Yahoo! News: Iraq

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• U.S., allies conduct air strikes in Syria, Iraq against Islamic State: U.S. military
• South Carolina capitol's Confederate flag joins revered museum collection
• Britons, Danes urged to leave Tunisia over attack fears
• Almost 5,500 Tunisians in jihadist ranks: UN experts
• Kidnapped Franciscan priest released in Syria
• Jihadists attack Iraqi forces in Anbar
• Over 150,000 migrated to Europe by sea in 2015 so far, report says
• US, Turkey discuss fight against ISIS
• Saudi joins Israel as target of Jerusalem Day protests
• Film Friday (7/10): This Week's New Movie Trailers
• Islamic State fighters attack troops in Iraq's Anbar province
• British warning of new Tunisian attack prompts tourist exodus
• Iraqi troops, militias repel IS attack on town in Anbar
• At apex of military, spotlight feels bright, power seems dim
• 10 Things to Know for Today
• Turkey detains 21 on suspicion of belonging to Islamic State
• Islamist threat to Russia looms large at Central Asia security summit
• Why is the US Army cutting troops?
• Iraq's Shi'ite militias target Falluja in Anbar campaign
• U.N. urges EU to step in and help Greece with migrant crisis
• Iraq's top Shi'ite cleric urges neighbors to curb militants
• Army’s Plans to Cut 60,000 Could Be a Major Blow to the Economy
• How Views Like Trump's Became Socially Taboo
• Thailand, under fire, says rejected China request to deport all Uighur Muslims
• Heading up the Joint Chiefs of Staff: 5 notable chairmen
• IS offers a mix of brutality, charity during Ramadan
• Meet the 'Sherlock Holmes' of the art world
• US Army confirms 40,000 soldiers to be cut
• Pope Francis: 'genocide' against Christians in Middle East
• Saud al-Faisal, Saudi foreign minister for 40 years, dies

U.S., allies conduct air strikes in Syria, Iraq against Islamic State: U.S. military Posted: 10 Jul 2015 03:34 PM PDT WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The United States and its allies targeted Islamic State on Thursday with 16 air strikes in Iraq and 15 strikes against the militant group in Syria, the U.S. military said in a statement on Friday. The Iraq strikes hit targets near Bayji, Fallujah, Habbaniyah, Haditha, Makhmur, Mosul, Sinjar and Tal Afar. In Syria, the coalition targeted Islamic State positions near Al Hasakah, Aleppo, Raqqah, Ayn Isa, Kobani and Tal Abyad. (Reporting by Eric Beech; Editing by Sandra Maler)

South Carolina capitol's Confederate flag joins revered museum collection Posted: 10 Jul 2015 03:02 PM PDT By Harriet McLeod COLUMBIA, S.C. (Reuters) - The Confederate battle flag removed from South Carolina's capitol on Friday has joined about 40 other historic banners housed at a museum honoring the state's military legacy, some of them surrendered by rebel forces at the end of the American Civil War. In 1905, four decades after the United States' deadliest conflict ended, President Theodore Roosevelt returned the banners to South Carolina. "I'm not aware of any in our collection that's actually stained with blood, but they could be." While the flag removed from the State House in Friday's ceremony is not a 150-year-old artifact, Long described its move to the museum as "a gesture of chivalry" that has brought a measure of reconciliation to a state wrenched by last month's slayings of nine African-Americans at a Charleston church by a white gunman.     The flag, a modern replica of the battle colors of the Army of Northern Virginia, commanded by Confederate General Robert E. Lee, waved atop South Carolina's capitol from 1961 to 2000.

Britons, Danes urged to leave Tunisia over attack fears Posted: 10 Jul 2015 02:56 PM PDT Denmark followed Britain's example on Friday in urging its nationals to cut short their holidays in Tunisia after London warned the country was still unsafe after last month's beach massacre. Tunisia's prime minister said he would telephone British counterpart David Cameron to discuss London's advice which he said would have consequences on the North African nation, heavily dependent on tourism. Guidance issued Thursday by the Foreign Office in London forced tour operators from Britain, whose nationals bore the brunt of the beach massacre, to halt all holidays to Tunisia in a massive blow to a key sector of its economy.

Almost 5,500 Tunisians in jihadist ranks: UN experts Posted: 10 Jul 2015 01:16 PM PDT UN experts said Friday that almost 5,500 Tunisians are fighting alongside jihadists abroad, urging Tunis to adopt a "national strategic plan" to curb the flow. "The number of Tunisian foreign fighters is one of the highest among those travelling to join conflicts abroad such as in Syria and Iraq," said Elzbieta Karska, current head of a UN working group on the use of mercenaries. "Sophisticated travel networks operate to take recruits across the porous borders, and sometimes through areas where trafficking in people and illicit goods may not be effectively controlled," Karska said after an eight-day mission to Tunisia.

Kidnapped Franciscan priest released in Syria Posted: 10 Jul 2015 12:59 PM PDT A Franciscan priest serving in northern Syria has been released after almost a week in the hands of allegedly jihadist kidnappers, his church announced on Friday. The Franciscan Custody of the Holy Land, with which he is affiliated, said on its website that Father Dhiya Aziz, a parish priest at Yacoubieh, in the northwestern province of Idlib, was apparently "treated well" during his ordeal. "Conflicting news had nevertheless led people to believe that he had been taken by jihadists affiliated to Al-Nusra Jabhat (Front)," Al-Qaeda's affiliate in Syria, the church said.

Jihadists attack Iraqi forces in Anbar Posted: 10 Jul 2015 12:54 PM PDT Islamic State group fighters attacked Iraqi police and soldiers in an area considered a major staging ground for operations to reconquer Anbar province, security sources said. IS fighters used suicide car bombs to attack government and allied forces in Khaldiyah, a town in the Euphrates valley that lies between Fallujah and Ramadi, Anbar's two main cities.

Over 150,000 migrated to Europe by sea in 2015 so far, report says Posted: 10 Jul 2015 12:16 PM PDT Governments continue to grapple with what the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) has described as the worst migration crisis since World War II. Approximately 150,000 migrants have reached Europe by sea so far this year, according to a recent report by the International Organization for Migration (IOM). Nearly 2,000 migrants have lost their lives in the Mediterranean Sea this year, over twice the number during the same period in 2014. Fatality numbers began to decrease in May, possibly due to the boosted presence of European Union Fortex ships across the Mediterranean in April, the IOM says.

US, Turkey discuss fight against ISIS Posted: 10 Jul 2015 11:59 AM PDT In the past few days, Turkey has been stepping up its efforts to combat the Islamic State (IS) group. Turkish police carried out raids in Istanbul and three other cities early Friday, detaining 21 people suspected of being members of Islamic State, the state-run Anadolu news agency reported. Anadolu adds that three of the suspects were foreign nationals who were planning to cross into Syria and join the jihadists.

Saudi joins Israel as target of Jerusalem Day protests Posted: 10 Jul 2015 11:27 AM PDT President Hassan Rouhani attended but did not speak at the main rally in Tehran, which coincided with still seemingly deadlocked nuclear talks between Iran and world powers led by the United States. In Iraq, thousands of people marched including hundreds of fighters in military uniform on Palestine Street in Baghdad to mark the annual day of solidarity inaugurated by the late Iranian revolutionary leader Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini.

Film Friday (7/10): This Week's New Movie Trailers Posted: 10 Jul 2015 10:34 AM PDT Get an update on the latest film news and watch all of this week's new film trailers, including new looks at Goosebumps, Southpaw, The Finest Hours, Brooklyn, and more. Read and Post Comments | Get the full article at Metacritic

Islamic State fighters attack troops in Iraq's Anbar province Posted: 10 Jul 2015 08:51 AM PDT Islamic State militants attacked Iraqi security forces on Friday near the two main cities of the western province of Anbar, where authorities plan a counter-offensive against the hardline Sunni insurgents, tribal sources said. Shi'ite militia forces, who are leading the counter-attack against Islamic State in Anbar, and Iraqi security forces have been trying to encircle Falluja as the first stage of a military campaign to recapture the two cities.

British warning of new Tunisian attack prompts tourist exodus Posted: 10 Jul 2015 08:41 AM PDT By Sarah Young and Tarek Amara LONDON/TUNIS (Reuters) - Thousands of tourists rushed to leave Tunisia on Friday after Britain warned another attack was "highly likely", two weeks after a gunman killed 38 foreign holidaymakers at a beachside hotel. Tunisia's ambassador suggested the warning played into the hands of militants, saying they would feed on the hopelessness that would grip the country if its tourism industry collapsed. Thirty Britons were killed when Saif Rezgui used a Kalashnikov to gun down tourists at a beach hotel in Sousse on Tunisia's Mediterranean coast, the biggest loss of British lives in such an incident since the July 2005 bombings in London.

Iraqi troops, militias repel IS attack on town in Anbar Posted: 10 Jul 2015 08:33 AM PDT BAGHDAD (AP) — Government forces and Shiite militiamen repelled an Islamic State group attack Friday that left 10 soldiers dead in western Iraq's Anbar province, officials said.

At apex of military, spotlight feels bright, power seems dim Posted: 10 Jul 2015 08:23 AM PDT WASHINGTON (AP) — The man often called America's top military officer, the most powerful person in uniform, actually commands nothing. No tanks, no planes, no ships, no troops.

10 Things to Know for Today Posted: 10 Jul 2015 07:30 AM PDT Your daily look at late-breaking news, upcoming events and the stories that will be talked about today:

Turkey detains 21 on suspicion of belonging to Islamic State Posted: 10 Jul 2015 06:49 AM PDT Turkish police launched raids across the country on Friday, detaining 21 people, most suspected of belonging to Islamic State, the state-run Anadolu news agency reported. Three of the detainees were foreigners, and authorities believe they were planning to enter Syria to fight for the hardline militant group, which is battling both President Bashar al-Assad's forces and opposition groups backed by Turkey's Western allies. Under pressure from NATO members, Turkey has stepped up efforts to prevent foreign fighters crossing into neighboring Syria to join Islamic State, which has declared an Islamic caliphate in territory it controls in Iraq and Syria.

Islamist threat to Russia looms large at Central Asia security summit Posted: 10 Jul 2015 06:48 AM PDT For all Washington's intense focus on the self-declared Islamic State and other Islamist militants, the threat such groups pose is largely a distant one. The threat of Islamist takeover in one or more of the three weak, authoritarian post-Soviet states — Uzbekistan, Tajikistan and Turkmenistan — that border Afghanistan is a long-standing fear in Moscow. Recommended: Sochi, Soviets, and tsars: How much do you know about Russia?

Why is the US Army cutting troops? Posted: 10 Jul 2015 06:48 AM PDT This is the second round of cuts, which began in 2013, to bring the Army from 570,000 at its peak in the Afghan and Iraq wars, to its current state of 490,000 soldiers. "These are incredibly difficult choices," said Brig. Gen. Randy George, director of force management for the Army.

Iraq's Shi'ite militias target Falluja in Anbar campaign Posted: 10 Jul 2015 06:17 AM PDT By Ahmed Rasheed and Phil Stewart ERBIL, Iraq/WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Iraqi Shi'ite militia fighters are tightening a noose around the Islamic State-held city of Falluja west of Baghdad as the first stage of a counter-offensive in the Sunni province of Anbar, likely to determine the course of the conflict in coming months. Islamic State seized Anbar's capital Ramadi two months ago, extending its control over the Euphrates river valley west of Baghdad and dealing a major setback to Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi and the U.S.-backed army he entrusted with its defense. While the government initially vowed to swiftly recapture Ramadi, it now appears to have turned instead to Falluja, a city located further downriver and closer to Baghdad, meaning supply lines for a counter-offensive would be less vulnerable.

U.N. urges EU to step in and help Greece with migrant crisis Posted: 10 Jul 2015 04:49 AM PDT By Stephanie Nebehay GENEVA (Reuters) - The United Nations refugee agency said on Friday that Greece urgently needed help to cope with 1,000 migrants arriving each day and called on the European Union (EU) to step in before the humanitarian situation deteriorates further. "The volatile economic situation, combined with the increasing numbers of new arrivals, is putting severe strain on small island communities," William Spindler of the U.N. High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) told a briefing. "We would expect the EU to activate its emergency response because Greece is part of the European Union.

Iraq's top Shi'ite cleric urges neighbors to curb militants Posted: 10 Jul 2015 04:00 AM PDT Iraq's top Shi'ite cleric Grand Ayatollah Ali al-Sistani said on Friday regional states were not doing enough to stop the flow of militants into Iraq, and warned that the fighters would return one day to threaten their home countries. Islamic State has attracted Sunni Muslim fighters from across the world to its self-declared caliphate in parts of Syria and Iraq. Sistani's representative Sheikh Abdulmehdi al-Karbalai said the prominent role of foreign fighters was a sign of international negligence.

Army’s Plans to Cut 60,000 Could Be a Major Blow to the Economy Posted: 10 Jul 2015 03:15 AM PDT The U.S. Army's plan to cut nearly 60,000 military and civilian employees in the next few years has sent shockwaves through Congress and sparked fears about the adverse effect it could have on a still-struggling economy and scores of military communities across the county. The proposals revealed by the military over the past couple of days – calling for the elimination of 40,000 military personnel and 17,000 civilian workers – is also raising concerns about the impact it might have on military readiness and morale as the threats from ISIS, Russia and North Korea continue to build.

How Views Like Trump's Became Socially Taboo Posted: 10 Jul 2015 03:07 AM PDT What do NBC and ESPN's decision to cut ties with Donald Trump in retaliation for his comments about Mexican immigrants, the South Carolina House's vote to take down the Confederate flag, and a Harrisburg newspaper's decision to "very strictly limit" letters and op-eds opposing same-sex marriage have in common? Until the 1960s, supporting legal segregation of the races was a respectable position among both conservative Democrats and Republicans, and was championed by such intellectual eminences as William F. Buckley. Until the 1980s, prominent conservatives defended apartheid South Africa as a staunch U.S. ally besieged by Nelson Mandela's African National Congress, which the Reagan administration classified as a terrorist group.

Thailand, under fire, says rejected China request to deport all Uighur Muslims Posted: 10 Jul 2015 01:31 AM PDT By Amy Sawitta Lefevre and Pracha Hariraksapitak BANGKOK (Reuters) - Thailand sought on Friday to defuse international criticism of its decision to deport nearly 100 Uighur Muslims back to China, saying it had rejected a request from Beijing to return all the Uighur migrants held in its detention camps. The deportations have drawn condemnation from the United States and human rights groups and sparked sometimes violent protests in Turkey, home to a large Uighur diaspora. China accused "some foreign governments and forces" of trying to exploit the Uighur issue for their own ends and said it was "cooperating normally" with Thailand to curb illegal immigration.

Heading up the Joint Chiefs of Staff: 5 notable chairmen Posted: 10 Jul 2015 12:43 AM PDT A "joint board" bringing together top leaders of the U.S. military was established in 1903 during President Theodore Roosevelt's administration. It gained members after World War I but remained largely advisory. The joint board was eclipsed during World War II by a "unified high command" that became known as the Joint Chiefs of Staff. The National Security Act of 1947 formally established its official role in military matters.

IS offers a mix of brutality, charity during Ramadan Posted: 09 Jul 2015 11:11 PM PDT BEIRUT (AP) — During the Muslim holy month of Ramadan, the Islamic State group is showing two faces to the millions who live under its rule in Iraq and Syria — handing out food and alms to the poor to tout their adherence to the month's spirit of compassion while meting out sharp punishment to anyone caught breaking the daily fast.

Meet the 'Sherlock Holmes' of the art world Posted: 09 Jul 2015 10:13 PM PDT One man has become a behind-the-scenes force in the international art world after securing the return of art looted by the Nazis to the descendents of its original Jewish owners. The return of "Seated Woman" by Henri Matisse to the Rosenberg family was his work. Two years after founding Art Recovery Group, a private company specialising in finding and recovering stolen, missing or looted art, he has been dubbed "Sherlock Holmes" in the specialist press.

US Army confirms 40,000 soldiers to be cut Posted: 09 Jul 2015 08:09 PM PDT The US Army said it aims to cut 40,000 soldiers from its ranks over the next two years in order to achieve target workforce reductions, confirming numbers leaked this week. "We'll do as much as possible of this through attrition," said Brigadier General Randy George, the army's director of force management, during a press conference at the Pentagon. "But I may have... to look captains, majors, soldiers, in the eyes... and tell them we are reducing," he added.

Pope Francis: 'genocide' against Christians in Middle East Posted: 09 Jul 2015 07:31 PM PDT Pope Francis called for an end to what he said was the "genocide" of Christians taking place in the Middle East and beyond. The pope, who has never been afraid to weigh into delicate issues both religious and political, made the comments in Bolivia, the second stop on a three-nation tour to his home continent of South America. "Today we are dismayed to see how in the Middle East and elsewhere in the world many of our brothers and sisters are persecuted, tortured and killed for their faith in Jesus," Pope Francis said.

Saud al-Faisal, Saudi foreign minister for 40 years, dies Posted: 09 Jul 2015 05:15 PM PDT Former Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Saud al-Faisal died on Thursday, Saudi Arabian sources and media close to the kingdom's ruling family reported, two months after he was replaced following four decades in the job. Prince Saud, who was 75, was the world's longest-serving foreign minister when replaced on April 29 by Adel al-Jubeir, the then-ambassador to Washington. The Al-Arabiya channel, which is close to King Salman's branch of the ruling family, confirmed the news.

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