2010-05-17 BBC
BBC News with Jonathan Wheatley.
The oil company BP says it has finally been successful in siphoning oil from a burst pipe on the seabed in the Gulf of Mexico. A BP spokesman said that so far the system was working very well but added that this wasn't the ultimate solution. Large quantities of oil have been spewing into the Gulf for nearly a month. Madeleine Morris reports from Washington.
Some good news finally in the Gulf of Mexico with the success of this third attempt to insert a small pipe into the broken well riser to funnel away oil and natural gas. BP senior executive vice president Kent Wells said in a news conference, the operation was still in its first stages but was working well. He said over the next few days the company plans to slowly increase the amount of oil flowing through the pipe to the tanker. Mr. Wells would not comment on scientists’ discovery of several new vast plumes of oil beneath the ocean surface.
The Thai authorities have rejected any foreign mediation in their confrontation with anti-government protesters that has seen about 30 people killed in the past four days. Many of the protesters known as the red-shirts are besieged by the Thai army in a camp in central Bangkok. Earlier they’d offered to open talks on condition that they were mediated by the United Nations and that the government removed its troops from the streets. The Thai government says military action is the only way to end the unrest.
More than 100,000 Roman Catholics have converged on the Vatican, in an organized show of support for Pope Benedict, as he struggles to deal with the scandal over pedophile priests. He’s invited priests from around the world to come to Rome next month. David Willey reports from Rome.
The rally was organized by lay Catholic organizations all over Italy. There’s a demonstration of support for the Pope as he deals with serious sexual scandals involving priests in different parts of the world. Pilgrims, mainly Italians, arrived in Rome by bus and train and Pope Benedict thanked them repeatedly for coming to his support, as he repeated his words on the plane on a visit to Portugal last week, saying that priests must guard against worldly temptations.
England have beaten Australia to win the World Twenty20 cricket tournament in Barbados, the first time the side has won an International Cricket Council trophy. England beat their traditional rivals by seven wickets after being set a target of 148. England's Kevin Pietersen was named player of the tournament. He had nothing but praise for the team's commitment.
"This team is hungry for success. They want to, we want to win. In every single training session we go to. The boys try and work harder and harder and harder and they strive for success. But I must also thank the crowd, I mean, coming to Barbados, and playing in front of such an amazing crowd, it feels like a great, big home game for us. Thank you very much guys. Great support. Thank you again." Kevin Pietersen.
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In the largest study of its kind, a ten-year World Health Organization survey has reached no definitive conclusion about the risks of contracting brain tumors from using mobile phones. Experts said the result from the study which involved 13,000 people indicated a possible health risk from heavy mobile phone use and even more in-depth research is needed.
At least 20 people have been killed in the Somali capital Mogadishu after insurgents fired on the meeting of the interim Somali parliament. African Union peacekeepers said they returned fire, shelling parts of Mogadishu's main market. There were rowdy scenes during the meeting as the parliamentary speaker was removed from office after disagreement with the interim president.
A partial recount of votes from Iraq's election two months ago has resulted in no change in the allocation of parliamentary seats. The recount by hand of 2.5 million ballots cast in Bagdad followed accusations of fraud by the Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki. From Bagdad, here is Gabriel Gatehouse.
Many will hope that this announcement marks the end of a series of challenges to the vote itself and the beginning of negotiations in earnest between the various political parties. No single group won enough seats to form a government on its own. A broad coalition of some kind including Shiites, Sunnis and Kurds seems the most likely outcome. The question is whether a deal can be struck that would be acceptable to all sides in this very delicate and tense stalemate.
Scientists in the United States say Lake Tanganyika in Africa, which is the second deepest lake in the world, is now warmer than at any time in the last 1,500 years. The geologists involved in the study say the lake’s warming accelerated during the last century and coincided with an increase in greenhouse gas emissions. The researchers say the higher temperature is likely to affect the lake's fish stocks, upon which millions of people depend.
BBC News.