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WORLD NEWS Wednesday 22 February 2023
Russia suspends only remaining major nuclear treaty with U.S.

By VLADIMIR ISACHENKOV The Russian military said
Associated Press that it shot down the Sovi-
MOSCOW (AP) — Russian et-built drones that struck
President Vladimir Putin two bomber bases deep
declared Tuesday that inside Russia in December,
Moscow was suspending but acknowledged that
its participation in the New several servicemen were
START treaty the last re- killed by debris that also
maining nuclear arms con- damaged some aircraft.
trol pact with the United Putin on Tuesday mocked
States sharply upping the NATO’s statement urging
ante amid tensions with Russia to allow the resump-
Washington over the fight- tion of the U.S. inspections
ing in Ukraine. of Russian nuclear weap-
Speaking in his state-of- ons sites as “some kind of
the-nation address, Putin theater of the absurd.”
also said that Russia should “The drones used for it were
stand ready to resume nu- equipped and modernized
clear weapons tests if the with NATO’s expert assis-
U.S. does so, a move that tance,” Putin said. “And
would end a global ban now they want to inspect
on nuclear weapons tests our defense facilities? In
in place since Cold War the conditions of today’s
times. Russian President Vladimir Putin gestures as he gives his annual state of the nation address in confrontation, it sounds like
Explaining his decision to Moscow, Russia, Tuesday, Feb. 21, 2023. sheer nonsense.”
suspend Russia’s obliga- Associated Press He said that a week ago he
tions under New START, Pu- is The Treaty between the that of our allies,” but em- today’s decision on New signed an order to deploy
tin accused the U.S. and its United States of America phasized that “we remain START, full arms control ar- new land-based strategic
NATO allies of openly de- and the Russian Federation ready to talk about strate- chitecture has been dis- missiles and asked: “Are
claring the goal of Russia’s on Measures for the Further gic arms limitations at any mantled.” they also going to poke
defeat in Ukraine. Reduction and Limitation time with Russia irrespective “I strongly encourage Rus- their noses there?”
“They want to inflict a ‘stra- of Strategic Offensive Arms. of anything else going on in sia to reconsider its decision “They are also aimed
tegic defeat’ on us and try U.S. Secretary of State the world or in our relation- and respect existing agree- against us. They are aimed
to get to our nuclear facili- Antony Blinken deplored ship.” ments,” he told reporters. against Russia,” he said.
ties at the same time,” he Putin’s move as “deeply “I think it matters that we Putin argued that while the “Before we return to dis-
said, declaring his decision unfortunate and irrespon- continue to act responsibly U.S. has pushed for the re- cussing the treaty, we need
to suspend Russia’s partici- sible,” noting that “we’ll be in this area,” Blinken told re- sumption of inspections of to understand what are the
pation in the treaty. “In this watching carefully to see porters on a visit to Greece. Russian nuclear facilities aspirations of NATO mem-
context, I have to declare what Russia actually does.” “It’s also something the rest under the treaty, NATO al- bers Britain and France
today that Russia is sus- He said that “we’ll, of of the world expects of us.” lies had helped Ukraine and how we take it into
pending its participation in course, make sure that in NATO Secretary-Gener- mount drone attacks on account their strategic ar-
the Treaty on Strategic Of- any event we are postured al Jens Stoltenberg also Russian air bases hosting senals that are part of the
fensive Arms.” appropriately for the secu- voiced regret about Putin’s nuclear-capable strategic alliance’s combined strike
New START’s official name rity of our own country and move, saying that “with bombers. potential.” q

Prolonged low tides see smaller canals dry up in Venice

VENICE, Italy (AP) — Some stretchers over long dis- attention to the overdue
of Venice’s smaller canals tances since their vessels need for cleaning Venice’s
have practically dried up can’t progress up canals inner canal network.
due a prolonged spell of reduced to a trickle of wa- Navigation continued on
low tides, frustrating boat ter and muck. the wider, main waterways,
crews and bewildering For tourists, it meant gondo- including the Grand and
tourists. las couldn’t navigate some Giudecca canals.
The prolonged stretch secondary waterways that Separately, the same high
of ebb tides is linked to run under Venice’s many pressure system com-
a lingering high-pressure picturesque bridges. pounded by scarce Al-
weather system over much In mid-winter, high atmo- pine snow melt this year
of Italy, experts say. spheric pressure combined has been a factor for the
Since the canals essentially with the lunar cycle pro- shriveling of lakes and rivers
serve as streets in car-less duces the ultra-low wa- in northern Italy in recent
Venice, the phenomenon ter levels during ebb tide, weeks.
of the last days has added noted Jane Da Mosto, an This month, an isthmus link-
to the challenges of every- environmental scientist and ing the shores of Lake Gar-
day life in the lagoon city. sustainable development da to a small island has re-
Ambulance boats in some analyst with We Are Here emerged, delighting visitors
cases have had to tie up Venice, an environmental who were able to, in effect,
A gondola is docked on a dry canal during a low tide in Venice, farther from their destina- advocacy group. walk part-way across the
Italy, Monday, Feb. 20, 2023. tion, forcing medical crews She added that the phe- middle of the lake.q
Associated Press to sometimes hand carry nomenon highlights lack of