“We disagree about whaling … but we do not disagree on the importance of safety at sea.”

Dutch prime minister Jan Peter Balkenende says his country will respond to request from the Japanese government to clamp down on anti-whaling group Sea Shepherd, whose ship sails under his country’s flag (AFP).

“This is not a real crater. It is artificial.”

Uldis Nulle, of the Latvian Environment, Geology and Meteorology Center, rubbishes claims that a meteorite was responsible for a 9 metre crater in Latvia. It seems the real culprits are men with shovels (AP).

“Since getting new powers and funding in 2007, FDA has completely overhauled its system … This is a problem that’s being fixed.”

Joshua Sharfstein, principal deputy commissioner of the US Food and Drug Administration, says his agency is fixing problems with follow up of drugs approved in the absence of hard clinical evidence (NY Times).