Yahoo! News: Iraq

---

• Analysis: Arab Spring nations backtrack on women's rights, poll says
• Factbox: Women's rights in the Arab world
• Egypt is worst Arab state for women, Comoros best: poll
• Syrian women suffer inside their country and out
• Iraq women lament costs of U.S. invasion
• Feature - Saudi Arabia makes advances on women's rights, but still far behind - poll
• Angry Shi'ites storm Schlumberger camp at Iraq's Rumaila oilfield
• Baker Hughes stops work in Iraq after security incident
• Easter Seals Launches PSA Campaign To Honor Veterans and Direct Them to Easter Seals Services
• Syrian opposition group approves partial cabinet
• Feel in danger? Stay classy, buy a bulletproof suit
• APNewsBreak: Military suicides drop; unclear why
• California town builds house for wounded GI
• US South Pole team in London before starting trek
• 32 Tumors and More: Middle East War Veterans Getting Strange Ailments
• Polio outbreak in Syria linked to Pakistan
• Want to Help America's Veterans? Volunteer for Their Caregivers
• Syria-based groups say talks may be 'last chance'
• Hillary Clinton 2016 Alert: Watch Your Left Flank
• More Iraq, Afghanistan vets going from service member to member of Congress
• Exiled in Lebanon, Syria refugees celebrate their cuisine
• Kuwait Zain telecom Q3 profit drops over currency rate
• The Stubbornly High Unemployment Numbers for Recent War Veterans
• French or Freedom fries: What's behind France's move on Iranian nuclear deal?
• The Coalition to Salute America's Heroes Leads Effort to Thank U.S. Military Veterans and Families on Veteran's Day
• Jordan dreaming of one more upset against Uruguay
• Soccer-Jordan dreaming of one more upset against Uruguay
• Calif. town putting roof over wounded GI's head
• Fattah Statement on Veteran's Day
• America's Vets: Are Claim Procedures Unfair?
• Five killed in Iraq attacks, two dead bodies found
• New "Parity" For Substance Abuse To Match Physical Health Insurance Coverage Could Help Millions, Says Country's Largest Substance Abuse Treatment Provider, CRC Health Group
• By the Numbers: 5 Cultural Facts About Veterans
• Smuggled Chinese Artifacts Lead to Charges
• Veterans Bring the Whig Party Back
• Kerry says Iran rejected nuclear deal
• Packaging a President: Christie's Rollout Models Clinton, Bush, and Obama
• Syrian Kurds' military gains stir unease
• American veterans get help with employment, still face high suicide rates
• Kerry says major powers agree on Iran nuclear deal

Analysis: Arab Spring nations backtrack on women's rights, poll says Posted: 11 Nov 2013 05:08 PM PST By Yara Bayoumy CAIRO (Reuters) - Arab women played a central role in the Arab Spring, but their hopes the revolts would bring greater freedom and expanded rights for women have been thwarted by entrenched patriarchal structures and the rise of Islamists, gender experts in the countries say. Almost three years after popular uprisings toppled autocratic leaders in one of the most conservative corners of the world, a Thomson Reuters Foundation poll on 22 Arab states showed three out of five Arab Spring countries in the bottom five states for women's rights (for the methodology behind the poll, please see http://poll2013.trust.org). Egypt emerged as the worst country to be a woman in the Arab world today, followed closely by Iraq and Saudi Arabia. Egypt scored badly in almost every category, including gender violence, reproductive rights, treatment of women in the family and their inclusion in politics and the economy.

Factbox: Women's rights in the Arab world Posted: 11 Nov 2013 05:00 PM PST By Karrie Kehoe Nov 12 (Thomson Reuters Foundation) - Egypt is the worst country for women in the Arab world, closely followed by Iraq, Saudi Arabia, Syria and Yemen, according to gender experts surveyed in a Thomson Reuters Foundation poll released on Tuesday. Comoros, Oman, Kuwait, Jordan and Qatar came top of the survey, which assessed 22 Arab states on violence against women, reproductive rights, treatment of women within the family, their integration into society and attitudes towards a woman's role in politics and the economy. ...

Egypt is worst Arab state for women, Comoros best: poll Posted: 11 Nov 2013 05:00 PM PST By Crina Boros LONDON, Nov 12 (Thomson Reuters Foundation) - Sexual harassment, high rates of female genital cutting and a surge in violence and Islamist feeling after the Arab Spring uprisings have made Egypt the worst country in the Arab world to be a woman, a poll of gender experts showed on Tuesday. Discriminatory laws and a spike in trafficking also contributed to Egypt's place at the bottom of a ranking of 22 Arab states, the Thomson Reuters Foundation survey found. "We removed the Mubarak from our presidential palace but we still have to remove the Mubarak who lives in our minds and in our bedrooms," Egyptian columnist Mona Eltahawy said, referring to Egypt's toppled dictator, Hosni Mubarak. "As the miserable poll results show, we women need a double revolution, one against the various dictators who've ruined our countries and the other against a toxic mix of culture and religion that ruin our lives as women." The foundation's third annual women's rights poll (http://poll2013.trust.org) gives a comprehensive snapshot of the state of women's rights in the Arab world three years after the events of 2011 and as Syria's conflict threatens further regional upheaval.

Syrian women suffer inside their country and out Posted: 11 Nov 2013 04:37 PM PST A month before protests started in March 2011, Tal al-Mallohi - a 19-year-old who blogged about wanting to shape her country's future - was sentenced to five years in jail on charges of spying. Women in Syria have been targeted by Syrian security forces during the revolt and civil war, rights groups say. But forces loyal to President Bashar al-Assad are not the only enemy to women in Syria - hard-line Islamists are stripping them of their rights, too. Outside Syria, refugees say desperation is forcing some to marry off their daughters as child brides and aid workers report an emerging sex trade in camps.

Iraq women lament costs of U.S. invasion Posted: 11 Nov 2013 04:32 PM PST By Suadad al-Salhy and Isabel Coles BAGHDAD (Reuters) - One year after the U.S.-led invasion of Iraq, then-President George W. Bush told a gathering at the White House: "Every woman in Iraq is better off because the rape rooms and torture chambers of Saddam Hussein are forever closed." A decade on, that statement rings hollow for many Iraqi women. Although few miss Saddam's iron-fisted rule or the wars and sanctions he brought upon Iraq, women have been disproportionately affected by the violence that has blighted the lives of almost all Iraqis. Once at the vanguard of women's rights in the region, Iraq ranked 21st out of 22 Arab states in a poll of 336 gender experts released on Tuesday by Thomson Reuters Foundation (http://poll2013.trust.org). The survey, conducted in August and September, asked questions about violence against women, reproductive rights, treatment of women within the family, their integration into society and attitudes towards a woman's role in politics and the economy.

Feature - Saudi Arabia makes advances on women's rights, but still far behind - poll Posted: 11 Nov 2013 04:08 PM PST By Angus McDowall RIYADH (Reuters) - Like most Saudi Arabian girls, Raha al-Moharrak was banned from doing sports at school, a prohibition decreed on religious grounds by the kingdom's powerful clerics. But in May, she became the first woman in her country to climb Mount Everest, the world's highest peak, winning widespread acclaim in the local press and putting a face to the idea that Saudi women are gradually expanding their horizons. A Thomson Reuters Foundation expert survey published on Tuesday showed that Saudi Arabia is the third-worst country to be a woman in 22 Arab states, better only than Egypt and Iraq (poll2013.trust.org). The poll, which canvassed 336 gender experts on a broad sweep of factors in August and September, rated Saudi Arabia poorly on women's involvement in politics, workplace discrimination, freedom of movement and property rights.

Angry Shi'ites storm Schlumberger camp at Iraq's Rumaila oilfield Posted: 11 Nov 2013 03:53 PM PST By Aref Mohammed BASRA, Iraq (Reuters) - Dozens of angry Shi'ite Muslim workers and tribesmen stormed a Schlumberger Ltd camp at one of Iraq's main oilfields and wrecked offices early on Monday after accusing a foreign security adviser of insulting their religion, police and employees at the field said. Oil officials and workers at the Schlumberger drilling site in Rumaila North said the problem started when a security adviser they identified as British asked Iraqi workers to take down a flag and banners depicting a figure revered by Shi'ites. Schlumberger was not immediately available for comment late on Monday. According to workers and officials, when the workers refused to remove the banners, the security adviser went to do so himself and tore one portraying Imam Hussein, whose death more than 1,000 years ago is currently being commemorated by Shi'ites across the world in rituals known as Ashura.

Baker Hughes stops work in Iraq after security incident Posted: 11 Nov 2013 03:34 PM PST said on Monday it has suspended operations in Iraq following a weekend protest by local residents at a facility near Basrah. Baker Hughes said there were no injuries from the incident on Saturday, but it has issued force majeure notices to its customers "due to the significant disruption of business." "While we investigate this incident, and until the work environment has stabilized, we are halting activities in Iraq," Martin Craighead, Baker Hughes Chief Executive said in a statement. "We hope to resolve this issue in a timely manner and resume operations in support of our customers and the country of Iraq, as soon as it is safe to do so." In its last annual filing with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, Baker Hughes said it held integrated operations contracts in Iraq. A spokeswoman for Baker Hughes was not immediately available to provide additional details.

Easter Seals Launches PSA Campaign To Honor Veterans and Direct Them to Easter Seals Services Posted: 11 Nov 2013 03:18 PM PST CHICAGO, Nov. 11, 2013 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Easter Seals, a leading disability services organization, launches a series of Public Service Announcements (PSAs) that use light humor to reinforce subtle, but positive, attributes of returning veterans and offer Easter Seals services for those who need support in transitioning back to civilian life.   Easter Seals believes returning veterans make valuable, long-lasting contributions to our community and, with these PSAs, encourages the American public to gain a new appreciation for the value of veterans in the workforce and society as a whole.  "Easter Seals has been providing direct services to vets and their families for decades. "The fact that Easter Seals enlisted the participation of veterans, like myself, to deliver a relevant message, means they get it ... and they get us," Hausmann-Stokes added.

Syrian opposition group approves partial cabinet Posted: 11 Nov 2013 03:08 PM PST ISTANBUL (AP) — Syria's main Western-backed opposition group has approved a partial cabinet charged with administering rebel-held territories inside Syria.

Feel in danger? Stay classy, buy a bulletproof suit Posted: 11 Nov 2013 02:57 PM PST Toronto (Canada) (AFP) - A Canadian tailor is releasing a three-piece suit that has everything a danger-seeking 21st century executive could need -- killer looks plus bulletproof protection that would make James Bond envious. The company, Garrison Bespoke, believes it has combined style and safety, using lightweight carbon nanotube technology to absorb impact from bullets fired from handguns and prevent punctures from knife attacks. "We focused on making the ultimate James Bond suit," said David Tran, head of special projects for Garrison Bespoke.

APNewsBreak: Military suicides drop; unclear why Posted: 11 Nov 2013 01:36 PM PST WASHINGTON (AP) — Suicides across the military have dropped by more than 22 percent this year, defense officials said, amid an array of new programs targeting what the Defense Department calls an epidemic that took more service members' lives last year than the war in Afghanistan did during that same period.

California town builds house for wounded GI Posted: 11 Nov 2013 01:35 PM PST LANCASTER, Calif. (AP) — When Jerral Hancock came home from the Iraq war missing one arm, with another that barely worked and a paralyzed body that was burned all over, he was a hero to this Mojave Desert town that wears its military pride on its sleeve.

US South Pole team in London before starting trek Posted: 11 Nov 2013 01:31 PM PST DENVER (AP) — A team of wounded U.S. service members is in London this week for a publicity tour before starting a fundraising race to the South Pole with Britain's Prince Harry.

32 Tumors and More: Middle East War Veterans Getting Strange Ailments Posted: 11 Nov 2013 01:15 PM PST When Master Sgt. Jessey Baca arrived at Iraq's Joint Base Balad in 2007, the first thing he noticed was the air—a bluish cloud hanging over the area, ash swirling like snow, and the stink. Air tests from 2004 to 2007 showed pollutants from burn pit emissions were at acceptable thresholds, although incinerators were starting to come on line in 2007, and then contractual issues held up the installation of many incinerators, according to a report from the U.S. Army Center for Health Promotion and Preventive Medicine.

Polio outbreak in Syria linked to Pakistan Posted: 11 Nov 2013 01:11 PM PST An outbreak of polio that has paralysed 13 children in war-torn Syria is linked to a strain of the virus from Pakistan, the World Health Organisation said Monday. The vaccination of children in Syria has been disrupted by the 31-month conflict between President Bashar al-Assad's forces and rebels fighting to topple his regime. "Thirteen cases of wild poliovirus type 1 (WPV1) have been confirmed in the Syrian Arab Republic," the WHO said in a statement. "Genetic sequencing indicates that the isolated viruses are most closely linked to (a) virus detected in environmental samples in Egypt in December 2012" related to wild poliovirus detected in Pakistan, it added.

Want to Help America's Veterans? Volunteer for Their Caregivers Posted: 11 Nov 2013 12:37 PM PST It's been a rough ride ever since Pamela Eggleston's husband first deployed to Iraq in 2003. Because these families aren't "part of the core of an active duty installation," he says, "we see this major gap in services" available to them.

Syria-based groups say talks may be 'last chance' Posted: 11 Nov 2013 11:36 AM PST BEIRUT (AP) — An international peace conference proposed by the United States and Russia may be the last chance to negotiate an end to Syria's civil war, a coalition of Syria-based opposition groups said Monday.

Hillary Clinton 2016 Alert: Watch Your Left Flank Posted: 11 Nov 2013 11:30 AM PST Conventional political wisdom has Hillary Clinton as the odds-on favorite for the 2016 Democratic presidential nomination if she chooses to run – and most political handicappers assume she will. While President Obama continues to react to the disastrous rollout of Obamacare, Clinton has been appearing before adoring party regulars. Yet there are tensions within the Democratic Party between regulars who fawn over Hillary and Bill Clinton and the more liberal or progressive members clamoring for a break with the centrist policies of former president Bill Clinton and of President Obama.    They are certain to demand a big say in the choice of their party's 2016 standard bearer – which could spell trouble for Hillary Clinton.

More Iraq, Afghanistan vets going from service member to member of Congress Posted: 11 Nov 2013 11:12 AM PST When members of the 113th Congress took their oaths of office earlier this year, they ushered into Washington the largest wave of Iraq and Afghanistan war veterans since those wars began more than a decade ago. Today, a total of 16 members have served in Iraq or Afghanistan, including the first two female combat veterans ever to be elected to Congress. Since they have been voted into office, these new lawmakers "have been incredibly influential," in helping to drive through legislation to improve care for veterans and those currently serving in the military, says Tom Tarantino, policy associate for the IAVA. They have also been among the most vocal critics of costly Pentagon weapons systems of questionable necessity, and they've helped to drive debate on national security issues in ways that may seem, at first glance, counterintuitive.

Exiled in Lebanon, Syria refugees celebrate their cuisine Posted: 11 Nov 2013 11:06 AM PST Dekwaneh (Lebanon) (AFP) - In a bustling neighbourhood outside of Lebanon's capital Beirut, a group of Syrian refugee women are learning to translate knowledge of their regional dishes into a marketable skill. They hail from different provinces across the war-torn country, united by their exile in Lebanon, and are hoping their famed cuisine can provide both an income and empowerment. For about two months they have been participating in a food skills workship dreamed up by a Lebanese restaurant and financed by the UN's refugee agency UNHCR with help from the Lebanese branch of the Caritas charity. In a modest basement belonging to Caritas in the Dekwaneh suburb of Beirut, Ibtissam Masto proudly shows off her "monk kibbeh" -- balls of bulghur wheat seasoned with pomegranate molasses that is a speciality of Jisr al-Shughur in northwestern Idlib province.

Kuwait Zain telecom Q3 profit drops over currency rate Posted: 11 Nov 2013 10:26 AM PST Net income for Kuwait's telecom giant Zain dropped 12.7 percent in the third quarter 2013, for the second year running, the company said Monday, blaming currency fluctuations for the dive. The company, the largest mobile operator in Kuwait, posted a net profit of $186 million in the three months to September 30, compared to $213 million in the same quarter last year, Zain said in a statement. Zain said foreign currency fluctuations, especially in Sudan, had adversely affected consolidated revenues and net income.

The Stubbornly High Unemployment Numbers for Recent War Veterans Posted: 11 Nov 2013 09:30 AM PST One year ago last month, the unemployment rate for veterans of the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan was at 10 percent. Last month, it was at 10 percent. Few groups have seen unemployment so consistently above the national unemployment average for so long.text {font-size:11px;}

French or Freedom fries: What's behind France's move on Iranian nuclear deal? Posted: 11 Nov 2013 09:01 AM PST "Tonight I'm eating FRENCH fries," read a tweet this weekend from Rick Grenell, the US's spokesperson at the UN when France opposed an invasion of Iraq in 2003, and who gave rise to the American term "Freedom fries." His comments over the weekend were in response to French Foreign Minister Laurent Fabius, who went on air saying a deal with Iran flopped because France will not accept a "sucker's deal." It's unclear what actually went on in Geneva, as the "P5+1" group that includes France, Russia, China, the US, Britain, and Germany seemed close to an agreement with Iran on its nuclear program but then failed. In fact US Secretary of State John Kerry said Monday that it was actually Iran that didn't accept the terms.

The Coalition to Salute America's Heroes Leads Effort to Thank U.S. Military Veterans and Families on Veteran's Day Posted: 11 Nov 2013 08:41 AM PST LEESBURG, Va., Nov. 11, 2013 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- On Veteran's Day, The Coalition to Salute America's Heroes, a Virginia-based nonprofit organization that provides direct assistance to wounded veterans, is thanking our military veterans, especially those who served in Iraq and Afghanistan, for their sacrifice and service to the nation. On October 23, 2013, The Coalition co-hosted a high-level cocktail reception with the National Democratic Club and Veterans and Military Families for Progress featuring world-renowned tenor Anthony Kearns, a member of The Irish Tenors, with accompanist Patrick Healy. The event, moderated by legendary news anchor Paul Berry, raised awareness for the challenges facing young military veterans – including women, who for the first time, are fighting in war zones. "We are deeply honored to recognize and serve our nation's military veterans and warriors—and we stand ready to help them restore hope and rebuild their lives," said David Walker, chairman and CEO of the organization.

Jordan dreaming of one more upset against Uruguay Posted: 11 Nov 2013 08:37 AM PST Injuries and suspensions have toughened the already daunting task for underdogs Jordan ahead of their World Cup playoff against Uruguay but they are daring to dream of another shock and a first appearance in the finals. The two meet in the first leg of the intercontinental playoff at the Amman International Stadium on Wednesday (1500GMT) with the South Americans expected to sweep aside the Jordanians, who have exceeded all expectations in making it this far. Jordan bounced back from a 6-0 mauling by Japan and a 4-0 hammering by Australia in Asian qualifying to shock the Blue Samurai and the Socceroos at home and sneak into a playoff with Uzbekistan, which they edged 9-8 on penalties in September to set up the Uruguay tie. Plucky and organized on their home turf, Jordan have enjoyed great success from set pieces with the pace and trickery of Ahmad Ibrahim, who scored a brilliant solo effort in the 2-1 win over Japan.

Soccer-Jordan dreaming of one more upset against Uruguay Posted: 11 Nov 2013 08:35 AM PST By Patrick Johnston Nov 11 (Reuters) - Injuries and suspensions have toughened the already daunting task for underdogs Jordan ahead of their World Cup playoff against Uruguay but they are daring to dream of another shock and a first appearance in the finals. The two meet in the first leg of the intercontinental playoff at the Amman International Stadium on Wednesday (1500GMT) with the South Americans expected to sweep aside the Jordanians, who have exceeded all expectations in making it this far. Jordan bounced back from a 6-0 mauling by Japan and a 4-0 hammering by Australia in Asian qualifying to shock the Blue Samurai and the Socceroos at home and sneak into a playoff with Uzbekistan, which they edged 9-8 on penalties in September to set up the Uruguay tie. Plucky and organised on their home turf, Jordan have enjoyed great success from set pieces with the pace and trickery of Ahmad Ibrahim, who scored a brilliant solo effort in the 2-1 win over Japan.

Calif. town putting roof over wounded GI's head Posted: 11 Nov 2013 07:37 AM PST When Jerral Hancock came home from the Iraq war missing one arm, with another that barely worked and a paralyzed body that was burned all over, he was a hero to this Mojave Desert town that wears its military ...

Fattah Statement on Veteran's Day Posted: 11 Nov 2013 07:21 AM PST Congressman Chaka Fattah (PA-02), a member of the Appropriations Subcommittee on Military Construction, Veterans Affairs and related agencies, which oversees infrastructure funding to support military personnel and their families, released the following statement in recognition of Veteran's Day "We have no greater obligation than to support our nation's military and their families.  On Veteran's Day, we recommit ourselves to ensuring our veterans have the support and resources they need when they transition back to civilian life – including professional and educational development, affordable housing, access to high wage jobs, and quality healthcare.

America's Vets: Are Claim Procedures Unfair? Posted: 11 Nov 2013 07:06 AM PST Unfortunately, the system is ill-prepared to handle the process for compensation claims. The Department of Veterans Affairs presently has 4.4 million cases being processed. Do you know many Second World War veterans have already died without filing claims?  There's not many Korean War veterans left either.  Vietnam veterans are dying at a rapid rate due to Agent Orange; and Gulf War veterans have multiple environmental disabilities from the Gulf Theatre.

Five killed in Iraq attacks, two dead bodies found Posted: 11 Nov 2013 06:42 AM PST Mosul (Iraq) (AFP) - Attacks north of Baghdad killed five people on Monday, officials said, while police found two corpses bearing signs of torture, a scene reminiscent of the country's all-out sectarian war. The violence comes ahead of annual Shiite Muslim religious commemorations, when Sunni militants often mount attacks, and as Iraq grapples with continuing bloodshed despite wide-ranging operations targeting insurgents and tightened security.

New "Parity" For Substance Abuse To Match Physical Health Insurance Coverage Could Help Millions, Says Country's Largest Substance Abuse Treatment Provider, CRC Health Group Posted: 11 Nov 2013 06:16 AM PST CUPERTINO, Calif., Nov. 11, 2013 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The new "parity" rules issued Friday by HHS Secretary Kathleen Sebelius for substance abuse to match physical health insurance could help millions, the country's largest substance abuse and behavioral treatment provider, CRC Health Group, said today.  The regulations were jointly released by the Departments of Health and Human Services, Labor, and Treasury. Andy Eckert, CEO of CRC Health Group, congratulated Secretary Sebelius and the other departments and said, "Our mission is to help people with substance abuse problems.  By issuing regulations to implement the 2008 Mental Health Parity and Addiction Equity Act and by requiring enforcement of the bold actions the law provided, we've taken a major step forward to reach the twenty million Americans HHS says need but do not receive alcohol and substance abuse treatment.

By the Numbers: 5 Cultural Facts About Veterans Posted: 11 Nov 2013 05:40 AM PST Today, Veterans Day, men and women in uniform are being honored for the service to the country. As the Civil War was winding down, President Abraham Lincoln called on Americans in his second inaugural address "to care for him who shall have borne the battle and for his widow, and his orphan." While returning and fallen servicemembers have long been revered in the United States, Veterans Day was only established as a national holiday in 1919, though at the time it was called Armistice Day, celebrating the anniversary of the end of World War I. The Veterans History Project of the American Folklife Center aims to collect, preserve and make accessible veterans' personal stories from as far back as World War I to more recent conflicts in Iraq and Afghanistan. According to the U.S. Census Bureau, there were 1.6 million female veterans in the nation in 2012.

Smuggled Chinese Artifacts Lead to Charges Posted: 11 Nov 2013 05:32 AM PST A Florida art dealer is facing heavy fines and possible prison time in connection with an ancient artifact smuggling case. Francois B. Lorin, 74, of Winter Park, was hit with obstruction of justice charges after he forged documents in an attempt to legitimize an illegal shipment of ancient Chinese objects, federal authorizes allege. U.S. Customs and Border Protection discovered the artifacts in Miami, Fla., in June 2011. They detained the shipment from Hong Kong "due to inconsistencies between the shipping documentation and physical examination," said a spokesperson with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE).

Veterans Bring the Whig Party Back Posted: 11 Nov 2013 05:02 AM PST Though you may remember it from high-school history class, the Whig Party gave America some of the most utterly forgettable presidents of the 1800s. (If the names Millard Fillmore, Zachary Taylor and John Tyler fail to inspire much patriotic fervor in you, you're not alone.) Nonetheless, a new Whig Party — calling itself the Modern Whig Party, or MWP — has risen from the ashes of history and is poised for a comeback. Robert "Heshy" Bucholz, a card-carrying MWP member, was elected last week as an election judge in Philadelphia, making him the first Whig to win any elected office in the city since 1854, according to Philly.com.

Kerry says Iran rejected nuclear deal Posted: 11 Nov 2013 04:45 AM PST ABU DHABI, United Arab Emirates (AP) — U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry said Monday that the major powers were unified on an Iran nuclear deal during weekend talks in Geneva but the Iranians were unable to accept it. He also said critics of the diplomatic effort should withhold their comments until a deal is reached.

Packaging a President: Christie's Rollout Models Clinton, Bush, and Obama Posted: 11 Nov 2013 03:27 AM PST In an era of wrenching economic and social change, voters bet their hopes on a little-tested leader who a) echoed their disillusionment, b) pledged to end polarization, c) defied his party's extremists, d) embraced the task of tackling big problems, and e) seemed authentic. And so it happened in 1992, 2000, and 2008 that Bill Clinton, George W. Bush, and Barack Obama became president. Judging by his rhetoric after a landslide reelection Tuesday, New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie hopes to package himself as the "Perfect Candidate for Troubled Times," version 4.0. Voters crave—and the nation needs—a transformational president to lead America into the post-industrial era, just as Theodore Roosevelt reset U.S. political and social institutions for the post-agricultural era.

Syrian Kurds' military gains stir unease Posted: 11 Nov 2013 03:24 AM PST By Erika Solomon and Isabel Coles BEIRUT/ARBIL (Reuters) - With a string of military gains across northeastern Syria, a Kurdish militia is solidifying a geographic and political presence in the war-torn country, posing a dilemma for regional powers. Long oppressed under Syrian President Bashar al-Assad and his father before him, Kurds view the civil war as an opportunity to gain the kind of autonomy enjoyed by their ethnic kin in neighboring Iraq. Foreign powers supporting the opposition, meanwhile, hope they will deliver a blow to al Qaeda-linked fighters, whose rising power in northern Syria had gone unchecked for months. Such statements overlook widespread concerns over the impact of the Kurdish militia gains in a conflict that not only threatens Syria's unity, but the stability of neighboring countries with similar ethnic and sectarian divisions.

American veterans get help with employment, still face high suicide rates Posted: 11 Nov 2013 03:00 AM PST These are bittersweet times for the nation's 21.2 million military veterans as the nation observes another Veterans Day. Unemployment among veterans in general has steadily dropped as the Obama administration and private industry have aggressively pursued programs to employ the country's heroes and their families. After a public uproar over an insensitive bureaucracy and incompetent management at the Veterans Administration, the VA in recent months has substantially whittled down its backlog of applications for veterans disability claims from 611,000 to 400,835 — a 34 percent reduction — since peaking in March. Last Friday, the Department of Health and Human Services unveiled long-awaited final rules on parity in benefits and treatment to require private insurers to cover care for mental health and addiction in the same way they handled physical illness.

Kerry says major powers agree on Iran nuclear deal Posted: 11 Nov 2013 02:51 AM PST ABU DHABI, United Arab Emirates (AP) — U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry said Monday that the major powers were unified on an Iran nuclear deal during weekend talks in Geneva but the Iranians were unable to accept it. He also said critics of the diplomatic effort should withhold their comments until a deal is reached.

You are subscribed to email updates from Iraq News Headlines - Yahoo! News To stop receiving these emails, you may unsubscribe now.	Email delivery powered by Google
Google Inc., 20 West Kinzie, Chicago IL USA 60610