Bush gives $25 million fuel aid to North Korea; Gambari to meet Suu Kyi, seek compromise in Burma; Karzai wants talks with Taliban...

30 September :: US pres. George W. Bush has approved $25 million in fuel aid for North Korea, as part of a February deal to shut down nuclear facilities, dismantle weapons and allow IAEA inspections; the Yongbyon reactor was shut down in July... Six-party talks to negotiate North Korean denuclearization have been suspended for two days, to allow six nations' negotiators to contemplate discussions to date... Tutu, Mandela's 'The Elders' initiative gathers established elder humanitarians to "speak freely, be fiercely independent and respond fast and flexibly in conflict situations", will make first formal visit to Sudan, in effort to end Darfur killing; group has said chair is left open for detained Burmese opposition leader Suu Kyi... Burmese junta has reportedly allowed UN negotiator Ibrahim Gambari to meet with Aung San Suu Kyi, opposition leader under indefinite house arrest; security forces have reportedly detained more religious and lay 'activists'; EU foreign minister Solana has said the Union is examining all possible measures that could be taken if military does not cease attacking demonstrators; military reported to be assaulting anyone with camera in streets of Rangoon... Sufi muslims celebrate 800 years since birth of mystic poet Rumi, Turkey will hold great 'dance of the whirling dervishes' to observe history of the pacifist Sufi order; the poet was "born in 1207 in Balkh in Central Asia, now part of Afghanistan", reports BBC; in Afghanistan, the Taliban attempted to eliminate Sufism by banning music, imposing fundamentalist dogma... As Afghan conflict now longer than WWI, Pres. Hamid Karzai has said he wants negotiations with the Taliban, would "go to them", may offer them position in gov't... Intense flooding over western and central Africa has hit 20 nations; Togo has made an urgent appeal for food and medical aid; the EU has promised some 2 million € to help Togo, Burkina Faso and Ghana collectively... Hundreds have gathered to protest state violence in Islamabad, used to suppress bloody riots spurred by ruling allowing Musharraf to run for president while holding control of military... UK PM Brown rumored to be considering an early election to capitalize on high poll numbers just weeks after taking power from Blair; Conservative party calls national conference to prepare for possible vote... Ecuador voting today to choose delegates to new Constituent Assembly, aimed at replacing Congress, traditional power structures...