LA Times News

LA Times News

Afghan plan poses threat to women's shelters

Posted: 15 Feb 2011 07:39 PM PST

Women's groups say putting the shelters under strict government control would have a catastrophic effect on their ability to protect the abused. The government accuses the shelters of mismanaging donated foreign money.

One is a barely pubescent girl, forced to wed a much older man to pay a family debt. Another is a scarred and bruised mother of four, so traumatized by her husband's beatings that she trembles whenever anyone speaks to her. A third is a spirited young woman marked for death by her brothers and father when she tried to run away with the man she wanted to marry.

Protests rage in Yemen, Bahrain; Iran hard-liners want foes executed

Posted: 15 Feb 2011 05:50 PM PST

Supporters of Yemen's government turn out to confront protesters. In Bahrain, a second demonstrator is killed. In Iran, lawmakers call for the executions of two opposition leaders.

The continuing wave of unrest sweeping the Middle East led to a fifth day of protests Tuesday in Yemen and thousands of protesters swept into the main square of the capital of Bahrain, setting up tents and vowing to stay until the government agrees to major reforms.

In Pakistan, rumbles of a revolution over Raymond Davis

Posted: 15 Feb 2011 07:39 PM PST

If the U.S. Embassy employee accused of murder in the deaths of two Pakistani men is granted diplomatic immunity, Pakistan may explode like Egypt and Tunisia, men on the street say.

Inspired by the popular uprisings in Tunisia and Egypt, Pakistani college student Gulraiz Iqbal is itching for a reason to take his disdain for President Asif Ali Zardari's government to the streets.

Obama reassures Jordan king of U.S. support

Posted: 15 Feb 2011 07:06 PM PST

The president made a weekend call to Jordanian King Abdullah II to assure him of U.S. support, but also to say that Washington wants Jordan to move toward reform.

With protests rocking the Middle East, the Obama administration is reaching out to King Abdullah II of Jordan, trying to reassure a badly shaken ally of its support even as it calls for greater political freedom across the Arab world.

Egypt opposition feels strains from within

Posted: 15 Feb 2011 05:11 PM PST

Opposition activists were united against Mubarak, but young protesters have split into two rival camps, and both groups distrust older activists.

They brought down an autocrat and now hunch over position papers, microphones, BlackBerrys and meals from McDonald's. Revolution is messy but lasting power is won, young activists are learning, in meticulous battles of negotiations, egos and intrigue.

U.S. agent killed, second wounded at Mexico drug gang blockade, officials say

Posted: 15 Feb 2011 05:06 PM PST

The Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents, assigned to the Mexico City office at the U.S. Embassy, were driving toward the northern city of Monterrey when attacked, U.S. officials say.

A U.S. agent was shot and killed in central Mexico on Tuesday and a second wounded when the pair were apparently caught up in a road blockade staged by drug traffickers, officials said.

Muslim Brotherhood plans Egypt political party

Posted: 15 Feb 2011 09:23 AM PST

The Egyptian military orders a committee studying constitutional changes to come up with amendments in 10 days, indicating that fundamental changes to the system of government aren't anticipated.

The Muslim Brotherhood announced Tuesday that it would form a political party to run candidates for Egypt's parliament, while a committee of judges and legal scholars started work on amending the nation's constitution.

Italy judge orders Silvio Berlusconi to stand trial

Posted: 15 Feb 2011 04:32 AM PST

Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi is ordered to stand trial on charges that paid for sex with a 17-year-old, then abused his authority by trying to get her released from police custody.

A judge Tuesday ordered Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi to stand trial on charges that he paid for sex with a 17-year-old girl, then abused his authority by trying to get her released from custody after police picked her up on suspicion of stealing.

Italian prime minister to stand trial in alleged prostitution coverup

Posted: 15 Feb 2011 03:40 AM PST

Silvio Berlusconi and a 17-year-old Moroccan girl deny having sex, though she says she got money.

An Italian judge on Tuesday ordered Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi to stand trial on charges that he paid for sex with a 17-year-old Moroccan girl and then tried to cover it up.

Egypt police want slain colleagues honored as heroes

Posted: 14 Feb 2011 10:12 PM PST

They stun and anger bystanders in Tahrir Square by holding a protest calling for officers slain in clashes to be venerated as 'martyrs.' 'You are thieves! You are killers!' says once incensed woman. 'Go home and leave us alone!'

Egypt's long-feared and widely hated national police marched onto the hallowed ground of Tahrir Square on Monday, sparking outrage by insisting that police officers allegedly killed by anti-government forces during the uprising should be honored as heroes.

Pakistani governor's assassin pleads guilty

Posted: 14 Feb 2011 10:12 PM PST

Mumtaz Hussein Qadri says the killing of Gov. Salman Taseer was justified as he opposed Pakistan's harsh blasphemy laws.

The confessed killer of a liberal Pakistani governor pleaded guilty Monday to a killing he claimed was justified under Islam, while outside the court supporters bearing flowers and cards wished him a happy Valentine's Day.