>> "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." 8 diplomatics bite. president job as cuts tie with the bogota -- a diplomatic fight . fightchavez cuts ties with bogota. it will cap holds in the gulf of mexico. bp is accused of trying to buy scientist to fight compensation claims. and barred from buckingham palace, condemning the decision to stop him from attending a garden party. hello, and welcome to "bbc world news," broadcast in the

united kingdom and around the world. the venezuelan government has given the colombian embassy 72 hours to pack up and leave. following accusations by the colombian government that venezuela tolerates left-wing guerrilla groups operating on its soil. the move comes after colombia showed videos and photographs to supporters at a special session of the organization of american states. in washington, our correspondent reports. >> ties between venezuela and colombia have been strained for months. the colombian government's accusation that venezuela harbors left-wing leaders on its soil was the final step for president chavis -- chavez. >> because of this aggression, we have no other choice but to break our relations with our brother nation columbia of.

>> he unleashed a furious attack on the venezuelan president, branding him a criminal and madman, all of it watched by the somewhat bemused argentine football legend maradona, who was in venezuela to promote football in the oil-rich nation. in washington, the organization of american states was still holding a special session over the accusations. colombia's ambassador to the organization said about his government's evidence against venezuela, which included maps, specific gps coordinates, photos, and videos. he claims there are 39 farc camps, 1005 robert rebels, and several leaders on venezuelan territory. the accusation is nothing new. but they are present in such numbers and count on the in difference or support of the military is more than the colombian president has said publicly before.

while the reaction was to be expected, it may not last too long. he is due to leave office shortly and mr. chavez spoke of his hopes to start afresh with his successor. i have been speaking with our correspondent in bogota. i asked how serious the situation has become. >> this was expected. the question is the timing. the venezuelan president ought to hand over power. he has decided to take off the diplomatic gloves. he was hoping by taking the issue to the organization of american states, making it public, stirring it up, he may get something, some sort of change or reaction or pressure on the guerrillas by the venezuelan authorities. the venezuelan government has

stonewalled, but there is certainly going to be pressure on the government to move the guerrillas or force the guerrillas to move from these areas that the colombians have indicated there are camps. emmett is it likely bogota will move colombian troops to its border? no, columbia is desperate to avoid escalating the situation. at the moment, there is a meeting with the president's among the top advisers and they are trying to thrash out a campaign. what we have heard is if the colombians can prove that there is a venezuelan government or security force working with the colombian rebel groups, which are run the international terrorist list, they may take the case to an international court. >> it was mentioned in the report from caracas that perhaps the situation may not go on much

longer, seeing as columbia will have a new president in the next couple months? >> the new government could well change things, could well put out some feelers. it has been known that he does not want to repair relations. the question is, have they reached the point of no return? the former british justice secretary jack straw has been indicted to appear before u.s. senate hearing over the decision to free the convicted lockerbie bomber. the foreign relations committee is investigating whether it was linked to a libyan oil deal involving bp. earlier, i suggested to our correspondent at the list seems to be growing. >> it seems to be, but at the moment it is far easier to say who is not attending perry when

no various scottish ministers and officials have been invited, but they're not going because they don't have anything more to add. jack straw, who was the british justice secretary at the time said he is considering it. he does not have any object in principle, but he wants to discuss it with some of his former colleagues, including gordon brown, first. there is a list and a hearing is due next week, but we're not sure yet who will be attending. >> these senators have high- level backing, secretary of state hillary clinton who said she was deeply troubled by the decision to release the lockerbie bomber is backing them. >> she is, and was feeling that she added to the momentum of the subject and the emotion behind it that led to david cameron chanting his schedule when he visited earlier this week to meet the senators who are pushing for this public inquiry.

also issuing the invitation or request for the british and scottish ministers to attend. there is a great deal of emotion still going on in the united states, and this is a subject that is not going on -- not going away. >> jane, why now? why didn't the americans seize the opportunity 11 months ago when the bomber was released? >> i think there are two key reasons. it is hard to underestimate bp's and tens of popularity in the u.s. at the moment. the oil spill is still ongoing and there has been a feeling throughout the episode bp has been less than honest with lawmakers about how it is proceeding with that operation. there is already a great deal of animosity towards bp, and the connection, the potential connection with bp and a decision to release the bomber is foremost in their mind.

on top of that, you have the midterm elections. it a lot of the senators will be up for reelection, and have one eye on the ballot box. dozens of ships in the gulf of mexico have been ordered to leave the site of the bp oil spill as tropical storm bonnie gathers pace. the federal official overseeing the spill admiral thad allen said the well would remain capped while the ships evacuated the gulf. forecasters say the edge of the tropical storm could reach the spill area by early saturday. the bbc has obtained a copy of a contract offered by bp to scientists working the oil spill in the gulf. bp is facing more than three her lawsuits seeking billions of dollars of potential claims of damage. their lawyers are securing experts, for the defense team, but some academics in the u.s. are accusing the company of trying to buy the best scientists and control what they

say. our correspondent told me what the contract said. >> i have one in front of me, three pages long. the section that is worrying some academics is the confidentiality section. it basically says scientists cannot publish the research they do for bp or speak about the data they gather for at least three years or until the government gives the final approval to the company's restoration plans for the gulf, which we are not sure how long that will take. it also says the scientists have to have prior approval from bp to release the information. this is an during some academics. one of them i spoke to said this basically amounts to bp purchasing faculty silence. bp disagrees, giving us a statement. "bp does not take the position that environmental data is confidential. bp does not place restrictions on it academics speaking about scientific data."

but we had an environmental lawyer in louisiana look over the agreement and he basically told us bp is trying to control the process. >> have you or the bbc spoken to any of these items? >> absolutely. i spoke with one scientist from alabama university, and it was not just him that was approached by the bp lawyers, it was the entire department wanted to bring on board. the one scientist said he sat down with three bp lawyers and basically said to them, listen, you will play by our ground rules. our ground rules is we want total transparency and we want to do peer refuse and be open. bp never contacted them again. at a spoke with another scientist from the university of louisiana who is willing to sign on with bp. his reason, he says bp has the right to have the most excellent scientists there are.

there is this criticism about would he be doing it for the money, which is about to her $50 per hour. he basically says i am not doing it for the money because i would get the same for a government consulting. -- the money is about $250 per hour. >> some could argue bp is preparing its little face in the face it -- its legal case in the face of impending lawsuits. >> absolutely, but the issue is transparency and the ability to release published data freely. the british national party leader nick griffin has been denied entry to buckingham palace garden party. he was due to attend the event thursday afternoon. palace officials said he had abused his political invitation for overt political purposes. >> all dressed up, know where to go. nick griffin, now an elected member of the european parliament, was invited for tea

with queen, but he was barred from buckingham palace after he made it public, very public. >> the palace had made it very clear they will not discriminate against any elected m.p. and it is the proper thing to do. >> the palace make clear they would keep him away, but they could not keep him away from the microphone. >> i was invited as elected member of european parliament because i have the backing of the people. it is more symbolic now that they have decided to keep me out. it down in the unlikely event he wanted to, he cannot go quietly. one of them was bundled away by minders. >> apologize, you government howard! -- new government coward! >> despite the palace concerns, would they have minded mingling with a leader of the bnp?

>> it was his right to attend and a democracy if he was invited. >> despicable as the politics may be, he has been democratically elected and he has a right to come. if he has exploited that position, i think palace is correct. >> his fellow member of the european parliament got to the palace, but officials were clear his bosses no longer welcome. a buckingham palace believes mr. griffin used a private invitation for very public purposes, and there were fears there could be trouble if he came. privately, officials were very aware that turning him away could have consequences of its own. buckingham palace and did not want to repeat this. the chaos mr. griffin's appearance on the bbc created. but keeping him away has given him cost to protect.

wherever he goes, trouble tends to follow. this is "bbc world news." still ahead, irrepressible, energetic, iconic. desmond tutu says it is time for him to start slowing down. cheap alcohol and 24-hour drinking will be reviewed by the u.k. government. they're asking people what they think about underage drinking and how best to deal with it. >> the relaxing of the licensing laws was supposed to introduce a confidential style cafe society, but alcohol and longer opening hours has not proved to be a good mix always in the u.k. in the town center, it is obvious how much bargain booze is still on offer despite the pressure on pubs. >> if they have special offers

on cheap alcohol, they have to bring in post office dues. >> the office is considering giving council to stop drinking after midnight. shops and bars repeatedly serve alcohol to children could be closed down. and a minimum price for alcohol could be introduced. some drinkers feel that means they will be made to pay for other people's mistakes. some are say they're not the worst offenders. >> we need to look at other areas where they get alcohol, such as supermarkets, which are cheaper than we are. we are not busy until late at night because people are drinking at home. >> it is not just a cheap alcohol or the concerns it places, is what it leads to. brinks have been applied to much violence. -- drinking has been linked to much violence.

pilot night time crime has fallen -- violent night time crimes have fallen. during the consultation time, the license traders are sure that they're not any guarantee of keeping the bar is open during the current economy. you are watching." -- you are watching "bbc world news." president chavez has cut diplomatic ties with venezuela. and senior politicians have been invited to appear at a u.s. senate hearing to free the lockerbie bomber. as one of the biggest scientific projects in the world, the large hadron collider deep underground on the border between france and switzerland is smashing microscopic particles together to try to replicate the origin of the universe. now it's researchers are and raced to beat another team in the u.s. -- are in a race to

beat another team in the u.s. >> 13 million years ago, there was a big bang. particles formed stars, planets, and us. it is called the higgs got particles. this is the large hadron collider near geneva. it is that gigantic experiment, helping to find this elusive particle. it is doing so by accelerating subatomic particles around the ring and smashing them together harder than they have been smashed before. the results will enable scientists to learn more about the nature of space and time. >> if the higgs is there, we will find it. if it is there, we will have other things and other possibilities, maybe an extra dimension. there are thousands of theories on what we will find.

>> each time particles are smashed together, there is a chance that for a split-second, the higgs is produced. but it is masked by the other particles around it. to find the higgs, they do trillions of collisions. each collision might contain a trace of the higgs. added together they built up a picture, like these dots on the television screen. as more data is collected, that data becomes clearer. the hope is the higgs will emerge. at rival scientists in the united states are gathering data faster. they say they will be the europeans and find the higgs first. >> we have about 100,000 times more collisions recorded then the other collider, and this gives us an excellent chance to find the higgs boson. >> researchers from the large hadron collider have revealed

these pictures which shows subatomic particles that are already known to science. soon they will find completely new ones. despite delays in early problems, the europeans are catching up fast with their american rivals. archbishop desmond tutu has announced he is withdrawing from public life. the nobel peace prize winner led the campaign against the apartheid regime in south africa and has continued fighting injustice across the world. >> one of the world's great personalities, desmond tutu announced his retirement in his own irrepressible style. >> the time has come to slow down, to have tea with my beloved wife in the afternoon, to watch rugby and soccer and

tennis, to travel, to visit my children and grandchildren. >> the archbishop turns 79 in october. from then on, he will restrict his public appearances and withdraw from some of the many organizations which he represents. south africa will miss him. under his leadership, the anglican church campaign for the end of apartheid. with many leaders in exile or prison, archbishop is one of the loudest voices calling for the end of white rule. >> we will be free! all of us! black and white, together! for we are marching to freedom! >> he spoke out against all

forms of violence. pictures of him intervening to stop alleging went around the world. in that year, 1985, he was awarded the nobel peace prize. with the end of apartheid and the transition to democracy, desmond tutu shows no signs of slowing down. he headed up the truth and reconciliation commission which investigated the evils of the previous era. most recently, the archbishop was seen enjoying himself at the world cup, gracing the concert with energy and charisma. >> i think we have to pay wonderful tribute to the man who we owe all of this. he is in johannesburg, and we've make a loud enough noise, he will hear us.

and so we said, nelson mandela! >> blessed with the leadership of mandela and desmond tutu, south africa has negotiated away from civil war and for their remarkable democracy. there will be those breathing a sigh of relief because desmond tutu is at last taking a step back. the world heritage committee of unesco begins its annual meeting this weekend over the safety of bar someone of's best known monument under discussion -- of barcelona's best known monument under discussion. there are fears that work to build a high-speed rail on the site could put it in danger. >> it has been a work in progress for 128 years.

even unfinished, it is an impressive sight. but the team charged with completing his most ambitious and funnel or say they now fear for its -- most ambitious and final work fear for it. because of this, preparations for a tunnel to carry a state of the art train line. the construction work is well underway. the plan is for the first high- speed train to pass through here in two years' time. we are meters away from the monument, and that eventually will be the main entrance. it is called the glory for sot and should be ready when pope benedict comes to consecrate the church in november. the interior is nearly finished, too. the original work is protected by unesco. a team here has reported concerns. it has asked spain's high court to have the train line at rerouted away from the church.

>> this building is a world heritage monument. the tunnel runs just 1.5 meters from the church and the subsoil is very unstable. we tried to get the project changed but nobody listened. now we are waiting for the courts to decide. of the tunneling work is getting closer by the day. >> it is partly the sheer scale and weight of this that concerns people. something you can best appreciate by going to the top. with tunnelling and trains down below, architects were about vibration. the church will be even taller when it is finished. they say the rail link is vital to our solana -- is vital to barcelona. >> once we decided this was the only viable way, we work to ensure the maximum possible safety, not only for the

monument both for all the buildings. we are using the most modern technology to avoid and a damaged. we think the conditions of the best and guarantee total safety. >> the tourists are not convinced, though, and all of this is being financed by donations. >> now everything is going down. i don't think it is good. >> the government is adamant it won't happen here. they still say it is not worth the risk here. the main news headlines, top venezuela has severed diplomatic ties with colombia over accusations is harboring left- wing colombian rebels. the venezuelan foreign minister ordered colombian diplomats to leave within 72 hours. he said his government was also suspending flights and cutting commercial ties with colombia. much more on all the stories we

have covered on our website. please check that out. >> 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.

>> union bank has put its global expertise to work for a wide range of companies. what can we do for you? >> there is one stage that is the met and carnegie hall. >> o, that this too, too solid flesh -- >> it is the kennedy center -- >> check, one, two. >> and a club in austin. [woman vocalizing] >> it is closer than any seat in the house, no matter where you call home. >> ♪ the top of the world, and i'm there, i'm home ♪ >> pbs -- the great american stage that fits in every living room. your support of pbs brings the arts home. >> "bbc world news" was presented by kcet, los angeles. presented by kcet, los angeles.