Yahoo! News: Iraq

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• Turkey bans YouTube after Syria security talk leaked
• UN hopeful for way out of Iraq vote impasse
• Turkey calls Syria security leak 'villainous,' blocks YouTube
• Boston mourns 2 firefighters killed in blaze
• Turkey bans YouTube as Syrian incursion plan is exposed
• UN raps US civil rights record on secret programs
• INFOGRAPHIC: Everything You Wanted to Know About Drones but Were Afraid to Google
• What Obama should ask of Saudi Arabia
• Turkey court frees 45 Kurdish suspects in militant case
• US defense chief heads to China, Japan next week
• Iraq: Bombings kill 26 people in Baghdad
• Baghdad bombings kill 12
• Iraq: Bombings kill 22 people in Baghdad
• Saudi ex-spy chief Muqrin wins place in succession
• Funeral held for socialist stalwart Tony Benn
• Iraq: Bombings kill 19 people in Baghdad
• Blair Advisor Planned Own Suicide
• Oculus Rift: 5 Virtual Reality Uses Beyond Gaming
• Putin's apologist? Germany's Schroeder says they're just friends
• John Cusack to appear in his CBS drama pilot
• Despite Crimea, few in Europe want to boost defense spending
• Incredible Technology: How Fleets of 'Flat Landers' Could Explore Other Planets
• World execution toll rose in 2013: Amnesty
• Report: Global executions up 15 percent in 2013
• Florida’s Execution Expressway

Turkey bans YouTube after Syria security talk leaked Posted: 27 Mar 2014 04:05 PM PDT Turkey banned YouTube on Thursday after the video-sharing website was used to spread damaging leaked audio files from a state security meeting debating possible military action in Syria. The recording purports to be of senior Turkish government, military and spy officials discussing plans to stage an armed clash in Syria or a missile attack that would serve as a pretext for a military response. Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan -- already ensnared in a corruption scandal and hit by recent mass protests ahead of crucial local elections on Sunday -- angrily lashed out at his political opponents for leaking the recording. "They have leaked something on YouTube today," he told a campaign rally in the southeastern province of Diyarbakir.

UN hopeful for way out of Iraq vote impasse Posted: 27 Mar 2014 03:27 PM PDT United Nations (United States) (AFP) - The UN envoy to Iraq said Thursday there was a "window of opportunity" for Baghdad to resolve a pre-election crisis sparked by the resignation en masse of its election commission. Iraqi Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki warned Wednesday that April 30 legislative elections may be delayed given Tuesday's resignations, and with violence at its worst in six years. But in New York, Nickolay Mladenov, the UN special representative to Iraq, gave a slightly more upbeat assessment. He said the resignations of the Independent High Electoral Commission (IHEC) had not yet been formally endorsed by the speaker of Iraq's parliament.

Turkey calls Syria security leak 'villainous,' blocks YouTube Posted: 27 Mar 2014 02:53 PM PDT By Nick Tattersall ISTANBUL (Reuters) - Turkish Prime Minister Tayyip Erdogan on Thursday denounced as "villainous" the leaking of a recording of top security officials discussing possible military action in Syria to the video-sharing site YouTube. Erdogan's foreign minister Ahmet Davutoglu called the posting a "declaration of war," an apparent reference to an escalating power struggle between Erdogan and rivals. The posting took the campaign to a higher level, impinging on a highly sensitive top-level meeting of security officials. "They even leaked a national security meeting," Erdogan said at a campaign rally.

Boston mourns 2 firefighters killed in blaze Posted: 27 Mar 2014 02:29 PM PDT BOSTON (AP) — One was a fitness enthusiast who helped the wounded after the Boston Marathon bombings and planned to run the race himself this year. The other was a father of three young children who had firefighting in his blood.

Turkey bans YouTube as Syrian incursion plan is exposed Posted: 27 Mar 2014 02:01 PM PDT Turkey banned YouTube today, a week after banning Twitter in response to damaging leaks connected to the Turkish government.  But today's ban followed the leaking of an audio recording of top officials discussing a possible military strike in Syria – a security breach that prompted a furious reaction from the government. Turkey was an early supporters of the Syrian opposition and has had several border skirmishes with the Syrian military – including shooting down a Syrian fighter jet on March 27 that it said had entered its airspace. In the recording, Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoglu, National Intelligence Chief Hakan Fidan, Deputy Chief of Staff of the military Yasar Guler, and Foreign Ministry Undersecretary Feridun Sinirlioglu are heard discussing plans for a military strike – possibly including ground troops – against the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIS), a jihadist group fighting in Syria.

UN raps US civil rights record on secret programs Posted: 27 Mar 2014 02:00 PM PDT GENEVA (AP) — A U.N. panel has found serious shortcomings in the United States' civil rights record, with experts citing Thursday a lack of adequate oversight and transparency in national security programs dealing with everything from electronic surveillance to targeted drone killings and secret detentions.

INFOGRAPHIC: Everything You Wanted to Know About Drones but Were Afraid to Google Posted: 27 Mar 2014 01:59 PM PDT Drones are the new black (ops). But that's not all they're used for. The U.S. military's use of Predator drones in Afghanistan, Iraq, Pakistan and elsewhere has garnered plenty of attention, and criticism. ...

What Obama should ask of Saudi Arabia Posted: 27 Mar 2014 01:34 PM PDT  Three years after the Arab Spring began, the answer remains quite up in the air – from Iran (a theocracy) to Egypt (a secular dictatorship) to Saudi Arabia (a monarchy) to Turkey and Tunisia (democracies).  The reason is that the people of the Middle East have yet to form a consensus on the meaning of "political Islam," or how much the religion and its clergy should influence civic life and governance.  Mr. Obama visits the region as Saudi Arabia and Egypt have targeted the Muslim Brotherhood as a terrorist group, Turkey's Islamic ruling party is drifting toward authoritarianism, Iran appears to be softening its Islamic Revolution, and political violence in both Syria and Iraq has attracted violent offshoots of Al Qaeda. But he can't ignore this rising clash over political Islam.

Turkey court frees 45 Kurdish suspects in militant case Posted: 27 Mar 2014 12:43 PM PDT A Turkish court released 45 defendants, including journalists and political activists, accused of links to Kurdish militants on Thursday, a small step in the country's ongoing efforts to end a Kurdish insurgency. Lawyers had demanded the release of the defendants, on trial for links to the Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK) militant group, after changes to Turkey's anti-terrorism laws which reduced the maximum pre-trial detention period from 10 years to five years. PKK fighters began withdrawing from Turkey to bases in northern Iraq last May after a ceasefire was declared but stopped the move in September, citing government failures to take steps to advance the broader peace process. The PKK is designated a terrorist group by Turkey, the European Union and United States.

US defense chief heads to China, Japan next week Posted: 27 Mar 2014 12:32 PM PDT Pentagon chief Chuck Hagel will travel to China and Japan next week after hosting a meeting of Asian defense ministers in Hawaii, amid tensions between Beijing and Tokyo over a disputed island chain. Beijing has made broad territorial claims in the South China Sea and East China Sea that are not recognized by Washington and its regional allies, including Japan.

Iraq: Bombings kill 26 people in Baghdad Posted: 27 Mar 2014 12:22 PM PDT BAGHDAD (AP) — A series of bombings targeting commercial areas of Baghdad killed 26 people as residents were heading out on the town Thursday evening in a new spasm of violence to strike the Iraqi capital, according to Iraqi officials.

Baghdad bombings kill 12 Posted: 27 Mar 2014 12:03 PM PDT Three sets of bombings in Baghdad killed at least a dozen people Thursday evening, the latest in a surge in bloodshed in Iraq just weeks ahead of scheduled parliamentary elections. Two roadside bombs that exploded in Amriyah in western Baghdad, a car bomb in the northern district of Adhamiyah -- both of which are Sunni-majority -- and another vehicle in the Saidiyah neighbourhood also wounded at least 30 people, the sources said. The car bomb in Adhamiyah, which struck near the massive Abu Hanifa mosque, killed at least seven people and wounded 22, while the twin bombings in Amriyah left four others dead. The blasts came just ahead of the weekend in Baghdad, when markets and cafes are typically packed, and continue a trend of post-sunset attacks in the capital.

Iraq: Bombings kill 22 people in Baghdad Posted: 27 Mar 2014 11:33 AM PDT BAGHDAD (AP) — A series of bombings targeting commercial areas of Baghdad killed 22 people as residents were heading out on the town Thursday evening in a new spasm of violence to strike the Iraqi capital, according to Iraqi officials.

Saudi ex-spy chief Muqrin wins place in succession Posted: 27 Mar 2014 11:30 AM PDT The appointment of Prince Muqrin as deputy crown prince sets up the former intelligence chief as next in line to the throne of Saudi Arabia, the world's largest oil exporter, once Crown Prince Salman succeeds King Abdullah. The youngest son of Saudi Arabia's founder, the prince is an affable former air force captain, diplomats say, and is a close friend of his nephew Prince Bandar, the current spy chief, with whom he served in the military. An ally of King Abdullah, Muqrin, whom the Saudi embassy in Washington said was born in 1945, has pledged to continue Abdullah's gradual social and economic reforms.

Funeral held for socialist stalwart Tony Benn Posted: 27 Mar 2014 11:13 AM PDT Comrades and relatives bade an emotional farewell Thursday to Tony Benn, the totem of the British left whose funeral was held opposite parliament where he served for half a century. There were tears and applause as Benn's coffin, topped with red roses, was taken from the Houses of Parliament in London to St Margaret's Church across the road. A Labour cabinet minister in the 1960s and 1970s, Benn was a widely respected orator who clashed with his party's leadership over its drift away from the radical socialism he espoused. "Life taught him that ideas and movements have the power to transform our world, and that's why he was so determined to support others in their struggles," his son Hilary Benn, himself a former cabinet minister, told the 750-strong congregation.

Iraq: Bombings kill 19 people in Baghdad Posted: 27 Mar 2014 10:55 AM PDT BAGHDAD (AP) — Iraqi authorities say bombings targeting a commercial street and a market have killed 19 people in the same neighborhood northern Baghdad.

Blair Advisor Planned Own Suicide Posted: 27 Mar 2014 09:49 AM PDT The closest man to Britain's former prime minister, who was accused of lying to lead his country into the war in Iraq, says he was so depressed he plotted a way to kill himself.

Oculus Rift: 5 Virtual Reality Uses Beyond Gaming Posted: 27 Mar 2014 07:28 AM PDT Social media behemoth Facebook just paid $2 billion for Oculus VR, the virtual reality company that makes headsets and software hotly coveted by gamers. But Facebook creator and CEO Mark Zuckerberg is setting his sights far beyond immersive, first-person shooter video games. "After games, we're going to make Oculus a platform for many other experiences," Zuckerberg said in announcing the deal Tuesday afternoon (March 25). "Imagine enjoying a court side seat at a game, studying in a classroom of students and teachers all over the world or consulting with a doctor face-to-face — just by putting on goggles in your home."

Putin's apologist? Germany's Schroeder says they're just friends Posted: 27 Mar 2014 07:25 AM PDT By Erik Kirschbaum BERLIN (Reuters) - Former German chancellor Gerhard Schroeder has come under fire in Germany for defending his close friend Vladimir Putin and warning of the perils of isolating the Russian president over the crisis in Ukraine. Schroeder, 69, has been excoriated for speaking out in favour of Moscow and against the German government position, not least because of his 250,000 euro salary as board chairman for a pipeline joint venture with Russian gas monopoly Gazprom. "Schroeder is spreading the Kremlin's propaganda and everyone should understand that he's now a paid spokesman for Russia," said Manuel Sarrazin, who sits on the European affairs committee of the German parliament for the opposition Greens. "He's in the service of Russia with a big conflict of interest," Sarrazin told Reuters.

John Cusack to appear in his CBS drama pilot Posted: 27 Mar 2014 07:05 AM PDT John Cusack has set aside a minor role for himself in the untitled project he is producing for CBS. He will co-star with Charlie Cox and Maggie Grace, recruited earlier this year for the Wall Street drama pilot. Money and power reign supreme in the world inhabited by Jackson (Charlie Cox), a smart, sophisticated and honest trader who served his country in Iraq, and Jaime (Maggie Grace), an ambitious in-house legal counsel at a hedge fund. John Cusack will appear in the pilot as Ted, a cynical former trader who has left Wall Street behind.

Despite Crimea, few in Europe want to boost defense spending Posted: 27 Mar 2014 06:26 AM PDT When US President Barack Obama visited both NATO and European Union headquarters in Brussels yesterday, discussion of a response to Russia's moves in Ukraine was not just about the right strategy, but what NATO is even capable of today. The Obama Administration has repeatedly voiced concerns about Europe's declining contributions to NATO, criticizing its members for "subcontracting" their defense to the United States even as the US decreased its own overall commitment to NATO. NATO was on its way out of Afghanistan, and it appeared the need for a strong military force was declining. An era of sharp austerity in Europe has also curtailed any interest on the Continent in boosting defense forces, reports the Washington Post:

Incredible Technology: How Fleets of 'Flat Landers' Could Explore Other Planets Posted: 27 Mar 2014 04:07 AM PDT Future space missions may send dozens of rug-like robots fluttering down to the surface of alien worlds, taking much of the risk out of planetary exploration. The two-dimensional lander idea "gives you the capability to stack them up and distribute them over a wide range of areas rather than just be able to land in only one place, and have one shot at landing," Hamid Hemmati, of NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Pasadena, Calif., said last month at the 2014 NASA Innovative Advanced Concepts (NIAC) symposium at Stanford University. "We think it will enable NASA to go places that that they don't dare to go right now." [Our Solar System: Photo Tour of the Planets] Hemmati and his team got a $100,000 grant from NIAC last year to develop the "flat lander" concept.

World execution toll rose in 2013: Amnesty Posted: 27 Mar 2014 02:44 AM PDT The number of known executions worldwide rose to at least 778 last year following a surge in Iraq and Iran, Amnesty International said Thursday, but China remains the world's biggest state executioner by far. But the charity's annual report on death sentences and executions worldwide said the Chinese authorities "continue to treat the figures on death sentences and executions as a state secret". "We need really to spotlight China's secrecy around the death penalty," Audrey Gaughran, Amnesty's director of global issues told AFP. "The authorities in China said that since 2007 they have reduced the use of the death penalty.

Report: Global executions up 15 percent in 2013 Posted: 26 Mar 2014 06:02 PM PDT NEW YORK (AP) — The number of known executions around the world rose almost 15 percent in 2013, and the United States was among the five countries putting the most people to death, a new report says.

Florida’s Execution Expressway Posted: 26 Mar 2014 05:00 PM PDT Amnesty International reports the state's new law that speeds up executions keeps the U.S. at the top of the list of notorious nations.

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