Not in the bag yet

MIAMI - A major airline industry group is backing off plans to introduce a standard size carry-on bag that would be smaller than some countries allow on planes.

The Geneva-based International Air Transport Association on Wednesday said it was "pausing the rollout of its Cabin OK initiative and beginning a comprehensive reassessment in light of concerns expressed, primarily in North America".

AGENCE FRANCE-PRESSE

EU 'no' to border fence idea

BRUSSELS - The European Union (EU) yesterday said Hungary's building of a fence to keep out immigrants was not an effective way of halting the tide of humanity washing up on Europe's borders.

Hungary has said it would build a 4m-high fence on its border with Serbia, arguing that other countries such as Spain and Greece had done the same thing, and it was not breaking global laws by doing so.

AGENCE FRANCE-PRESSE

Cause of balcony collapse

BERKELEY (California) - Wood rot from exposure to excess moisture probably weakened the horizontal beams supporting an apartment balcony that collapsed in Berkeley on Tuesday, killing six people.

The consensus among structural engineers was that the fourth-floor balcony should otherwise have been sturdy enough to safely bear the weight of the 13 people who were on the deck at the time.

REUTERS