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Anti-Whaling Activists Released from Japanese Ship
There was a dramatic clash on the high seas last week. Activists in a rubber boat chased a Japanese whaling ship. Two of the activists climbed on board to deliver a petition asking the whalers to stop their hunt for whales. The Japanese whalers called the activists pirates and refused to allow them to leave. Anti-whaling activists claimed that the two were being held on the ship as hostages. After several tense days, the Australian government stepped in and aided in their release.
One of the activists is from Australia, the other is from Britain. They are members of the Sea Shepherd Conservation Society. This is a group that believes it's wrong for anyone to hunt and kill whales. The men threw bottles of acid onto the ship before they boarded.
The Japanese say they have every right to hunt for whales. Opponents say they are using a loophole to get around a worldwide ban on whale hunting. According to the ban, whales can only be hunted for scientific research. Activists believe the whales are being hunted for commercial, rather than scientific reasons. With the hostages released, the Japanese will continue their hunt for minke whales. At the same time, the boats of the Sea Shepherds will be close to the whaling ships doing what they can to prevent the hunt from continuing.
I'm Michelle and that's what happened in the world this week.
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