LA Times News

LA Times News

Fish getting skin cancer from UV radiation, scientists say

Posted: 02 Aug 2012 12:00 AM PDT

Teams find cancerous lesions on the scales of about 15% of the coral trout in Australia's Great Barrier Reef, which is under an ozone hole.

If you're still skeptical that a tan can be dangerous, consider this: Scientists have found that wild fish are getting skin cancer from ultraviolet radiation.

Colombia president moves to restore approval rating

Posted: 01 Aug 2012 05:17 PM PDT

Colombian President Juan Manuel Santos, who swept to office in a landslide, has found his popularity slipping amid criticism from his predecessor, Alvaro Uribe.

BOGOTA, Colombia — Like their U.S. counterparts, Colombian presidents customarily give accountings of their performances in addresses that resemble the State of the Union speech.

London Olympics haven't brought the gold merchants hoped for

Posted: 01 Aug 2012 06:49 PM PDT

Tourism is way down in parts of London where businesses had counted on a boost. Olympic visitors tend to stay near their venues and Brits are staying home to avoid the promised traffic nightmares.

LONDON — All that gold, silver and bronze coursing through this Olympic city was supposed to equal the color of money for establishments like Tuttons, a popular restaurant in tourist-magnet Covent Garden. But with business down 40% from this time last year, the only color that manager Pedro Nunes is seeing is red.

Video from Aleppo, Syria, draws condemnation of rebels

Posted: 01 Aug 2012 04:31 PM PDT

Video apparently shows rebels executing loyalists of President Bashar Assad in the key northern city of Aleppo, where fighting continues to rage.

BEIRUT — Syrian President Bashar Assad on Wednesday exhorted his military to maintain "continued preparedness," as human rights groups condemned an apparent rebel execution of Assad loyalists in the embattled northern city of Aleppo.

India's power outage puts its superpower dreams in a new light

Posted: 01 Aug 2012 12:00 AM PDT

The blackout that affected 600 million people underscores the gap between India's economic ambitions and its vast structural problems.

NEW DELHI — On one level, the power outage that stalled trains, snarled traffic and left hospitals scrambling across much of India was an example of business as usual — except, of course, that this time it covered an area including nearly 10% of the world's population.

Many trapped in Aleppo, Syria, as crisis grows

Posted: 01 Aug 2012 12:00 AM PDT

The situation in Aleppo "is extremely tense and volatile" as Syria government forces battle rebels.

BEIRUT— As explosions and gunfire sounded in the distance, the parishioners of St. Joseph's Church in Aleppo, Syria, prayed for peace Tuesday evening.