It allegedly involves sex, lies, a webcast - and above all, lorryloads of cash. The whiff of scandal has been swirling around the UN for months. But now Kofi Annan himself, the man handpicked by the Americans to lead the organisation seven years ago, is on the ropes. UN officials - excluding Mr Annan - are among those accused of benefiting from a gigantic scam in which Saddam Hussein was able to skim billions of dollars from a UN programme intended to help the sanctions-hit Iraqi people. But the clamour only reached fever pitch when influential Republicans, acting with the assumed backing of the White House, called for the resignation of Mr Annan. Some would not stop there: Congressman Scott Garrett said earlier this week that the question was "whether he should be in jail". Yesterday the rest of the world rose up to show the Bush administration what they thought about such suggestions, by blowing the equivalent of a diplomatic raspberry in the direction of Washington. The ambassadors of 191 countries, gathered in the General Assembly hall to hear Mr Annan present a blueprint for UN reform, rose to their feet to give the beleaguered secretary-general a spontaneous standing ovation. Even the head of the American delegation was shamed into clapping. "Everybody stood up. It lasted a good few minutes," said one diplomat present. [more]

•  In Shift, U.S. Backs U.N. Leader Annan. The United States expressed confidence in Secretary-General Kofi Annan on Thursday and said he should remain at the helm of the United Nations (news - web sites), an abrupt turnaround from its refusal to back him last week after a U.S. senator called for his resignation.  The statement from U.S. Ambassador John Danforth, who said he was speaking on behalf of the Bush administration, aligned the United States with the 190 other members of the United Nations. [more]
• Pictured above: In this photo released by the United Nations, U.N. Secretary-General Kofi Annan, left, smiles as he is applauded during a meeting of the General Assembly Wednesday, Dec. 8, 2004. [more]
• Kofi Annan declares Iraq War Illegal [more