Syria defies cease-fire plan

Syria defies cease-fire plan

BEIRUT

Syrian troops defied a U.N.-brokered cease-fire plan Tuesday, launching fresh attacks on rebellious areas, but special envoy Kofi Annan said there was still time to salvage a truce that he described as the only chance for peace.

More than a year into the Syrian uprising, the international community has nearly run out of options for halting the slide toward civil war. On Tuesday, Annan insisted his peace initiative remains “very much alive” — in part because there is no viable alternative.

The U.N. has ruled out any military intervention of the type that helped bring down Libya’s Moammar Gadhafi, and several rounds of sanctions and other attempts to isolate President Bashar Assad have done little to stop the bloodshed.

Bombers kill 16 in Afghanistan

KABUL, Afghanistan

Taliban suicide bombers killed at least 16 people Tuesday as they stepped up their fight against Afghan forces slowly taking the lead from U.S. and international troops.

Attacks this week have included deadly bombings far from the main theaters in the south and east, underscoring that the Taliban and its allies retain the capability to strike over wide areas of the country. The violence comes at a pivotal time for the U.S.-led coalition as it forges ahead with plans to hand over security responsibility to the Afghans.

The Taliban claimed responsibility for Tuesday’s attacks — one in the western region of Herat and the other in the southern province of Helmand — in telephone messages to the media.

Philippine, Chinese ships in standoff

MANILA, Philippines

The Philippine government says its largest warship is engaged in a standoff with Chinese surveillance vessels that blocked it when it attempted to arrest Chinese fishermen anchored at a South China Sea shoal where both sides claim sovereignty.

Foreign Secretary Albert Del Rosario on Wednesday summoned Chinese Ambassador Ma Keqing to resolve the dangerous impasse diplomatically. His office said in a statement that the Scarborough Shoal “is an integral part of Philippine territory” and Filipino authorities would assert sovereignty over the offshore area.

The shoal lies off the northwestern Philippine province of Zambales. China and the Philippines have been disputing ownership of the shoal, in addition to the Spratly Islands and other areas in the South China Sea.

3 school workers split Mega jackpot

BALTIMORE

Some lottery players might fantasize about resigning from the rat race in a spectacular way if they win. An anonymous trio of Maryland educators who will split a share of the record $656 million Mega Millions jackpot say they’re staying on the job for the children.

Maryland lottery officials said Tuesday that the state’s winning ticket was held by two women and a man calling themselves “The Three Amigos.” They are a special- education teacher, an elementary-school teacher and a school administrator who all worked multiple jobs to make ends meet.

“If it can’t be you, these people are precisely the people you would want to see win,” Maryland Lottery Director Stephen Martino said.

Each will collect about $35 million after taxes. Martino said they planned to buy new homes, travel to Europe and help their own children pay for college, but they couldn’t stand to leave their schools.

Associated Press