FROM STAFF REPORTS

NEW DELHI (AP) — A sensitive debate over gay sex in India was thrown into farcical confusion Thursday after a government lawyer urged the Supreme Court to ban it — only for the government to issue a contradictory statement hours later, saying it accepts a recent ruling that made it legal.

Television channels reported that the lawyer may have gotten confused and read out the wrong statement in front of the Supreme Court reflecting an old government opinion.

Additional Solicitor General P. P. Malhotra told the court that "gay sex is highly immoral and against social order and there is high chance of spreading of diseases through such acts," the Press Trust of India reported.

The Home Ministry quickly issued a statement saying it was not challenging a 2009 Delhi High Court order that struck down a colonial-era law making sex between people of the same gender punishable by up to 10 years in prison.

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BRUSSELS (AP) — The 17-nation eurozone economy will suffer a modest recession this year despite recent signs of stabilization, particularly in financial markets, the European Union's executive branch said Thursday.

In its latest projections, the European Commission forecast a 0.3 percent contraction in the eurozone economy, with Greece leading the way downwards with a massive 4.4 percent decline.

That would be the fifth straight year of recession in Greece, which earlier this week clinched its second massive bailout package in less than two years.

In its last forecast in November, the Commission predicted a 0.5 percent expansion across the eurozone economy following last year's 1.4 percent growth.

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BEIRUT (AP) — Warnings from Syrian activists of a humanitarian catastrophe in Homs grew more desperate Thursday as government forces resumed shelling an opposition stronghold in the restive central city, where hundreds have died in a weeks-long siege.

About 30 people, including two Western journalists, were killed in shelling on Wednesday — most of them in the rebel-held Baba Amr neighborhood which is the center of the resistance in the city.

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GENEVA (AP) — The United Nations has a secret list of top Syrian officials who could face investigation for crimes against humanity carried out by security forces in their crackdown against an anti-government uprising, a panel of U.N. human rights experts said Thursday.

The U.N. experts indicated that the list goes as high as President Bashar Assad.

Thousands of Syrians have died in the violence since March and the panel, citing what it called a reliable source, said at least 500 children are among the dead.

"A reliable body of evidence exists that, consistent with other verified circumstances, provides reasonable grounds to believe that particular individuals, including commanding officers and officials at the highest levels of government, bear responsibility for crimes against humanity and other gross human rights violations," said the report by the U.N.-appointed Independent International Commission of Inquiry on Syria.

"The commission has deposited with the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights a sealed envelope containing the names of these people, which might assist future credible investigations by competent authorities.

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BAGHDAD (AP) — Officials: Death toll in attacks across Baghdad and Iraq provinces rises to 48.

KABUL, Afghanistan (AP) — Every day, 400 people join the ranks of half a million displaced by fighting and natural disaster in Afghanistan and the country's government has been hampering international efforts to help them, Amnesty International said Thursday.

A new, disturbing report by Amnesty said more people have fled their homes as fighting has spread to areas of the country that had been relatively peaceful.

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STOCKHOLM (AP) — Sweden's Crown Princess Victoria gave birth to her first child early Thursday, a baby girl who will be groomed to one day become the country's queen.

Victoria's husband, Prince Daniel, said the girl, who is second in line to the Swedish throne, was born at 4:26 a.m.

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LOS ANGELES (AP) — Chris Paul and Blake Griffin had a little business to take care of before jetting off to the All-Star game.

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SAN DIEGO (AP) — Wyoming seemed every bit capable of beating San Diego State, which would have been a devastating fourth straight loss for the Aztecs.

Up by nine points with 11:10 to play, the Cowboys couldn't hold on.

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NEW BRITAIN, Conn. (AP) — A hospital maintenance worker shot and wounded two of his supervisors Wednesday in a dispute over a disciplinary issue, police said.

The suspect, Victor Valcarcel Sr., 65, was arrested at his house within about an hour of the shooting, New Britain Police Chief William Gagliardi said.

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LAS VEGAS (AP) — Chace Stanback scored 19 points, reserve Justin Hawkins added 13 and No. 21 UNLV beat Boise State 75-58 on Wednesday night, ending the Broncos' three-game winning streak.

The win stopped a two-game skid for the Runnin' Rebels (23-6, 7-4 Mountain West), who are undefeated in 14 games at home this season.

UNLV took an 11-point lead at halftime and pulled away on consecutive 3-pointers from Hawkins roughly 8 minutes into the second half.

The Rebels took a 66-43 lead when Quintrell Thomas dunked a missed layup by Hawkins with just over 8 minutes left in the game.

The Rebels shot 49.1 percent (27 of 55) after shooting 31 percent in their last game.

Anthony Drmic and Thomas Bropleh both had nine points for Boise State (13-13, 3-8).

SAN DIEGO (AP) — No. 24 San Diego State really would have been hurting if not for two guys coming off ankle injuries.

Jamaal Franklin scored the first five points of overtime and finished with 12 overall as the Aztecs beat scrappy Wyoming 67-58 on Wednesday night to snap a three-game losing streak.

Franklin returned from a sprained ankle that forced him to sit out Saturday's loss at Air Force.

Also coming up big for the Aztecs was Garrett Green, who scored a game-high 14 points less than a week after spraining an ankle during the Air Force game.

Although the injuries tested the Aztecs' depth, they never used them as excuses.

"I think when you're 27 games into your season you say, 'Tape it up, gut it up, find a way to win,' " coach Steve Fisher said.

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DALLAS (AP) — Andrew Bynum had a huge smile on his face after he grabbed a rebound of his own miss and got fouled on an attempted putback.

Not long after making both those free throws that put the Los Angeles Lakers ahead to stay, Bynum was running after teammate Derek Fisher to give him a big hug following a 3-pointer.

Bynum had 19 points and 14 rebounds, including several big plays in the final 5½ minutes, as the Lakers hit the halfway point of their season with a 96-91 victory over the defending NBA champion Dallas Mavericks on Wednesday night.

"Andrew was great," coach Mike Brown said.

The free throws by Bynum broke an 82-all tie with 5:29 left and put the Lakers (20-13) ahead to stay after 13 ties and 10 lead changes.

After the Mavericks failed to take advantage of a turnover by Kobe Bryant when Jason Terry gave it right back, Bynum was underneath the basket with the ball.

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LAS VEGAS (AP) — Boise State lost the momentum of a three-game winning streak Wednesday night, unable to string together significant offensive runs in a 75-58 loss at No.

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BAGHDAD (AP) — Officials: Death toll rises to 31 in a series of morning bombings, shootings across Baghdad.

SEATTLE (AP) — A gun brought to an elementary school near Seattle in a third-grade boy's backpack discharged Wednesday, apparently by accident, and critically wounded an 8-year-old girl, police said.

The unidentified child who brought the gun to Armin Jahr Elementary in Bremerton, Wash., was booked into Kitsap County juvenile detention for investigation of unlawful possession of a gun, bringing a dangerous weapon to school and third-degree assault.

"At this stage of the investigation, detectives believe the shooting was accidental," Bremerton police Lt.

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BAGHDAD (AP) — Iraqi officials say morning attacks across Baghdad have killed 22 people.

DENVER (AP) — A fast start kept the flickering playoff hopes of the Colorado Avalanche afloat.

Colorado scored three times in the first period against Jonathan Quick, one of the top goalies in the league, to send the Avs on their way to a 4-1 victory over the Los Angeles Kings on Wednesday night.

The win pulled Colorado to within two points of Los Angeles for the eighth and final playoff spot in the Western Conference.

And just like that, the Avs may be buyers instead of sellers at the rapidly approaching trade deadline.

"Before the game, I wanted to make sure everybody knows it's a big game," coach Joe Sacco said.

A message they certainly received.

Paul Stastny scored two goals to help the Avalanche to their first season sweep of the Kings in nearly two decades.

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COLLEGE STATION, Texas (AP) — Texas A&M was finally back to full strength on Wednesday night.

It wasn't enough to get past No.

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