LA Times News

LA Times News

Mexico closer to banning military trials of human rights abuse

Posted: 23 Aug 2012 12:00 AM PDT

Mexican Supreme Court finds unconstitutional part of a military law that allowed soldiers accused of abusing civilians to be tried by military tribunals.

MEXICO CITY — Mexico's Supreme Court has ruled unconstitutional a section of military law that allowed soldiers accused of abusing civilians to be tried in front of military tribunals, a practice opposed by human rights advocates.

U.S. has plans in place to secure Syria chemical arms

Posted: 22 Aug 2012 05:07 PM PDT

The contingency plans call for sending U.S. special forces into Syria to protect or destroy any unguarded stockpiles to keep them from militants, officials say.

WASHINGTON — The Pentagon has made contingency plans to send small teams of special operations troops into Syria if the White House decides it needs to secure chemical weapons depots now controlled by security forces loyal to President Bashar Assad, senior U.S. officials said.

Heavy shelling reported in Syria's capital

Posted: 22 Aug 2012 05:09 PM PDT

Opposition activists say President Bashar Assad's forces have renewed their push in Damascus. Lebanon says spillover violence in Tripoli has abated.

BEIRUT — Syrian opposition activists reported heavy shelling Wednesday in Damascus, the capital, as authorities in neighboring Lebanon said a cease-fire had taken hold in a city in that country that has become a center for spillover violence.

Greece gets warning from Eurozone finance chief

Posted: 22 Aug 2012 04:10 PM PDT

Jean-Claude Juncker, head of the Eurozone finance ministers, says in a visit to Athens that Greece is facing its 'last chance' to deliver on fiscal reforms.

ATHENS — During Greece's three-year financial drama,Jean-Claude Juncker, the prime minister of Luxembourg, has proffered a sympathetic ear to the near-bankrupt nation as it seeks to fix its broken economy.

Apple supplier Foxconn improves worker conditions, group says

Posted: 22 Aug 2012 12:00 AM PDT

Foxconn has taken more than 280 actions at its Chinese factories that a labor watchdog group recommended after reports of suicides and dangerous conditions.

One of Apple Inc.'s largest suppliers has improved worker health conditions and safety after a sweeping inspection by a labor watchdog group.