Yahoo! News: Iraq

---

• 16 years in prison for man in NYC terror bomb plot
• U.S. says Syria government mostly to blame for hindered aid
• Reports detail killing of bombing suspect's friend
• Reports: Boston bombing suspect's friend agitated
• Iraq electoral commission resigns en masse weeks before vote
• Arab summit struggles to heal rifts, Kuwait warns of peril
• A look at Mideast judicial systems
• Arab leaders air deep differences during summit
• Iraq election chiefs quit as attacks kill 37
• Iraq violence kills 37
• Attacks kill 29 people in Iraq
• The Daily Fix: New NSA Limits, Defending Pot Shops, and an Anti-Cancer Dress Code
• Helping Veterans Find Their Foothold: How Social Workers Are Making a Difference
• Attacks kill 26 people in Iraq
• Convicted Brigadier General Jeffrey Sinclair Could Still Walk Away with a Big Pension
• Syria rebels take coastal village in Assad heartland
• Islamist rebels seize first coastal village in north Syria
• Qatar dismisses Iraqi charges that Doha funds 'terrorism'
• Qatar's emir criticizes Egypt, Iraq
• A Staggering Percentage of Military Kids Have Mental Health Issues—Will This Simple Fix Help?
• Obama aims to soothe Saudi fears with Riyadh visit
• Beset by differences, Arab leaders open annual summit
• UN chief says both sides block aid to Syrians

16 years in prison for man in NYC terror bomb plot Posted: 25 Mar 2014 04:02 PM PDT NEW YORK (AP) — An al-Qaida sympathizer who admitted trying to build pipe bombs to carry out a homegrown terror campaign was sentenced Tuesday to 16 years in prison, capping a case authorities called an illustration of the threat of lone, local would-be terrorists but his lawyers portrayed as an example of police entrapment.

U.S. says Syria government mostly to blame for hindered aid Posted: 25 Mar 2014 03:48 PM PDT By Louis Charbonneau UNITED NATIONS (Reuters) - A U.N. report on how Syria's neediest civilians are often not accessible to humanitarian relief workers makes it clear that the government of President Bashar al-Assad shoulders most of the blame, a U.S. official said on Tuesday. A month after the 15-member U.N. Security Council achieved rare consensus to approve a resolution demanding rapid, safe and unhindered aid access in Syria, including across borders, U.N. chief Ban Ki-moon said in a new report that the situation "remains extremely challenging. His report, which was delivered to council members on Sunday but has not been officially released, criticized both the government and rebels for hindering access to civilians caught in the crossfire of the three-year civil war. But in Washington's view, Ban's report was especially damning for the government.

Reports detail killing of bombing suspect's friend Posted: 25 Mar 2014 02:52 PM PDT ORLANDO, Fla. (AP) — Fearing imminent arrest in a triple slaying, Ibragim Todashev started acting suspiciously. His mood, once cooperative with investigators, became agitated. His eyes darted around his small apartment in Florida, as if he were looking for a weapon or a way out.

Reports: Boston bombing suspect's friend agitated Posted: 25 Mar 2014 02:06 PM PDT ORLANDO, Florida (AP) — A friend of one of the Boston Marathon bombing suspects threatened an FBI agent and a Massachusetts state trooper with a long pole and was fatally shot by the agent just moments after he had agreed to give a statement about his involvement in a triple slaying, a Florida prosecutor said Tuesday.

Iraq electoral commission resigns en masse weeks before vote Posted: 25 Mar 2014 01:34 PM PDT The entire board of Iraq's electoral commission tendered its resignation on Tuesday in protest against political interference, casting doubt on a nationwide vote scheduled for next month. The Independent High Electoral Commission (IHEC) said it had found itself caught between conflicting rulings from parliament and the judiciary regarding the exclusion of certain candidates from the election, due on April 30. IHEC's sudden move further complicates the outlook for a vote already clouded by violence across the country where Sunni Islamist militants have regained momentum over the past year. "The commission is subject to intense pressures resulting from the conflict between the legislative and judiciary powers," it said in a statement.

Arab summit struggles to heal rifts, Kuwait warns of peril Posted: 25 Mar 2014 12:55 PM PDT By Sylvia Westall and Amena Bakr KUWAIT (Reuters) - Warning of "enormous" dangers, Kuwait urged fellow Arab leaders on Tuesday to resolve disputes complicating crises such as Syria's war and unrest in Egypt, but diplomats said tensions bubbled behind the scenes at their annual summit. The gathering of the 22-member Arab League also heard an appeal from the U.N. and Arab peace envoy for Syria, Lakhdar Brahimi, for an end to the flow of arms to combatants in the war which has killed over 140,000 people and displaced millions. Brahimi did not name the suppliers, but Saudi Arabia and Qatar are believed to be the main Arab funders of military assistance to rebels in Syria, while non-Arab Iran is the main regional power backing President Bashar al-Assad.

A look at Mideast judicial systems Posted: 25 Mar 2014 12:43 PM PDT An Egyptian court's decision this week to sentence to death 529 alleged supporters of the Muslim Brotherhood after a two-session trial has triggered criticism from governments and rights groups around the world. The country's judicial system is sure to face further scrutiny as another 683 suspected Islamists went on mass trial Tuesday. The proceedings have raised deep concerns among human rights activists over the lack of due process as Egyptian authorities push swift and heavy prosecutions in their crackdown against the Muslim Brotherhood and its allies.

Arab leaders air deep differences during summit Posted: 25 Mar 2014 12:22 PM PDT KUWAIT CITY (AP) — Arab leaders openly feuded over the region's most intractable problems at their annual summit on Tuesday, particularly the inability to resolve Syria's civil war and anger at Qatar for its support of the Muslim Brotherhood.

Iraq election chiefs quit as attacks kill 37 Posted: 25 Mar 2014 11:35 AM PDT The board of Iraq's electoral commission resigned en masse on Tuesday in protest at political and judicial "interference", throwing a general election due next month into disarray. The sudden decision comes with doubts already swirling over whether the Independent High Electoral Commission (IHEC) could organise polling nationwide on April 30 with anti-government fighters in control of a city on Baghdad's doorstep. Much is at stake in the election, as Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki bids for a third term with his security credentials thrown into question by a surge in violence to levels not seen since 2008, with 37 more people killed on Tuesday. The nine-member IHEC board handed in its resignation in protest at what it said were conflicting rulings from parliament and the judiciary on the barring of would-be candidates for the election.

Iraq violence kills 37 Posted: 25 Mar 2014 11:34 AM PDT Violence concentrated in predominantly Sunni areas of Iraq killed 37 people Tuesday, the majority of them in the Baghdad area, as the worst protracted unrest since 2008 showed no let-up. The bloodshed comes just weeks before Iraq is due to hold its first general election since 2010, although the poll was thrown into disarray on Tuesday when the entire electoral commission resigned in protest at alleged political interference. The surge of unrest has been driven by anger among the Sunni Arab minority, who complain of mistreatment by the Shiite-led government and security forces, as well as by the civil war in neighbouring Syria. The deadliest of Tuesday's violence struck in Baghdad and towns just north of the capital.

Attacks kill 29 people in Iraq Posted: 25 Mar 2014 10:36 AM PDT BAGHDAD (AP) — A wave of attacks across Iraq on Tuesday killed at least 29 people, mostly members of the security forces, while a Sunni lawmaker escaped an assassination attempt, officials said.

The Daily Fix: New NSA Limits, Defending Pot Shops, and an Anti-Cancer Dress Code Posted: 25 Mar 2014 10:36 AM PDT In the race to curb the National Security Agency's once secret domestic surveillance program, the front-runners appear to be President Barack Obama, the House of Representatives and—a dark horse—tech giant Google. While administration officials told The New York Times about the early outlines of their plan to limit spying, and the ink was still drying on a draft of the End Bulk Collection Act of 2014, Google took to its blog to announce new encryption for emails. Gmail Security Engineering Lead Nicolas Lidzborski says the change means "no one can listen in on your messages," making good on an earlier pledge by major tech companies to improve privacy protections. But considering Americans send more than 100 billion emails every day—and you've been sending old-timey phone calls to voicemail since 2009—Google's changes are good news.

Helping Veterans Find Their Foothold: How Social Workers Are Making a Difference Posted: 25 Mar 2014 09:48 AM PDT From 2002 to 2012, 1.6 million service people left active duty and became eligible for veterans' health care. "Military culture, much like mainstream culture, is hardly pro–mental health care," says former Military Intelligence Captain Robert Fields. But overcoming the social stigmas surrounding mental health care proved to be a life-changing event for him.  Through the Vet Center, an organization funded by the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, Fields was partnered with a social worker who not only helped him regain a sense of belonging and purpose but also inspired him to become a social worker himself.

Attacks kill 26 people in Iraq Posted: 25 Mar 2014 09:44 AM PDT BAGHDAD (AP) — Iraqi authorities say bombings and shootings have killed 26 people across the country, mostly members of the security forces.

Convicted Brigadier General Jeffrey Sinclair Could Still Walk Away with a Big Pension Posted: 25 Mar 2014 09:31 AM PDT Brigadier General Jeffrey Sinclair was reprimanded and sentenced last week to pay a $20,000 fine for carrying on an adulterous affair with a female captain, having improper relationships with two other women, and abusing a government credit card. It was assumed that Sinclair would have to retire at a lower rank because of his indiscretions, but USA Today reports on Tuesday that may not be the case. At stake is $832,000 in retirement benefits.  Sinclair's lawyer, Richard Scheff, is pushing the Army to let Sinclair retire as a general, not a lieutenant colonel. Scheff acknowledges the ask is a big one, as it's hard to argue Sinclair "served honorably" while he was a general.

Syria rebels take coastal village in Assad heartland Posted: 25 Mar 2014 09:27 AM PDT Syrian rebels seized a Mediterranean coastal village Tuesday as they pushed to consolidate their presence in a key regime bastion near the Turkish border, a monitoring group said. The claimed capture of Samra, in Latakia province, comes a day after rebels seeking to topple President Bashar al-Assad seized the area around Kasab, the last government-held border crossing with Turkey. In retaliation, the army pounded rebel positions in the northwestern province, heartland of Assad's Alawite sect and scene of fierce fighting since Friday, said the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights. Rebels, including from the jihadist Al-Nusra Front, "took control of Samra village in Latakia province early Tuesday," said Observatory director Rami Abdel Rahman.

Islamist rebels seize first coastal village in north Syria Posted: 25 Mar 2014 09:25 AM PDT By Dominic Evans BEIRUT (Reuters) - Islamist rebels captured a village on Syria's Mediterranean coast for the first time and battled to hold territory abutting the nearby Turkish border taken from President Bashar al-Assad's forces, activists said on Tuesday. Video footage showed six fighters holding the black banner of the Ansar al-Sham brigade on a rocky beach, a symbolic rebel victory in the coastal province of Latakia that has been an Assad stronghold throughout three years of conflict. "This is the first area of coast in Syria to be liberated," said an activist who used the name Abu Bakr, referring to the beach and nearby village of Samra. Latakia and neighbouring Tartous provinces together form the Mediterranean heartland of Assad's minority Alawite faith and have remained loyal to him as he battles mainly Sunni Muslim rebels in a civil war which has killed more than 140,000 people.

Qatar dismisses Iraqi charges that Doha funds 'terrorism' Posted: 25 Mar 2014 08:20 AM PDT Qatar signalled its irritation on Tuesday with Iraq's accusation that it backed insurgents fighting Baghdad's rule, saying it was not appropriate for countries which failed to preserve national unity to accuse other Arab states of supporting "terrorism". The comments by Qatar's emir, Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad al-Thani, were the first official Qatari reaction after Iraq's Shi'ite Muslim Prime Minister, Nuri al-Maliki, this month accused Doha and Riyadh of funding insurgency. "It is about time for Iraq to get out of the cycle of rifts and violence and that cannot be achieved by sidelining segments of the population, or accusing it of terrorism, if they demanded equality and participation," Sheikh Tamim said. Saudi Arabia has already rejected Maliki's assertion this month that it and Qatar were funding Sunni insurgents fighting in Iraq's western Anbar province.

Qatar's emir criticizes Egypt, Iraq Posted: 25 Mar 2014 08:06 AM PDT KUWAIT CITY (AP) — Qatar's ruler on Tuesday criticized Iraq's Shiite-led government and Egyptian authorities in an address to the opening session of an Arab summit in Kuwait, a move that is likely to add a new layer to tension in the region.

A Staggering Percentage of Military Kids Have Mental Health Issues—Will This Simple Fix Help? Posted: 25 Mar 2014 04:57 AM PDT That's what kids growing up in military families are dealing with, and some of them are breaking under the stress. A study published in the Journal of Adolescent Health found that kids from military families have significant mental health challenges. Ron Astor, a professor at the University of Southern California's School of Social Work, one of the study's coauthors, says the study found that although the majority of military kids are doing well (considering the circumstances), for the ones who aren't, the isolation and invisibility they experience has a profound negative effect. But only a fraction of military kids—about 86,000—attend a base-associated school.

Obama aims to soothe Saudi fears with Riyadh visit Posted: 25 Mar 2014 04:27 AM PDT By Matt Spetalnick and Angus McDowall WASHINGTON/RIYADH (Reuters) - U.S. President Barack Obama will seek to ease Saudi concerns that he is neglecting an old ally when he visits Riyadh on Friday, months after top Saudis objected to what they saw as a growing rapprochement between Washington and their rival Iran. Rifts over Middle East policy came to a head last year when Washington worked with other powers to ease sanctions on Iran in exchange for concessions on its disputed nuclear programme, and backed away from air strikes on Tehran's ally Syria. Senior figures in predominantly Sunni Muslim Saudi Arabia - which competes for influence in the region with Shi'ite Muslim power Iran - warned in October and November there might be a "major shift" away from Washington and Riyadh might "go it alone".

Beset by differences, Arab leaders open annual summit Posted: 25 Mar 2014 01:29 AM PDT KUWAIT (Reuters) - Arab leaders struggling with an array of foreign policy disputes opened an annual summit on Tuesday to try to forge a common stand on Syria's war and what many of them see as the menace of Iranian-U.S. rapprochement. The gathering in Kuwait follows an unprecedented row among members of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) alliance of Gulf Arab states over Qatari support for Egypt's Muslim Brotherhood, and a verbal spat between Iraq and Saudi Arabia over violence in Iraq's Anbar province. (Reporting by Sylvia Westall and Amena Bakr, Editing by William Maclean)

UN chief says both sides block aid to Syrians Posted: 24 Mar 2014 05:26 PM PDT UNITED NATIONS (AP) — U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon blamed the Syrian government and opposition Monday for escalating violence and blocking aid to millions in desperate need of help, despite pledges from both sides to comply with a Security Council resolution demanding immediate access everywhere in the country to deliver aid.

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