WORLD briefs

KABUL. A British soldier was killed in an attack on a foot patrol in southern Afghanistan, while a second NATO service member died in a bomb blast, yesterday. The British soldier, who has not been named, was shot Sunday while patrolling in the Babaji district of Afghanistan's southern Helmand province, Britain's defense ministry said. The soldier's death brings to 214 the number of British military personnel killed in Afghanistan since operations there began.

BAGHDAD. The expected release on Monday of the Iraqi television reporter jailed for throwing his shoes at former President George W. Bush was postponed, two of his brother said, citing delays in processing his paperwork. Muntadhar Al-Zeidi, a Shiite who turned 30 while in jail, was convicted in March of assault

LONDON. Yesterday a British judge sentenced the ringleader of a plot to bring down trans-Atlantic planes with liquid explosives to at least 40 years in jail and three fellow British Muslims to long prison sentences. The sentences for the planned suicide bombings were among the longest ever handed out by a British court in a terrorism case. The counter-terrorism operation to foil the plot was the biggest ever in Britain, costing 35 million pounds

TORONTO. Canada can avoid an election if Prime Minister Stephen Harper works with the opposition to resolve differences on employment insurance and other issues dividing Parliament, the leader of the New Democrats said on Sunday. The Liberals, have signaled they would try to take Harper's Conservative government down at the first opportunity when Parliament resumes this week and force a new election.

BANDA ACEH. Adulterers can be stoned to death and homosexuality is punishable by steep prison terms under a new law passed unanimously by lawmakers in Indonesia's devoutly Muslim Aceh.