News In Brief

The Soviet Union is now deploying its mobile, single-warhead SS-25 nuclear missiles in violation of the 1979 Strategic Arms Limitation Treaty, Defense Secretary Caspar Weinberger said yesterday. The Reagan administration had previously said Moscow was testing two new mobile intercontinental missiles -- the SSX-24 and SSX-25 -- but had not deployed either.

US defense officials declined to say how many SS-25s had become operational or where they were deployed.

The SALT 2 treaty allows the US and the Soviet Union only one new intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) each, and Moscow has already said it was testing the larger SSX-24.

Moscow has contended that the SS-25 is not a new missile, but is a modification of the older, two-warhead SS-13.

The US does not have a land-based mobile intercontinental missile but studies are being conducted on a single-warhead ``Midgetman'' missile which would not be operational for several years.

Each side fears highly mobile intercontinental missiles on the other side because these might prompt a nuclear first strike with confidence that mobile missiles could avoid retaliation.

Kremlin vows again to match American `star wars' project

Senior Soviet military and party officials restated a pledge yesterday to match US ``star wars'' weapons if Washington does not drop its plan. But Marshal Sergei Akhromeyev, chief of staff of the armed forces, and Kremlin chief spokesman Leonid Zamyatin, denied Moscow has started any program comparable to President Reagan's Strategic Defense Initiative.

The two, along with Deputy Foreign Minister Georgy Kornikenko, appeared at a news conference to amplify Moscow's proposals for a ban on SDI and a 50 percent cut in offensive weapons.

Decontrol pushing up prices in Chinese shops

China announced yesterday a record increase in retail prices because of a relaxation of state controls, but it said wages were growing at a faster rate. Ma An, a top official with the State Statistical Bureau, said retail prices rose 7.7 percent in the first eight months of 1985 over the same period last year.

73 senators move to block Jordan arms, pending talks

Seventy-three Republican and Democratic senators introduced a bill yesterday to bar sale of US arms to Jordan until peace talks between Jordan and Israel actually begin. Meanwhile, Senate Republican leaders, striving to head off an embarrassing defeat for both President Reagan and King Hussein, scrambled to draft a compromise that would tie the sale of arms to Jordan to progress in Middle East peace talks.

Jordanian envoy rejects Peres plan for PLO talks

Jordan's ambassador to Britain yesterday rejected a proposal by Israeli Prime Minister Shimon Peres for peace talks excluding the Palestine Liberation Organization. Ambassador Nabih al-Nimr's statement in a radio interview was the first official Jordanian response to Mr. Peres's call for an end to the state of war between Israel and Jordan.

Deal reported on freeing President Duarte's daughter

All 10/23/85Senior aides to President Jos'e Napole'on Duarte reached agreement yesterday with leftist guerrillas on the release of the President's kidnapped daughter, sources said. The sources said the deal included the release of 21 rebel prisoners from government jails and safe passage out of El Salvador for about 100 wounded rebels needing medical treatment.

Polish union leader faces charges over vote reports

Solidarity leader Lech Walesa faces a slander charge carrying two years' imprisonment for allegedly issuing false voting figures during Poland's general elections, a government spokesman said yesterday. Election officials in a number of northern Polish cities complained that their integrity had been damaged by Mr. Walesa's statements.

Six-month hearings wind up in Argentine civil rights case

Six months of public hearings in Argentina's historic human rights trial of nine former military leaders ended yesterday as lawyers for the final defendant charged the proceedings were unconstitutional. A verdict is expected in December. Meanwhile, President Raul Alfonsin invoked emergency laws to order the arrest of six military officers and six civilians for possible involvement in a coup attempt.

Cambodian problems defy military effort, UN chief says

Secretary-General Javier P'erez de Cu'ellar said yesterday in a written report to the UN that events of the past year have again demonstrated that the problems related to the question of Cambodia could not be solved by military means. He was referring to the continued presence of the nearly 200,000 Vietnamese troops who entered Cambodia in December 1978, unseated the Khmer Rouge government led by Pol Pot, and installed one headed by Heng Samrin. (Related story, Page 9.)

Nicaraguan President says he wants to meet with Reagan

Nicaraguan President Daniel Ortega said Tuesday he wants good relations with Washington and would like to meet with President Reagan. Mr. Ortega spoke through an interpreter in a New York television studio on the ``Phil Donahue Show.''

Two holdout unions ratify Philadelphia paper accord

Teamsters drivers and the Newspaper Guild yesterday ratified a proposed contract agreement with the Inquirer and Daily News, four days after the Teamsters rejected the pact. The vote by the Teamsters and the Guild left one union, the mailers, to consider the pact for the first time late yesterday. Also, the 229 typographers were to reconsider their rejection of the new contract last week.

A Guild spokesman said his members were already headed back to the newspapers and wanted to attempt a Wednesday morning edition.

Stevenson to make new try for Illinois governorship

Adlai Stevenson III, who in 1982 lost the closest gubernatorial race in Illinois history, said yesterday he will seek the post again. He will face Attorney General Neil Hartigan in the March Democratic primary. The winner will run against three-term Republican Gov. James R. Thompson.

Aquino's widow to weigh running against Marcos

Corazon Aquino, the widow of murdered Philippine opposition leader Benigno Aquino, said yesterday she would consider running against President Ferdinand Marcos if he called a snap election and if she had the support of at least 1 million people.

CorrectionCorrection for 10/17/85

On Oct. 17, the Monitor reported that the Ethiopian government was making large amounts of foreign currency from the generosity of donors around the world. It said Ethiopia was extracting ``at least $30 million'' in port charges this year made on grain donated to feed the country's hungry. The thrust of the story was accurate -- that the Ethiopian charges are far higher than those in other African ports. And this is confirmed by shipping sources. The dollar figure, however, should have read about ``$12.2 million.''

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