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Three killed in blast at Kenyan political rally
At least three people were killed and about 75 others injured in a blast Sunday during a political rally in Kenya at Nairobi's Uhuru Park, a Kenyatta National Hospital spokesman said.
"We have about 75 patients admitted to this hospital with four people in surgery right now," Dr. Peter Wanyoike said. "I understand there was commotion at one of the rallies," he said.
Filed under: Kenya • World
Day 55: Latest developments on the Gulf oil disaster
[Updated at 10:36 p.m. ET]
Here are the latest developments on the oil disaster in the Gulf of Mexico, which unfolded after the oil rig Deepwater Horizon exploded on April 20:
- BP began deploying pressure sensors on its ruptured undersea well in the Gulf of Mexico on Sunday in an effort to fine-tune estimates of the worst oil spill in U.S. history. But BP spokesman Mark Proegler said the devices may not yield accurate information for several days.
- Coast Guard Adm. Thad Allen, who's heading the federal government's response to the disaster, said the battle against the oil "continues to widen." Efforts are now being focused on the stretch of open water between the wellhead and about 15 miles off the Gulf Coast, Allen told CBS' "Face the Nation."
- BP said a cap over the subsea gusher collected more than 15,000 barrels of oil on Saturday and more than 7,700 by noon Sunday. Federal researchers estimate the well has spewed between 20,000 and 40,000 barrels (840,000 to 1.7 million gallons) of crude into the Gulf every day for weeks.
- BP officials are reviewing a letter from federal authorities that gives the oil giant until Sunday to identify and expedite other ways to contain the massive oil spill. No response had been made public by Sunday evening.
- State officials announced Saturday additional areas of Mississippi waters in the Gulf closed to recreational and commercial fishing due to the detection of oil in the region.
- As early as Monday, BP plans to deploy a containment device secondary to a primary cap that was put in place over the leaking well last week. Allen has said he expects that the "Q4000 Direct Connect" will be able to collect an additional 5,000 to 10,000 barrels per day.
- Nearly 42,000 claims have been submitted and more than 20,000 payments made, totaling more than $53 million, BP says. So far, the cost of the response is $1.43 billion, it said.
- Uncertainty about the depth of BP's pockets has spurred calls for the company to suspend its dividend payments. London's TimesOnline reported Friday that the company may funnel its second-quarter dividend into an escrow account to be paid to shareholders.
- President Obama will push BP to put up an independently administered escrow account that will pay for cleanup costs and damages, White House adviser David Axelrod said Sunday.
- Obama will visit the Gulf states affected by the oil spill on Monday and Tuesday and then address the nation from the White House on the next steps in responding to the environmental catastrophe, his senior adviser said Sunday.
- Alabama Gov. Bob Riley told CNN's "State of the Union" that every business on his state's Gulf coast should get reimbursed by BP. "I don't think there is a dividing line. I don't think you can say that one group is going to get it and another one doesn't," Riley said. "The whole economy is based on the tourist market, and when it goes away, someone has got to compensate them."
Filed under: Barack Obama • BP • Gulf Coast Oil Spill • U.S.
Karzai gets support for upcoming Kanhadar operation
Afghan President Hamid Karzai said he had a successful meeting with about 300 local leaders in Kandahar, who gave him the greenlight to start a military operation against the Taliban in the province.
Filed under: Afghanistan
Lightning starts fire at N.C. gas company
Lightning apparently caused a major fire at a gas company in North Carolina early Sunday morning, authorities said.
Filed under: U.S.
Strong quake jolts Japan
A 6.1 magnitude earthquake struck Japan on Sunday, according to the U.S. Geological Survey.
Filed under: Earthquake • Japan