LA Times News

LA Times News

Violence follows Belarus election

Posted: 20 Dec 2010 12:00 AM PST

President Alexander Lukashenko is declared the victor as human rights groups allege fraud. Opposition leaders, calling on supporters to protest, are arrested; at least one describes beatings by police.

After 16 years in office, Belarus President Alexander Lukashenko appeared headed for another five-year term in a controversial election Sunday that was quickly followed by violent late-night street clashes and accusations of vote fraud from human rights groups.

South Korea pledges to go ahead with live-fire drills

Posted: 20 Dec 2010 12:00 AM PST

The North has condemned the planned exercises, and threatens shelling if they proceed. The U.N. Security Council meets to urge both sides to scale back on belligerence.

Rifle-toting South Korean troops conducted patrols Sunday on a South Korean island at the center of recent tensions on the Korean peninsula as the international community nervously anticipated the start of the South's planned live-fire drills that have been condemned by the North Korean military.

Iranians brace for fuel subsidy cuts

Posted: 20 Dec 2010 12:00 AM PST

The prices of gasoline, natural gas and other commodities will increase dramatically under the plan to eliminate substantial subsidies. People will get some cash to ease the shock of higher costs.

Iranians braced themselves Sunday as the government launched a series of subsidy cuts expected to increase the price of fuel as much as ninefold and jack up the cost of such necessities as bread and water.

Insurgent attacks kill at least 14 Afghan soldiers, police

Posted: 20 Dec 2010 12:00 AM PST

The Taliban claims responsibility for the assaults on an army bus in Kabul and a recruiting center in the northern city of Kunduz.

Insurgents took aim Sunday at the Afghan security forces, ambushing an army bus in the capital, Kabul, and storming an army recruitment center in the north of the country. At least 14 Afghan soldiers and police officers were killed in the two attacks, each carried out by squads of suicide bombers and gunmen.

27 die in oil pipeline explosion in Mexico

Posted: 20 Dec 2010 12:00 AM PST

Oil thieves are suspected of causing the fire at a Pemex crude pumping station in central Mexico. At least 52 people are injured and 32 homes destroyed.

At least 27 people were killed and thousands of residents forced to flee a central Mexican city on Sunday after a predawn pipeline explosion that may have been caused by oil thieves.

Death toll from Mexico City pipeline explosion rises to 27

Posted: 19 Dec 2010 01:25 PM PST

A pipeline exploded in central Mexico early Sunday as thieves were trying to steal oil, killing at least 27 people and sending rivers of flaming crude through city streets.

Travel chaos in Europe; more blizzards forecast

Posted: 20 Dec 2010 12:00 AM PST

Transportation grinds to a virtual halt in many parts of Europe as tens of thousands of travelers are stranded at airports and train and bus trips are canceled. More bad weather is forecast.

Large portions of Europe remained paralyzed Sunday as a new wave of heavy snow and ice swept the continent as far south as Italy, shutting down airports, highways and train routes.

Seoul unfazed by North Korea's threats over military drills

Posted: 19 Dec 2010 02:33 PM PST

The U.N. Security Council holds an emergency meeting, but world powers disagree over whether North Korea should be singled out for criticism in the recent attacks that killed four residents on disputed Yeonpyeong Island.

Rifle-toting Marines conducted patrols Sunday on a South Korean island at the center of recent tensions on the Korean peninsula as the international community nervously anticipated the start of the South's planned live-fire drills, which have been condemned by Kim Jong-Il's military.

Taliban kills 8 in twin attacks targeting Afghan security forces

Posted: 19 Dec 2010 12:19 AM PST

An army bus in Kabul and a recruitment center in Kunduz are ambushed as the Taliban targets local soldiers and police, who are key to the West's exit strategy.

Insurgents took aim Sunday at Afghanistan's security forces, ambushing an army bus in the capital, Kabul, and storming an army recruitment center in the north of the country. At least eight Afghan soldiers and police were killed in the two attacks.

Weather stymies South Korea drills for now

Posted: 19 Dec 2010 12:00 AM PST

The live-fire drills are to take place by Tuesday on the same island the North shelled last month as the South's military conducted similar drills. The shelling killed four people.

— South Korea's military waited for better weather to hold live-fire drills that the North warned would cause it to retaliate, but the high tensions prompted the U.N. Security Council to schedule an emergency meeting at Russia's request.

Democrats thwart bid to change nuclear arms treaty

Posted: 18 Dec 2010 09:02 PM PST

A Republican effort could have forced the U.S. and Russia to reopen negotiations.

Senate Democrats deflected an initiative by Republicans on Saturday that would have forced U.S. and Russian negotiators to reopen an arms treaty reducing stockpiles of nuclear warheads.