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cracks after three months of oil spilling into the gulf of mexico, president obama says america's worst environmental crisis is nearly over. >> the vast majority of the oil has been dispersed or remove from the water. the long battle to stop the leak and contain the oil is finally close to coming to an end. >> a federal judge in the u.s. overturned a ban on same-sex marriages in california, calling it unconstitutional. approving arendum new constitution has been approved in most areas. naomi campbell is to give evidence in the trial of the former librarian president, charles taylor. berian president, charles

taylor. welcome to bbc news, broadcasting in the u.k. and around the world. is the oily tide turning? according to president obama, and and is in sight to the disaster in the gulf of mexico. new government figures show that three-quarters of the oil has either been captured, burnt off, evaporated, or broken down by nature. a senior member of the scientific team advising the white house has warned the impact on wildlife is likely to continue. james reynolds reports on an environmental crisis that became intensely political. >> the explosion in april left everyone with one question -- how bad is this going to be? at first, bp's chief executive insisted the environmental impact of the spill would end up being very modest.

the oil kept coming. in june, president obama called this the worst environmental disaster america has ever faced. now the president has an update. it turns out that most of the oil in the sea has gone. >> the vast majority of the spilled oil has been dispersed or removed from the water. the long battle to stop the leak and contain the oil is finally close to coming to an end. we are barely -- we are very pleased with that. >> this is what is stopping the oil. engineers have pumped heavy drilling mud into the well, a process known as static kill. next will come a round of cement over the next few days. in mid august, mud and cement will be pumped in from a relief well. that should and the spill for good. this afternoon, the white house celebrated the success and found

itself answering a simple question. was it tony hayward the one who got it right about the scale of the disaster? >> no. i do not think he was right. nobody knows tony hayward an apology. bp has responsibilities and obligations as the responsible polluting party in this. >> when it comes to disaster, president obama came to office with one lesson in mind. you do not lose if you prepare for the worst. the white house remembers this. president bush failed when he underreacted to hurricane katrina five years ago. in american politics, treating every disaster as critical is a good way of making sure you are not kicked out of office. the oil may be going, but problems for the president and bp are not over. the oil company still has to pay billions in compensation and the president has to persuade voters

in the gulf he will stick with them longer than the oil sticks in the sea. bbc news, washington. >> a federal judge in the united states has overturned a ban on same-sex marriages in california, in a case with nationwide implications. the judge found in favor of gay and lesbian rights activists who argued the ban was discriminatory and therefore unconstitutional. our correspondent in los angeles has the details on the decision. >> prop 8 was a been brought in on a marriage a few years ago in california. he has agreed it was unconstitutional. it failed to address a rational basis for singling out gays and lesbians for denial of marriage. he has come down strongly on the side of the gate campaigners who have been opposing this been. it is being seen as a major victory for them. it will not necessarily mean

that tomorrow they marriages will resume in california. in fact, the judge is deciding whether to hold off on that, to have an injunction on his ruling while the two sides submit arguments to him pending an appeal in the future. on the other side, the supporters, the family organizations, believe there will already go to a higher court, an appeal court in california. >> there are far reaching consequences to this, aren't there? >> there are. although it looks likely this will go to an appeals court, it looks destined to go to the american supreme court, the highest court in the land. we may be a couple of years away from that. and the supreme court ruling on this issue, which is all about the american constitution, and whether gays, lesbians, and straight couples are afforded

equal rights under the constitution -- any ruling by the supreme court would not only affect california, but all of the states in america. >> there are already 18,000 gay couples married in california. what is the mood in the country as a whole towards this decision? >> the mood is still very, very divided. california, a relatively liberal state, is something of a peculiarity. california finds itself still arguing over gay marriage when some other states, perhaps more conservative states, have agreed to allow gay marriage. the electorate is divided over this. and when this sort of thing is put to a pole or a ballot, generally the vote comes down against gay marriage. it is one of those issues were often it takes the courts and putting it into legal terms to protect the rights of the minority over the majority. >> another heavy rain in

pakistan is hampering the relief effort following the worst flooding in eight years. at least 3 million people have been affected and around 1400 have died so far. tens of thousands remain in makeshift camps without shelter, food, or water. the country's army rejected charges it was slow to respond and insists aid is reaching communities that had been cut off. early results in kenya's referendum on the new constitution shows it has been overwhelmingly approved in most parts of the country. the constitution would reduce the powers of the president, give citizens a bill of rights, and pave the way for land reform. the report from western kenya on the big decision. >> kenyans know this referendum is historic. thousands lined up before dawn at polling stations across the

country. at times, lines stretched for hundreds of meters, a measure of what this means to the nation. to its supporters, the document will transform the way can it is governed -- the weekend that is governed. the president was amongst the early voters. if the constitution is passed, the power concentrated in his office will be dispersed, an important stretchy for diffusing tribal tensions. another conspicuous voter was the prime minister. >> from the reports i have received, this was peaceful all over the country. kenyans can peacefully decide their future. >> the document was born out of the bloodshed that occurred the last time the country tried to hold an election. back then, over 1000 people died

as rival groups fought over the spoils of government. now, the political temperature is cooler. the view -- the electoral condition -- commission instituted new technology. transparent ballot boxes discouraged about stuffing. so far, boating has been going remarkably smoothly. previous elections have been characterized by fraud and violence. the conduct in this election is as important as the outcome. for the first time, the electoral commission helped to make this the most inclusive poll in kenya's history. so far so good. historically, violence has tended to erupt during the count and the days that follow. we do not know the outcome, much less how the losers will

respond. still, as electro processes go, this has been a good start. bbc news in western kenya. >> the world's largest maker of computer chips, intel, has reached an agreement with the u.s. federal trade commission to stop paying companies to use its chips exclusively. it was accused of abusing its dominant market position to discourage competition. they have been banned from withholding payment from firms doing business with other clients. u.s. nato forces in afghanistan commander david petraeus has emphasized the need to reduce civilian casualties, stressing the right of nato-led forces to defend themselves. model naomi campbell will give evidence on thursday at the trial of former liveriberian

president taylor. campbell has been forced to testify about allegations that he gave her a blood diamond from sierra leone after a celebrity dinner in 1997. she has previously denied the allegation. >> naomi campbell, completely at ease on the catwalk, but unwilling to appear as a witness in a politically charged trial. neither does she like being asked about diamonds. >> i am not going to speak about that, thank you. i am not here for that. >> with charles taylor -- >> thank you very much. >> did his men bring you a diamond, a diamond in the rough, a large diamond? >> we are not answering these questions. >> 13 years ago, naomi campbell attended a charity dinner ends

up a cup. it was hosted by nelson mandela. also there was then president of liberia charles taylor. >> this supports the prosecution allegations that mr. taylor received rough diamonds from the rebels in sierra leone and use them for his personal enrichment as well as to procure arms and ammunition for the rebels in sierra leone. >> charles taylor was arrested and brought to the hague five years ago. he is charged with war crimes and crimes against humanity related to the civil war in sierra leone. it is also alleged he traded weapons for uncut diamonds. it is the promise for evidence about these blood diamonds from sierra leone and naomi campbell 's deep reluctance to testify for the prosecution that are at the heart of this trial. bbc news in the hague. >> you are watching bbc news. still to come, a generous gift.

some of america's richest people pledged to get at least half their money to charity. here in britain, the food standards agency says that meet from an infected cow has found its way into the food chain. >> it is normally quiet on new meadow farm, the scottish highlands faced the glare of the national media and official investigation. the key issue is to balls which were important as embryos from america. both were the offspring of the cloned animal. authorities say that means the bill should not have entered the food chain. still, at this farming family insists it has done nothing wrong. >> in good faith, we have been fully compliant with the relevant authorities. we will resolve the situation as

soon as possible. >> . >> extenders agency says the rules are clear. while there is no danger to the public, no milk or meat derived from a cloned animal can enter the human food chain. some confusion, the agency and making it does not know how many such animals are in the uk >> will have to monitor carefully what happens to each of those 32 million animals that becomes beef each year. this relies on industry and farmers doing their part to. >> for many farmers, this frustration that cloning technology is making such resistance. they deny that genetically modified food is dangerous. >> you have to look at how europe is very anti gm but euro is cool -- is pro gm. >> for years, farmers have been battling to reclaim their reputation after the disasters

of mad cow disease and foot and mouth disease. they cannot handle another controversy. >> this is bbc news. you are watching a reminder of the headlines. president obama says the battle to stop the massive bp oil spill in the gulf of mexico is close to an end. a federal judge in the united states has overturned the ban on same-sex marriages in california. early results in the referendum in kenya on a new constitution indicate it has been overwhelmingly approved in most of the country. south korea has begun naval exercises near the disputed maritime border with north korea as part of a response to the sinking in march of a south korean or ship that was blamed on north korea. p'yongyang says they will retaliate if this goes ahead. our correspondent explains the

focus of the exercise. >> these are anti-submarine drills. because of the connection with the sinking, the allegation is that the warships that went down in march were hit by a torpedo launched from a north korean submarine. these drills involve almost 30 surface ships and one submarine , 56 winged aircraft, and more than 4000 personnel. they are large scale. the threat from north korea of retaliation is not its first such warning. it made a similar threat last week during the joint united states/south korea naval drills that took place in the east coast. the difference this time, perhaps, is that south korean forces are exercising alone and these drills are taking place in the more militarily sensitive west coast waters, with some action taking place close to a disputed sea boundary, the

northern limit line as it is known, the line that separates their waters and along which there have been crashes before. >> this border between north and south -- >> that is the site where the south korean war ship was sunk. it went down very close to the disputed border. there have been exchanges of fire a number of times over the last few years. it is a disputed border. north korea has never recognized where it was drawn, basically arbitrarily, after the end of the korean war. it remains a big point of dispute between the two nations. south korea says these exercises are taking place within its national waters, that they are defensive in nature, and there is no threat to north korea intended. it is simply a message of deterrence in the wake of that sinking. north korea denies any involvement.

>> british forces in afghanistan say the afghan flag has been raised in helmand province. hundreds of troops were involved in taking the taliban strong fall last friday. the battle for the hearts and minds of local people continues. our correspondent has just returned from the area and since this report. >> in search of an enemy that lives in the shadows, the brigade reconnaissance force move silently in the cold light before dawn. a house has been identified, and the buildings around it. the soldiers moved in, searching for weapons and explosives. but the place is clean. what they do find it is a family of 15 living here. it is his home, and he has just woken to find foreign troops at his door.

they sit him down and ask questions while the rest of the family gets dressed. it is a deeply unpleasant experience for them all. the military say it is an important tactic, but as the women and children leave the house, the risk alienating the people they are supposed to be winning over. and there is this. [gunfire] a gun battle with the taliban has emptied the streets. by the time the soldiers tried to find the insurgents, they have already fled. a meeting is called the village elders to ask why they did not tell the troops what was happening. the major has met them every day since the operation began. he needs their help, but it is a

difficult meeting with a skeptical audience. >> somebody will have seen the insurgents come into the area. somebody will have seen them fire. this is a close-knit community. >> the elder says the taliban wear masks. he does not know who they are and he is afraid. another complaint -- soldiers and insurgents invade their homes and start shooting. >> it is winning their consent and allowing them the freedom to come to us with information. that is something we constantly strive to achieve. that is the hardest part. >> this meeting that is taking place between the british military and senior local elders in this village is fascinating. it is an insight into the micromanagement required to try to win the confidence of the local people. you can forget the land movements, helicopter drops, fighting, troop deployment, and arguments about numbers. what really matters is winning

their support. you can see this is a job that requires months and years. even then, there is no guarantee that these people will come on board. for now, fingerprints are needed to help identify friend and foe. the soldiers have talked to locals. they have taken pictures and gathered intelligence. the military said people are pleased to see them, but this kind of work carries the risk of offense. this is a deeply conservative country, and gaining trust is a battle the british are struggling to win. bbc news, afghanistan. >> the italian prime minister, erlusconi, has faced a confidence vote in the italian parliament. it will keep his embattled

government in power for now, but some analysts are predicting it make take him to call early elections. >> a dinner with the british prime minister, david cameron, will have been a welcome return to the day job for silvio berlusconi. on wednesday, he arrived in parliament with his position in the balance. you would not know it from this consummate political showman. the no-confidence vote was called after one of his junior ministers was accused of corruption. the result was a safe if hardly comfortable win for the government, thanks largely to this man, the speaker of the house and his newly the strange coalition party. he urged his group to abstain. his supporters relished the chance to flex parliamentary muscles. >> we are absolutely part of the

government. we have to honor the electoral pledge. being part of the government also means creating debate. the parliament is a source of confrontation, not a source of obedience, though many people prefer to follow orders. >> that is one thing the rebels are unlikely to do. they helped mr. berlusconi out of a tight spot this time, but could become a thorn in his side. the opposition threw down the gauntlet. >> i think it is time for elections. we are ready to do that. he must have the courage to stick to what he said. he does not have the support he was hoping to have. in my opinion, the only option is to hold elections. >> italy's parliament has broken up for its august recess, leaving room to the tourists. but with the government deeply split, new elections may not be far away, and the gladiatorial

mr. berlusconi could try to seize the initiative by calling an early vote. >> hollywood filmmaker george lucas and the new york mayor michael bloomberg are among 40 u.s. billionaires' who signed up to give at least half their wealth to charity. this came in response to a campaign by philanthropists warren buffett and bill gates. matthew price reports from new york. >> the billionaires' were handpicked by warren buffett, the investor who had already promised to give 99% of his wealth to charity. over dinner, he explained he wanted others to do the same. carnegie hall is one of the better known monument to american philanthropy, a tradition that extends back many years and across many of this country's super rich families. the organizers of this new initiative hope in these

economic hard times that it will inspire plenty of others to start giving away their cash. >> movie maker george lucas has pledged to give up at least $1.50 million. ted turner is promising $900 million. new york mayor michael bloomberg promised $9 billion. >> they have no reason to worry about their future. i think it is great that are willing to do that. >> the charities that will be the recipients of that money do good work. >> many have given much to charity before, but this is a concerted effort, and perhaps a recognition by some that they can help others on a massive scale and still leave their children richer than they ever need to be. matthew price, bbc news, new york. >> president obama has said the battle to stop the devastating oil spill in the gulf of mexico is finally close to ending. this is bbc news.

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