U.S. Mideast force head escapes injury in Iraq

FALLUJAH, Iraq -- Insurgents launched a brazen attack Thursday on an Iraqi civil defense outpost visited by Gen. John Abizaid, commander of all U.S. forces in the Middle East. Abizaid and his party escaped injury in the gun battle. Just moments after a convoy carrying Abizaid and his party pulled inside the cinderblock walls at the headquarters of the Iraqi Civil Defense Corps in this city west of Baghdad, an explosion rang out. Seconds later, two more explosions were heard near the rear of the compound, and U.S. soldiers responded with a barrage of rifle and machine gun fire. The gun battle lasted about six minutes. No U.S. soldiers and no one in Abizaid's party were injured.

Mexico asks Britain, U.S. to respond over spying

MEXICO CITY -- Mexico has asked the United States and Britain to explain recent accusations they spied on U.N. delegations in the run-up to the war in Iraq. Mexico's request came a day after Chile claimed its U.N. mission telephones were tapped as the Security Council considered a resolution backed by Washington, Britain and Spain authorizing war against Saddam Hussein. A Chilean government spokesman refused to say who was suspected of tapping the telephones, but said government officials "expressed our concern to the respective institutions."

Israel balks at hearings on West Bank barrier

JERUSALEM -- Israel decided Thursday not to attend world court hearings on the legality of its West Bank separation barrier, saying there is no point in sending a team because it does not recognize the judges' authority. Hearings before the International Court of Justice in The Hague, Netherlands, are to begin Feb. 23.

Thailand: three new human cases of bird flu

BANGKOK, Thailand -- Thailand confirmed three new human bird flu cases Thursday as health officials warned it could take two years to conquer Asia's outbreak. Meanwhile, the World Health Organization said the latest tests show no sign of a killer hybrid virus that could easily pass between people. Tests on a cluster of bird flu cases in a Vietnamese family showed there was no mixing of genes between the bird flu strain and human flu, according to WHO.

Indonesian candidate's conviction overturned

JAKARTA, Indonesia -- Indonesia's Supreme Court overturned a graft conviction against the parliamentary speaker on Thursday, a ruling that cleared the way for his presidential bid -- and dismayed those looking for signs of anti-corruption reform. Akbar Tandjung, head of ex-dictator Suharto's Golkar Party, had been convicted of misappropriating $4.5 million in government funds. He would have been barred from running in the country's July 5 election if judges had upheld the verdict.

-- From wire reports