From the ABC

Downer told of Alia concerns: Lindberg
AWB's former managing director Andrew Lindberg has denied deliberately concealing knowledge from the Australian Government about Iraqi ownership of a trucking company.

Mr Lindberg has disputed the evidence of Innes Willox, who is the chief-of-staff to Foreign Affairs Minister Alexander Downer.

Mr Lindberg was adamant that he told the Minister in March and June last year that there were allegations Alia trucking was part-owned by the Iraqi Government and money may have gone to the old regime.

That contradicts the evidence of Mr Willox to the inquiry, which is investigating $290 million paid to trucking company Alia by AWB in breach of sanctions on Iraq.

Mr Willox said he made notes of the meeting and does not recall that being said.

Mr Lindberg said he utterly rejected the suggestion that a year earlier he was concealing that knowledge from the Government and AWB's board.

...

Mr Lindberg also confirmed that Mr Downer did not say the Government feels untouchable on this.

Mr Downer is due to give evidence at the hearing this afternoon.

Prime Minister John Howard is due to deliver a written statement to the inquiry.

read more at the ABC

From the ABC

US corners Iraq wheat market
As the oil-for-food inquiry drags on, new figures show US wheat exports to Iraq over the past year have grown almost five-fold.

The US exported about 500,000 metric tonnes of wheat to Iraq last marketing year, before the UN Volker report on alleged AWB kickbacks to Iraq led to a cut-off of AWB shipments and a surge in US exports.

"For the past year, we've captured almost three-quarters of the Iraqi wheat market, which is quite large, which is well over 3 million tonnes, and we've gained a very large share of the Iraqi rice market," Bob Riemenschneider, grain and feed director at the US Foreign Agricultural Services, said.

The US has exported about 2.4 million tonnes of wheat to Iraq so far this marketing year and Mr Riemenschneider expects that to increase gradually in coming years.

Meanwhile, the US is ramping up pressure on Australia's single desk for wheat exports, as Federal Government ministers begin appearing before the Cole inquiry.

A key member of the US Agricultural Committee Senator Tom Harkin says Australia agreed to rein-in trading monopolies in its free trade agreement and the single desk goes against world trade rules.

Spokesman for Senator Harkin, Dave Townsend, says the US is ready to respond to the Cole inquiry's recommendations.

"Keep in mind this is in the context of the WTO negotiations and I think it's fair to say that everyone is looking to have more transparent and open market through any reform in the WTO and having a monopoly in charge of wheat exports prevents that from happening," he said.

"One thing that's important to note in the United States-Australia free trade agreement that was reached, it was agreed to that monopoly trading entities would be reined in as part of that agreement."

From the ABC

Howard called to Cole inquiry
Prime Minister John Howard has been called to give evidence at the oil-for-food scandal inquiry and said in a statement he was "happy" to appear.

Mr Howard, who has already provided a confidential written statement to the inquiry, has publicly denied knowledge of kickbacks being paid to Iraq.

Mr Howard will be the first prime minister to face questioning at a judicial inquiry in more than 20 years.

"The Cole Commission of Inquiry has requested that I appear at its hearings," Mr Howard said.

"The inquiry has indicated that it would suit its convenience for me to do that at 10 am (AEST) tomorrow."

Mr Howard is expected to be cross-examined by a lawyer acting for two AWB executives.

Labor's foreign affairs spokesman Kevin Rudd says he doubts Mr Howard's evidence will make any difference to the eventual outcome of the Cole inquiry.

"So far we have had the Trade Minister, who couldn't tell you what time of day it was, the Foreign Minister, who said he would rather read an in-flight magazine than secret diplomatic cables on the AWB, and we are about to see a Prime Minister who will do the best impersonation of Sergeant Schultz since Hogan's Heroes," he said.

Read more at the ABC

From the NYT

Patrick Kennedy Says He'll Seek Help for Addiction

By ROBERT PEAR and CARL HULSE
Published: May 5, 2006
WASHINGTON, May 5 — Representative Patrick J. Kennedy said today that he was seeking treatment for addiction to prescription medicines after he crashed his car into a traffic barrier on Capitol Hill.

Mr. Kennedy, a six-term Democratic congressman from Rhode Island, said he had entered rehabilitation at the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minn.

The congressman said today that he did not remember any details of the accident or the events surrounding it at about 3 a.m. on Thursday. But he said, "I do know enough to know that I need to seek expert help."

Mr. Kennedy, the son of Senator Edward M. Kennedy, said at a news conference: "I simply do not remember getting out of bed, being pulled over by the police or being cited for three driving infractions. That's not how I want to live my life, and that's not how I want to represent the people of Rhode Island."

Mr. Kennedy, 38, said he was leaving this afternoon to return to the Mayo Clinic. After being treated there in December for what he described as an "addiction to prescription pain medication," he returned to Congress "reinvigorated and healthy." But he said he had suffered a recurrence of the "addiction problem" — "a chronic condition for which I'm taking full responsibility."

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Gus thinks that not remembering getting out bed is some serious forgetting... That Kennedy is an expert at the not-remembering capers... may be he should be hired as a gun non-rememberer in the Australian Government, when Johnnee retires... Have you noticed how old our Johnnee has been looking in these last few days...? The only thing that put some life back on his cheek was the news Kennett might be coming back to lead the Libs in Victoria, just to bother Costello... Apart from that, Johnnee might still be winning against a deflating Beazley but Johnnee's hair is getting frazzled and the face is looking drawn as if he'd missed his Vodafone walk. Vitamins pills anyone?...
Full Responsibility anyone...? What was the AWB scandal about again? Sorry, I've not read the memo...