The UN’s report on the oil-for-food programme for Saddam Hussein’s Iraq drew widespread denials, terse dismissals and protestations of innocence yesterday, but also pledges to investigate from some of the 2,200 companies cited and countries with citizens named.

RUSSIA’S prime minister said yesterday he was deeply concerned by the seizure of shares of oil giant YUKOS — the closest any top official has come to publicly criticising the Kremlin’s handling of the crisis.

Russian President Vladimir Putin tonight signed an order relieving chief of staff Alexander Voloshin of duty, a Kremlin spokesman said.

Russia is unlikely to veto a second UN Security Council resolution that could lead to war with Iraq, a senior US official said today.