A roundup of today's other world news in brief:
Search for boy thought to have been in balloon
DENVER– A six-year-old boy said to have climbed into a homemade helium balloon that took off and flew across Colorado yesterday, was not inside when the contraption landed and authorities launched a search for him.
The silver, flying-saucer- shaped balloon was shown on live TV as it soared up to 2,100 metres and drifted for miles across the Colorado skies, landing gently in a field after deflating.
Rescue crews said the bottom of the balloon had not been breached so it seemed the boy had not fallen out. They believed he had to be somewhere on the ground near his home where a search was continuing last night.
– (Reuters)
Honduran deal hangs in balance
TEGUCIGALPA– A tentative plan to end the political crisis in Honduras hung in the balance yesterday as negotiators met again on whether president Manuel Zelaya, toppled in a June coup, should be returned to power.
Mr Zelaya was forced into exile by soldiers on June 28th but returned to Honduras last month and took refuge in the Brazilian embassy. His lead negotiator, Victor Meza, said the two sides had agreed on the wording of a settlement but the proposal appeared not to get the approval of the de-facto leader, Roberto Micheletti.
– (Reuters)
Concern over Thai king's health
BANGKOK– Thai king Bhumibol Adulyadej is undergoing more physical therapy and eating more of his meals, the palace said yesterday, after concerns over his health sparked a second day of heavy selling in Thailand's markets.
King Bhumibol, the world’s longest-reigning monarch at 81, has been hospitalised since September 19th, when he was admitted suffering from fever, fatigue and weak appetite. Updates from the palace on his condition have often been opaquely worded.
The king is regarded as semi-divine by many of the country’s 67 million people.
– (Reuters)
Polanski finishing film work in jail
LONDON– Director Roman Polanski is finishing work on his latest film from a Swiss jail where he is fighting extradition to the US on a 1977 sex charge, writer Robert Harris was quoted as saying on Wednesday.
Harris, who wrote the screenplay for the film, The Ghost, told the London TimesPolanski wanted to finish the film in time for its planned premiere at the Berlin film festival in February. "He can make his wishes known from his cell. I don't think he can make phone calls, but he can communicate," Harris said.
“What people think of the film is another matter.”
– (Reuters)
Tabloids caught out by hoax offer
LONDON– Three British tabloid newspapers discussed buying confidential medical information about celebrities, in a possible contravention of Britain's privacy laws, after being offered it as a hoax by a filmmaker.
Journalists from the Sunday Mirror, News of the Worldand Peoplemet Chris Atkins, director of new film Starsuckers, after he offered them the stories to see how far journalists would be willing to go to obtain intrusive information.
– (Reuters)