U.S., Australia military games may hurt whales

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Military exercises planned by Australia and the United States next month off the Australian coast could result in large-scale whale deaths or injuries, the International Whaling Commission said.

Powerful warship sonars could also cause widespread whale beachings, the commission's Scientific Committee said in a report released at this week's IWC meeting in Alaska.

The report, released as Japan leads a push to overturn a global moratorium on whaling, urged both Australian and U.S. military chiefs to take action to prevent the exercises causing "injurious or lethal effects" among whales.

More than 120 military aircraft, tanks and 30 warships, including nuclear-powered aircraft carriers and submarines will take part in the Talisman Sabre exercise.

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