Speaking on a private visit to London, the Venezuelan leader has thrown the accusation back at his accusers, calling the US an irrational empire and President George W Bush “the biggest terrorist in the world today”.

“For that you would have to punish the Government of the United States which is practising terrorism,” he said.

“It’s bombing whole towns, civilian populations, killing innocent people and women and children in Iraq.”

Prime Minister John Howard says Opposition claims that he was aware of the AWB corruption allegations in September 2004 are wrong.

Emails mentioned in the Cole inquiry from the head of the Government’s Iraq task force imply that Mr Howard was aware of the allegations in late 2004, months before he has previously stated.

The Prime Minister has told Parliament the date of the emails’ circulation is incorrect.

“The emails which form the basis of the Leader of the Opposition’s question were in fact exchanged in February of 2005, not in September or October of 2004,” he said.

Commissioner Terence Cole is heading the inquiry investigating $300 million worth of payments made by wheat exporter AWB to the former Iraqi regime in contravention of UN sanctions against Iraq.

sahara-harresia

Originally uploaded by Saharauiak.

Sometimes tourist type shots are not enough…

Morocco, mosaics and a wonderful photo.

Love the silhouettes and the whimsical nature of this photo. Not your classic Algeria photo but I like the unexpectedness of it.

I love the atmosphere of this photo. A sort of wistful daydreamy exploring kind of mood of almost abandoned kind of places.