US US troops tightened their grip on anarchic New Orleans, as authorities beefed up efforts to evacuate tens of thousands of desperate victims of the hurricane disaster. US-China US President George W. Bush and Chinese President Hu Jintao have agreed to call off talks planned here for next week in light of the ravages of Hurricane Katrina, the White House said. Afghanistan-Britain-Japan A British security worker kidnapped in Afghanistan was found dead as officials confirmed two missing Japanese tourists were shot in the country's troubled south, underscoring the fragile security ahead of key parliamentary elections. Iraq Iraqi politicians said that new talks were taking place over rewording the country's draft constitution, following widespread calls for unity after the deadly stampede which killed nearly 1,000 Shiite pilgrims. Russia Stifling anguished cries, survivors of the Beslan tragedy and relatives of more than 300 dead hostages observed a minute of silence at the ruins of School Number One on the anniversary of the disaster. Nepal Nepal's Maoist rebels announced a unilateral three-month ceasefire starting immediately in an effort to aid talks with political parties in the Himalayan nation. Syria Five members of the Islamist militant group Jund al-Sham were killed in clashes with Syrian security forces who raided their village hideout, the SANA news agency reported. Egypt The Egyptian judiciary authorised local non-governmental organisations to monitor the historic September 7 poll, a decision hailed as a major step towards ensuring a more transparent election. Lebanon A Lebanese judge has issued new arrest warrants for four high-ranking officials allowing them to be kept in custody in connection with the murder investigation of slain ex-premier Rafiq Hariri, the official news agency ANI said. Mideast The Israeli military said it would complete its withdrawal from the Gaza Strip by September 15, but threatened to strike the territory hard if the Jewish state came under threat. France French President Jacques Chirac was hospitalized after suffering a minor vision problem that doctors said had been caused by a "vascular incident".