Blair will stand down on 27 June

He made the announcement in a speech to party activists in his Sedgefield constituency, after earlier briefing the Cabinet on his plans.

He acknowledged his government had not always lived up to high expectations but said he had been "very blessed" to lead "the greatest nation on earth".

‘A deadly bomb attack in a once safe Kurdish city and a rocket blast in Baghdad's Green Zone have served as a violent backdrop to a surprise Iraq visit by US vice-president Dick Cheney.

Mr Cheney arrived in the war-torn capital to meet senior Iraqi leaders, as a new poll revealed 59 per cent of American voters want the White House to set a timetable for withdrawing US troops from Iraq.

The vice-president told Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki that Washington's patience with the slow pace of Iraq's political peace process is running out, even as new attacks further undermined its progress.’

from the SMH …..

PM to seize uni control from states

John Garnaut & David Crawshaw

May 10, 2007

The Federal Government is poised to take its "education revolution" an extra step by using controversial constitutional powers to strip the states of their control over universities.

In her first post-budget interview, the Education Minister, Julie Bishop, told the Herald the states had tied the universities in red tape but contributed nothing financially.

from the Centre for American Progress …..

from the ABC …..

Murdoch to make News Corp carbon neutral

Rupert Murdoch revealed moves to make his News Corporation carbon neutral as the company posted a big jump in quarterly profits on the back of a solid performance by its film division.

from our ABC …..

‘Budget revives Coalition's election hopes

Peter Costello's 12th Budget is sparking some hope for Coalition MPs ahead of the federal election, while the Opposition is doing its best to spoil the party.’

Looking back ten years to the signatories of the Project For A New American Century's Statement Of Principles, it looks as if the members of the cabal are dropping like flies. Rumsfeld was hit by a pre-election propaganda mutiny, "Scooter" Libby fell on his own sword to protect fellow signatory and boss Dick Cheney, whose political lifespan diminishes daily within a cloud of war profiteering accusations Now it looks like Paul Wolfowitz, the Iraq War instigator who now heads the World Bank appears to be facing the guillotine for stuffing wads of cash into the mattress of his lady-love.

Here's part of what they all signed:

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We aim to make the case and rally support for American global leadership....

‘Thus Ms. Rice was dispatched to three Sunday shows last weekend to bat away Mr. Tenet's book before "60 Minutes" broadcast its interview with him that night. But in each appearance her statements raised more questions than they answered. She was persistently at odds with the record, not just the record as spun by Mr. Tenet but also the public record. She must be held to a higher standard - aka the truth - before she too jumps ship.

It's now been nearly five years since Ms. Rice did her part to sell the Iraq war on a Sept. 8, 2002, Sunday show with her rendition of "we don't want the smoking gun to be a mushroom cloud."

from the the Sydney Morning Herald …..

‘Families will be the focus of tomorrow's federal budget, which will also increase defence spending and deliver tax benefits skewed towards those on middle and low incomes.

Mr Costello confirmed the separate child-care rebate which repays couples 30 per cent of child care costs after the benefit has been received will be paid back more quickly.

from Alan Ramsay …..

from the New York Times …..

For Queen and First Lady, Bush Will Try White Tie

By Sheryl Gay Stolberg and Jim Rutenberg

Published: May 5, 2007

from the BBC …..

Climate change 'can be tackled'