## Japan Kills First Fin Whale Despite Global Condemnation

Authored by theinertia.com

Japan just announced that it killed its first fin whale in years.

The whale, which was 64 feet long and weighed 55 tons, was caught off Iwate Prefecture by a whaling company called Kyodo Senpaku.

Japan is one of very few countries that ignore international rules surrounding the hunting of whales.

Fin whales, which are the second-largest animal on Earth — the blue whale is the largest — are considered by International Union for Conservation of Nature to be “vulnerable to extinction.”.

In May, 2024, fin whales were added to the list of of species that can be caught in Japan.

Eighty-eight countries are members, but Iceland, Norway, and Japan are not and still actively hunt whales.

Japan was a member until 2019, when it withdrew and quickly resumed hunting whales. »

### Middle school bans all-black clothing, citing mental health concerns

Authored by kkco11news.com

EL PASO, Texas (KFOX) - A Texas middle school is banning students from wearing all-black clothing because school officials say it’s associated with mental health issues.

Students at Charles Middle School in El Paso, Texas, headed back to school Monday, days after a letter from Principal Nick DeSantis outlined the school’s new dress code policy.

The letter says the school is eliminating all-black clothing because it is “associated with depression and mental health issues and/or criminality.”. »

### Finally, US figure skaters will get Beijing Olympic gold medals — under Eiffel Tower

Authored by usatoday.com

Exactly 2½ years to the day after the team figure skating competition ended at the 2022 Beijing Winter Olympics, U.S. figure skaters will get their gold medals and their Japanese counterparts their silvers at the 2024 Paris Summer Olympics.

All nine skaters on the U.S. team, their coaches and several members of each of their families flew to Paris on Tuesday courtesy of the U.S. Olympic & Paralympic Committee and the International Olympic Committee.

Medal ceremony outfits have been made for the Americans by the USOPC, which the skaters will wear at the Paris Olympics’ Champions Park for the ceremony beginning at 5 p.m. Wednesday. »

### Nightingale devs say they're 'not satisfied' with the game, its reception, or its player numbers, but they've got big improvements coming

Authored by pcgamer.com

With those basic improvements in place, Inflexion's spent the last few months on overhauls for the overall gameplay experience.

Even better, Inflexion's worked to bring a big improvement to what everyone really wants from a survival game: building a cool house.

Inflexion is hoping to release the latest slate of improvements in an update later this summer. »

### Harris introduces new running mate Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz as the ‘vice president America deserves’

Authored by apnews.com

Taking the microphone after Harris, Walz revved up the crowd for the rigorous campaign to come.

The remarks reflected the urgency of the moment, with Harris tapping Walz for the ticket during one of the most turbulent periods in modern American politics.

Biden described the Harris and Walz ticket as “a powerful voice for working people and America’s great middle class.”. »

## In pictures

## Also in the news

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#### JD Vance called Tim Walz a 'San Francisco-style liberal.' Walz visited the city for the first time last month, while Vance lived there for years.

#### Republicans worry Trump is having a ‘public nervous breakdown’