QUOTE OF THE DAY

"Let's not beat about the bush. They have visibly lost the essential control of the situation. That is our analysis, in any case."

- French Industry Minister Eric Besson urges all French nationals to leave Japan as soon as possible due to the unfolding post-quake/tsunami nuclear disaster.

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"Preparatory work has so far not progressed as fast as we had hoped."

- An official of plant operator Tokyo Electric Power Co (TEPCO) engages in a little bit of understatement a news briefing.