LA Times News

LA Times News

Mexico City mayor under fire over disappearances of 12

Posted: 19 Jun 2013 04:30 PM PDT

Miguel Angel Mancera mishandled the case of the missing bar patrons, critics say. The incident and others have sparked debate about crime in Mexico's capital.

MEXICO CITY — Miguel Angel Mancera, the former top prosecutor in Mexico's capital, rode his crime-fighting reputation to the mayor's office, promising voters a superior level of safety as the cornerstone of a revitalized metropolis.

Obama seeks further cuts to U.S., Russia nuclear arsenals

Posted: 19 Jun 2013 04:09 PM PDT

The president wants to move beyond the reductions set forth in the New START pact. Congressional Republicans and Putin voice their opposition.

BERLIN — Despite an uphill battle both in Moscow and in Congress, President Obama vowed Wednesday to try to shrink the number of U.S. and Russian nuclear weapons, making the case for what he called a "move beyond Cold War nuclear postures" to enhance global security.

Afghan president cancels security talks with U.S.

Posted: 19 Jun 2013 03:23 PM PDT

President Hamid Karzai's decision comes a day before the start of U.S.-Taliban negotiations. Analysts say Karzai may have been miffed over being excluded.

KABUL, Afghanistan — Afghanistan's president abruptly canceled ongoing security negotiations with the U.S., with his office charging Wednesday that the Obama administration had said one thing and done another while arranging peace talks with the insurgent Taliban movement.

Gunmen attack U.N. site in Somalia; 15 dead

Posted: 19 Jun 2013 09:10 AM PDT

MOGADISHU, Somalia -- At least 15 people died when an Al Qaeda-linked militia attacked a U.N. compound here Wednesday, government officials said.

In Berlin, Obama calls for reductions in U.S., Russian nuclear arms

Posted: 19 Jun 2013 08:42 AM PDT

BERLIN -- President Obama on Wednesday announced plans to go beyond the reductions outlined in the New START treaty with Russia and said he would seek an additional one-third cut in the number of strategic nuclear warheads in the U.S. stockpile, if the Russians agree to do the same.

Russia reacts coolly to Obama's nuclear proposals

Posted: 19 Jun 2013 10:44 AM PDT

MOSCOW -- Russian officials responded coolly Wednesday to President Obama's call for further reductions to the U.S. and Russian nuclear arsenals.

Afghan government exits security talks with U.S.

Posted: 19 Jun 2013 07:10 AM PDT

KABUL, Afghanistan -- Underscoring Afghan President Hamid Karzai's reputation in Washington as a mercurial U.S. ally, the Karzai administration suspended security talks with the United States on Wednesday, apparently without warning, a day before U.S. officials were due to meet with the Taliban for informal talks.

Karzai suspends talks with U.S. over Taliban agreement

Posted: 19 Jun 2013 05:04 AM PDT

The Afghan president on Wednesday suspended talks with the United States on a new security deal to protest the way his government was being left out of initial peace negotiations with the Taliban meant to find a way to end the nearly 12-year war.

Bomb blast, gunmen attack UN compound in Mogadishu

Posted: 19 Jun 2013 03:51 AM PDT

Al-Qaida-linked militants detonated at least one bomb blast and engaged in ongoing battles with security forces in an attempt to breach the main U.N. compound in Mogadishu, officials said Wednesday.

Obama calls U.S.-Taliban talks agreement 'important first step'

Posted: 18 Jun 2013 08:03 PM PDT

The two sides will meet in Doha, Qatar, as early as this week to discuss ending the violence in Afghanistan. Kabul will then send a delegation.

KABUL, Afghanistan — For more than a decade, the U.S. and the Taliban have met almost exclusively on the battlefield of America's longest war. In coming days, both sides said, they will sit down at a negotiating table to discuss ending the bloodshed in Afghanistan.

G-8 leaders support political solution to Syria

Posted: 18 Jun 2013 08:03 PM PDT

Although the fate of Syrian President Bashar Assad split the Group of 8 summit, leaders manage to come up with a statement of common goals.

BEIRUT — Global economic leaders, including the United States and Russia, reiterated support Tuesday for a political solution to the Syrian civil war, backing a plan for a transitional government hammered out last year in Geneva.