>> carry on. after 24 hours of questions, the u.s. government orders bp to press on with the key pressure test on it it's blown out well in the gulf of mexico. world cup fever gives way to budget bliss. the prime minister spain warned of tough times ahead. -- world cup fever gives way to budget blues. and the iranian nuclear scientist who surfaced in washington is on his way home. welcome -- welcome to "bbc world news," broadcast to our viewers on pbs in america, also around the globe. my name is mike embley. coming up later for you -- a guided tour around the disputed land. our correspondent gets are rare glimpse inside tibet. the chinese government is never far away. in this special report from the tropical mountain forests of kenya and the fight to protect this east african paradise.

hello to you. the u.s. government has ordered bp to proceed with a key pressure test on its blown out well in the gulf of mexico. the point is to establish whether they should press ahead and sealed the well completely. officials held the work up for 24 hours until bp could answer the question if this could do more harm than good. it could not be another 48 before it is clear whether the new cap doesn't work as planned -- does work as planned. our correspondent is on in washington. what is the latest? >> the latest is commander thad allen is given bp the go-ahead

tool and test the new cap. what bp wanted to do was slowly shut off the valve to see if this is no cap could handle the pressure, but the key phrase from the commander is "and overabundance of caution." what the obama administration was saying is they want to make sure as this final process goes on, that there would be no more damage done to the well. if the cap can handle the pressure, and let's say it could -- the worry was there could be weeks from the ocean floor or the well itself -- there could be leaks from the ocean floor or the well itself. it is going ahead very slowly. they will be carrying out more tests use these -- to see if the cap can handle the pressure. and it will do more six hours later and six hours later.

they are doing the operation in a slow and careful way. >> so, looking at this on an optimistic basis, which could be getting close to a final shot off? but it could have been much worse? >> it could have been much worse. bp is being very more -- very much cautious. if the government is being even more cautious. it is at a critical point here. the cap could potentially handle the pressure, but the problem is the well below the ocean bed itself -- remember, that is 1 mile down -- it could start leaking or eight could blow up altogether. that is a very real fear at the moment. bp and government engineers are trying to take this whole operation very slowly indeed, so we will not find out if those tests are successful for perhaps another 48 hours. >> much obliged. thank you.

spain one of the world cup. now the spanish have also received a nasty reality check. perhaps hoping to catch his country well still euphoric, the prime minister has warned of even more severe budget cuts needed to restore economic growth and regain the confidence of the markets. the pension age is also likely to rise. we have this. >> this was the prime minister's chance to set the agenda for spain. time to take stock for the future. for the first time, there was no sugarcoating. he said there would be dark, difficult times and the spending cap was critical. >> spain is going through a crucial time for its immediate future in the next few decades. we need to take measures to reduce the impact on our economy from the worst crisis we

have ever experienced. we want to push our country toward the most intense economic transformation. >> after the euphoria of the world cup victory, it is a bumpy descent to earth. there is talk that the west could help boost the economy, but not by much. they now support almost 5 million spaniards out of work. that is feeding a huge budget deficit. they are under european pressure to cut back, and the government has slashed spending elsewhere, prompting protests. this was the reaction to pay cuts. they say it is better than it shedding jobs. the budget could prove difficult now. today the bank of spain revealed all the uncertainty about

spain's finances has dried up credit for its banks. they are borrowing from the european central bank in record amounts. the opposition party is urging the prime minister to call for early elections. few believe that is likely, but the prime minister has made it clear there is more hardship and controversy to come. he insists there are no alternatives to spending cuts. bbc news, britt -- bbc news, madrid. >> demand arrested for the times square bomb plot -- the man arrested for the times where bomb plot in new york has emerged on the videotape. in the video, the pakistan mean -- i -- -- pakistani born american spoke of a plot.

12 were crushed to death in a typhoon in the philippines. one was electrocuted. singapore's economy has grown by a staggering 18% this year, almost double the chinese rate. the figures have been driven by the recovery in financial services in the opening of two super casinos for tourists. now, was the abducted by the cia or did he defect? for awhile at least? there is plenty of mystery surrounding the iranian nuclear scientist shahram amiri. he says he will reveal full board feet -- full details of what he calls his ordeal once he is in the iranian capital. our correspondent has this report. >> from inside this building in washington, which houses the

iranian interests section of the pakistan embassy, shahram amiri is now on his way back to tehran, according to tehran authorities. there are no direct flights. he is expected to arrive home early thursday. but the nuclear scientist leaves behind an unresolved mystery over what has happened to him during the past 14 months. he has given conflicting versions of how he disappeared and arrived in the u.s. in the first of three videos, he said he had been kidnapped by cia and saudi agents while on a pilgrimage. in the second coming he said he was living freely in arizona. in the third, he said he had escaped his captors. the saga has led to speculation shahram amiri could have information about iran's nuclear program which the u.s. was keen to get its hands on. the americans have refused to

divulge whether they were provided any such information but have denied the kidnapping allegation. and hillary clinton says nothing was stopping him from returning to iran. >> he was free to go. he was free to come. his decisions are his alone to make. >> this iranian newspaper headline reads "new scandal for america in intelligence war with iran." that is one version of events when tehran resident was ready to accept. >> this is really a big scandal for america. we are proud of such a scientist and glad he is returning to his homeland. >> iran's deputy foreign minister says the case will now be pursued through legal means, and that is up to shahram amiri and his family, too. >> naturally, he and his family are entitled to pursue their rights. they remain psychological sufferers of this instance.

>> iranians have spoken of the effective cooperation given by the pakistan embassy in washington, and shahram amiri has told the iranian media he will reveal the details of his ordeal when he reaches home. bbc news. >> the senate in argentina has been debating a law which will legalize same-sex marriages and allow them to adopt children. it has already been passed by a lower house of congress. thousands are protesting, led by the roman catholic church and other religious organizations. our correspondent has been telling me how controversial this law is proving to be. >> it is in deep. the upper houses are debating whether to reject this bill on same-sex marriage. it is going to be a very tight votes. it with lots of opposition from the roman catholic church and other interest groups as well,

and with many senators representing the most conservative provinces, if they are very likely to vote against this bill that has already been approved by the lower house. it is very tight its will take at least -- is very tight. it will take at least 10 more hours before they reach a decision. >> which way do you think it is going to be out? in december, a couple in buenos aires was the first to undergo marriage in latin america. >> there have been a few weddings' between same-sex couples already. they are finding holes in the law. the situation at the moment is that same-sex marriages only allowed in mexico city, the capital of mexico, but not in the rest of the country. civil unions are allowed in argentina and uruguay, but this would be the first country in the region to approve same-sex weddings in the whole country.

they are waiting for what is going to happen today. >> you are watching "bbc world news." bid to have you with us. stay with us, if you can. still to come -- a water shortage in parts of pakistan and the expanding the desert of the seventh job. -- expanding deserts' of the southern and job. first though, a former member of a mi6 has pled guilty to unlawfully disclosing files. he was arrested after dutch intelligence tip of british authorities. >> he arrived at the high court this morning. the 25-year-old former member oldmi6 lead guilty to -- the 25-year-old former member of mi6 pled guilty. he joined mi6 as an i.t.

specialist in 2007. he made copies of top-secret files before leaving in 2009. he used his mobile phone to contact dutch intelligence, offering files for 2 million pounds. he met dutch agents earlier this year and showed them the files on his laptop, offering them to sell his intelligence collection. two weeks later at a london hotel, he handed over the files. he left with a suitcase containing 900,000 pounds. he was then arrested. when police searched his flat, they found more secret information, including a memory stick containing 7000 files. he would have been security vested when he joined the organization. it would have looked at the psychological profile. the fact he was willing to betray the organization's

secrets, and smuggle them out of the building, will raise questions about security procedures. and in court, he claimed to have been directed by voices he heard in his head. prosecution lawyers said they were not willing to accept this and would want their own report before sentencing in early september. bbc news. >> the latest headlines for you on "bbc world news." the u.s. government has ordered bp to press on with keep pressure tests on its blown out well in the gulf of mexico. spain's prime minister has warned of tough times in his state of the nation address. the novelty of the world cup win is wearing off. a severe water shortage is causing droughts in pakistan. parts of the southern and job have been turned into -- parts

of the southern punjab have been turned into desert. some accused india of blocking the water from their side of the border. >> these were the rich, fertile plains of the self punjab. they have just lost the battle against the desert that encroaches further and further. it is hard to believe now, but there were crowds here two years ago. in fact, this whole area was lush and green. the people in this area were making a decent living. since then, the water channels have run dry, the crops have failed, and these same farmers are living in extreme poverty. they are doing what they can, but the deterioration in their lives has come so quickly. half of this farmers -- former's livestock have died since the water stopped coming. he used to grow crops, but demand has turned to dust.

>> he says that they pray to god for help. sometimes he thinks the only solution is to hang themselves. >> this is one of several rivers in pakistan that originates in india. its slow has dramatically reduced. many accused india of diverting its. this is an issue being taken up by radical groups. >> this is water terrorism by india. they say we can use as much as the light of some rivers, but not others. -- as much as we light of some rivers, but not others. i do not thinking the talks will work. >> there is water coming into pakistan. that means the authorities to allow water to flow to some areas, but not to others. that is why only 10 kilometers

from where we have seen barren land, we found a very different story. these people have all seen their land turned to desert. they have gathered, not to blame india, as much as the local politicians and feudal landlords they think are helping themselves to their water. >> they will fight for the right. it will come to the offices of the people who are managing all this water. they will challenge the people who are giving this water. it should not be given to them. >> the message from these people to the government of pakistan -- it should challenge in yet if it is diverting water, but it also needs to look at how the -- it should challenge india if it is diverting water, but it also needs to look at how it is treating its own people. the current water distribution is not fair and is ruining lives. bbc news. >> a ship started by a libyan it

charity -- a libyan charity carrying aid for gaza and has docked in egypt. in may, israel raided a flotilla of aid ships, leaving nine turkish activists and dad. an man convicted of the murder of british aid worker and in 2004 has disappeared from prison. authorities insist the accused man was due in court for retrial on thursday, but officials in baghdad cannot find them. an opposition politician has been found murdered several days after going missing. the democratic green party says he was found near his abandoned car. his head was almost severed from his body. britain's foreign secretary william hague on a visit to china has said the u.k. has longstanding human rights concerns about tibet and has raised them in his talks with the chinese. for two years, china has kept

tibet largely closed to foreign journalists. but now a small group of reporters has been on a rare escorted visit. >> it starts at daybreak. this is to that felt most sacred temple. china's show of force is openly display, a message to the devout. watching from the rooftops, the chinese marksmen. little wonder some tibetans see china as an occupation. -- china as an occupation force. few journalists have been allowed to visit here since riots a few years ago. when you came down to this. these monks, defying chinese rule, shouting there is no freedom in tibet. one of those monks is provided for us, eyes downcast.

he has been through chinese- supervised reeducation. we asked if he worships the exiled spiritual leader, the dalai lama, and he mumbled "yes." but the translator tells a different tale. china provides economic development on one hand combined with repression of any dissent on the other. there has been a huge economic growth here in recent years. the question is, what will that by the communist party anymore legitimacy in the eyes of tibetans, or will it still got more resentment -- or will it stoke more resentment? we were escorted by police while a huge military convoys rumbles along the mountain roads. it gives the impression chinese authorities are nervous. this is what they wanted us to say.

disconnects beijing and it cost billions. -- this can? beijing and it cost billions. the economy has ground 10% a year. i tried to talk to ordinary tibetans. security men were everywhere. excuse me -- excuse me. excuse me. i just want to talk -- excuse me. the official line is tibetans are happy with their lot. >> all ethnic groups, especially tibetans, and benefited from the progress and any 60 years since liberation. people are enjoying the best position they have ever had. they love china and the communist party. >> when we went out of our hotel at night, we were followed.

some tibetans said they did not like chinese rule and that ethnic chinese are taking their jobs and were not free to worship the dalai lama. but all were too fearful to show their faces on camera. >> [speaking chinese] >> tibet is starkly beautiful, but ill at ease. tibetans are afraid to speak openly. fear and repression is at least as important in showing how shot -- in showing how china keeps control year. bbc news, tibet. >> from tibet to one of the most isolated tropical forests in east africa. a team has begun exploring in has -- in has discovered a

quarter of kenya's butterflies. our correspondent joins them in a mountain range of northern kenya. >> he knows this man range as well as any creature here. he has been coming here since he was a child, learning about the value of the forests to life itself. he is searching for a special treat, one with barkeep will boil -- a special tree, one with bark he will boil and give to a sick villager. this is the first comprehensive scientific survey of the mountains in northern kenya, and the researchers are digging deeper. this is what makes the matthews range so special. i am not just talking about the view. this is what scientists call us

got island, tropical mountains surrounded by a red -- arid lowlands. scientists are only now starting to find out what is up here. >> with such a long time of seclusion, they expect to learn much about evolution in one of the last pristine patches of non force in east africa. today, they found a vampire bats, the furthest from because they have ever been seen. this shows how undisturbed because it really is. that does not mean it is safe. growing numbers of tribesmen are washing up on the shores of the island, retreating here whenever they need grass, water, timber, or honey. an american conservation group believes the solution is not to lock the community out, but to keep them in.

>> it has a little bit of impact, but that is what the forest is here for. it is here to help the people. we need to achieve a balance. having people as part of the system is absolutely ok. >> it would take months to process the data, but scientists are already making a surprising -- making surprising discoveries. more than 100 plants never found year before. a quarter of all of kenya's butterfly species. an extraordinary man net with ancestry perhaps 1 million years old. bbc news in the matthews range in northern kenya. >> more of that on line -- just have been looking at it right here. and all the international news at bbc.com. you can get in touch with me and most of the team on twitter. i'm @bbcmikeembley.

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