>> "bbc world news" is presented by kcet, los angeles. funding for this presentation is made possible by -- the freeman foundation of new york, stowe, vermont, and honolulu, newman's own foundation, the john d. and catherine t. macarthur foundation, and union bank. >> union bank offers unique insight and expertise in a range of industries. what can we do for you?

>> and now "bbc world news." >> presidential praise. barack obama says the oil leak tests are encouraging. sorry. the apple boss apologizes to customers. and more than 5000 people have been arrested as part of an operation against illegal gambling. welcome to "bbc world news," broadcast to our viewers on pbs in america, also around the globe. coming up later for you -- why was it george clooney in court today? nothing to do with movies. and remembering that moco the dolphin. loved by many, and in millions to some. -- and and millions to some. -- an annoyance to some.

hello. president obama has welcomed the bp's success in stopping the flow of gold from its -- flow of oil from its leaking well in the gulf of mexico. he says it is undoubtedly progress. experts are testing the pressure to see if it can be shut down completely. >> is this the moment that the stain of bp's oil spill starts to vanish from the waters of the gulf of mexico? 1 mile down, this is how it looked last night. the leak we are all used to seeing gradually being turned off until the flow was cut to just a wisp of oil. good news, the president obama warned americans to be cautious. >> one of the problems with having the camera down there is

plenty of oil stocks gushing everybody feels like we are done. -- when the oil stopped gushing, everybody feels like we are done. and we are not. we have to make sure that by putting this cap on, the oil is not seeking out in a way that could be more catastrophic. -- not seeping out in a way that can be more catastrophic. >> for the first time, things are going their way. what had engineers achieved? the flow of oil was successfully shut off last night, as the valves of the new cap were closed. watching for new signs of leaks, robots down there. all lies on the pressure building up in the system. the pressure is too low, it could mean there is a leak. if you high, there is a risk of it rupturing the pipe for the well. what is likely is the pipe fitted it to the cap will now channel oil up to the ships on the surface.

meanwhile, relief wells are being drilled 3 miles below the seabed. the closest is only a few feet away, and that is the main hope of blocking the leak. the plan is to fill the well with cement, and finally, to close it. this could be a turning point. images like this have battered the reputation of bp. it has already paid out over 130 million pounds in compensation. for three months, this is a blast of oil has been a familiar sight. today, no leak at all. can the pressure be contained? these are anxious times. bbc news. >> it is not just be be and washington officials anxiously waiting to see if the oil leak has stopped, but also the thousands of residents and businesses to earn their livelihoods up and down the gulf coast. we have this from louisiana. >> early morning, and it is

quiet, as it has been since the oil spill began. the fishermen in use to make a living from the water have not been able to. this man hopes the two words used to take fishing will return once they are confident oil is not -- hopes the towards -- tours used to take fishing will return once they're confident will is no longer in water. >> they are desperate to get back out on the water. >> it is the first time in 100 years no one has fished oysters. when you have a hurricane, you know what to expect after. with this, you let no idea what will happen. i have no idea if the oysters are contaminated. >> it is a relief in one way, but it is still not over, you know? there is a lot of uncertainty. >> relief that the spill may be over, it changed with caution

over what it has left behind. -- tinged with caution over what it has left behind. this is shared by restaurant owners in new orleans. kevin reid manages as seafood restaurant where he has seen his business decline in the price of fish go up since the spill began. >> yes, we are relieved they finally got a cat and we can move on to assessing what can be done to clean up -- they finally got it capped and weaken the bonds to assessing what can be done to clean out. >> the tests on the leaking well are not yet complete. for now, they must watch and wait. bbc news, louisiana. >> with 3 million phones sold in three weeks, the iphone 4 has been one of the most successful product launches in history. which is all the more extraordinary sense shortly after being unveiled, customers began to complain about a faulty

antenna. today, the apple boss posted an emergency news conference saying rival funds have similar problems. apple will offer of free protective case to help solve the issue. >> it is a market full of ever- smarter gadgets, but one fund has managed to stand out from the crowd. apple fred -- apple's iphone has dominated the industry. >> you can help me out. if you were on wi-fi, if you could just get off. [laughter] even the launch did not go according to plan. -- even the month did not go according to plan. >> here is the problem some users have found a grip their fund like this, reception starts to melt away. abel's response -- do not hold

your fun that way or use plastic to deal with the problem. sales have not suffered so far. at the main london store, customers have been told they will have to go on a waiting list to buy one. >> reception does. you hold it -- but other fund has five bars, 3g. this one is fading reception. >> my daughter has and i found. it has not affected me. >> you are happy with it then? >> yes. >> steve jobs made a surprising admission. the iphone 4 was not perfect. it dropped more calls than the previous version. he said other funds at the same signal problems, but apple would add a free case or a refund. >> we are not perfect. we know that. you know that.

and phones are not perfect. but we want to make all of our users happy. >> you only have to look in the apple store year to realize just how powerful this brand is. something like this is not going to destroy it overnight. it could tarnish it a little bit. >> apple attracts such devotion that it felt able to ignore the call to respond to criticism. now the message about the faulty phone appear to be getting through. bbc news. >> of venezuela has rejected allegations from columbia -- colombia that it is harboring rebel leaders. they have recalled their ambassador for consultations. venezuela says they have

detailed evidence -- colombia says they have detailed evidence. on thursday, amnesty international said north korea was failing to meet the basic health needs of its people and hospitals were barely functioning. today, the director of the world health organization said the report was based largely on anecdotal evidence. ed researchers have succeeded in designing a malaria-resistant mosquito. the british foreign secretary william hague has called for the release of the lockerbie -- has called the release of the lockerbie bomber, al-megrahi, as mistake. he was suffering from cancer and only expected to live another three months. he is still alive.

the u.s. has pressed for an investigation into the decision to free him and into allegations that bp lobby for his release. from washington, james reynolds reports. >> here is the problem facing britain and america. al-megrahi is free and not yet dead. the scottish government released him a year ago because the -- doctors said he had three months to live. 11 months have gone by, and he is still alive. al-megrahi is the only man convicted of the bombing of pan am flight 103. 270 people were killed when it exploded over the town of lockerbie. he was jailed for life. which is why his release last year and third so many in britain in america, despite -- angered so many in britain and america. scottish authorities decided to

allow him to go home to die in libya. now hillary clinton has spoken to william hague about the growing concern. >> it is an insult to the families of the victims of the bombing of pan am flight 13. legitimate concerns were raised about the medical information that led to the decision. people of raised -- have raised questions about the prisoner transfer agreements. we will look to the british government to help us fully understand the basis of the decision that led up to his release. >> here on in washington, there is real anger over the circumstances surrounding his release. the scottish government insists it acted independently. the british government said bp did not influence the decision, and bp says it was not involved

in discussions about sending the bomber home. al-megrahi's continuing health has angered groups representing the lockerbie victims. >> now looks like he may outlive all of us. the next book will be the anniversary of his release, august 20 at. the pan am families are going to have to relive this horror over and over again, and the story everyone is going to be talking about is the fate of this miserable little murderer. >> his release will be discussed later this month as special hearings to be held here at capitol hill. next week, david cameron will be in washington, ready to face tough questions on his first trip as prime minister. bbc news, washington. >> you were watching "bbc world news." still to come -- morning for moco. new zealand says farewell to his celebrity dolphin.

now, if he was a revolutionary artists whose life was as rich and colorful as his paintings. on the anniversary of caravaggio's death, rome remembers the genius and scandal. >> a painter of perpetual night. one description of his work. his talent only matched by his inner conflict and demons. using paid almost as a spotlight, his pictures are full of shadow. pioneer of the baroque, his world of religion and life was not sweetness and i -- and idealized, but harsh, brittle, and disturbing. >> his style was revolutionary. not only his contrast between darkness and light, but for him the light was life, and the dart was death. >> he painted more than 80 works and a brief life cut

short at 39, possibly by syphilis. the hard-drinking man was even skewed -- accused of murder. one research team recently claimed to have found his remains, a few bones. it is his work that sustains interest. rome was his son, the place where he created masterpieces -- was his home, the place for he created masterpieces, and laid down his reputation as the 17th century hell raiser. he influenced the likes of rubens and rembrandt. for that, and he is being remembered 400 years after his death. he was a genius with paint on canvas and with his words and deeds off of it, creating controversy wherever he went. he revealed a terrible, beguiling imagination. duncan kennedy, bbc news, in

rome. >> this is "bbc world news." these are the top stories this hour. president obama has said it bp's success in stopping the oil leak is good news, but once it is not completely resolved. and steve jobs as apologize to apple customers over the antenna on the iphone 4. customers will get a free case to improve reception. now, as communities along the gulf coast popular because of the bp oil spill, a different part of the u.s. is still feeling the effects of another massive oil accident. when the exxon valdez ran aground, more than 11 million gallons of oil leak into the waters of prince william sound. our correspondent has been to the fishing town of cordova to find out how they are coping two decades on. >> surrounded by jagged peaks

and icy waters, cordova is a town dependent on fishing and scarred by oil. these days, they fish a lot of salmon year, -- hear. the vital industry was hit hard. >> is recovering, i would say. we are missing quite a few things still. this is the first year we had a shrimp fishery. >> since this bill? >> yes. >> in 1989, the exxon valdez spilled 11 million gallons of crude oil. until the bp accident, it was america's worst spill. it killed one of light and polluted fishing grounds. now, most of the species affected have recovered or are on their way back. we are flying out to cordova over prince william sound. it's a beautiful part of the

world. it is also the area of maximum impact of the exxon valdez spill. now, 21 years later, we are going in search of oil. >> on an undeveloped island, i am with a local boat captain who studied the exxon spill. he knows where to look. >> we are going to see a black -- >> 21 years later? >> yes. >> exxon spent billions on the cleanup, just like bp is now. exxon was ordered to pay more than 3 billion pounds in damages, but one of long courts -- but it won all long court battle and paid only a 10th of that. now cordova finds it hard to put the past behind them. >> my heart goes out to them. >> they do not even know yet. >> these former fishermen are reminded of the trauma they

endured. >> when i first got here, there were 5000 people living here. if we have 1600 people living here year round, i will be surprised. >> he said that is because of the oil spill? >> yes. it broke a lot of people. >> many feared the past year could foreshadow the future of the gulf of mexico. cordova, alaska. >> interpol says as many as 5000 people have been arrested and in four asian countries for illegal gambling on the world cup. add 800 gambling dens have been rated during a month-long operation. rachel harvey has the latest details. >> this is a large number of arrests across a huge region. it is unprecedented doocy this cooperation across such a wide area. that is going across the border in areas like a tax.

actually making this happen is tricky. we're looking at something that affects all the countries. this probably provided the push. in the not be the end of the operation. police are saying they have confiscated computers and sell funds, and are hoping that might provide more information, more leads, which could in theory lead to more arrests. family is illegal in mainland china, although that -- gambling is illegal in mainland china, although that is its biggest market. it is illegal here in thailand. you can place a bet with and sporting arenas. despite strict controls comic ambling across asia is hugely popular, hugely prevalent. it is ingrained in the culture. some say, why not regulated and control it? that goes against religious

traditions and social conservatives. gambling is taboo, but very prevalent. >> rachel harvey with the report. footage has emerged of two suicide bombs that exploded in southeastern iran. the first blast went off during a packed ceremony at a mosque. as worshipers went to see what happened, a second explosion and went off, killing 30 and wounding dozens of other people. a sunni insurgent group said its carried out the attacks as revenge for the execution of its leader by authorities. at least 30 have been killed in a fire in a kurdish city. local police said the fire was caused by an electrical fault. a number of foreigners are among the dead. we have this from baghdad. >> the fire broke out late

thursday night. it is thought to have started and in the hotel restaurant and burned for several hours before being brought under control. the charred remains of the building bear witness to the intensity of the blaze. local officials say some guests have died after throwing themselves out of windows on upper float -- upper floors. the fire killed a number of foreigners as well as local iraqis. the british embassy says it was investigating reports that you keys -- u.k. citizen was among the dead. they are treating it as an act of terrorism. >> today i set up an investigation committee to find out who is responsible for the incident. we will also check to make sure the safety procedures at the battelle were up to standard. >> this is the second city in iraq -- it is where insurgent

attacks are practically nonexistent. gabriel gatehouse, bbc news, baghdad. >> the hollywood heartthrob george colony had a serious matter to attend to appear in the oscar-winning start appeared at a packed courtroom in milan to give evidence against a gain of alleged fraudsters. >> it was a moment worth waiting for, the arrival of the star witness in every sense of the word. george clooney. >> he appeared as cool as his image, despite the blistering temperatures outside, when you're right to give evidence at the palace of justice, even taking time to call me ask the crowd not to crush his lawyer as he maneuvered his way into the courtroom. he was in court in deadly

earnest to give evidence away from the tv cameras and three people accused of trying to use his name to launch a new fashion range. the plot was exposed when police raided a fashion show organized at a hotel in milan in 2008. to testify decision in public indicates a seriously he is taking the offense to use his name. he said he came because he believed in the judicial system and because people were using his name to take advantage of people. the italian justice system is notoriously surly, but for his fans, it can take as long as it like it that gives them another chance to see their idol in -- it can take as long as it likes it gives them another chance to see their idol in person. >> he was of oysters teenage dolphin, but the measure of how much heat -- he was of

boisterous years dolphin, but the measure of how much he was loved it is the number of people who turned up at his funeral. he was found dead on the beach one week ago. >> they came to fare well a friend. he had an extraordinary life. in death, his funeral is complete with prayers'. >> for three years, the playful teenage dolphin was a familiar sight along the east coast of new zealand. he made headlines when he helped guide two stranded whales out tuesday. he touched my face. >> he was a very different and unique dolphin.

he definitely loved people. >> not everyone was charmed. he overturned kayakers. he was known for pushing surfers out to see them eating leaving one woman stranded when he stole her -- he was never pushing servers out to sea, even leaving woman stranded when he stole her surfboard. his plays in new zealand history is secure. bbc news. >> our main news tonight -- president obama has welcomed bp's success in stopping the flow of oil from its leaking well in the gulf of mexico. he told reporters it was undoubtedly progress and experts are studying to make sure whether the will can be shut down without new league's appearing. he confined more on that and all the day's headlines on bbc.com /news. we have relaunched the website. he will have much better access. you can also see what we are working on at our facebook page.

you can also get in touch with us via e-mail. the details are on the website. >> hello and welcome. >> see the news unfold. get the top stories from around the globe and click to play video reports. go to bbc.com/news to experience the in-depth, expert reporting of "bbc world news" online. >> funding was made possible by -- the freeman foundation of new york, stowe, vermont, and honolulu, newman's own foundation, the john d. and catherine t. macarthur foundation, and union bank.

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