Split (1)

train · 2.6M rows

text stringlengths 11 59k
Researchers who took part in the expedition focused on observing marine mammals from aboard the ships. They conducted the survey and only took skin samples of the whales.
"By collecting scientific data, we aim to resume commercial whaling," agriculture, forestry and fisheries minister Yoshimasa Hayashi told reporters in the port city as quoted by AFP.
In 1986, a moratorium against commercial whaling came into force, under the International Whaling Commission (IWC), as whale populations plummeted toward collapse after decades of industrial-scale whaling.
Since then, Tokyo has used a provision in the whaling convention that allows killing whales “for purposes of scientific research.” Japan began whaling for “scientific research” back in 1987, saying that most whale species were not endangered.
In March 2014, the International Court of Justice ruled that Japan must stop whaling in Antarctica, saying that Tokyo had produced insufficient scientific data to justify the killing of whales for research. Tokyo canceled its Antarctic hunt, but carried out a smaller version of the hunt in the Northern Pacific in the summer.
Japanese authorities then said that they planned to resume “research” whaling hunting by the end of 2015. In September, Japan submitted a new plan to the International Whaling Commission and its Scientific Committee, which set an annual target of 333 minke whales for future hunts instead of 900.
Japanese whaling is a centuries-old tradition which dates back to the 12th century. During the 2014 Antarctic hunt 251 minke whales were killed and 103 the previous year, according to data from Japan's fisheries agency. In the Northwest Pacific, 132 whales were killed in 2013, and 92 off the Japanese coast. Meat from the whales usually ends up in food markets.
Environmental organizations have repeatedly staged protests against whaling, which is also popular in Norway and Iceland.
Berkshire Hathaway, Warren Buffett’s holding company, bought a small 3 percent stake in Dow Jones (NYSE: DJ) in Q2, as the negotiations with News Corp were going on, according to an SEC filing, picked up by WSJ. Buffett has publicly voiced concerns in recent years about the newspaper-publishing industry, and has longtime stakes in Washington Post Co. and the Buffalo News.
Berkshire owned 2.78 million DJ shares valued at $159.8 million as of June 30, which equates to just over 3 percent.
8.00 acres offers space for a home, pasture, and recreational area. County water available with connection fee required. Approximately 2 miles from the Monroe Expressway.
Speaking at a press conference in Brussels, early on Friday morning, British Prime Minister Theresa May said there will be "no hard border" between the Republic of Ireland and the United Kingdom, along the Northern Irish border. She added that this deal would preserve the "constitutional and economic integrity of the United Kingdom."
For months Ireland had vetoed Britain’s request to move talks on from the divorce settlement to trade; earlier this week it looked like an agreement had been reached in which Northern Ireland would remain “aligned” to EU law on certain issues – something Northern Ireland’s Democratic Unionist Party (DUP) ruled out, ordering Dublin and London back to the drawing board.
Now DUP leader Arlene Foster has green-lighted the new text, after “six substantive changes” were agreed with her party so that there would be “no red line down the Irish Sea”; whilst her party wants to avoid a hard border between the north and south of Ireland, it was keener still to avoid anything that would require custom checks on goods moving from Northern Ireland to Great Britain.
The devil is in the detail. Seasoned Westminster observer says: "If this is a win for the DUP and Theresa May then I hate to think what was in the original draft on Monday. The Irish Government has completely outmanoeuvred the UK Government to get everything it wanted and more."
It means the United Kingdom will continue to implement and enforce EU rules in certain areas, such as agriculture and energy, but remain outside the Customs Union and Single Market.
Reaction to the news was mixed, with many Brexiteers angry that Britain would continue to follow certain EU edicts, whilst others rejoiced that talks could move onto phase 2.
British Prime Minister Theresa May hailed the agreement as “significant progress” on what was agreed Monday.
MARQUETTE, Mich. (WLUC) - The opioid summit that began Wednesday morning at the Holiday Inn continued in the evening at Northern Michigan University. Federal, state, and local agencies gathered to speak to the public and receive feedback from the community on the subject.
During Wednesday's conference these agencies met to discuss strategies for combating the opioid epidemic, a crisis that sees thousands of death annually in Michigan according to the CDC.
"I think it's good that all of these different agencies are coming together,” said Michigan State Police Detective Lt. Tim Sholander. “They can explain what type of resources they can bring to a community."
Wednesday night, they hoped to discuss these issues with the public.
"Law enforcement isn't the only one that should be fighting drugs, this is a community problem and we need to solve it together," said Sholander.
Speaking before the community were doctors, nurses, local authorities, and recovery center coordinators.
"When we get law enforcement, judges, and community leaders working together to be look at treatment rather than incarceration it should tell you that we finally realize that we are treating this the wrong way and that we need to change the face of addiction," said Judge Linda Davis, president of Families Against Narcotics.
One of the goals of the summit, to get the community involved in the issue of opioid addiction.
“The next step is really on the community, because they know what our resources are, I’m looking for them to come to us and say, you know what I do have somebody in my community that lives down the street that has a drug problem, how can I help them," said Sholander.
Those who spoke Wednesday night said, the first step for those who wish to help out, is understanding the disease that is addiction.
"We somehow think people make the choice to do that rather than having it be something that is done to them, so we need to start looking at it as a disease and then I think the support will come," said Davis.
If you or someone you know struggles with addiction, it is recommended that you reach out to a treatment center like the Great Lakes Recovery Center, or even the Michigan State Police.
Those in possession of a home office, range cooker, children's playroom, wine fridge, walk-in wardrobe or a vinyl record collection, could be living in an 'affluent' household.
Research carried out by the insurer LV= among 1,000 households with incomes of £57,000-plus attempted to find the key signs of affluence around the house.
More than one in three (37 per cent) people surveyed had a home office, while nearly one in five (18 per cent) had vinyl collections.
One in seven (13 per cent) had a children's playroom in the house while 11 per cent had a walk-in wardrobe.
Collections of artwork were also popular indicators, as were under-floor heating, luxury paint and high-tech music systems.
LV= said increases in disposable income in recent decades had created a multitude of 'mass affluent' home owners, many of whom have not considered the true worth of their possessions when it comes to insuring them.
The top items or features in a house which indicate owners are 'mid-net worth' include a home office, vinyl collection, limited edition art, a children's playroom, music system, under-floor heating, nutrient extractor, wine fridge, walk-in wardrobe, luxury wallpaper and a range cooker.
And the top items that 'mass affluent' home owners are impressed by or aspire to own, according to the research, include: a grand piano, a games room, a walk-in wardrobe, under-floor heating, and a range cooker.
Tesla’s Model S is not a benchmark for Porsche’s upcoming Mission E, their first all-electric vehicle. At least that’s according to a comment made by the company’s CEO, Oliver Blume, during the company’s annual press conference, Forbes reports. But, according to Electrek, the German automaker was observed actively benchmarking a Tesla vehicle a couple of months ago.
Porsche obtained a group of Tesla vehicles which they used to test the Mission E, Electrek reports. This fleet included both Model S and Model X vehicles. There’s a video of the convoy of Tesla cars which Electrek claims was part of the “test mule” program. In the video posted on YouTube, you can see some “spy footage” of a Porsche Mission-E prototype followed by a Tesla Model X.
Blume may have meant that Porsche is not focused on competing or challenging the Model S since there seems to be at least some evidence that the company used Tesla vehicles to test its all-electric offering.
As Electrek notes, Porsche wants to manufacture an electric vehicle that can go from 0 to 60 mph 3.5 seconds. This type of speed is usually reserved for the highest performance version. The Tesla Model S’s performance version can do the same acceleration in 2.5 seconds. The base version, the Model S 75D, goes from 0 to 60 in 4.2 seconds.
Pre-production details and photos of Porsche’s Mission E were recently revealed in the auto manufacturer’s Annual & Sustainability report for 2017. As Teslerati reports, some of the photos indicate that certain aspects of the concept design have been changed. For example, it looks like they have nixed the suicide doors. But the Mission E’s pre-production front seems to be staying true to the original design down to the “aerodynamic lines” that dip into the luxury electric car’s headlights. In terms of storage, it seems that the trunk will be spacious and that the frunk will be about the same size as Tesla’s Model 3.
Porsche’s website describes the Mission E as a sports car. They also say that the design of its powertrain will be based on technology that has been tested in motorsports. So, they want us to know that they’re building a fast car. Whether it can compete with Tesla’s vehicles remains to be seen.
MIAMI — More than 150 fans, ranging in age and culture, form a standing-room-only crowd at the Legends Café in Hollywood, eagerly awaiting the opportunity to get up close and personal with their favorite hip-hop artists.
Fast forward to later the same evening, when thousands more converge on Miami Beach’s Fillmore — hours before showtime — in an attempt to get the best seats in the house.
Obviously some high-profile rappers must be in town to proclaim they’re the greatest of all time, right?
Wrong. Several of these artists still sport snapbacks and tattoos, but Lecrae, Trip Lee, Tedashi, Derek Minor, Andy Mineo, KB, This’l and Propaganda aren’t your typical rappers. What sets them apart is each of them will quickly tell you that Jesus Christ is the real Superstar.
Using hip-hop music and fun-filled events, Reach Records and GodIsObvious are infiltrating pop culture with the gospel message of Jesus Christ. The Christian entertainment groups collaborated on Oct. 21 to present a local meet-and greet autograph signing for fans before Reach artists hit the stage for the Miami edition of the Unashamed Tour, which is selling out venues across the country.
Both groups are a part of a growing number of believers who work in, or crossover to, the secular entertainment industry, but use their platforms, gifts and talents to reach the masses and to glorify God.
Aprille Hinnant, CEO of the South Florida-based GodIsObvious organization, believes it is her Christian duty to be a bridge between the secular world and the faith community. As a radio personality on 99 Jamz, as well as an internationally renowned dancer and highly popular event planner, Hinnant is the second generation in her family to work full time in the entertainment industry.
Hinnant said that mission and calling made the collaboration with Reach to do the autograph signing a no-brainer because it’s always good to work with people who are of one accord.
Derek Minor, one of Reach’s artists, couldn’t agree more. Having been signed to the label for two years now, Minor said he and his label mates are always willing to work with people who grind for Jesus.
“They told us we had an opportunity to do a meet-and-greet with GodIsObvious and it was a blessing to do it. I feel like Paul. As long as cats are preaching the gospel, I’m down to ride. Anytime you see a believer that’s pushing the envelope, it’s a blessing,” Minor said.
Reach’s entire brand is built around Romans 1:16, the scripture that promotes being unashamed of the Gospel of Jesus Christ. Some might think that would hinder them from reaching mainstream audiences, but the opposite is true.
Minor said he believes their crossover appeal is so great, even to those who don’t share their faith, because people respect authenticity.
“Our music is organic and it’s real. We love Jesus and it’s not a ploy to get money or fame. This is our life that you’re hearing throughout the music and whether you agree or disagree with us you’ve got to respect it because we are being ourselves and we’re passionate in what we believe,” Minor said.
Finally, Minor and his label mates want to keep letting people know that God loves them just as they are and it’s not about their outer appearance; it’s about what’s in their hearts.
“With us people are seeing a movement of individuals that look like them, talk like them, like the same things that they like but love God. We’ve taken the chains off of what people think Christianity is,” Minor said.
So while you won’t always see them suited and booted come Sunday morning, you will always see groups like Reach and GodIsObvious clothed with the love of God and sharing it every chance they get.
“Our fans are family because we don’t see anyone as beneath us, we see them as our brothers and sisters. Everybody is valuable because they were made in the image of God. We don’t want people to worship us. At the end of the day we love them and want them to keep riding with us because it’s going down,” Minor concluded.
Coalition of armed groups takes town of al-Mastouma as they move towards seizing control over entire western province.
Syrian opposition fighters have seized the largest remaining military base in Idlib in one of their most significant victories in the province since taking Idlib city in March, reports say.
Abu Yazid, a spokesman for Ahrar al-Sham, one of Syria's most powerful armed groups, told Al Jazeera the fighters took over the entire town of al-Mastouma and its army base after days of heavy clashes with security forces.
Ahrar al-Sham is part of the Fattah Army, a coalition that controls most of Idlib province, in Syria's northwest.
Yazid also said that a subsequent offensive in the northern town of Ariha, one of the last government bastions in Idlib, is forcing Syrian troops to withdraw.
"The military has begun withdrawing from Ariha," he said.
He said at least 50 troops had been killed in recent fighting in Idlib.
The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, a UK-based monitoring group, and numerous activist groups on the ground in Syria have confirmed the takeover of entire al-Mastouma.
Syrian state television reported that army units at the base were moved to Ariha to reinforce defence lines there.
Ahrar al-Sham's advances come almost two months after the Fattah Army seized Idlib city, which is strategically located near the main highway connecting the the country's second city Aleppo and the capital Damascus.
Heavy fighting has also continued in the Idlib city of Jisr al-Shughur, where government forces are bombarding rebel-held areas in an attempt to rescue many soldiers reportedly besieged in a hospital.
Against this backdrop of military reverses, Syrian President Bashar al-Assad has praised Iran, the main foreign source of military, political and economic support for his government, as a "key pillar".
Tuesday's statement came during Assad's meetings with Ali Akbar Velayati, a foreign affairs adviser to Iran's supreme leader, who was the third Iranian official to visit Damascus in less than a week.
"The support given by Iran to the Syrian people constitutes a key pillar in the battle against terrorism," state news agency SANA quoted Assad as saying.
Velayati's visit came days after the two countries struck a series of major economic deals in a wide range of sectors, including electrical, medical and oil industries, according to SANA.
Last Thursday, Alaedin Boroujerdi, head of the Iranian parliament's national security and foreign policy, visited Damascus and said that Iran's support for the Assad government was "firm and eternal".
The controversy around the Indian cricket team wearing military caps on the field to pay homage to its troops has reignited a decades-old debate over the mixing of politics with sports.
India's national side came under scrutiny for "militarising" the game after its players wore army camouflage caps during a match against Australia in the eastern Indian city of Ranchi.
The gesture, earlier this month, was in solidarity with the Indian paramilitary police officers killed in a suicide attack by a Pakistan-based group in the disputed Kashmir region and to raise donations for the National Defence Fund.
But analysts and sports diplomacy experts questioned the Indian cricket team's move, saying it did "no favours to either national security nor sport".
"It's fine to raise money for the troops as long as the fundraising happens off the field," Mukul Kesavan, an Indian writer and historian, told Al Jazeera.
Pakistan, which came to the brink of war with India in the aftermath of the February bombing in the Pulwama district of Indian-administered Kashmir this year, criticised the Indian team for "politicising" the sport.
"We believe that cricket and sports should not be used for politics and we have said this very clearly," the Pakistan Cricket Board chairman, Ehsan Mani, said while revealing that he had lodged a formal protest in a letter to the International Cricket Council (ICC).
"Their [India] credibility in the cricketing world has gone down very badly."
An ICC spokesperson told Al Jazeera that the Indian cricket board - the BCCI - asked for prior approval to wear the olive-and-black caps "as part of a fundraising drive and in memory of soldiers, which was granted".
"Given the fact that it happened in the aftermath of the India-Pakistan border skirmishing, it just seems pointed in a way that has no business on a cricket field," said Kesavan.
J Simon Rofe, Global Diplomacy programme director at the University of London, said funds can be raised "without having an overt visual dimension".
He referred to the annual 'Pink Test' supporting breast cancer and the World Cricket Tsunami Appeal match held in Melbourne in 2005.
"There are ways of expressing support for a good cause without it having overt military, let alone political connotations," Rofe, author of Sport and Diplomacy: Games within Games, told Al Jazeera.
Athletes, including cricketers, have used sport to make political and personal statements in the past.
According to ICC's code of conduct, players and team officials are not permitted to convey political, religious or racial messages through clothing or equipment.
The ICC would have the final say in determining whether any such message is approved, the world body said.
In 2014, English cricketer Moeen Ali was banned from wearing "Free Gaza" and "Save Palestine" wristbands during a series against India.
Pakistan-born South African bowler Imran Tahir was sanctioned for revealing a T-shirt featuring the portrait of Pakistani singer-turned-preacher Junaid Jamshed, who died in a plane crash in 2016.
"You have two examples from the past already, where both Tahir and Ali were sanctioned for something similar," PCB's Mani said, urging the ICC to take strong action against the Indian cricket board.
But according to Rofe, "the BCCI is a significant diplomatic player and that's really what's at stake here".
"The agenda of the BCCI is significant to the ICC and the fact that you've got the Indian Premier League coming up with a lot of the world's best players, the nexus of cricket and diplomacy is in India," he said.
Boycotts and sanctions over political differences are common in international sport, especially at the highest level.
The United States boycotted the 1980 Moscow Olympics in protest of the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan.

Subsets and Splits

No community queries yet

The top public SQL queries from the community will appear here once available.