The former Maldives president, Mohamed Nasheed was arrested on Tuesday by police, ten days after he left the Indian High Commission where he had fled to avoid arrest.

Police made the arrest following a court order issued after Nasheed missed a court appearance on 10th February. He has been accused of illegally detaining a judge during the final days of his presidency.

A spokesperson for the Maldives police told Reuters:

The US has tabled a resolution at the UN Security Council, calling for sanctions on North Korean officials and financial transactions.

"For the first time ever, this resolution targets the illicit activities of North Korean diplomatic personnel, North Korean banking relationships [and] illicit transfers of bulk cash," said UN ambassador Susan.

Venezuela's President Hugo Chavez died on Tuesday evening, losing a two-year battle to cancer.

Born in 1954 and described as the vanguard of "21st Century Socialism", Chavez took office in 1999 and was re-elected for a six-year term in October 2012.

Chavez named his Vice-Preisdent Nicolas Maduro as his preferred successor in December 2012.

See here for the BBC's obituary.

Israel launched two Palestinian only bus routes in the West Bank on Monday, a move which has been criticised as racist. (See here)

The Transport Ministry said that the lines would "improve public transport services for Palestinian workers entering Israel" and replace private buses charging "exorbitant prices", adding:

"Furthermore, the Ministry of Transport is not authorised to prevent any passenger from using public transport services."

Abdel Hakim Belhaj, a Libyan revolutionary commander turned politician, made his offering challenging British government claims that a new secret courts had to be introduced to prevent large payouts, after a £2.2 million was paid to another dissident.

Belhaj is demanding a pound each from the British government, former Foreign Secretary Jack Straw and Sir Mark Allen, former head of counter-terrorism at MI6.

In a letter published in the Independent, Belhaj says,

"Various media reports I have seen suggest that our motive for bringing this case is to enrich ourselves. I wish to lay this misconception to rest."

"But we have come to court in Britain because we believe your courts can deliver justice. We are primarily bringing this claim to secure a public judgment, recognising the wrongs we have suffered.

"I have seen press reports of ministers seeking to justify secret trials on the basis that the government has to pay large settlements to protect national security. You can now settle this case at little cost to the UK taxpayer. There will be no harm to the security of the British people for the government and Messrs Straw and Allen to accept their responsibility, and apologise to me and my wife."

The head of the International Atomic Energy Agency has called for access to Iran’s Parchin military complex “without further delay”.

Director general Yukiya Amano said to the IAEA’s governing board:

"Providing access to the Parchin site would be a positive step which would help to demonstrate Iran's willingness to engage with the agency on the substance of our concerns,", adding that access should be provided without awaiting further talks.

42 Syrian soldiers seeking refuge in Iraq were killed in an ambush, attributed to the al-Qaeda, on Monday.

The ambush occured when the soldiers were being escorted back to Syria.

Seven Iraqi police officers were also killed.

See the Telegraph for full report.

British Foreign Secretary William Hague has said that arming Syrian rebels cannot be ruled out.

Hague’s comment came after Syrian president Bashar al-Assad attacked Britain in an interview with the Sunday Times.

"We do not expect an arsonist to be a firefighter," Assad said in the interview.

The US has pledged $450 million to Egypt in ordering to help improve the fragile Egyptian economy.

The US Secretary of State, John Kerry, who is currently visiting Egypt, announced the assistance whilst stressing the need for "more hard work".

Speaking to the Egpytian president Mr Morsi, Kerry urged him to ensure that April's elections for free, fair and transparent. The elections are being boycotted by the main opposition group due to on-going mass pro-democracy protests.