>> confidence in the cap. the oil wells -- the oil well will still -- a steal. -- state sealed. and hugo chavez breaks of relations with colombia. ed and an international court rules that kosovo's declaration of independence was lawful. >> serbia will never recognize this as a legal, the so-called republic of kosovo. this position will not change. welcome to "bbc world news," broadcast to our viewers on pbs in america, also around the globe. coming up later for you -- the race is on to find the so- called god particle. researchers at the had run collider present their latest findings. -- researchers at the hadron

collider present their latest findings. desmond tutu says it is almost time to start slowing down. the authorities and in united states are to reopen one-third of the fishing grounds in the gulf of mexico which enclosed since the bp oil spill, and meanwhile a tropical storm is threatening to hamper efforts to seal the leaking well for good. ships waiting in the cleanup had been ordered back to louisiana. -- have been ordered back. from louisiana, we have this. >> here at the fleet of boats ordered to skim -- here to skim the surface ordered back to port. everything hinges on the weather. the work under water is so

intricate that rough conditions could make it dangerous. tonight, all eyes are on the swirl of clouds out near the bow him as -- a hamas and projected to reach this area within a few days. -- a hamas -- bahamas. to date admiral thad allen keeps the effort going. >> we could lose 10 days to two weeks. we will do everything we can at to shorten that. it is possible we can lose that much time. >> how disappointing will that be? >> it is hard. we have been at this for a long time. the people of the gulf coast have been waiting a long time. >> is an agonizing dilemma. the goal of intercepting the leaking well is closed. engineers are prepared to insert the finals deals section in the relief well, and essential step before breaking through.

the evacuation could delay this by up to two weeks. yesterday, they installed a fail-safe devices inside the well to get ready for the storm. crucially, the cap installed a week ago will stay in place and it will state shot. at storms are nothing new for the gulf, but this time it matters more than most. this is one of the robots back from the seabed, stained with oil from the leak. here is the propeller that has been controlling it and the camera giving as those live images. none of these robots can operate its peak ships controlling them are not stable enough at the service. this one is back for maintenance. the others we have to follow because of the storm. >> on the seabed, the latest view is surprisingly serene. the leak is still capped. no sign of trouble about. the next stage of bp's operation to block the well is on hold.

bbc news, breezy and a. >> the bbc has obtained a copy of a contract being offered by bp to scientists. they are facing more than 300 lawsuits seeking potential damages, and now bp is securing scientists for their defense team. some academics are accusing them of buying the best scientists and trying to control what they say. robin, what have you found out? >> i have obtained a copy of the contracts being offered to scientists and by bp. the controversial section is on page 3, talking about confidentiality. it basically says that scientists can not speak about the data for at least three years or until the government gives the final approval for the company felt restoration plans for the gulf. it also says they have to have prior approval by bp to release

this information. so this has angered academics, because when i spoke to says bp is buying up the silence of faculty. bp is sending this is absolutely not true. they say "bp does not take the position that environmental data are controversial. moreover, bp does not place restrictions on scientists speaking about the data." the object strongly. we showed this to an environmental lawyer. he says bp is trying to control the process. >> have we talked to any of the individual scientists? >> absolutely. i spoke to one. bp lawyers approached him first, and actually, they said we have the expertise of your entire department of about 60. they were in a meeting room with three lawyers, and basically at

the lawyer said he would -- and basically he said he would laydown ground rules including transparency and peer review, and he never heard from bp again. i have heard from another side is willing to sign on with bp. he says that bp has the right to use and excellent scientists for its defense. it is not about the money. some are getting paid or have been offered $250 an hour. he says, actually he would get that working for the government anyway. it is not about the money. he says he was to help with the cleanup, in the best way is to work for bp. >> you can argue that bp is just getting ready because they know how many lawsuits are heading their way. >> absolutely. i think the real issue is transparency and the claws of confidentiality and the ability to publish date up -- theclause of confidentiality and the ability to publish data. there are two camps. once -- one wants a

collaborative relationship, and the other wants independence. >> hugo chavez is severing relations with neighboring colombia. he made this announcement live on television. colombia and diplomats have been given 72 hours to leave the country. our correspondent in caracas told me more about the accusations against venezuela. >> basically, colombia said out its accusation under a special session of the american organization in washington and they said there were 30 cans of rebels on venezuelan soil. this also included several rebel leaders and 1500 different rebel operands -- operatives in venezuela. that immediately created a storm in caracas and washington when the ambassador, the venezuelan

ambassador of the organization of american states rebutted the suggestion. it took minutes for hugo chavez to come out, while meeting diego maradonna, while launching of blistering attack on the government of colombia. >> he has called the president of columbia and madmen and a criminal. it is tricky to see how they can step back from such tough language. >> that is right. these are the final days of the venezuelan president's presidency. it is a few days before his successor takes office, the previous defense minister, it was in vaults -- the was involved with previous controversial moments with hugo chavez. you will be interesting to see how they move on from there. at the moment, diplomatic

relations are completely broken. as you point out, they would be diplomatic mission to leave venezuela in the coming hours. >> that was a little earlier. the international court of justice in the hague has ruled that because of vote's -- coast of vote's declaration of independence -- kosovo's declaration of independence was lawful. it is non-binding, but is expected to lead to a push for further international recognition from kosovo. >> it was the most important move for a kosovo since it declared independence, the first time in international judiciary body would deliver its opinion on whether there is succession was lawful. many expected the court to go halfway. in yen, it was more clear-cut. >> the court considers their

worth no applicable prohibited -- for a have-asian -- there was no applicable prohibition. they did not violate international law. secession to a half years ago was greeted with delight by the majority all been in population -- albanian population. it was not sanctioned by the u.n. security council. serbia said it was a flagrant violation of international law. that position has been at now rejected by the international court of justice. kosovo house that this will prompt countries that have not recognized its independence to do so. -- kosovo hopes that this will prompt countries that of not recognized its independence to do so. greece, romania, cyprus, and slovakia have reduced to recognize it. they fear the secession could

set a legal precedents. groups in the basque region of spain, northern cyprus, of cause yet, south ossetia may say if kosovo managed it, why not us? the struggle for independence in kosovo began years ago, culminating in an ethnic war where albanian separatists fought serb troops. serbs still feel attached to kosovo. the reaction to the decision was one of bitter disappointment. >> it is an injustice. you can do such an injustice. >> the foreign minister from serbia it gave a defiant response. >> serbia will never under any circumstances recognize the independence of the so-called republic of kosovo. this position is not going to change. >> relief from a government that

firmly believes kosovo has a right to exist. the foreign minister says he now wants contact with belgrade. >> there is no alternative but working together. this is the best way to go. >> kosovo is economically weak, with high unemployment and a devastated infrastructure, but it has just scored a major diplomatic victory. bbc news, belgrade. >> the prime minister of pakistan has extended the term of the army chief of staff by three years in a move he says will preserve continuity in the fight against islamist militants. the general, appointed by the former president, was due to retire in november. he is respected but domestically and internationally. southern china has been battered

by the second-in less than a week. it brought winds of more than 120 kilometers an hour. recent flooding and landslides across southern and central china have killed at least 700 people with hundreds more missing. you are watching "bbc world news." still to come -- can they take the stress? banks are in europe are being assessed as to how they will cope with a new recession. a british far-right politician has been barred from attending a garden bother -- garden party with her majesty. he leads the bnp has called the withdrawal of his invitation of a good deeply shocking." >> all dressed up, and nowhere to go. nick griffin, no an elected member of parliament, was invited to take tea with the queen. but he was barred from the

palace. >> this year, the palace's made it very clear they will not discriminate against any elected mp. that is the proper thing to do. >> at lunchtime, the palace made short to let everyone know -- make certain to let everyone know he had been kept away. >> i had the backing of hundreds of thousands of people. it is symbolic. it is even more symbolic now that the political leaders have decided to kick me out. >> he could not go quietly. his longtime companion -- campaigner was bundled away. >> why don't you apologize, you gutless cowards? >> despite the palace concerns, would they have minded mingling with the leader of the bnp? >> what ever you think of his

policies, it was his right to attend if he was invited. >> and despicable as his policies might eight, i think he had the right to come. he has exploited that position, -- if he has exploited the position, the palace is correct. >> the palace clearly did not want a repeat of the row at question time. wherever he goes, travel tends to follow. bbc news, westminster. >> you were watching "bbc world news." . i am peter dobbie. bp says the cap of the ruptured oil well in the gulf will be in place even if there is a tropical storm. and president hugo chavez of venezuela is breaking off diplomatic relations with colombia after being accused of harboring rebels. banks across europe have been

ordered to undertake stress tests suit assess how they could cope -- to assess how they could cope with a new recession. regulators will determine how much capital european banks will need. >> in the midday summer madrid, this is what unit. for months, spain at's banks have been gasping for liquidity. it seems many of them face painful losses. how week are spanish banks? we will then tomorrow, when european regulators unveiled the results of tests on the 91 biggest banks in europe. but the creditors of banks in spain have been so concerned, they are demanding their money back. >> spanish banks, they have suffered terribly from the squeezing of the funding market. the main problem in the banking system in spain is not

insolvency. it is liquidity problems. >> but some savings banks to face huge losses on loans they made to finance a vast new housing developments, like this one just out of madrid. all of rowntree, a sprawling manifestation of spain -- all around me, a sprawling manifestation of spain's unsustainable building boom. now, this building boom was financed by loans from banks to property developers, construction companies equivalent to a value in 45% of everything this country produces, 45% of gdp. this is the terrifying statistic. 46% of those loans are going bad. is the spanish government pruning the banks sufficiently? >> now the stress tests are going to show who is weak, and

we will allow them to get private money. but i think it is the government that will have to pay to merge them, shut them down. >> this will lead to job losses and the woes of the savings banks are an extreme example of a phenomenon -- many banks have too little capital to absorber potential losses. how much capital will banks across europe be forced to raise? it will not be a big sum of money, but that is not necessarily good news, but does creditors and investors may fear that governments are -- because creditors and investors may fear that governments are in denial about liquidity. if banks are starved of vital loans, we could be back in the shadow of a banking crisis. bbc news. >> the large hadron collider

deep underground in france and switzerland is smashing microscopic particles together to replicate the origin of the universe. its researchers presented their first results. but now they are in a race with another team from the united states. >> 13 billion years ago, there was a big bang. the universe came into being, and the particle sought to make the matter to come together, to form stars, planets, and us is the so-called god particle. this is the large hadron collider at a laboratory near geneva. it is a gigantic ring-shaped experiments. it is searching for the god particle by separating subatomic particles around the rain, and smashing them together, and harder than they have ever been smashed before. >> i think we will find it.

is there, but there are chances other things will be there. even extra dimensions. it is a long shot. there are thousands of theories. >> each time particles are smashed together, there is a chance that for a split-second, the god particle is produced. to find it, they are taking readings from trillions of collisions. each collision might contain a trace, but added together, they build up a picture, like dots on a television screen. as more data is collected, the picture becomes clearer. the hope is eventually the god particle will emerge. but rival scientists onion united states are gathering -- in the united states are gathering their data faster. the researchers from the large hadron collider have unveiled these new pictures which show a

subatomic particles already known to science. second, they will find completely new ones. despite delays and spur the -- early teething problems, the europeans are catching up with their american rivals. bbc news. >> in china, it seems local elections that become more expensive business. according to an investigation, polls are marred by allegations of bribery, and the price of a vote has been going up. it used to cost a modest $1.50 a bribe, but over the years, that figure has crept up exponentially to $170. we have more from shanghai. >> village elections began in the late 1980's. most villages hold an election every three years. in china, you cannot get to vote for anyone more senior than a village leader. reports of problems, bribery, corruption crop up quite

regularly in the official media. that helps to convey the impression that the concept of democracy is somehow flawed. certainly, the chinese people i have spoken to say they do not want to see these elections produce more widely at other levels of society, because they said the examples of these poorer, in rural areas is that it does not work out well. >> archbishop desmond tutu has announced he is withdrawing from public life. he was a major campaigner against the parts -- the apartheid regime in south africa. we have this report. great of the world's personalities, desmond tutu announced his retirement in his own irrepressible style. >> the time has now come to slowdown, slowdown,roobois tea

with my beloved -- to slow down to take roobois tea with my beloved wife in the afternoon, to watch soccer, to visit my children, university campuses. >> the archbishop will restrict his public appearances. he will withdraw from some of the organizations he represents. south africa will miss him. under his leadership, the anglican church campaign actively for the end of apartheid. many seen -- he was one of the loudest voices calling for the end to white rule. >> we will be free. >> we will be free. >> all of us. >> all of us.

>> black and white together. at four we are might -- for we are marching to freedom. >> he spoke out against all forms of violence, black against white, and black against black. pictures of an intervening in a lynching with around the world. and i year, 1985, he was awarded the nobel peace prize. he shows no signs of slowing down. he headed up the truth and reconciliation commission which investigated the evils of a previous era. but recently, the archbishop was seen enjoying himself at the world cup, greasing the pre- tournament concert with energy and charisma. >> it is all wonderful tribute to the man to whom we owe all of this.

he is in johannesburg. and if we make a loud enough noise, he will hear arrest. and so we say, "hello, nelson mandela." with the leadership of the caliber of mandela and tutu, south africa navigated at tricky path to democracy. desmond tutu has been the conscience of this rainbow nation for years. there will be those breathing a sigh of relief that the indefatigable desmond tutu is at last taking a step back. >> just time to remind you of our top story. the u.s. has reopened one-third of the fishing grounds closed since the bp oil spill. meanwhile, a tropical storm is threatening the sealing operation around the well. the governor of louisiana has declared a state of emergency,

due to bad storm heading into the area. >> 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.

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