LA Times News

LA Times News

Bin Laden's No. 2 is Al Qaeda's new chief

Posted: 16 Jun 2011 05:08 PM PDT

Egyptian doctor Ayman Zawahiri lacks Osama bin Laden's charisma and may find Al Qaeda even tougher to manage. These factors may make him all the more eager to launch a major attack and prove himself, analysts warn.

In July 2005, Al Qaeda second-in-command Ayman Zawahiri sent a long letter to the group's lead operative in Iraq, urging him to tone down his activities.

No breakthrough in Russian envoy's trip to Libya

Posted: 16 Jun 2011 05:55 PM PDT

Russia's special envoy, Mikhail Margelov, meets with government officials in Tripoli, but there is no progress on the key sticking point – Moammar Kadafi's future. Officials insist he will remain in the country; rebels say they will not talk until he leaves.

A Russian envoy's trip to the Libyan capital Thursday yielded no major breakthroughs amid escalating international efforts to end the four-month-long crisis in Libya.

Turkey breaks with Syria over crackdown

Posted: 16 Jun 2011 03:53 PM PDT

Turkey, in a shift against its longtime ally, welcomes defecting Syrian officers. It also announces plans to deliver aid across the border to those displaced by Syrian President Bashar Assad's deadly crackdown on antigovernment protesters.

Turkey on Thursday signaled a diplomatic shift to further distance itself from longtime ally Syria, welcoming defecting Syrian officers and announcing plans to deliver relief assistance to beleaguered pro-democracy protesters across the border.

U.S. risks wasting billions more in Afghanistan aid, report says

Posted: 16 Jun 2011 02:55 PM PDT

U.S. officials had pledged to improve the aid program begun by the George W. Bush administration. But pouring more money into Afghanistan has only undermined the counterinsurgency effort against the Taliban, analysts say.

Reviewing the multibillion-dollar U.S. aid program in Afghanistan two years ago, Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton pronounced it a "heartbreaking" failure and promised to make a successful aid program the centerpiece of a revamped strategy to defeat the Taliban.

Greek financial crisis spurs political discord

Posted: 16 Jun 2011 02:55 PM PDT

Greek Prime Minister George Papandreou faces a rebellion, as two of his lawmakers quit and others challenge his leadership amid popular anger over a severe austerity package.

Greek Prime Minister George Papandreou faced a political rebellion Thursday when two of his Socialist party lawmakers resigned and a clutch of others challenged his leadership as the country teeters on the verge of financial collapse.

Egyptian revolution's unsung heroes languish in hospitals

Posted: 16 Jun 2011 02:55 PM PDT

An estimated 11,000 people were injured in protests that toppled Hosni Mubarak. But months later, as many still undergo costly treatment, officials have done little to compensate their families or prosecute their attackers.

When Rahma Mohamed steps out of her son's line of sight, he begins to tremble. She rushes to cradle the 23-year-old's thin frame, kissing his stubbly cheek.

Libya operation will proceed despite pressure from Congress, Obama aide says

Posted: 15 Jun 2011 09:25 PM PDT

The administration plans to keep running military operations in Libya even if Congress doesn't approve, saying the U.S. role is limited and does not violate the War Powers Act.

The Obama administration made clear Wednesday that it will keep running military operations in Libya even if it doesn't get formal approval from Congress, contending U.S. involvement is limited to a support role that does not violate the War Powers Act.