World News: BP spill disaster 'down to bad management decisions'

Decisions intended to save time and money created an unreasonable risk that triggered the largest offshore oil spill in US history, which could happen again without significant reforms, reported the top-level panel probing the BP blowout.

The commission findings - the result of a probe requested by President Obama after the April 20 Deepwater Horizon rig explosion - described systemic problems within the offshore energy industry and government regulators who oversaw it.

Poor decisions led to technical problems that the commission, and inquiries by BP and the US Congress, have identified as contributing to the accident that killed 11 people and led to more than 200 million gallons of oil spewing from BP's well a mile under the Gulf of Mexico.

BP, Halliburton and Transocean, the three key companies involved with the well and the rig that exploded, each made decisions that increased risks of a blowout, but saved significant time or money.

But ultimately, the Deepwater Horizon disaster came down to a single failure - management. When decisions were made, no-one was considering the risk they were taking.

Hogan sues Oz government

Crocodile Dundee star Paul Hogan, 71, is suing the Australian government for damaging his reputation during a failed criminal inquiry into his tax dealings.

Hogan's lawyer said the actor could seek up to 51 million for loss of earnings from the five-year probe.

Passengers foil hijack

Passengers on a Turkish Airlines jet overpowered a man who tried to hijack their flight from Norway to Istanbul, security sources say.

Turkish media reported that the man put on a mask and tried to force his way into the cockpit, saying he had a bomb.

He is said to have demanded that the plane return to Oslo, before being subdued by passengers.

The man was arrested when the plane landed at Istanbul. No-one was hurt.

Witches cast spell on tax plan

Romanian witches angry about having to pay tax for the first time are planning to use cat excrement and dead dogs to cast spells on the government.

Witches will head to the southern plains and the Danube River today to threaten the government with spells over the January 1 law.

School attack gunman dies

A policeman's son opened fire at a Nebraska high school, wounding the principal and his deputy and forcing terrified pupils to take cover before killing himself.

Authorities did not know why the suspect, identified as 17-year-old Robert Butler, targeted the school staff.

Police guard Copts after church blast

Egypt: Armed police have been ordered to protect churches where Copts are expected to gather in large numbers for today's Christmas Eve celebrations.

The move comes after the bombing of a church in Alexandria on New Year's Day - the worst act of sectarian violence in Egypt in a decade.

China: A rare Siberian tiger attacked and killed a tour bus driver in the northern province of Heilongjiang while horrified passengers watched.