Yahoo! News: Iraq

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• House votes to bar Pentagon deal with Russian firm
• Brazil says Chevron oil leak larger than estimated
• Va. grand jury indicts military contractor
• Iraqi farmer commits suicide over lack of water
• Syrian borders in rebel hands, battles in Damascus
• U.N. impasse leaves U.S. scrambling for Syria options
• GI largely barred from discussing WikiLeaks harm
• Syria's Assad appears on TV after bombing
• Rebels kill 21 Syrian guards, overtake border post
• Syria rebels seize Iraq border as UN action blocked
• Iraq closes main border crossing with Syria: mayor
• Iraq gets "positive" Obama response on Exxon concern
• New shows join Emmy favorites among nominees
• Oil prices hit two-month high on Mideast tensions
• Syrian rebels control border crossings with Iraq, Turkey
• Dr. Jill Biden Joins Leymah Gbowee, Bob and Lee Woodruff, Dr. Kenneth Doka, Donna Brazile and Roberto Pacheco for National Social Work Conference in Washington
• Most Arab states to start Ramadan Friday
• Iraqi general: 21 Syrian border guards killed in clashes with rebels near Iraq border
• The Bush Administration's Worst Excuses for Invading Iraq
• Chevron signs deal with Iraq Kurds, defies Baghdad
• Iraq official: Rebels kill 21 Syrian border guards
• AdWatch: Conservative group ad rips Obama attacks
• The way forward in Syria after Bashar al-Assad
• General: Syrian rebels overtake Iraqi border post
• Syrian rebels seize Iraq border gate: opposition
• Syria rebels 'control all Iraq border points'
• Egypt's former spy chief Suleiman dies
• Chevron buys energy blocks in Iraqi Kurdistan
• Iraq PM to take 'necessary steps' over Exxon deal
• Timeline: Violence in Syria
• Hezbollah 101: Who is the militant group, and what does it want?
• Obama's aim in Florida? Keep pressure on Romney
• Analysis: Attack on Damascus "fortress" rocks Assad
• A win for 'secularists' in Libya? It's not what you think.
• Omar Suleiman, Mubarak intel chief, dies as quietly as he worked
• House backs military sports sponsorships
• In Florida, Obama aims to keep pressure on Romney
• Actor Morgan Freeman gives $1M to pro-Obama group
• US's Chevron announces deal with Iraq's Kurds
• Did Mitt Romney Get His Game Changer? (The Note)

House votes to bar Pentagon deal with Russian firm Posted: 19 Jul 2012 04:49 PM PDT The House lashed out at Russia for its unwavering support for Syria, voting Thursday to stop the Pentagon from doing business with a Russian company that has armed Bashar Assad's regime.

Brazil says Chevron oil leak larger than estimated Posted: 19 Jul 2012 03:51 PM PDT An investigation by regulators found that Chevron Corp. could have prevented an offshore oil leak last year and that the spill was larger than previously estimated, the head of Brazil's National Petroleum Agency said Thursday.

Va. grand jury indicts military contractor Posted: 19 Jul 2012 03:40 PM PDT A federal grand jury in Virginia indicted a military contractor Thursday on charges of misrepresenting the level of protection provided by armored vehicles used by VIP convoys in Iraq.

Iraqi farmer commits suicide over lack of water Posted: 19 Jul 2012 03:33 PM PDT An Iraqi farmer committed suicide on Thursday because a lack of water, which has forced hundreds of families to abandon their homes in recent years, had taken a toll on his land, officials said.

Syrian borders in rebel hands, battles in Damascus Posted: 19 Jul 2012 03:32 PM PDT AMMAN/CILVEGOZU, Turkey (Reuters) - Rebels seized control of sections of Syria's international borders and torched the main police headquarters in the heart of old Damascus, advancing relentlessly after the assassination of Bashar al-Assad's closest lieutenants. The battle for parts of the capital raged into the early hours of Friday, with corpses piled in the streets. In some neighborhoods residents said there were signs the government's presence was diminishing. ...

U.N. impasse leaves U.S. scrambling for Syria options Posted: 19 Jul 2012 03:29 PM PDT WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Beaten back by a double veto at the United Nations, the United States on Thursday sought to rescue its Syria strategy amid fears that the crisis was lurching into a dangerous endgame. The Obama administration had fought for a U.N. Security Council resolution setting out consequences for Syrian President Bashar al-Assad's failure to halt his crackdown, saying this was essential if international mediator Kofi Annan's fragile political transition plan was ever to take hold. ...

GI largely barred from discussing WikiLeaks harm Posted: 19 Jul 2012 03:02 PM PDT A military judge on Thursday largely barred an Army private from presenting evidence at his trial that the mountain of classified information he's accused of leaking did little harm to U.S. national security and foreign relations.

Syria's Assad appears on TV after bombing Posted: 19 Jul 2012 02:55 PM PDT Syrian President Bashar Assad made his first appearance Thursday since a bomb killed some of his top lieutenants, looking calm and composed on state TV even as his forces turned parts of Damascus into combat zones and rebels seized two of the country's border crossings.

Rebels kill 21 Syrian guards, overtake border post Posted: 19 Jul 2012 02:51 PM PDT Rebels attacked Syrian forces Thursday on two spots along the nation's porous border with Iraq, killing 21 soldiers and seizing control of one of the four major border posts, a senior Iraqi army official said.

Syria rebels seize Iraq border as UN action blocked Posted: 19 Jul 2012 02:44 PM PDT Rebels seized control of all of Syria's border crossings with Iraq on Thursday, dealing a new blow to President Bashar al-Assad, as China and Russia dismayed the West by blocking UN action against his regime.

Iraq closes main border crossing with Syria: mayor Posted: 19 Jul 2012 02:02 PM PDT BAGHDAD (Reuters) - Iraq has closed its main border post with Syria and sent troops to the frontier after Syrian rebels took control of the Abu Kamal crossing, a local mayor said on Thursday. "Qaim post, opposite Abu Kamal, is closed and now under the control of the Iraqi army," the mayor of Qaim, Fahan Fitaihan, said. Iraqi troops had also taken over another nearby post from Iraqi customs officials, he said. He said the Syrian Free Army had raised its flag on the other side of the border. (Reporting by Raheem Salman; Writing by Sylvia Westall; Editing by Alison Williams)

Iraq gets "positive" Obama response on Exxon concern Posted: 19 Jul 2012 01:57 PM PDT BAGHDAD/SAN FRANCISCO (Reuters) - Iraq's prime minister said on Thursday that U.S. President Barack Obama backed Baghdad's concerns over Exxon Mobil's oil deal with the Kurdistan region and had emphasized Washington's respect for the Iraqi constitution and laws. Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki issued the statement as U.S. oil major Chevron Corp confirmed its purchase of 80 percent of two blocks in Kurdistan in a move that may infuriate the central Iraqi government, which wants all oil deals to pass through Baghdad. ...

New shows join Emmy favorites among nominees Posted: 19 Jul 2012 01:48 PM PDT LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - Drama "Downton Abbey" and thriller "American Horror Story" earned the favor of Emmy award voters on Thursday, joining a list of past favorites including "Mad Men" and "Modern Family" among nominees for the top U.S. television honors. Both "Downton Abbey" and "American Horror Story" benefited from a twist in the nominating process that allowed them to shift categories - "Abbey" to dramas and "Horror Story" to miniseries. ...

Oil prices hit two-month high on Mideast tensions Posted: 19 Jul 2012 01:46 PM PDT World oil prices hit two month highs Thursday as traders fretted over the impact of simmering geopolitical tensions in the crude-rich Middle East.

Syrian rebels control border crossings with Iraq, Turkey Posted: 19 Jul 2012 01:38 PM PDT CILVEGOZU, Turkey/BAGHDAD (Reuters) - Syrian rebels took control of two major crossings on the border with Turkey and the main Abu Kamal post on the border with Iraq on Thursday, the first time opponents of President Bashar al-Assad have seized posts on the country's frontiers. Hakim al-Zamili, head of the security and defense committee in the Iraqi parliament, told a local television station that rebels were in control of the Abu Kamal border crossing, on the Damascus-Baghdad highway and one of the most important trade routes in the Middle East. ...

Dr. Jill Biden Joins Leymah Gbowee, Bob and Lee Woodruff, Dr. Kenneth Doka, Donna Brazile and Roberto Pacheco for National Social Work Conference in Washington Posted: 19 Jul 2012 01:14 PM PDT National Association of Social Workers Conference Held July 22-25

Most Arab states to start Ramadan Friday Posted: 19 Jul 2012 01:10 PM PDT Ramadan will begin on Friday in most Arab countries, religious authorities announced, but in Oman and Syria as well as for Iraq's Sunni Muslims and in non-Arab Iran it will start on Saturday.

Iraqi general: 21 Syrian border guards killed in clashes with rebels near Iraq border Posted: 19 Jul 2012 12:42 PM PDT BAGHDAD - An Iraqi army general says rebels have killed 21 Syrian border guards in clashes near the nation's northern border with Iraq.

The Bush Administration's Worst Excuses for Invading Iraq Posted: 19 Jul 2012 12:35 PM PDT Earlier today, the Pentagon released a declassified document from September 2002 justifying the Iraq War, and boy is it a doozy. Titled "The Case for Action," the Department of Defense presentation was released now in response to a Freedom of Information Act request. While much of it is a trip down memory lane, the document is unique for revealing what the Bush administration did and didn't know by its own internal admissions. For example:

Chevron signs deal with Iraq Kurds, defies Baghdad Posted: 19 Jul 2012 12:12 PM PDT U.S. oil giant Chevron said on Thursday it signed a deal with Iraqi Kurds to explore for oil in their northern region, defying the central government which wants to control the area's oil wealth.

Iraq official: Rebels kill 21 Syrian border guards Posted: 19 Jul 2012 12:09 PM PDT An Iraqi army general says rebels have killed 21 Syrian border guards in clashes near the nation's northern border with Iraq.

AdWatch: Conservative group ad rips Obama attacks Posted: 19 Jul 2012 12:03 PM PDT TITLE: "Smoke."

The way forward in Syria after Bashar al-Assad Posted: 19 Jul 2012 11:47 AM PDT In light of yesterday's bomb attack in Damascus that killed three key officials in the regime of Bashar al-Assad, it's not too early to consider the way forward in a post-Assad Syria.

General: Syrian rebels overtake Iraqi border post Posted: 19 Jul 2012 11:47 AM PDT An Iraqi army general says Syrian rebels have taken over a border crossing in western Iraq.

Syrian rebels seize Iraq border gate: opposition Posted: 19 Jul 2012 11:46 AM PDT BEIRUT (Reuters) - Syrian rebels took control of the main Abu Kamal border gate with Iraq on Thursday, opposition activists said, on the same day opponents to President Bashar al-Assad overran a border crossing with Turkey. Rami Abdelrahman, head of the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, said rebel fighters told him they had clashed with government troops on Thursday morning before seizing the border gate on the eastern frontier, along the Euphrates river. (Reporting by Oliver Holmes; editing by Andrew Roche)

Syria rebels 'control all Iraq border points' Posted: 19 Jul 2012 11:22 AM PDT Syrian rebels took control of all border crossings between Iraq and Syria on Thursday, Baghdad's deputy interior minister told AFP.

Egypt's former spy chief Suleiman dies Posted: 19 Jul 2012 10:51 AM PDT CAIRO (Reuters) - Egypt's former intelligence chief Omar Suleiman, the urbane and shadowy power broker who enforced Hosni Mubarak's rule, died in the United States of a heart attack on Thursday. He was 76. General Suleiman symbolized the autocratic, military-backed rule which dominated much of the Arab world for the last half-century or more, now being challenged by restive populations. ...

Chevron buys energy blocks in Iraqi Kurdistan Posted: 19 Jul 2012 10:48 AM PDT US energy giant Chevron said Thursday it had bought two exploration blocks in Iraq's autonomous Kurdish region, despite Baghdad's protests that such deals are illegal.

Iraq PM to take 'necessary steps' over Exxon deal Posted: 19 Jul 2012 09:40 AM PDT Iraq's premier pledged on Thursday to take the "necessary steps" if American energy giant ExxonMobil implemented a controversial oil exploration deal with the autonomous northern Kurdish region.

Timeline: Violence in Syria Posted: 19 Jul 2012 09:16 AM PDT (Reuters) - Here are some of the main events in the uprising in Syria: For an Interactive look at Syria click on http://link.reuters.com/rut37s March 15, 2011 - About 40 people join a protest in Old Damascus, chanting political slogans in a brief first challenge to the ruling Baath Party. March 18 - Security forces kill three people at a demonstration in southern Deraa demanding political freedoms and an end to corruption, residents say. March 22 - Hundreds of people march in Deraa and Nawa demanding freedom in the fifth straight day of demonstrations. ...

Hezbollah 101: Who is the militant group, and what does it want? Posted: 19 Jul 2012 09:13 AM PDT The Shiite militant group and political party is a player not just in Lebanon, where it is based, but across the broader Middle East. It remains a staunch opponent of Israel, which it fought to a standstill in 2006, and a close ally of Iran and Syria – despite both regimes' crackdowns on citizens Hezbollah purports to champion.

Obama's aim in Florida? Keep pressure on Romney Posted: 19 Jul 2012 09:08 AM PDT President Barack Obama is trying to keep the pressure on Republican rival Mitt Romney, opening two days of campaigning in Florida in search of military veterans, seniors and unaligned voters in the state's crucial midsection. Romney's wife said no more of her husband's tax information would be made public.

Analysis: Attack on Damascus "fortress" rocks Assad Posted: 19 Jul 2012 08:47 AM PDT BEIRUT (Reuters) - An audacious and deadly attack on President Bashar al-Assad's security cabinet is a major psychological and strategic setback that exposes a weakened Syrian establishment unable to protect its innermost centers of power. The damage is compounded by Assad's failure to in speak in public to rally his forces. State television only showed footage of him swearing in his new defense minister, the first images of the president since the bomb attack. Assad's younger brother Maher al-Assad, commander of the army's elite units, has however remained out of sight. ...

A win for 'secularists' in Libya? It's not what you think. Posted: 19 Jul 2012 08:41 AM PDT Official results for parliamentary elections released in Libya this week show the winners to be the so-called "secularists" – the National Forces Alliance. This group has led the interim government in Tripoli since last year's revolution toppled Muammar Qaddafi.

Omar Suleiman, Mubarak intel chief, dies as quietly as he worked Posted: 19 Jul 2012 07:23 AM PDT Omar Suleiman, the longtime intelligence chief under ousted president Hosni Mubarak who was also a friend and partner of the US, died in a US hospital early today, according to state media.

House backs military sports sponsorships Posted: 19 Jul 2012 07:14 AM PDT NASCAR and bass fishing can count on the military to keep the sponsorship money coming.

In Florida, Obama aims to keep pressure on Romney Posted: 19 Jul 2012 07:07 AM PDT President Barack Obama is trying to keep the pressure on rival Mitt Romney, opening two days of campaigning in Florida in search of military veterans, seniors and unaligned voters in the state's crucial midsection.

Actor Morgan Freeman gives $1M to pro-Obama group Posted: 19 Jul 2012 06:47 AM PDT Actor Morgan Freeman has contributed $1 million to help re-elect President Barack Obama.

US's Chevron announces deal with Iraq's Kurds Posted: 19 Jul 2012 06:44 AM PDT U.S. oil giant Chevron Corp. says it has signed a deal to acquire two oil drilling blocks in Iraq's northern Kurdish region, where authorities have been at loggerheads with the central government in Baghdad over how to distribute the region's oil wealth.

Did Mitt Romney Get His Game Changer? (The Note) Posted: 19 Jul 2012 05:32 AM PDT By MICHAEL FALCONE (@michaelpfalcone) and AMY WALTER (@amyewalter) NOTABLES: VEEPSTAKES: MITT — THE DECIDER: Amid speculation that Mitt Romney could announce the name of his running mate before leaving for an international trip next week, it appears as if the presumptive GOP nominee has yet to...

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