Gwinnett Daily Post

Italian oil field disrupted

LAGOS, Nigeria -- Italian oil company Eni SpA said Wednesday a disruption at its subsidiary's Brass River oil operation had cut production back by 12,000 barrels a day in the Niger Delta, an area often beset by militant attacks.

A Eni spokesman said the disruption occurred Wednesday and pushed the company into declaring force majeure -- meaning it is impossible for the oil company to cover the promised supply from the field.

The company had teams in the field to explore its pipelines there to see what caused the disruption, the spokesman said.

Leaders of India, Pakistan to hold talks

THIMPHU, Bhutan -- The prime ministers of India and Pakistan will talk on the sidelines of a regional meeting today, an Indian official said, indicating a possible thaw in relations between the South Asian nuclear rivals.

Peace talks between India and Pakistan were stalled after a terror attack on Mumbai, India's financial hub, in 2008 in which 166 people were killed. New Delhi blamed the attacks on Pakistan militants.

Open mike a nightmare for PM Brown

LONDON -- Britain's bedraggled Prime Minister Gordon Brown walked into a political train wreck Wednesday after forgetting to turn off his microphone.

He described a loyal Labour voter as a bigot for asking about immigration, blamed advisers for a ''disaster'' ahead of next week's election, then rushed back to the voter's house to beg her forgiveness.

All the country could do was look on in shock and amazement as the painful drama played out over television and radio for hours. The debacle created a massive setback for Brown on the eve of the last TV debate ahead of the May 6 vote.

Grandmother Gillian Duffy, 66, met with Brown at a campaign stop and questioned him about the influx of eastern European immigrants.

Brown brushed the question aside and explained that Britons were also working in eastern Europe, left in a hurry and forgot to turn off his microphone.

''That was a disaster, they should never have put me with that woman. Whose idea was that? It's just ridiculous,'' Brown is heard saying.

Asked what Duffy had said to upset him, Brown told the aide: ''Everything. She's just a sort of bigoted woman.''