A round-up of today's other stories in brief
Solana in Iran for talks on nuclear crisis
TEHRAN - EU foreign policy chief Javier Solana has arrived in Iran to deliver an offer of incentives aimed at persuading the Islamic republic to abandon its plans to make nuclear fuel.
The incentive package is an initiative put together by the EU3 states and approved by a forum that also included the US, China and Russia. - (Reuters)
UN delegation in Darfur talks
KHARTOUM - A UN Security Council delegation is in Sudan to try to convince the Khartoum government that a UN peacekeeping operation in Darfur was not tantamount to an invasion force. Several of the 15 council members also intend to tell Sudanese leaders that they have not done enough to protect their own people. - (Reuters)
$50m in free trips for Congress
WASHINGTON - Members of the US Congress and their aides took free trips worth nearly $50 million paid for by corporations, trade associations and other private groups between January 2000 and June 2005, according to a study released yesterday.
Some of the 23,000 trips featured $500-a-night hotel rooms, $25,000 corporate jet rides and visits to popular spots such as Paris, Hawaii and Colorado ski resorts. - (Reuters)
Man mauled to death in lion cage
KIEV - A man shouting that God would keep him safe was mauled to death by a lioness in Kiev zoo on Sunday after he crept into the animal's enclosure. "The man shouted 'God will save me, if he exists', lowered himself by a rope into the enclosure, took his shoes off and went up to the lions," a zoo official said. - (Reuters)
Helicopter escape from Greek prison
ATHENS - A helicopter landed in the middle of the high-security Athens Korydallos prison on Sunday, picked up two prisoners and flew away.
A criminal on the run hijacked the helicopter to get his brother out of prison, police said. "The guards thought it was a surprise inspection by ministry officials and did nothing," police said. - (Reuters)