Yahoo! News: Iraq

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• Hagel, French minister talk about Syria strikes
• U.S. says discussed with France possible French role in Syria
• US, France discuss potential French role in Syria: Hagel
• Syria Kurds say American joins fight against Islamic State
• US pleased with Turkish vote to act against militants
• Muslim pilgrims in mass movement as hajj begins
• Why Turkey is joining fight against Islamic State without enthusiasm
• Poll: Half think US at high risk of terror attack
• Turkey approves military operations in Iraq, Syria
• Two more British jets to join in IS strikes: Cameron
• UN report spotlights 'staggering' Islamic State atrocities in Iraq
• US: Marine 'presumed lost' in the Persian Gulf
• Turkey steels for action as Islamic State advances on Syrian border town
• As midterms loom, Obama shifts spotlight to economy
• Turkish MPs back military action as jihadists advance
• U.S. House members press Kerry on nuclear talks with Iran
• Islamic State militants attack small Iraq town
• Lawyer: Bahrain rights activist detained for tweet
• Algeria hunts 15 fugitives in Frenchman's beheading
• Obama’s Approval Rating Climbs the More We Bomb ISIS
• Iran warns Turkey against aggravating regional tensions
• Chaotic scene outside White House a challenge for Secret Service
• New York MTA fights to prevent provocative anti-Islam ads
• Facing fears over extremism, Austria unveils new law on Islam
• Turkish parliament authorises military action in Syria, Iraq
• Canada opposition unhappy with plans to fight Islamic State
• French troops edge closer to Libya border to cut off Islamists
• U.S. envoy Allen arrives in Iraq, to visit Jordan, Egypt, Turkey
• Turkish parliament gives nod for possible military action in Syria, Iraq
• S.Korea floor North for tear-jerking gold
• Germany wants to close borders for jihadists
• Watch This RAF Tornado Fighter Obliterate An Armed ISIS Pickup Truck In Iraq
• Boko Haram leader dismisses claims of his death in new video
• Boston Herald apologizes for Obama 'watermelon' cartoon
• South Korea downs North Korea for football gold
• Nigeria's Boko Haram "leader" appears in new video - AFP
• 40 jihadists, 17 police and army killed in Iraq clashes
• Saudi Arabia: 2 million in Mecca for start of hajj
• Pope convenes Mideast envoys amid Islamic threat

Hagel, French minister talk about Syria strikes Posted: 02 Oct 2014 04:43 PM PDT WASHINGTON (AP) — Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel said he spoke with the French defense minister Thursday about the possibility of France participating in airstrikes against Islamic State militants in Syria, something the French have so far declined to do.

U.S. says discussed with France possible French role in Syria Posted: 02 Oct 2014 04:43 PM PDT By Phil Stewart WASHINGTON (Reuters) - U.S. Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel said on Thursday he discussed with France its possible involvement in the U.S.-led campaign in Syria but his French counterpart would not be drawn on whether Paris might join in airstrikes. France was the first country to join the U.S.-led coalition in airstrikes on Islamic State insurgents in Iraq, who have also taken control of large parts of neighboring Syria during the course of the three-year-old civil war there. ...

US, France discuss potential French role in Syria: Hagel Posted: 02 Oct 2014 04:31 PM PDT Washington (AFP) - US and French defense chiefs on Thursday discussed the possibility of a French role in an American-led air war against the Islamic State group in Syria, Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel said.

Syria Kurds say American joins fight against Islamic State Posted: 02 Oct 2014 04:26 PM PDT By Tom Perry and Fiona Ortiz BEIRUT/CHICAGO (Reuters) - A former American soldier has joined Kurdish forces fighting against Islamic State militants in northern Syria, a rare case of a lone U.S. citizen joining the fight against extremists in Syria. Jordan Matson of Wisconsin has joined the Kurdish People's Protection Units (YPG), who are mainly battling advances by Islamic State militants close to Syria's borders with Turkey and Iraq, a spokesman for the Kurdish group said on Thursday. ...

US pleased with Turkish vote to act against militants Posted: 02 Oct 2014 04:25 PM PDT Washington (AFP) - The United States Thursday welcomed a vote by Turkey's parliament giving a green light to take military action against the Islamic State militant group.

Muslim pilgrims in mass movement as hajj begins Posted: 02 Oct 2014 04:20 PM PDT MOUNT ARAFAT (Saudi Arabia) (AFP) - Muslim pilgrims from around the world were arriving late Thursday at Mount Arafat in western Saudi Arabia for the annual hajj pilgrimage, the spiritual peak of their lives.

Why Turkey is joining fight against Islamic State without enthusiasm Posted: 02 Oct 2014 03:58 PM PDT Turkey, a NATO ally of the United States with Islamic State militants grabbing villages just across its southern border in Syria, is joining President Obama's international coalition to fight the Islamist extremists in Iraq and Syria.

Poll: Half think US at high risk of terror attack Posted: 02 Oct 2014 02:43 PM PDT WASHINGTON (AP) — Half of Americans think there's a high risk of a terrorist attack on U.S. soil, yet only a third are closely following news of U.S. airstrikes against Islamic extremists in the Middle East.

Turkey approves military operations in Iraq, Syria Posted: 02 Oct 2014 02:40 PM PDT ANKARA, Turkey (AP) — Turkey's parliament gave the government new powers Thursday to launch military incursions into Syria and Iraq, and to allow foreign forces to use its territory for possible operations against the Islamic State group.

Two more British jets to join in IS strikes: Cameron Posted: 02 Oct 2014 02:30 PM PDT London (AFP) - Britain will send two more fighter jets to join in strikes against Islamic State (IS) militants in Iraq, bringing the total to eight, Prime Minister David Cameron announced on Thursday.

UN report spotlights 'staggering' Islamic State atrocities in Iraq Posted: 02 Oct 2014 01:48 PM PDT More than 26,000 civilians have been killed or injured this year in the conflict in Iraq, according to a new United Nations report, which details an array of possible war crimes and crimes against humanity by the self-described Islamic State (IS).

US: Marine 'presumed lost' in the Persian Gulf Posted: 02 Oct 2014 01:35 PM PDT MANAMA, Bahrain (AP) — A U.S. Marine who ejected from an airplane over the Persian Gulf is "presumed lost at sea," the U.S. Navy said Thursday, marking the first reported casualty from the ongoing operation against the Islamic State group in Iraq and Syria.

Turkey steels for action as Islamic State advances on Syrian border town Posted: 02 Oct 2014 01:35 PM PDT By Ayla Jean Yackley and Alexander Dziadosz SURUC Turkey/BEIRUT (Reuters) - Turkey's parliament authorized the government to order military action against Islamic State on Thursday as the insurgents tightened their grip on a Syrian border town, sending thousands more Kurdish refugees into Turkey. The vote gives the government powers to order incursions into Syria and Iraq to counter the threat of attack "from all terrorist groups", although there was little sign that any such action was imminent. ...

As midterms loom, Obama shifts spotlight to economy Posted: 02 Oct 2014 01:11 PM PDT By Roberta Rampton EVANSTON Ill. (Reuters) - President Barack Obama tried on Thursday to turn the spotlight on the economy, the issue U.S. voters care about most ahead of November midterm elections, making the case that his policies have steered the country away from the brink of collapse and laid a foundation for growth. It's the second take for a strategy that the White House rolled out in June, only to have its optimistic message drowned out by crises in Iraq, Syria, Ukraine and western Africa. ...

Turkish MPs back military action as jihadists advance Posted: 02 Oct 2014 01:05 PM PDT Mursitpinar (Turkey) (AFP) - Turkey's parliament Thursday authorised military action against the Islamic State jihadist group, whose fighters have battled their way to the doorstep of a key town across the border in Syria.

U.S. House members press Kerry on nuclear talks with Iran Posted: 02 Oct 2014 01:05 PM PDT By Patricia Zengerle WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Hundreds of U.S. lawmakers pressed Secretary of State John Kerry to lean harder on Iran in talks over its nuclear program in a letter released on Thursday after Israel warned Washington not to go easy on Tehran. Three hundred and fifty-four members - four-fifths - of the U.S. House of Representatives signed the letter sent to Kerry on Wednesday night, expressing concerns that an agreement on Iran's nuclear program might not require sufficiently strict inspections of its nuclear facilities. The U.N. nuclear watchdog said on Sept. ...

Islamic State militants attack small Iraq town Posted: 02 Oct 2014 12:40 PM PDT BAGHDAD (AP) — Islamic State group militants launched an assault Thursday on a small town in western Iraq, a military spokesman said, as the United Nations warned that 10 months of violence in the country has taken a heavy toll on civilians.

Lawyer: Bahrain rights activist detained for tweet Posted: 02 Oct 2014 12:36 PM PDT MANAMA, Bahrain (AP) — The head of the Bahrain Center for Human Rights has been detained and referred to prosecutors over tweets that offended the country's Interior Ministry, his lawyer said Thursday.

Algeria hunts 15 fugitives in Frenchman's beheading Posted: 02 Oct 2014 12:21 PM PDT Algiers (AFP) - Algeria is hunting 15 suspects in the kidnapping and beheading of French tourist Herve Gourdel on terrorism, kidnapping and murder charges, a judicial source said on Thursday.

Obama’s Approval Rating Climbs the More We Bomb ISIS Posted: 02 Oct 2014 12:15 PM PDT After many months in a popularity trough, President Obama appears to be getting a little bump in the polls as a result of Americans strong support for U.S. Some political analysts predicted that Obama would see his numbers rise a little after he announced Sept. 10 that the United States would step up its military air war against Islamic State fighters "wherever they exist." While many have reservations or questions about the details of Obama's joint operations with European and Middle Eastern allies, the American air campaign is highly popular with many Americans and lawmakers. Overall public support for going after ISIS is up from the 60 percent level registered in a Gallup survey last month, a fairly solid majority although still slightly below their average of 68 percent for 10 other Obama military actions that Gallup has asked about in the past. More importantly for Obama and the Democrats, however, the president's approval rating is beginning to pick up after spending months in the 40-percent range.

Iran warns Turkey against aggravating regional tensions Posted: 02 Oct 2014 12:05 PM PDT Tehran (AFP) - Iran warned neighbouring Turkey Thursday against doing anything that might aggravate tensions in the region, after the parliament in Ankara voted to authorise military intervention in Syria and Iraq.

Chaotic scene outside White House a challenge for Secret Service Posted: 02 Oct 2014 11:44 AM PDT By Steve Holland WASHINGTON (Reuters) - If James McGinley had his way, he would take his message around the world, but he does not have the money and instead is sitting cross-legged in Lafayette Park across Pennsylvania Avenue from the White House with the words "Wage Love" tattooed across his face. McGinley, a well-spoken man, is trying to talk over the piercing din of a man shouting into a bullhorn, as tourists on Segways whiz by and Secret Service guards push people off of Pennsylvania Avenue for some unknown security reason. ...

New York MTA fights to prevent provocative anti-Islam ads Posted: 02 Oct 2014 11:22 AM PDT A series of provocative anti-Islam advertisements has embroiled New York City's transportation authority in a free speech legal battle this week after a pro-Israel political group filed a federal lawsuit to force the city to include a rejected phrase in one of its controversial ads.

Facing fears over extremism, Austria unveils new law on Islam Posted: 02 Oct 2014 11:21 AM PDT By Shadia Nasralla VIENNA (Reuters) - Austria called on Thursday for standardized German-language translations of the Koran and moved to prohibit foreign funding of Muslim organizations on its soil in a draft law aimed in part at tackling Islamic extremism. The bill will overhaul a 1912 law governing the status of Austrian Muslims, prompting concern from a major local Islamic body, which saw it mirroring widespread mistrust of Muslims. ...

Turkish parliament authorises military action in Syria, Iraq Posted: 02 Oct 2014 11:18 AM PDT Ankara (AFP) - Turkey's parliament on Thursday gave the government the green light to deploy Turkish armed forces to combat Islamist jihadists in Syria and Iraq.

Canada opposition unhappy with plans to fight Islamic State Posted: 02 Oct 2014 10:58 AM PDT By David Ljunggren OTTAWA (Reuters) - Canada's main opposition parties signaled on Thursday that they might oppose government plans to send fighter jets to the Middle East, putting more pressure on Prime Minister Stephen Harper as he struggles in the polls ahead of an election next year. Harper is expected to announce on Friday that Ottawa wants to send at least six CF-18 fighter jets to participate in a U.S.-led campaign against Islamic State militants who have taken over large parts of Iraq and Syria. ...

French troops edge closer to Libya border to cut off Islamists Posted: 02 Oct 2014 10:46 AM PDT By John Irish PARIS (Reuters) - France is setting up a base in northern Niger as part of an operation aimed at stopping al Qaeda-linked militants from crisscrossing the Sahel-Sahara region between southern Libya and Mauritania, officials said. Paris, which has led efforts to push back Islamists in the region since intervening in its former colony Mali last year, redeployed troops across West Africa earlier this year to form a counter-terrorism force. ...

U.S. envoy Allen arrives in Iraq, to visit Jordan, Egypt, Turkey Posted: 02 Oct 2014 10:44 AM PDT WASHINGTON (Reuters) - U.S. President Barack Obama's envoy charged with building the coalition against the Islamic State militant group arrived in Iraq on Thursday and will also visit Belgium, Jordan, Egypt and Turkey, the State Department said. The group has overrun wide swaths of territory in Iraq and in Syria in an onslaught that has threatened the integrity of the Iraqi state and created even more instability inside Syria, which is embroiled in a three-year civil-old war. ...

Turkish parliament gives nod for possible military action in Syria, Iraq Posted: 02 Oct 2014 10:24 AM PDT ANKARA (Reuters) - The Turkish parliament approved a motion on Thursday enabling the government to authorize cross-border military incursions into Iraq and Syria to battle Islamic State militants, although there was little sign that such action was imminent. The motion, approved by a three-quarters majority, also allows foreign soldiers to be stationed in Turkey and to use its military bases for the same purposes. Ankara has come under pressure to play a more robust role in the U.S. ...

S.Korea floor North for tear-jerking gold Posted: 02 Oct 2014 10:19 AM PDT Incheon (South Korea) (AFP) - Hosts South Korea overcame North Korea 1-0 with virtually the last kick of extra time to win a cliff-hanging Asian Games men's football final on Thursday.

Germany wants to close borders for jihadists Posted: 02 Oct 2014 09:49 AM PDT BERLIN (AP) — Germany's top security official said Thursday that Europe's system of passport-free travel needs to be changed to prevent Islamic extremists crossing borders undetected.

Watch This RAF Tornado Fighter Obliterate An Armed ISIS Pickup Truck In Iraq Posted: 02 Oct 2014 09:48 AM PDT A pair of British RAF Tornado fighters intercepted and destroyed an armed ISIS pickup truck in Iraq this week with a "Brimstone" — a "fire-and-forget," guided, anti-armor missile that has become the RAF's weapon of choice in the Middle East, according to The Aviationist.

Boko Haram leader dismisses claims of his death in new video Posted: 02 Oct 2014 08:35 AM PDT Kano (Nigeria) (AFP) - Boko Haram leader Abubakar Shekau dismissed Nigerian military claims of his death in a new video obtained by AFP on Thursday and said the militants had implemented strict Islamic law in captured towns.

Boston Herald apologizes for Obama 'watermelon' cartoon Posted: 02 Oct 2014 08:29 AM PDT BOSTON (Reuters) - The Boston Herald has apologized for an editorial cartoon about the recent White House security breaches featuring U.S. President Barack Obama that made a watermelon reference. The cartoon, which appeared on Wednesday, depicted Obama brushing his teeth while an unidentified man, presumably an intruder, sits in a bathtub behind him asking, "Have you tried the new watermelon-flavored toothpaste?" A historic U.S. racist stereotype held that black people are particularly fond of watermelons. Obama is the United States' first black president. ...

South Korea downs North Korea for football gold Posted: 02 Oct 2014 08:09 AM PDT INCHEON, South Korea (AP) — South Korea got a late goal from Rim Chang-woo to beat North Korea 1-0 in extra time on Thursday in the men's football final at the Asian Games.

Nigeria's Boko Haram "leader" appears in new video - AFP Posted: 02 Oct 2014 08:02 AM PDT ABUJA (Reuters) - A man claiming to be Boko Haram leader Abubakar Shekau has appeared in a new video, contradicting Nigerian military reports that he was killed, French news agency AFP reported on Thursday. Screen grabs of the video, seen by Reuters, show a figure in boots and combat fatigues who looks similar to the man claiming to be Shekau in previous videos. "Here I am, alive. I will only die the day Allah takes my breath," he says in the northern Hausa language, reported the news agency, which normally receives Boko Haram tapes first, before they are distributed online. ...

40 jihadists, 17 police and army killed in Iraq clashes Posted: 02 Oct 2014 08:00 AM PDT Ramadi (Iraq) (AFP) - The Islamic State group launched attacks on Iraqi bases in two western towns that left at least 17 members of the security forces and 40 jihadists dead, security and medical sources said Thursday.

Saudi Arabia: 2 million in Mecca for start of hajj Posted: 02 Oct 2014 07:58 AM PDT MECCA, Saudi Arabia (AP) — Saudi Arabia sought to assure the public that the kingdom was safe and free of health scares as an estimated 2 million Muslims streamed into a sprawling tent city near Mecca on Thursday for the start of the annual Islamic hajj pilgrimage.

Pope convenes Mideast envoys amid Islamic threat Posted: 02 Oct 2014 07:51 AM PDT VATICAN CITY (AP) — Pope Francis convened his ambassadors from across the Middle East on Thursday for three days of meetings to find ways to better protect Christians targeted by Islamic militants and care for those who have been forced to flee their homes.

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