WASHINGTON, D.C.

Police shut down House after reports of intruder

The House of Representatives shut down Thursday after a reported security breach at a nearby congressional office building, but police later determined that a plastic revolver and Halloween costume were to blame and lawmakers went back in session.

U.S. Capitol Police Chief Terrance Gainer said “two staff members bringing in Halloween costumes” were responsible. “I don’t think they had any ill intent,” he said, adding he expected no charges to be filed.

Start to finish, the incident lasted two hours or less — but it triggered a massive security response in a time of terrorism worries. Police in battle gear moved into the Cannon House Office Building in pursuit of suspects.

The security personnel performed “well within standards” and the two staff aides were “very sorry all this happened,” Gainer said.

Austria

U.N. agency won’t act as Iran deadline passes

The U.N. nuclear watchdog won’t take any immediate action today, the deadline for Iran to prove its atomic program is peaceful, because it is still analyzing documents handed over by Tehran, a spokeswoman said Thursday.

The Vienna-based International Atomic Energy Agency had ordered Iran to prove by today that its nuclear activities are not aimed at building an arsenal as the United States contends.

In response, Tehran last week handed over a dossier with information about the program. But the agency can’t yet judge whether the country has complied with its demands because it has not yet been able to fully verify the report, spokeswoman Melissa Fleming told The Associated Press.

BEIJING

China plans shopping spree to cool U.S. trade tensions

China is going on a shopping spree in the United States, hoping to ease trade tensions before Premier Wen Jiabao visits Washington in December, American officials say.

The effort comes amid mounting U.S. pressure for Beijing to meet market-opening pledges and ease a trade surplus with the United States that hit $103 billion last year.

Wen told U.S. officials about the plan during a visit to Beijing this week by Commerce Secretary Don Evans, officials who took part in the meetings said. They said “buying missions” were to visit the United States in coming months.

Beneficiaries could include Boeing Co., General Electric Co. and suppliers of telecommunications and chemical equipment.

WASHINGTON, D.C.

House-passed aviation bill doesn’t protect controllers

Congress on Thursday narrowly approved an aviation spending bill that could increase the number of privately run air traffic control towers.

The 211-207 vote, mostly along party lines, brings closer to resolution a rancorous dispute over whether the Federal Aviation Administration should be able to privatize air traffic control towers and jobs.

The four-year, $60 billion spending bill, which is strongly backed by the Bush administration, could face a difficult battle in the Senate, where a filibuster is threatened.