Basra, Iraq (Agencies): Washington's new civilian adiministrator Iraq arrived in Baghdad on Monday, full of praise for the man he is supplanting after just three weeks but refusing to predict when Iraqis would get their Own government.

Moscow (Reuters): Two suicide bombers drove a truck full of explosives into a government complex in Russia's rebel Chechnya on Monday, killing 40 people in the deadliest attack since the Kremlin's March poll to keep the region in its grip.

Jerusalem (Agence France-Presse): U.S. Secretary of State Colin Powell ended his peacemaking visit to Israel and the Palestinian territories empty-handed on Monday, with Israel still challenging the "road map" and all signs of hope dashed by con-tinned violence.

Tehran (Agence France-Presse): Diplomatic relations between Iran and the United States have not come up for discussion despite repeated contacts between the two countries, an Iranian foreign ministry spokesman said on Monday.

Beijing (Reuters): China reported fewer than 100 new Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS) eases on Monday for the third straight day, raising hopes that it might finally be taming the killer virus, but the UN health agency said it was too early to say the worst was over.

Amman (Reuters): Secretary of State Colin Powell said on Tuesday the Saudi bombings overnight bore all the hallmarks of the al Qaeda network of Osama bin Laden.

London (Reuters): World oil prices rose to their highest levels in almost three weeks on Monday as expectation mounted that OPEC will agree to cut output when it meets in June.

Tokyo (Reuters): Japan has not yet decided whether it will push for a suspension of Iraqi debt servicing as its preferred option for tackling the country's debt problem, Tokyo's top financial diplomat said on Monday.

California (Reuters): The three-time defending NBA champion Los Angeles Lakers sent coach Phil Jackson a get-well gift on Sunday, coming from behind to down the San Antonio Spurs 99-95 in the Western Conference semifinals.

North Carolina (Reuters): David Toms ended a victory drought of almost two years on Sunday, surviving a quadruple-bogey eight at the last to win the Wachovia Championship by two shots.