Putin ally warns of new arms race
Compiled from news services
MOSCOW— One of RussianPresident Vladimir Putin’s closest associates warnedin an interview Wednesdaythat the U.S. and Russiaare approaching a new armsrace — the latest sign that geopolitical tensions are underminingnuclear arms control.
SergeyChemezov, a top figurein Russia’s arms industry, saidhe didn’t believe the New STARTaccord limiting the numberof nuclear weapons deployedby the two countries couldbe renewed in the currentpolitical environment.
“Howcan we talk about furthernegotiations about armsreductions when we don’ttrust each other?” he toldThe Washington Post.
Mr.Chemezov is one of the mostprominent Russians to expressskepticism in recent weeksabout the prospect for newnuclear arms talks with theUnited States.
Massacre detailed
BANGKOK— The news agencyReuters has published a detailed investigationinto the massacre of 10 Rohingyamen by Myanmar soldiers and villagers, saying thatthe work led the Myanmarauthorities to arrest two of its reporters.
The article, which was published Friday, describes how soldiers and Buddhist villagers carried out the killings in September and buried the victims in a single grave. Based on eyewitness accounts, it includes photographs of the Rohingya men tied up and kneeling before their execution, and images after their deaths.
Trudeau defends NAFTA
LOSANGELES—Canadian Minister Justin Trudeaucame with an unambiguousmessage on his latest U.S.visit: the North American FreeTrade Agreement is a successthat needs to be modernized,not abandoned.
Withthe next round of talksover the trade pact set to beginin Mexico later this month,Mr. Trudeau used a speechat the Ronald Reagan PresidentialLibrary on Fridayto cast the deal as part of a longhistory between the two countriesthat has been beneficialfor both.
Mr.Trudeau warned in his speechthat Canada won’t be muscledinto a trade deal that isunfavorable to his country.
Also in the world ...
Atleast 18 people were killedand 62 injured when a double-deckerbus crashed Saturdayin a rural area of HongKong, authorities said. Passengerssaid the driver hadbeen behind schedule and drivingfast. ... Thousands of peoplepoured into the streets ofRio de Janeiro as the city’s famedCarnival began Friday, despitedrug gangs battling overterritory and residents liningup for a yellow fever vaccineamid an outbreak thathas killed more than 20 people.