Washington—The United States is concerned that Venezuela’s plan to buy over $2 billion in weapons from Russia could set off an arms race in the region, a State Department spokesman said. President Hugo Chavez announced on Sunday that Russia has agreed to give Venezuela a $2.2 billion loan to purchase 92 tanks and advanced anti-aircraft missiles.

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Jerusalem—U.S. envoy George Mitchell and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu ended more than two hours of talks Tuesday without any sign of a deal on a settlement freeze crucial to restarting Middle East peace talks. News of the success or failure of Mitchell’s mission appeared unlikely until Wednesday, when he and Netanyahu were due to meet again and the envoy could report on his planned talks later Tuesday with Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas.

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Dhaka—Seven months after the massacre of army officers by rebellious border guards of Bangladesh Rifles (BDR) at its headquarters Peelkhana in Dhaka, the government Tuesday decided to put the mutineers on trial in speedy tribunal.

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Tokyo—Japan’s incoming prime minister Tuesday hailed a new “dawn” as he finalised the cabinet line-up tasked with reviving the world’s second largest economy and reshaping its foreign policy. Yukio Hatoyama, head of the centre-left Democratic Party of Japan (DPJ), is set to take over in the top job on Wednesday, two-and-a-half weeks after his party’s stunning election victory changed the country’s political landscape.

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Dhaka—Bangladesh authorities have deployed army personnel to help with traffic control on the streets of the capital Dhaka in the hope that military precision will reduce congestion. Home minister Shamsul Haq Tuku said on Tuesday that military police were being used as a back-up to ordinary traffic officers as the already jammed streets were facing meltdown ahead of two major religious festivals.

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Quetta

Muzaffarabad

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