Activists clash with Japan whalers - 6 Jan 10

Six anti-whaling protesters who suffered minor injuries when their boat collided with a Japanese whaling ship have been rescued in the Southern Ocean.

The conservationists say the whalers rammed their vessel, but the Japanese maintain the collision was an accident. They say the protesters had been throwing stink bombs at its whaling ships and were trying to tangle their propellers with ropes.

Al Jazeera's Tarek Bazley reports the incident has raised questions about Japans government-backed whaling programme.