Volcker dismisses oil-for-food lawsuit threats, cites UN immunity News
Volcker dismisses oil-for-food lawsuit threats, cites UN immunity

[JURIST] Paul Volcker [UN profile], chairman of the UN Independent Inquiry Committee (IIC) [official website] investigating the now-defunct UN oil-for-food program [JURIST news archive], on Friday laughed off news that the Indian government [JURIST report] was investigating a possible lawsuit against the IIC for concluding that Foreign Minister Natwar Singh [official profile], as well as India's ruling Congress party, were a part of an oil kickbacks scandal. "We didn't say what is right or wrong. We only said what was there in the Iraqi records, whether there was denial, acceptance, if there was something in between or no answers," Volcker said. He laughed and added that "numerous" immunity clauses would make a libel suit against the UN virtually impossible. South African oil company Imvume has also said that it plans to file a lawsuit over allegations in the IIC report [text; JURIST report]; Imvume has called statements in the report defamatory and damaging to the company. Express India has more.

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International Day Against Fascism and Anti-Semitism

November 9 is the International Day Against Fascism and Anti-Semitism [UNITED factsheet]. On November 9, 1924, American gay activist Henry Gerber and several associates formed the Society for Human Rights, the first gay rights organization in the United States. The Society received a charter from the State of Illinois in December but was disbanded in July 1925 after a police raid which led to Gerber's arrest and trial (albeit not conviction). Pay a virtual visit to Henry Gerber House, now a registered Chicago landmark.

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