Top foreign news of the week

United Nations: India hands over a cheque of $ 20 million to UN chief Ban Ki-moon as its contribution for flood relief in Pakistan, saying it remained committed to assisting its neighbour in time of crisis.

Kabul: Afghans braved Taliban rockets and polling site bombings to vote for a new parliament in elections seen as a measure of the government's competence and commitment to democratic rule.

Baghdad: Two near-simultaneous car bombs rocked Baghdad today killing at least 12 people, security officials say.

London: Six North-African origin-men held by UK's counter-terrorism police probing an alleged plot to attack Pope Benedict XVI during his current visit have all been released without charge, the Scotland Yard says.

Yangon: Myanmar's detained opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi is officially barred from voting in November elections, according to electoral rolls posted that left her name off the list of eligible voters.

London: Nineteen Indian nationals are arrested in the UK for working illegally and trafficking offences and one of them has been jailed for ten years for a major immigration scam.

Islamabad: A school van ferrying upto 20 children plunged into the Jhelum river in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir killing at least 15 students.

Washington: Recognising India's growing clout in the world, an official US report on global governance declares the country the third most powerful nation after the United States and China.

New York: Pakistan asks the international community, particularly the US, to intervene in Kashmir in resolving the contentious issue which is central to peace in the region.

Washington: Describing the state of Ohio's ban on offshore outsourcing by government departments as "ill-advised", India "firmly" conveys to the US its displeasure over the move and other protectionist measures, like the hike in visa fees for professionals.

New York: Stating that Jammu and Kashmir is an internal matter of India, External Affairs Minister S M Krishna asks Pakistan to end its illegal occupation of some parts of the state before advising New Delhi.

Islamabad: Pakistani hikes its defence outlay by Rs 110 billion over the budgeted allocation of Rs 442 billion for major military operations against the Taliban in the volatile tribal areas bordering Afghanistan.

United Nations: In a remark that sparked outrage in the US, Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad says that some segments within the US government orchestrated the 9/11 attack to reverse the declining American economy.