The World

More sanctions for Syria

BEIRUT -- The European Union will impose harsher sanctions on Syria, a senior EU official said Wednesday, as Russia tried to broker talks between the vice-president and the opposition to calm violence. Activists reported at least 50 killed in the regime's siege of the restive city of Homs.

Russia, a close ally of Syria, and the West are pushing down starkly different paths in trying to deal with Syria's nearly 11 months of bloodshed. After blocking a Western and Arab attempt to bring UN pressure on President Bashar Assad to step down, Russia has launched a bid to show it can resolve the turmoil. Moscow is calling for a combination of reforms by the regime and negotiations, without calling for Assad to go. Its provisions are so far finding no traction with the opposition.

Teen gets life for killing

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. -- A Missouri teenager who had described the slaying of a young neighbour girl as an "ahmazing" thrill made an emotional apology Wednesday to the girl's family and was sentenced to life in prison with the possibility of parole.

Evidence presented during the hearing revealed 18-year-old Alyssa Bustamante had dug a shallow grave in the woods several days in advance, then used her younger sister to lure 9-year-old Elizabeth Olten out of her home with an invitation to play. Bustamante, who had hidden a knife in a backpack, said she had a surprise for Elizabeth in the forest. The surprise turned out to be her demise.

Greece talks break down

ATHENS -- Crucial talks aimed at averting Greece's bankruptcy were held up early today after leaders of the three parties backing the country's coalition government failed to agree to creditors' demands to make 300 million euros in cuts to state and private pensions.

At stake is a 130-billion euros bailout that is vital if Greece is to avoid bankruptcy as early as late March.

The leaders' talks hit a snag over state-guaranteed pensions.

Among the proposals the leaders did accept is a 22 per cent cut in the gross monthly minimum wage from 751 euros to 586 euros, with the minimum wage dropping to 527 euros a month for those under 25.

Russia's major discovery

MOSCOW -- After two decades of drilling in Antarctica, Russian scientists have reached a gigantic freshwater lake hidden under kilometres of ice for some 20 million years -- a pristine body of water that may hold life from the distant past and clues to the search for life on other planets.

Finally touching the surface of Lake Vostok, the largest of nearly 400 subglacial lakes in Antarctica, is a major discovery avidly anticipated by scientists around the world.

"I think it's fair to compare this project to flying to the moon," said Valery Lukin, the head of Russia's Arctic and Antarctic Research Institute that oversaw the mission.

Wash. OK's gay marriage

OLYMPIA, Wash. -- Washington state lawmakers voted to approve gay marriage Wednesday, setting the stage for the state to become the seventh in the nation to allow same-sex couples to wed.

The action comes a day after a federal appeals court declared California's ban on gay marriage unconstitutional.

But gay couples can't walk down the aisle just yet. The proposal would take effect 90 days after the governor signs, but opponents have promised to fight it with a ballot measure that would allow voters to overturn the approval.

-- from the news services

Republished from the Winnipeg Free Press print edition February 9, 2012 A12