The United Nations’ second highest-ranking official yesterday accused the US government of leaving Americans in the dark about the world body’s good works, a rare direct criticism that drew an angry response yesterday from US Ambassador John Bolton.

The United States today demanded UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan renounce a speech in which his No 2 official broke with tradition and accused the United States of undermining the United Nations.

A US congressional committee has drafted a Bill that threatens to withhold tens of millions of pounds from the United Nations unless the world body launches wide-ranging reforms, possibly setting the stage for a funding battle like the one that plunged the UN into financial crisis a decade ago.

After months of criticism, United Nations Secretary-General Kofi Annan decided that UN refugee chief Ruud Lubbers had to go because of the growing controversy over allegations that the former Dutch prime minister had sexually harassed female staffers.

Ministers from dozens of nations debated rival plans for a southern Asia tsunami warning system today, as the United Nations called on countries to make good on pledges of aid to sustain the massive relief effort for last month’s disaster.

THE Government is to tap private industry in an effort to build trade links and swap skills with the world’s poorest countries.

THE figures are all shameful — and the reality behind each one is the unnecessary and avoidable death of millions of innocent people.

The international community was today discussing plans for the recovery and rebuilding of Afghanistan, which the United Nations likens to the five-year reconstruction of war-ravaged Mozambique that cost $6.5bn (£4bn).