Around the World: Thailand/US

Bout's extradition ruled out

A Thai court yesterday refused to extradite alleged Russian arms dealer Viktor Bout to the US to face trial on charges of supplying weapons to Colombian rebels.

The US wanted to try Bout, dubbed the "Merchant of Death", for conspiracy to sell millions of dollars of weapons to rebels from the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC), which it said could be used to kill Americans.