Briefly World

9/11 plotter may get death: White House

WASHINGTON: Accused Sept. 11 plotter Khalid Sheikh Mohammed is likely to be executed after being tried and convicted,White House spokesman Robert Gibbs said on Sunday.Gibbs spoke on CNNs State of the Union. The Obama administration has begun looking for places other than the heart of New York City to prosecute Mohammed and four alleged co-conspirators in the face of fierce criticism tied to security and costs.

Gaddafi says AU meets waste of time

ADDIS ABABA: Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi,failing to stay as chairman of the African Union,said on Sunday the group wasted time. On the first day of a summit in Addis Ababa,Malawis President Bingu wa Mutharika was selected to succeed Gaddafi. The Libyan leader criticised the AU for tiring him with long meetings. It was like we were building a new atomic bomb or something, he said.

Taliban deny meeting UN envoy

WASHINGTON: The Taliban has denied as baseless rumours reports that its top leaders had met UN representatives to discuss bringing peace to Afghanistan and vowed to persist in its war against the invaders. The denial came in response to news reports that Kai Eide,the outgoing UN envoy,held a meeting in Dubai this month with members of the Taliban leadership.

N Korea arms were Iran-bound: Thailand

UNITED NATIONS: A shipment of weapons from North Korea seized by Thai authorities last month were headed for Iran,according to a confidential report the Thai government sent to a UN Security Council committee. Thai authorities seized more than 35 tons of arms from a cargo plane they said had come from North Korea,and arrested five crew members after the aircraft made an emergency landing at Bangkok in December.

Indian-American executive freed

HOUSTON: An Indian-American shopaholic executive,with a US-based electronic goods firm who was fired after she allegedly embezzled a 31 million from the company fund has been freed on bond. Former Indian Koss Executive Sujata Sachdeva,former vice-president of finance at Koss Corp. in Milwaukee remains free on bond. Her attorney plans to show her mental and health played a role in her conduct.

Jessica Simpsons oops moment

LONDON: Hollywood star Jessica Simpson was publicly embarrassed when she accidentally farted during an important business meeting. The 29-year-old singer and actress,who had recently visited India to film some episodes with Bollywood beauty Neha Dhupia for reality show The Price of Beauty,passed wind as she was speaking to executives about her denim clothing line,Femalefirst reported. While one of the executives was speaking in a room full of five people,Jessica let out a very loud fart, a source said. Her mother Tina Simpson was there,and it prompted her to turn around and yell,Jessica! The tension was extreme. No one knew what to say, the source added.

Book throws new light on Dickens

LONDON: A new book on celebrated novelist Charles Dickens puts to rest false notions of the straight-laced Victorians and places him at the heart of nineteenth century understandings of homosexual desire. The book,titled Queer Dickens: Erotics,Families,Masculinities by Holly Furneaux of the University of Leicester combines queer theory with a historical approach to the works of Dickens,highlighting the presence of homosexual desire and unconventional family structures in his novels. Dr Furneaux said Dickens work was punctuated by enthusiastic pursuits and portrayals of male intimacy.

Depp supports Roman Polanski

LONDON: Hollywood hunk Johnny Depp has come out in support of filmmaker Roman Polanski who has been accused of raping a minor girl. The 46-year-old actor,who worked with the director on the movie The Ninth Gate in 1999 believes there may be shady dealings behind the scenes concerning Polanskis arrest for a 30-year-old statutory rape charge,Independent newspaper reported. Why now? Obviously there is something going on somewhere. Somebody has made a deal with someone. Maybe there was a little money involved,but why now?, Depp said.