BBC News with Sue Montgomery.
President Barack Obama has angrily accused oil companies of trying to
duck the blame over
the Gulf of Mexico oil slick and said he would act to change the relationship between the industry and regulators.
“For too long, for a decade or more, there has been a
cozy
relationship between the oil companies and the federal agency that permits them to drill. It seems as if permits were too often issued based on
no more than
assurance
s of safety from the oil companies. That cannot and will not happen anymore.”
Speaking after discussing the huge oil spill with senior advisers, Mr. Obama said the system to prevent such disasters had failed badly. Efforts to stop the oil leak are continuing, but forecasters say the weather could drive the oil slick ashore this weekend.
At least eight people are known to have died in the latest
bout
of violence that's
engulf
ed the Thai capital Bangkok. More than 100 others have been wounded. Explosions and gunfire echoed across the city centre late into the night as soldiers fought protesters around their fortified camp. The exiled Thai leader Thaksin Shinawat who
retain
s the loyalty of many of the Red Shirt protesters has urged the authorities to
pull back
the troops. Rachel Harvey is in Bangkok.
The government spokesman has gone on television to try and