Russia Russia was to strip crippled Yukos oil giant of its core production asset in a controversial auction expected to be won by state gas behemoth Gazprom, marking the biggest renationalisation since the Soviet era. Sudan Sudan threw the African Union's plan to restore peace to Darfur into turmoil, engaging in a fresh battle with rebel forces and defying an international demand that it halt its offensive, officials said. Iraq Iraqi judges questioned one of Saddam Hussein's most infamous lieutenants as they began investigative hearings of top officials of his ousted regime. Chile Former Chilean dictator Augusto Pinochet suffered a stroke and was hospitalized, just two days before an appeals court ruling on whether to uphold his indictment and arrest for crimes committed during his 17-year rule. Mideast Israel's prime minister and Labour party prepared to form a new coalition government to secure Ariel Sharon's plan to evacuate the Gaza Strip, where 11 Palestinians died in the deadliest Israeli incursion in weeks. US-Iraq A new wave of criticism was set to hit US Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld after he admitted that he had not personally signed Pentagon condolence letters to families of soldiers killed in Iraq. Indonesia A large explosion was heard over Jakarta after a suspected meteor was seen streaking across the sky over the Indonesian capital. Mideast Syria will have to wait to resume peace negotiations with Israel until after a settlement is reached with the Palestinians, US President George W. Bush said in comments published Sunday. India Dense fog wrought havoc among travellers across parts of northern India with accidents claiming 17 lives and putting air and rail travel schedules in disarray, officials said. Turkmenistan Turkmenistan was holding parliamentary elections denounced by exiled opponents of authoritarian President Saparmurat Niyazov and seen as likely to reinforce his isolation from the outside world. Saudi The Saudi branch of the Al-Qaeda network has called on its supporters to attack oil sites in the world's top oil exporting nation Saudi Arabia, according to a statement posted on an Islamist Internet site. Britain Hundreds of Sikhs tried to storm a theatre in the central English city of Birmingham, halting a play they say mocks their religion and slightly injuring five police officers in the melee, police said.