Sudan said on Sunday it hopes that Washington would put forward a new idea regarding peacekeeping in the troubled Darfur region in view of the largest African country's insistence on its refusal of international peacekeeping forces.

Philippine Defense Secretary Avelino Cruz resigned on Sunday, local media reported.

Pakistani Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz said on Sunday that it is a great honor for Pakistan to host the World Islamic Economic Forum, which will start Sunday.

Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert said Sunday that the military operation in the Gaza Strip will be over after the goals are achieved, Israel's local media Ynet news reported on its website.

Israeli troops shot dead two Palestinians in northern Gaza Strip Sunday morning while the army continued its offensives, witnesses said.

The trial of the former leader Saddam Hussien and seven of his aides resumed in Baghdad on Sunday as a verdict Saddam and his former allies showed up in the dock and chief judge Rauf Abdel Rahman ordered the hearing begun.

Government forces assaulted a camp of New People's Army (NPA) in northern Philippine province of Quezon early Sunday morning, killing one of the rebels, a military spokesman said.

Days away from the Nov. 7 election, Democratic candidate Phil Angelides went on the attack on Saturday, calling California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger "a liar".

A grand rally was held in Tel Aviv's Rabin Square Saturday to mark the 11th anniversary of the assassination of late Prime Minister Yitzhak Rabin, local press reported on Sunday.

An American soldier was killed Saturday in insurgent attack with small arms fire in Baghdad, the U.S. military said in a statement on Sunday.