1. GULF SPILL
Looking out for 'small people,' BP agrees to $20B fund
BP PLC today bent to the increasing hostility of President Obama, telling stockholders they will get no further dividends this year and agreeing to pay $20 billion to reimburse economic damages inflicted by the Gulf of Mexico oil spill. Emerging after nearly three hours of negotiations at the White House, BP Chairman Carl-Henric Svanberg painted the moves as a sign of his company's commitment to atone for the damage the ongoing spill is doing to the Gulf region.