World Briefs

As Moscow residents sweltered in an unprecedented traffic snarl-up, the governor of the region around Moscow offered an unusual solution on Friday: buy a helicopter.

"I fly in a helicopter. (You) should also buy helicopters instead of cars - then you do not need roads," Moscow Region governor Boris Gromov told journalists, the RIA Novosti news agency reported.

His comment came as ill-timed roadworks on the main road to a Moscow airport delayed thousands of people flying on summer holidays and even prompted Prime Minister Vladimir Putin to intervene.

Russian officials rarely encounter traffic jams, since they have blue flashing lights on their cars that allow them to flout rules and drive into oncoming traffic.

Residents of the Moscow region have around 400 private helicopters, Mr Gromov said, but he omitted to mention that private aircraft are not allowed to fly into Moscow airspace. (AFP)

World record

China's "prince of tightrope walking" has broken a world record after spending several hours a day for two months gingerly crossing a wire above Beijing's Bird's Nest stadium.

Adili Wuxor, who has been walking about 12 miles a day on the tightrope strung across the stadium, finished his last performance Friday, breaking the record for the longest period of mid-air walking. He walked more than five hours a day for 60 days.

A representative from Guinness World Records presented him with a certificate at a news conference.

"I'm very lucky to have this opportunity to walk in such an iconic structure," Mr Wuxor said. "It's not just a record for myself, but also a record for all Chinese people."

Chinese media have dubbed Mr Wuxor the "prince of tightrope walking". (PA)

Fake arm on motorway causes chaos

A motorway was brought to a standstill after a Halloween-style fake arm was spotted on a slip road by drivers, police said.

Thousands of motorists were caught up in the travel chaos for several hours on Thursday as officers closed the M62 in Merseyside, fearing the limb could be from a real person.

The search was sparked after several members of the public reported they had seen the severed bloody forearm, Merseyside Police said.

After an extensive hunt by officers and the Northwest Motorway Group, the joke shop limb was recovered.

The drama ended shortly after 4.30 p.m. after two council workers who had heard about the incident contacted police to tell them they had found a fake arm on the carriageway earlier in the day, and the road was reopened. (PA)

Hot dog-eating competition

Takeru "Tsunami" Kobayashi, Japanese former world hot dog-eating champion, hopes to compete in tomorrow's annual contest being held in New York despite a contract row with the organiser, a report said yesterday.

The July 4 Independence Day contest in New York "holds a very special place in my heart", the 32-year-old said in an interview with Kyodo News ahead of the event.

Mr Kobayashi, who emigrated to the United States in March, said he was confident about winning this year's contest because moving to New York has allowed him to train with "authentic" hot dogs.

"I really want to compete in the event but I cannot agree to the conditions," he said, referring to an exclusivity clause stipulated by organiser the International Federation of Competitive Eating Inc. (AFP)

Nurse killer executed

A convicted killer was executed by lethal injection in Texas for gunning down a nurse at her suburban home nine years ago and stealing her car.

Michael James Perry, 28, mouthed to relatives and friends watching through a window that he loved them.

"I want to start off to everyone involved in this atrocity, they're all forgiven by me," he said in a brief statement from the death chamber. He never acknowledged relatives of his victim who looked through an adjacent window. (PA)

Couple killed while having sex

A couple were killed while having sex when a truck smashed into their car parked on a foggy hard shoulder.

Brazilian highway police spokeswoman Liliane Nascimento said the impact of the collision was so strong that the body of the woman was hurled outside the car and run over by other vehicles. The man died instantly inside the car.

She said that "Because of the fog, the truck driver apparently did not see the car in which the couple was having sex."

She said the truck driver did not stop after the collision and fled the scene of the accident.

The accident took place early this morning along the Dutra Highway that connects Sao Paulo to Rio de Janeiro. (PA)