BP engineers making progress

Engineers in the United States are reporting that they’ve made significant progress towards putting a new cap on the leaking oil well in the Gulf of Mexico.



US Coast Guard commander Thad Allen, the commander overseeing the spill response, told US TV that the latest attempt could lead to the shutting of the well.



He said British Petroleum (BP) hopes to close the cap and run a pressure test later in the day.



The cap is one of several devices BP has deployed as it works on a permanent solution - expected by mid-August.



News of the progress comes ahead of a planned visit to the region by US First Lady Michelle Obama, who is expected to be briefed by officials and local leaders and speak to local community members.



US President Barack Obama, who has visited the area several times, has labelled the spill the nation's worst-ever environmental disaster.



Coastal communities from Florida to Alabama rely on fishing and tourism, and many people believe the spill will wipe out their livelihoods.