UNITED NATIONS (AP) - Former U.S. Federal Reserve chairman Paul Volcker is the leading candidate to head an independent panel to investigate allegations of corruption in the U.N. oil-for-food program, U.N. diplomats said Wednesday. Secretary-General Kofi Annan said Tuesday he hoped to make an announcement "in the course of the week" on the panel members. "We are going to investigate these allegations very seriously and with a very thorough independent investigation," he said. Diplomats, speaking on condition of anonymity, said the United States pressed to have an American lead the panel and backed Volcker. Many U.S. lawmakers, who are conducting...