Mideast Palestinians voted in more than 100 West Bank municipalities in a contest pitting the ruling Fatah faction against Hamas Islamists who are refusing to renounce their armed campaign while embracing the political process. Mideast One of the main leaders of the Al-Aqsa Martyrs Brigades said the radical Palestinian movement was breaking off a truce agreement after Israeli troops killed one of its activists. US Tom DeLay, a powerful political ally of President George W. Bush, stepped down as head of the Republican majority in the House of Representatives after being indicted on a campaign finance charge. Iraq Iraqi insurgents multiplied bombings and drive-by shootings as US President George W. Bush warned of increased violence ahead of next month's referendum on the draft constitution. Asia Northern Vietnam was reeling from the aftermath of Typhoon Damrey which triggered landslides and flooding that left at least 57 people dead and caused widespread destruction. Somalia Voters in Somalia's breakaway republic of Somaliland cast ballots to elect lawmakers amid hopes the exercise will bring them international recognition as a sovereign state. Algeria Algerians were voting on a controversial peace charter presented by President Abdelaziz Bouteflika as the only hope of ending over a decade of bloodshed but which opponents dismiss as a pretext to extend presidential powers. Afghanistan Foreign aid workers restricted their travel in the Afghan capital after a rare suicide attack which targeted a crowd of off-duty troops, killing eight soldiers and a civilian and wounding 36. India A national strike disrupted flights and shut down government offices and banks in India as millions of state workers staged a one-day protest over moves to liberalise Asia's fourth-largest economy. US New Orleans Mayor Ray Nagin is inviting residents of his hurricane-wracked city to return by next week, as hundreds of thousands remained homeless along the Gulf of Mexico. EU EU ambassadors held fresh talks to try to clear the way for Turkey to start entry negotiations next week, as Austria reaffirmed its opposition to offering Ankara full EU membership.