013 - ENVIRONMENT

EU bans three bee-harming pesticides for two years

Environmentalists hailed a "victory for bees" on Monday after the European Union voted for a ban on several nerve-agent pesticides blamed for the dramatic decline in global bee populations. Fifteen of the 27 member states, including France, voted for a two-year restriction on the neonicotinoids, despite strong opposition from chemical companies.

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(10) Reactions

anti whaling

by Anonyme - 21/02/2010 - 10:29

Its obvious to see, that the protesters were deliberity sailing across the bows of the wailer, a larger vessel, which couldnot have diverted its course as quickly as the lighter more manourverable protesters vessel.
so waht ever was to happen, the protesters would be able to claim satisfaction.
As with most people, i disklike the killing of whales, as welll totally dislike to actions of the protesters.
If nations tried to sort out their differences in a similer fashion, the world would a disaster!!

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Whaling

by Anonyme - 19/01/2010 - 05:21

Japan needs to do the honorable thing and stop the whaling. Its commercial exploitation under the guise of science and everyone knows it. Australia needs to protect its waters.

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Whaling

by Anonyme - 16/01/2010 - 18:44

There seems to be little difference between the activities of the Sea "Shepards" and the Somali pirates. If indeed the Japanese are violating Austalian or New Zealand laws, seems that those two countries should take up the issue country-to-country rather than condone the antics [and reality tv revenue opportunities] of this rag-tag group of activists

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Clear cut facts (truth)

by Anonyme - 15/01/2010 - 10:04

-Special permits for scientific research (including catches of whales) are not bound by any conversation measures (moratorium, sanctuaries, etc.) taken by the IWC (see article 8 of Iternational Convention for the Regulation of Whaling).
-Every whales caught under such special permits must be processed as much as possible and dealt according to the directives of the country which issued the permit (sales of whale meat are okay).
-The money from the sales of the research by-products (whale meat, etc.) is used to fund the research together with aids provided by the Japanese government. Japanese research programmes don't make any profits and are thus not commercial.
-The waters off the Antarctic continent where Japan's research takes place do not belong to any country. The Antarctic Treaty is freezing any territorial claim on the Antarctic continent. These waters are thus not Australia's and the Federal court injunction is thus void in these waters.
-Japan, Norway and Iceland are making many efforts to improve the killing methods. The polarization of the IWC is however preventing constructive discussions on this matter. There are discussions ongoing at the NAMMCO.
-Antarctic minke whales are not endangered and never have been. The IWC estimated their populations at 761.000 in 1990. Even though this number is being reevaluated, it is generally agreed that there are hundreds of thousands of these animals in the Southern Ocean.
-The global ban on commercial whaling was adopted by the IWC in 1982 under concerns that there might be uncertainties concerning data on whales populations back then. Japan is trying to address these concerns with its research programmes.
-The IWC has developed and adopted in the early 1990's a quota setting system called Revised Management Procedure, which scientists consider a very conservative resource management system.

Japan is rightfully catching whales for scientific purposes. Sea Shepherd has had its observer at the IWC status revoked in 1986 and is not mandated to act against Japan's legal activities in the Southern ocean.

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IDIOCRACY

by Anonyme - 15/01/2010 - 03:42

THIS IS ABSOLUTE MADNESS!! JAPAN'S GOVERNMENT IS MAKING TOO MANY EXCUSES... THEY'RE SIMPLY TOO OVERPOPULATED... RAISE SOME FREAKING CHICKENS!!

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Useless

by Anonyme - 14/01/2010 - 18:54

Useless single sided propaganda!!!

Where is the Japanese side of the story??

Completely unacceptable for a channel like France 24, don’t forget that you have France (and everything it represents) in your name

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enola gay

by Anonyme - 14/01/2010 - 00:14

The clear cut facts:

- Japanese whalers are defying a global moratorium on whaling
- They are commericially whaling under the guise of science
- They are in the Australian Antarctic Territory without permission
- They are illegally taking whales from a declared whale sanctuary
- They are in the Antarctic zone operating illegally because they are carrying weapons and are refuelling & dumping waste into the ocean
- They are in contempt of an Australian Federal court injunction on whaling in the Whale sanctuary
- The killing methods are slow, brutal and highly cruel
- They are taking threatended and endangered whales. Minke numbers are an estimate - no one really knows how many of them there are.
- And now the Japanese are arming their ships with military grade weapons, using security escorts and deliberately ramming ships.

Therefore, Japan is in the wrong on so many levels. But yet they continue to pour money into a dying industry to save face and "not be told what to do by the west".