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Here are some developments in BP Plc's Gulf of Mexico oil spill, the largest in U.S. history.

TOP DEVELOPMENTS

* Energy giant BP Plc can extend a test on its capped Macondo oil well in the Gulf of Mexico after determining that nearby seepage is not related to the test, a U.S. official said on Monday.

* David Cameron hopes his first trip to Washington as British prime minister will showcase a flourishing friendship with President Barack Obama, but it may be overshadowed by U.S. concerns over BP.

POLITICS/POLICY

* The British government said it had no plans to re-examine a prisoner transfer agreement with Libya after oil company BP confirmed it had lobbied its predecessor on the issue.

* The U.S. Interior Department issued its first shallow-water drilling permit since offshore exploration companies were required to meet two sets of new safety regulations in response to the oil spill, a department official said on Monday.

* Republicans "are happy" to consider legislation tied to the BP oil spill, but will not support a U.S. energy bill that includes climate regulations, Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell said on Sunday.

* Fishermen in Mississippi say they are angry that under the terms of BP's $20 billion oil spill fund, money they earn doing clean-up will be subtracted from their claim against the company.

MARKET IMPACT/COMPANIES

* Marathon Oil Corp's start of oil production from a deepwater well in the Gulf of Mexico is the first since the U.S. government halted drilling after the massive BP spill, officials said Monday.

* Shareholders angry about BP Plc's battered stock price are heading to the courthouse in hopes of reclaiming some of their losses but they face an uphill battle.

* BP said it had spent $3.95 billion so far on efforts to tackle its leaking oil well and that it aims to permanently kill the well in the first half of August.

* BP shares closed down 4.74 percent in London and shares in New York closed down 3.64 percent on Monday.

CAPTURE/CONTAINMENT/CLEANUP

* A Taiwanese-owned "super skimmer" sent to help clean up the Gulf of Mexico oil spill has been a bust, the U.S. Coast Guard said after tests on the ship.

* Dozens of endangered sea turtle eggs have been moved to Florida's Atlantic coast to protect them from the oil spill, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service said on Friday.

Story compiled by Alyson Zepeda from Reuters
Reuters Wed Jul 21, 2010 2:53am EDT

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Gulf of Mexico oil spill's developments -Reuters FactBox