UN Iran unveiled a series of confidence-building measures to end a standoff with the West over its suspected nuclear weapons program, including a proposal to involve foreign firms in its uranium enrichment program. UN The United States and France reacted coolly to Iran's latest proposals for resolving a dispute over its nuclear program and heading off a possible move to seek UN sanctions. UN UN chief Kofi Annan has opened a General Assembly session with a call to member states to fully implement agreed reforms, while the United States urged a "lasting revolution" in the world body. Afghanistan Afghans streamed into polling stations on Sunday for the country's first parliamentary elections in more than 30 years being held under tight security after Taliban militants vowed to disrupt the vote. Germany Germany was to go to the polls in an election expected to see conservative opposition leader Angela Merkel, a woman from the former communist east, sweep Chancellor Gerhard Schroeder from power. Iraq A car bomb killed at least 30 and wounded 38 on the outskirts of Baghdad in what appeared to be the latest attack on Iraq's majority Shiite population. Mideast Palestinian forces fired warning shots and pushed back stone-throwing crowds on the southern Gaza Strip's Egyptian border, attempting to reimpose order after a week of illegal crossings by thousands of people. US-Pakistan Pakistani President Pervez Musharraf held an unprecedented meeting with leaders of the American Jewish Congress as part of his campaign to press for moderation in the Muslim world. US A handful of business owners trickled back into New Orleans, even as the head of disaster relief warned that parts of the hurricane-battered city were not safe for people to return. NKorea Talks aimed at ending North Korea's nuclear ambitions will continue for a seventh day on Monday, China's official Xinhua news agency reported. Canada-China The end of Chinese President Hu Jintao's landmark North American tour was marked by protests in Vancouver on Canada's west coast, much like it started nine days earlier. NZealand New Zealand's Labour and National parties set about wooing potential coalition partners, with both claiming they would be able to form a government after falling well short of a majority in an inconclusive general election.