From Our Own Correspondent - 05/06/2010

A rising, confident Turkey looks for a bigger role on the world stage. How the victor's in Sri Lanka's war say they're healing a damaged generation. Why President Obama's ice cool calm infuriates some Americans And from Romeo and Juliet's Italian balcony, modern-day advice for the heartbroken... The White House has already sent a first bill of sixty-nine million dollars to BP to cover the clean up costs. More demands for money are expected. In recent days BP has been trying to place a cap on the ruptured pipe, to allow it to siphon the oil to ships on the sea surface. But storms have stalled the clean-up process. And Americans are angry. In a recent TV interview President Obama said he too was furious....but he expressed himself very calmly. As Mark Mardell now explains, the people want their commander-in-chief to rail against the slings and arrows of outrageous fortune. The acute tensions surrounding Gaza have again flashed across the region. There's been outrage in Istanbul at Israel's killing of Turkish activists who tried to break its naval blockade. More than ever now, Turks find themselves immersed in the politics and raw emotions of the Israeli-Palestinian dispute. And Jonathan Head says this comes at a time when Turkey's increasingly determined to make its influence felt in its troubled neighbourhood. For years the war in northern Sri Lanka consumed the region's children. They weren't only caught in the crossfire between the army and the Tamil Tiger rebels. The guerrillas also forced some to become child soldiers. Instead of being left in peace to study at school, they were taught to use a gun, and then flung into battle....But the war finally ended a year ago. And Stephen Sackur has been finding out what's become of the children who saw too much, too young.... There's long been a great coming together of cultures on the Malaysian island of Penang. A history of colonialism and trade brought Europeans, Indians and Chinese to the capital, Georgetown. And the city likes to celebrate its reputation as a successful, colourful, cultural melting pot. But Vaudine England says that beneath the surface, there are tensions... Astonishing numbers of people actually try to contact one of Shakespeare's immortal characters -- Romeo's girlfriend....Juliet. Of course she ought to know a thing or two about love. And as Duncan Kennedy in Italy explains, people around the world....some hopeful, and some heartbroken....look to Juliet for advice...