Killing of more than 1,400 dolphins in Faroe Islands sparks massive outcry
CBSN
A conservation group's account of more than 1,400 dolphins being slaughtered over the weekend in the remote Faroe Islands has drawn a huge outcry online. Hunting for sea mammals is a common and regulated practice in the islands, which are a self-governing region of Denmark, but a government official says a "big mistake" led to the killing of far more animals than expected.
Sea Shepard Global, an international ocean conservation group, reported that on Sunday night, a super-pod of 1,428 Atlantic white-sided dolphins were killed off the Faroe Islands. The activists said hunters used speed boats and jet-skis to drive the dolphins into shallow water where they were killed.
Olavur Sjurdarberg, chairman of the Faroese Whalers Association, confirmed the killings to the BBC, saying that while the number of dolphins killed was excessive, it was accidental.
Noumea — France's president held a flurry of meetings with local representatives in the restive Pacific territory of New Caledonia on Thursday, urging calm after deadly rioting, and vowing thousands of military reinforcements will stay in place to quell what he called an "unprecedented insurrection."
Kathmandu — Nepali climber Phunjo Lama on Thursday reached Mount Everest's summit in 14 hours and 31 minutes, smashing the record for the world's fastest ascent of the mountain by a woman. Climbers usually take days to reach the top of the 29,032-foot mountain, spending nights on its different camps to rest and acclimatize.
New Delhi — Indian justice officials have changed course amid outrage over the bail terms set for a teenager accused of killing two people while driving a Porsche at high speed while drunk and without a license. The 17-year-old son of a wealthy businessman had been ordered to write a 300-word essay and work with the local traffic police for 15 days to be granted bail — a decision that was made within 15 hours of his arrest.
Zurich — A woman jogger was killed by a naked man who was screaming and attacking people in a lakeside park in Switzerland, police said Wednesday. The attack happened Tuesday evening in Mannedorf on Lake Zurich, around 12 miles southeast of Switzerland's biggest city, the Zurich cantonal police said.
Norway, Ireland and Spain said Wednesday they are recognizing a Palestinian state in a historic move that drew condemnation from Israel and jubilation from the Palestinians. Israel immediately ordered back its ambassadors from Norway and Ireland and appeared ready to do the same with its ambassador to Spain.