Mideast Three Palestinian militants were shot dead by the Israeli army in the West Bank, casting a shadow over municipal elections in the territory being contested by the radical Islamist group Hamas. EU The EU called an emergency meeting of foreign ministers to try to end an impasse over Turkey's entry talks, as Austria insisted Ankara be offered less than full EU membership. US New Orleans Mayor Ray Nagin invited residents of his hurricane-wracked city to return by next week, as hundreds of thousands remained homeless along the Gulf of Mexico. 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. Nigeria-Britain Kidnappers snatched at least two foreign oil workers including a Briton from outside a bar in the Nigerian port city of Warri and are holding them in the swamps of the Niger Delta, officials said. Spain-Morocco Five people died and dozens were injured when hundreds of would-be immigrants tried to storm a border-crossing between Morocco and Spain's north African enclave of Ceuta, as the countries' prime ministers held a summit on illegal immigration. Algeria Algerians were voting on a peace charter presented by President Abdelaziz Bouteflika as the only hope of ending a conflict that has left 150,000 dead but which opponents dismiss as a pretext to extend presidential powers. Somalia-Somaliland 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. 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. India Millions of Indian state workers staged a one-day national strike that disrupted flights and shut down government offices and banks, in a mass protest over moves to liberalise Asia's fourth largest economy.