LA Times News

LA Times News

Rebels in Libya insist they're no fans of Al Qaeda

Posted: 05 Apr 2011 06:22 PM PDT

Moammar Kadafi has accused the terrorist network of working to overthrow him, especially in the eastern city of Derna. Rebels there deny it, although one militia leader describes Osama bin Laden as 'a good Muslim.'

Col. Moammar Kadafi has depicted this coastal city of squat concrete homes and graceful blue harbor as the staging ground for an Al Qaeda takeover of Libya.

No challenge to Michel Martelly's election in Haiti expected

Posted: 05 Apr 2011 06:19 PM PDT

An aide for Mirlande Manigat says she will not contest preliminary results that showed popular singer Michel Martelly defeating her by a 2-1 margin to become Haiti's next president.

Michel Martelly, the popular singer turned improbable candidate, was all but assured of becoming Haiti's next president Tuesday after his opponent's camp appeared to rule out challenging vote tallies issued a day earlier.

Rebel leader in Libya demands more of NATO

Posted: 05 Apr 2011 05:51 PM PDT

Gen. Abdul Fatah Younis says the alliance 'did not provide to us what we need.' He wants airstrikes on Misurata and Port Brega.

The top general for Libya's rebels lashed out at NATO forces for not doing enough against Libyan leader Moammar Kadafi and threatened to take his complaint to the U.N. Security Council.

Ecuador expels U.S. ambassador

Posted: 05 Apr 2011 05:00 PM PDT

It says Heather Hodges must go because of corruption comments she made in a cable leaked by WikiLeaks. White House calls the move unjustified.

Ecuador said it was expelling the American ambassador, making her the latest U.S. official to become embroiled in a diplomatic dispute after disclosures by the WikiLeaks website.

Britain tabloid journalists arrested in phone-hacking scandal

Posted: 05 Apr 2011 01:57 PM PDT

The two allegedly took part in an effort at the News of the World to tap into the cellphones of film stars, pro athletes and other celebrities, in hopes of gleaning tidbits for publication.

Two tabloid journalists were arrested Tuesday in a phone-hacking scandal that has reached into the highest echelons of Britain's government and involved the royal family.

Guns silent in Ivory Coast but fear persists

Posted: 05 Apr 2011 03:27 PM PDT

Battle positions in Abidjan are abandoned, but bands of uniformed soldiers and militias in civvies roam the city. It is anyone's guess whose side they are on and how dangerous they might be.

When the soldiers left their battle positions and the guns fell silent Tuesday morning in the Cocody neighborhood of Abidjan around Ivory Coast's presidential palace, terrified residents didn't feel safe enough to go outside.

Ivory Coast President Laurent Gbagbo calls for cease-fire

Posted: 05 Apr 2011 08:18 AM PDT

French and U.N. officials say the incumbent, who has refused to leave office since losing reelection, is negotiating his surrender. Gbagbo confirms his call for a truce, but denies he is ready to surrender.

Laurent Gbagbo, who has clung to power in Ivory Coast despite his defeat last fall in U.N.-certified elections, called for a cease-fire Tuesday after weeks of intense fighting and was negotiating the terms of his surrender, French and United Nations officials said.

Japan's ocean radiation hits 7.5 million times legal limit

Posted: 05 Apr 2011 04:39 AM PDT

High readings in fish prompt the government to establish a maximum level for safe consumption.

The operator of Japan's stricken Fukushima nuclear plant said Tuesday that it had found radioactive iodine at 7.5 million times the legal limit in a seawater sample taken near the facility, and government officials imposed a new health limit for radioactivity in fish.

Singer Michel Martelly wins Haiti presidency

Posted: 04 Apr 2011 08:43 PM PDT

Preliminary results from Haiti's March 20 runoff show that Michel Martelly defeated former First Lady Mirlande Manigat by more than 2 to 1. The vote, like an earlier round in November, appears marred by fraud.

Michel Martelly, a popular singer making his first foray into Haitian electoral politics, rolled to a commanding victory in last month's presidential runoff, according to preliminary results issued Monday.