NewYear A world grieving for the more than 125,000 dead in Asia's tsunami catastrophe marked a somber passage to the New Year with traditionally exuberant celebrations muted by mourning, and remembrance candles often replacing fireworks. Asia Aid pledges for Asia's tsunami victims topped 1.1 billion dollars on a tide of global New Year sympathy, but there was no respite for survivors holding mass burials as the death toll edged towards 126,000. Indonesia Indonesia, the country worst hit by the Asian-wide tsunami disaster, said it would host a major international summit to discuss strategies for overcoming the catastrophe and raising more aid. Indonesia Countless survivors of the devastating tsunami on Sumatra island remained isolated and without food or water nearly a week after the disaster struck, as Indonesia began the New Year facing a death toll of over 100,000. Iraq Hardline Islamists vowed to target Iraq's elections, just weeks away, as Prime Minister Iyad Allawi declared that Iraq's future lay with democracy. Argentina Police arrested the owner of a Buenos Aires club where at least 175 people died and 889 were injured in a blaze at the downtown disco crowded with 2,000 teenagers. Ukraine Ukraine looked with hope to the future at the onset of the New Year after Prime Minister Viktor Yanukovich resigned and all but admitted losing last weekend's historic presidential rerun vote. Sudan The Khartoum government and the main southern Sudan rebel group signed accords on two outstanding issues, paving the way for the signing of a comprehensive peace deal to end Africa's longest-running conflict. Russia Russia said it had ordered the construction of an oil pipeline from its huge Siberian oilfields to the Pacific Ocean opposite Japan, in a move to boost export opportunities throughout East Asia and to the United States.