Pro-whaling nations walk out of meeting

Japan and other pro-whaling nations walked out of a meeting of the International Whaling Commission yesterday to protest against a proposal for a whale sanctuary in the South Atlantic.

Delegates from Japan, Iceland and a number of Caribbean and African nations walked out when the issue came up at the IWC's annual conference in Jersey, throwing the meeting into disarray. It was not clear whether the remaining delegates could vote on the proposal after the walkout.