Obama has so far refused to release a letter from the US embassy grudgingly supporting the release of Megrahi. Photograph: Getty Images Barack Obama is under growing pressure to release a letter that reveals the US grudgingly supported freeing the Lockerbie bomber on compassionate grounds. The letter was sent to Scottish ministers by a senior diplomat [...]

Thad Allen, highlighting seepage around the capped BP oil well, told a news conference the leaks were not a threat. Photograph: Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images Concerns about oil and gas seepages around BP’s newly capped well in the Gulf of Mexico appear to have eased after the US government said they were not “consequential”. Thad Allen, [...]

Oil and water: westing is continuing on BP’s new well cap in the Gulf of Mexico. Photograph: BP/Reuters A standoff between BP and the US government over the handling of the stricken Macondo well in the Gulf of Mexico continued with a sharp exchange of words over the best way to keep the oil contained [...]

Oil sheen is seen among vessels assisting near the source of the BP oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico. Photograph: Mario Tama/Getty Images Concerns are mounting about the new cap over BP’s damaged Gulf of Mexico oil well after engineers detected seepage and a possible methane gas leak on the seabed. Admiral Thad Allen, [...]