[JURIST] AP is reporting that the Independent Inquiry Committee into the UN Oil-for-Food Program [official website] has cleared UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan of wrongdoing in the scandal, although it remained critical of his actions. The committee was looking into the employment of Annan's son Kojo by a Swiss company that was awarded a contract in the oil-for-food program in Iraq. Annan had been accused of ignoring the conflict of interest with his son’s company, Cotecna [corporate website], but the report cleared him of any wrongdoing. The interim report is expected to be officially released at Noon ET today, with a press conference on the report scheduled for 3:30 PM ET at the UN. Watch a live webcast of the briefing. JURIST will have additional coverage as more information becomes available. The UN has a press release on the report release. AP has more.