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Public interest or sleazy tittle-tattle?

That's the debate over British Petroleum boss . Just a year after a refinery disaster in the US claimed 15 lives the BP boss has resigned over allegations surrounding how he met a gay lover. Leaving his post 15 months early has cost him $30m. Was he right to resign? What does this say about homosexuality in the world of business - would he have resigned if he had been a heterosexual man? Or is Lord Browne, as someone on ´óÏó´«Ã½ Radio right now is suggetsing, simply of that generation who felt it right to resign as a matter of honour.

Here's a newsranking of the stories in today's early-morning post . . .

Oil Spoils

Just what is it about the black slimy stuff? Venezuelan President Hugo "Huggy Bear" Chavez has just assets from four firms in the Orinico. He says: "We have buried this policy of the opening up of our oil." While Venezuela takes oil assets back to the state, Iraq is soon to finalise a law that will open up the country's oil fields to foreign investors. According to one analyst you can't develop a country's oil without foreign money. So who should control a country's oil? Your thoughts please . . . .

The World's Most Anticipated Veto

"A prescription for chaos" is what Dubya called it. As expected the President has Congress' Iraq Funding Bill. It comes a day after reports said that Al Qaeda's leader in Iraq was by Sunni extremists unhappy with his endless targetting of civilians. What will happen for funding in Iraq now that the President and Congress have reached stalemate? What do you think about the premise that says telling an enemy when you're leaving simply makes them "mark their calendars", hole up and wait for the day? If you're a Democratic supporter tell us what you think the Dems should now do?

Bad Hijab

Bad Hijab is the name of the Iranian authorities annual summer crackdown on un-islamic dress. Even shop dummies and incorrectly gelled hair have been targetted. A great cross-section of Iranian society are angered. Why do you think the religious police are being even more hardline than usual? Is this indicative of deeper tensions in Iran's youthful population? what some Iranians have been saying.

Dirty Dancin'
A imported from the Ivory Coast to the clubs of Guinea is at the centre of a row about Western habits in Western Africa. The popular buttock-swinging Wolosso dance is the craze in question and some religious zealots in Conakry have even attacked women perfoming the dance. If you're in Africa tell us what you think of Wolosso.

Transexual Writer

What do you make of the LA Times sports writer's transformation from ? Mike Penner is about to embark on a few week's vacation. When he comes back he will be a woman but will he be accepted in the macho world of sports journalism..?

Sego v Sarko

Tonight the finalists in the French elections go head-to-head in a TV debate. But would you alter your behaviour if you were to debate with a member of the opposite sex? Sarko has been training with female 'sparring' partners and says: