Briefly world

The Taliban have offered to exchange the body of a US Navy sailor they said was killed in an ambush two days ago for insurgent prisoners,claimed an Afghan official Sunday....

Taliban: Killed US sailor,another held captive

KABUL: The Taliban have offered to exchange the body of a US Navy sailor they said was killed in an ambush two days ago for insurgent prisoners,claimed an Afghan official Sunday. US and NATO officials confirmed that two American Navy personnel went missing Friday in the eastern province of Logar. On Sunday,Taliban spokesman Zabiullah Mujahid said the pair drove into an area under insurgent control and one was taken captive. He made no exchange offer.

BP chief may resign over oil spill

LONDON: The chief executive of British oil giant BP,Tony Hayward,was likely to resign within the next 24 hours in the aftermath of the catastrophic Gulf of Mexico oil spill,the BBC reported. Citing a senior BP source,the BBC said that an announcement was due shortly on Hayward. He may be replaced by Bob Dudley,who took over management of BPs response to the spill.

Blast in Bangkok wounds nine

BANGKOK: A bomb at a bus stop in Bangkok wounded nine people on Sunday shortly after polls closed in a parliamentary election. The bomb wounded eight Thai people and one woman from Myanmar,the police said. In the by-election,Panich Vikitsreth,a vice-minister for foreign affairs with the ruling Democrat Party,garnered about 54 per cent of the vote over rival Kokaew Pikulthong,an imprisoned Red Shirt leader.

Will react if ships are inspected: Iran

TEHRAN: Iran will react swiftly if its commercial shipping or aviation are subjected to inspection,President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad said Sunday. A UN Security Council resolution on June 9 imposed restrictions on Iranian shipping to try to persuade Tehran to curb its nuclear enrichment activities. You should know whoever takes a decision against the Iranian nation,such as the so-called inspection of the Iranian ships or so-and-so toward its aircraft,will immediately receive Irans reaction, Ahmadinejad said in a speech broadcast live on radio.

Halle Berry house is spray painted with Gandhi graffiti

LOS ANGELES: Hollywood beauty Halle Berry was left fuming after she found the front gate of her Beverly Hills mansion spray painted with some Mahatma Gandhi graffiti. The Academy Award winning actress promptly called the cops who dropped by to investigate the matter but found no suspects,reported TMZ. The former Bond girl who has a two-year-old daughter with ex-boyfriend,model Gabriel Aubry,had the image of the peace icon removed.

Rachel Weisz feels sexier after becoming mom

LONDON: Hollywood actress Rachel Weisz feels sexier now she is a mother. The 39-year-old actress,who has a three-year-old son Henry with director fiance Darren Aronofsky,says going through labour made her more aware and comfortable with her body,Cosmopolitan magazine reported. I feel sexier after having a baby. It makes you feel a lot more confident and appreciative of your body and what its capable of doing. Ive got a lot more respect for it, Weisz said.