World in brief: 25 die when plane slams into homes

In a thunderous blast, a cargo plane slammed into an impoverished residential neighborhood in Congo’s capital seconds after takeoff Thursday, leaving at least 25 people dead in a smoky wreckage of concrete blocks and twisted debris.

The fiery crash underscored the dangers of flying in Congo, which has experienced more fatal air crashes than any other African country since 1945. The turboprop belonged to the Congolese company Africa One, which has been barred from flying in the European Union because of safety concerns.

The Russian Foreign Ministry said three Russians were among the dead: the pilot, the co-pilot and a flight engineer. Cargo planes in Congo are frequently flown by pilots from former Soviet states.

It was not immediately known what caused the Antonov 26 to go down. But the Russian Foreign Ministry said one of the plane’s propellers somehow broke off during takeoff, and one of its wings was sheared off as it hit a bank of trees.

Yangon, Myanmar

Junta chief agrees to meet activist

Hoping to deflect outrage over images of soldiers gunning down protesters, Myanmar’s hard-line leader announced Thursday he is willing to talk with detained democracy activist Aung San Suu Kyi – but only if she stops calling for international sanctions.

Senior Gen. Than Shwe also insists Suu Kyi give up urging her countrymen to confront the military regime, state television and radio said in reporting on the conditions set by the junta leader during a meeting this week with a special U.N. envoy.

The surprise move is aimed at staving off the possibility of economic sanctions and keeping Myanmar’s bountiful natural resources on world markets, while also pleasing neighboring China, which worries the unrest could cause problems for the 2008 Beijing Olympics.