VIENNA (AP) — The chief UN nuclear inspector on Monday urged an end to confrontation over Iran’s atomic programme, and suggested talks over differences should take precedence over US and European threats to send Tehran to the UN Security Council. But the Western push for referral appeared back on track. …

LONDON (Reuters) — Large-scale corruption in Iraq’s ministries, particularly the defence ministry, has led to one of the biggest thefts in history with more than $1 billion going missing, Iraq’s finance minister said in an interview. “Huge amounts of money have disappeared. In return we got nothing but scraps of …

OCCUPIED JERUSALEM — Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon flew home on Monday to a battle for his political survival after collecting diplomatic dividends at the United Nations for a pullout from the Gaza Strip. Sharon faces a showdown with hardline rival Benjamin Netanyahu trying to unseat him as head of …