2012年8月22日星期三

Yahoo! News: Iraq

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

Yahoo! News: Iraq


US testing surveillance balloons on Mexico border

Posted: 22 Aug 2012 04:37 PM PDT

This undated photo provided by the U.S. Border Patrol shows an aerostat like those being tested along the U.S.-Mexico border, Wednesday, Aug. 22, 2012, near Roma,Texas. The Defense Department has loaned the helium-filled surveillance balloons to Border Patrol to see if they could be as effective for border security as they were in war zones. (AP Photo/U.S. Border Patrol)Floating 2,500-feet above scrub-covered U.S. ranchland near the Mexico border, the payload of high-tech cameras onboard a balloon being used by the Border Patrol can easily see a cluster of reporters and the make, model and color of their vehicles a couple of miles away.


Syria forces unleash deadly assault on Damascus

Posted: 22 Aug 2012 04:37 PM PDT

A Free Syrian Army fighter dodgers sniper shots being fired by government forcesSyrian forces backed by helicopter gunships and tanks launched a deadly assault on parts of Damascus Wednesday, activists said, as the regime battles to stamp out rebel resistance in the capital.


USCCAR Condemns UN Cover-up in Iraq, Calls for Swift Investigation Following Revelations by Former Senior UN official

Posted: 22 Aug 2012 04:03 PM PDT

WASHINGTON, Aug. 22, 2012 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The U.S. Committee for Camp Ashraf Residents (USCCAR) has learnt of shocking revelations made by Mr. Tahar Boumedra, chief of the Human Rights Office for the United Nations Assistance Mission for Iraq (UNAMI), regarding the outrageous cover-up by Ambassador Martin Kobler, the United Nations Secretary-General's Special Representative for Iraq, to deceive the international community about the prison-like conditions at Camp Liberty. ...

White House says hiring push for vets, military families tops target

Posted: 22 Aug 2012 03:57 PM PDT

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - An Obama administration program to encourage businesses to hire and train U.S. military veterans and their spouses has exceeded its target and helped secure work for 125,000 people, the White House said on Wednesday. The jobs initiative, called "Joining Forces," which was unveiled more than a year ago, has already topped its original goal of providing employment aid for 100,000 by the end of 2013, first lady Michelle Obama said in a speech announcing new participation by U.S. companies. ...

Akin cares little about pressure from GOP leaders

Posted: 22 Aug 2012 03:07 PM PDT

FILE - In this Nov. 7, 2000 file photo, Missouri 2nd District candidate state Rep. Todd Akin, R-Mo., is congratulated by his supporters upon his victory over Sen. Ted House, D-St. Charles in Kansas City, Mo. Until this week, Rep. Todd Akin was virtually unknown beyond his district, associated more with his deep religious convictions than any legislative achievements. Long before his comments about women's bodies and "legitimate rape" made him a flashpoint in the fall campaign, this congressional backbencher was a favorite among home-schooling organizations and conservative church groups. (AP Photo/St. Louis Post-Dispatch, Karen Elshout)Until this week, Rep. Todd Akin was virtually unknown beyond his suburban district, associated more with his deep religious convictions than any legislative achievements.


Benedictine University: Arab nation students find rare freedoms, surreal change of pace from life or death conditions

Posted: 22 Aug 2012 02:42 PM PDT

LISLE, Ill., Aug. 22, 2012 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Asma Al-Sammarraie is a personable 20-year-old woman pursuing a medical degree. The slender, unassuming articulate student is outspoken about health care and women's rights. However, she is also street smart and knows what she says during discussions in America might very well get her killed in her home country of Iraq."Back home you fear for your life a lot because you are different from the others. And everyone is different back home. ...

Government joins false claims suit against Gallup

Posted: 22 Aug 2012 02:19 PM PDT

The Justice Department said Wednesday that it has joined a lawsuit against The Gallup Organization alleging the polling company filed false claims on contracts with the U.S. Mint, the State Department and other government agencies.

First lady announces new hiring push for vets

Posted: 22 Aug 2012 02:01 PM PDT

First lady Michelle Obama chose a naval station in the electoral battleground of Florida to announce Wednesday that 2,000 businesses around the country have hired or trained more than 125,000 military veterans and spouses in the past year, exceeding a White House goal of 100,000 by the end of next year.

Syrian army batters parts of Damascus, 47 killed

Posted: 22 Aug 2012 01:57 PM PDT

Syrian rebel fighters run for cover from heavy fighting in the Saif al-Dawla district in the centre of Aleppo cityAMMAN/ALEPPO, Syria (Reuters) - The Syrian army shelled southern Damascus on Wednesday and helicopters fired rockets and machineguns during an assault meant to shore up President Bashar al-Assad's grip on the capital 17 months into an uprising, opposition activists said. The army has this week used tanks and helicopter gunships in an offensive around Damascus that coincided with the departure of U.N. military observers, their mission to stop the bloodshed and nudge Syria towards a peaceful transition a failure. ...


Battle-tested, female war vets run for Congress

Posted: 22 Aug 2012 12:20 PM PDT

FILE - In this April 1, 2009 file photo, then-Assistant Veterans Affairs Secretary-designate Tammy Duckworth testifies on Capitol Hill in Washington. After more than a decade of wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, dozens of military veterans _ Republicans and Democrats _ are running for Congress this election year as voters have shown a fresh enthusiasm for candidates with no elected experience. This year, as the military has opened more jobs to women closer to the front lines, several of those veterans are females with battlefield scars and pioneering accomplishments. (AP Photo/Harry Hamburg, File)One flew an A-10 Warthog over Iraq and Afghanistan. Another was part of the 29th Infantry Brigade's medical operations near Baghdad. A third lost both legs and partial use of an arm in a rocket-propelled grenade attack in Iraq.


Iran clings to Asian oil market as sanctions bite

Posted: 22 Aug 2012 12:01 PM PDT

FILE - In this Wednesday, Sept. 28, 2011 file photo, an Iranian security guard stands at the Maroun Petrochemical plant at the Imam Khomeini port, southwestern Iran. When Iran welcomes leaders to a world gathering next week, few will get a grander reception than India's prime minister. As Tehran tries to offset the squeeze from Western oil sanctions, there is no greater priority than courting energy-hungry Asian markets. (AP Photo/Vahid Salemi, File)When Iran welcomes leaders to a world gathering next week, few will get a grander reception than India's prime minister. As Tehran tries to offset the squeeze from Western oil sanctions, there is no greater priority than courting energy-hungry Asian markets.


DuPont: 10 Percent of its U.S. Hires through 2013 will be Veterans

Posted: 22 Aug 2012 11:48 AM PDT

At a Joining Forces Event Hosted by the U.S. First Lady Michelle Obama, DuPont Commits Veterans will Account for at Least 10 Percent of All U.S. Hires through 2013Jacksonville, Fla. (PRWEB) August 22, 2012 DuPont was proud to participate with the First Lady in a Joining Forces event to highlight the importance of hiring U.S. military veterans. "Our relationship with the U.S. government stretches back nearly to the birth of our nation. As the inventor of DuPont™ Kevlar® and Nomex® fibers, which are utilized every day to keep U.S. ...

Four soldiers killed in Turkey's Kurd region

Posted: 22 Aug 2012 10:46 AM PDT

DIYARBAKIR, Turkey (Reuters) - Four Turkish soldiers were killed and two wounded on Wednesday by remote-controlled bombs targeting their convoy, security sources said, the latest sign of escalating violence in the Kurdish region. The deaths follows a car bombing on Monday that killed nine people, including children, and wounded more than 60 others in the southern town of Gaziantep. The government blamed that attack on the outlawed Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK), which has denied involvement. ...

Outside money pouring into Ohio's Senate race

Posted: 22 Aug 2012 09:27 AM PDT

FILE - In this May 5, 2012 file photo, Sen. Sherrod Brown, D-Ohio speaks before a campaign rally for President Barack Obama at Ohio State University in Columbus, Ohio. Big money from outside interests is flowing into the campaign for Ohio's U.S. Senate seat. Nowhere is as much money being spent on a Senate race this year as in Ohio, where liberal Democrat Brown is seeking a second term, his fate to some degree dependent on how well President Barack Obama does in the state's tossup presidential contest. (AP Photo/Mark Duncan, File)Nowhere is as much money being spent on a Senate race this year as in Ohio, where liberal Democrat Sherrod Brown is seeking a second term, his fate to some degree dependent on how well President Barack Obama does in the state's tossup presidential contest.


China's Geely H1 profit rises 9% as exports surge

Posted: 22 Aug 2012 09:05 AM PDT

Workers build a car on the Geely Motors assembly line in CixiChinese automaker Geely said Wednesday its first-half net profit rose nine percent year-on-year, as strong exports helped to offset a domestic slowdown in the world's biggest car market.


Pentagon eyes top Marine as Afghan commander

Posted: 22 Aug 2012 09:01 AM PDT

US Marine handout photo of General Dunford welcome ceremony in DarwinWASHINGTON (Reuters) - Defense Secretary Leon Panetta has recommended General Joseph Dunford, the No. 2 Marine officer, to lead the war effort in Afghanistan once the outgoing commander of U.S. and NATO troops rotates out of the post, a U.S. official told Reuters on Wednesday. The decision will ultimately rest with President Barack Obama and his nomination would need to be approved by Congress. Dunford, who served in the Iraq war, would replace General John Allen, who took over command of the Afghan mission in July 2011 and who is expected to become the next head of U.S. ...


Turkish military convoy hit by explosives in southeast

Posted: 22 Aug 2012 06:37 AM PDT

DIYARBAKIR, Turkey (Reuters) - A convoy carrying Turkish soldiers in the mainly Kurdish southeast was hit by four remote-controlled explosive devices on Wednesday, security sources said, the latest sign of escalating violence in the restive region. The convoy was travelling in the Semdinli region of Hakkari province bordering Iraq when it was hit, security sources said. There were no immediate reports of any deaths. The army sent in troop reinforcements and helicopter gunships in response. ...

Turkey blames Kurd rebels for blast

Posted: 22 Aug 2012 06:20 AM PDT

Firefighters seen with burning cars after an explosion near a police station in southern Turkish city of Gaziantep, Turkey, late Monday, Aug. 20, 2012. Turkish media reported at least eight people were killed and dozens were wounded amid an escalation in fighting between Kurdish rebels and Turkish security forces. There was no immediate claim of responsibility for the blast in southeastern Turkey near the Syrian border, where tens of thousands of refugees who have fled the civil war in their country are sheltering in Turkish camps. (AP Photo/IHA) TURKEY OUTThe Turkish government blamed a Kurdish rebel group Wednesday for a bomb attack that killed nine people near the Syrian border, amid concerns by ruling party officials that the militants may be developing links with the regime in Syria, and its civil war could have a destabilizing effect on Turkey.


Vacation with VIPs: Top 10 presidential escapes

Posted: 22 Aug 2012 05:55 AM PDT

If you are feeling overly stressed lately, take a hint from U.S. presidents past and present, and know when you need to take a vacation.

Syrian troops battle rebels near Iraq border

Posted: 22 Aug 2012 05:26 AM PDT

BAGHDAD (Reuters) - Syrian government forces fought rebels on Wednesday for control of a military base and an airfield near the eastern town of Albu Kamal on the Iraqi border, a local Iraqi official and a Syrian rebel commander said. "There is fierce fighting between the Free Syrian Army and Syrian border guards to control the base, where tanks and artillery were used to bombard (Albu Kamal)," Farhan Ftiakhan, mayor of the nearby Iraqi town of Qaim, told Reuters. ...

Democratic Convention To Highlight Abortion Rights, Women's Health, Equal Pay

Posted: 22 Aug 2012 05:21 AM PDT

The leaders of the two largest abortion rights groups in the country are among a slew of prominent women expected to escalate attacks on Republican nominee Mitt Romney's positions on women's issues at the upcoming Democratic convention.

No feeling of liberation in rebel-held Syrian town

Posted: 22 Aug 2012 04:59 AM PDT

AZAZ, Syria (Reuters) - Syrian rebel fighters speak proudly of the day forces loyal to President Bashar al-Assad fled in their tanks from the northern town of Azaz as civilians armed with hunting rifles pushed into the main square. Yet a month on, there is no feeling of liberation here. Eight km (five miles) down the main road, army troops still control a military airport from which they fire missiles almost nightly into the heart of Azaz, a town where more than half the residents have fled and refuse to return. ...

Bullying – A Way of Life for Teens, Employees, Sex-Partners, Siblings, Military, & Marriages? Dr. Carol Francis, Psychologist, on 106.7 KROQ-FM 6:00AM-CBS Radio LA Open

Posted: 22 Aug 2012 03:45 AM PDT

Bullying – A Way of Life for Teens, Employees, Sex-Partners, Siblings, Military, and Marriages, Imperialistic Governments, Parents?Dr. Carol Francis, Psychologist in Los Angeles' South Bay Beach Cities, Sunday August 26, live on 106.7 KROQ-FM from 6:00 AM – 7:00 AM with Scott Mason on CBS RADIO LA OpenLine. What is you toughest bully moment?Los Angeles, CA (PRWEB) August 22, 2012 On CBS Radio LA Openline, Dr. Carol Francis, Psychologist, Author, Child and Marriage Therapist, answers caller's questions about bullying in their families, at work or school or on the internet. ...

First lady announcing new hiring push for vets

Posted: 22 Aug 2012 02:59 AM PDT

First lady Michelle Obama is traveling to the electoral battleground of Florida on Wednesday to announce that 2,000 businesses around the country have hired or trained more than 125,000 military veterans and spouses in the past year, exceeding a White House goal of 100,000 by the end of next year.

US general's visit to Iraq includes talks on Syria

Posted: 22 Aug 2012 01:48 AM PDT

In this image released by the U.S. Department of Defense and taken Monday, Aug. 20, 2012, Marine Gen. John Allen, International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) Commander, meets with Army Gen. Martin E. Dempsey, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, unseen in Kabul, Afghanistan. (AP Photo/D. Myles Cullen, Department of Defense)The U.S. Embassy says the top U.S. general's talks with Iraq's prime minister included discussions about Syria, underscoring concerns that the civil war there risks destabilizing Iraq's own fragile security.


8 ways dogs improve your health

Posted: 22 Aug 2012 01:39 AM PDT

Canines can work medical wonders, from easing the side effects of chemotherapy to helping army veterans cope with post-traumatic stress disorderA dog is man's best friend in the most ordinary situations, but it's when you're down and out that your canine partner really comes through in the clutch. From easing military veterans' battles with post-traumatic stress disorder to reducing heart and lung pressure for heart-failure patients, the tail-wagging beasts are walking therapy centers. ...

Sweden unlikely to extradite Assange to US: Australia

Posted: 22 Aug 2012 12:01 AM PDT

Australia's foreign minister says it is unlikely Sweden will extradite Julian Assange to the USWikiLeaks founder Julian Assange was unlikely to be extradited from Sweden to the United States if there was a risk of the death penalty or a military court, Australia's foreign minister said Wednesday.


Heritage Oil to fund Nigeria deal by Kurdistan block sale

Posted: 21 Aug 2012 10:38 PM PDT

(Reuters) - Heritage Oil Plc will sell part of a gas block and borrow money from Genel Energy Plc to raise $450 million, easing concerns about how it will fund oilfield purchases in Nigeria. Heritage Oil shares jumped 18 percent after the company said it will sell a 26 percent stake in Miran Block in Iraq's autonomous Kurdistan region to Genel and will take a $294 million loan from the company. The cash will partly fund Heritage Oil's acquisition of a stake in Nigeria's OML 30 oilfield assets announced last month. ...

Japanese reporter shot dead in Syria

Posted: 21 Aug 2012 10:11 PM PDT

Veteran war reporter Mika Yamamoto died after being shot in the neck as she covered the anti-regime movement in AleppoA veteran Japanese war reporter died after she was shot in the neck when coming under fire from up to 15 apparently pro-government troops in Syria's second city, a colleague said on Tuesday.


Today in History

Posted: 21 Aug 2012 09:01 PM PDT

Today is Wednesday, Aug. 22, the 235th day of 2012. There are 131 days left in the year.

Iraqi pleads guilty in US to supporting insurgents

Posted: 21 Aug 2012 08:05 PM PDT

A 24-year-old Iraqi national prosecuted in the United States for supporting terrorists, including members of Al-Qaeda, in his home country has pleaded guilty, the Justice Department announced.

US Military Chief Talks to Iraqis on Security Gaps

Posted: 21 Aug 2012 05:46 PM PDT

Top Pentagon officer ends talks in Iraq on possible increase in US military assistance there
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