It’s a world exclusive all right, but not one the BBC is feeling particularly proud of. At 9 am on Friday, BBC World Service aired an ‘exclusive interview with Jude Finisterra, Dow Chemicals spokesperson’, in which ‘Finisterra’ announced that the Dow Chemical Company was taking full responsibility for the Bhopal gas tragedy and would pay victims $12 billion compensation money. The Corporation soon realised it had been had: a real Dow spokesman emailed BBC demanding a retraction of the story. 

‘Finisterra’ is believed to be Andy of the group ‘The Yes Men’. He and his partner-in-crime Mike specialise in the sort of hoax that fooled the BBC into interviewing them. They’ve been there, done that before.