WEEK OUT

Raw Deal

The US government is holding British Petroleum (BP) squarely responsible for the oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico and making it pay through its nose for all clean up costs. But in the case of the Union carbide tragedy in Bhopal, 1984, when a leak of 40 tonnes of highly toxic methyl isocyanate (MIC) resulted in the deaths of thousands of people, the case is just the opposite, exposing the US's double standards. Stomach this: The US refuses to extradite Warren Anderson, the American CEO of Union Carbide, who is held responsible for the leakage that occurred 25 years ago. Warren Anderson has so far not even faced a trial. Union Carbide India Ltd (UCIL) paid $470 million to settle with the victims, with each getting an average of $550. Compare that to the compensation being demanded for the Gulf of Mexico oil spill disaster - $4, 300 per barrel - the final compensation may be in billions. Obama has already declared BP CEO, Tony Hayward, as public enemy number 1.


WEEK IN

Putin approaches UN

The Russian PM has clearly stated that his country wants the UN to investigate the Israeli military attack on the 'Freedom Flotilla' in international waters, which was heading with a humanitarian cargo to Gaza strip. At a joint press conference with his Turkish counterpart Recep Erdogan on the sidelines of a security summit, Putin said that Moscow would bring the issue up at the UN.

Revising ties with IAEA

Iran says it is reviewing its relations with the United Nations nuclear watchdog agency after the UN Security Council imposed a fourth round of sanctions on Tehran because of its controversial nuclear programme. News agencies quote members of the Iranian parliament's National Security and Foreign Policy committee as saying lawmakers will soon begin work on a possible revision of ties with the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA).