Yahoo! News: Iraq

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• The Latest: Pope praises nuns for their 'spirit of courage'
• Pope, after blunt talk to Congress, thanks nuns in New York
• Neller takes over as Marine commandant
• Culture Under Threat: the Fight to Save the Middle East's Antiquities from Terrorism
• Yazidis urge ICC to open probe into IS atrocities
• France says it won't host more than 30,000 refugees: PM
• The world's deadliest stampedes
• At a castle in Austria, villagers and refugees celebrate Eid al-Adha
• Tackle root causes to stem flow of Syrian refugees, says Red Cross official
• 6 historic moments at the UN General Assembly
• See The Intense Things The NCIS Team Does To Keep People Safe
• Picasso painting found in New Jersey back in Paris museum
• Deadlock in battle for Iraq refinery casts doubts on Mosul campaign
• Turkey to seek support of world leaders for its militant crackdown
• Denmark to send radar to help anti-IS fight in Iraq, Syria
• Syrian army uses new Russian jets to strike Islamic State: monitor
• Housing refugees is big business for Swedish pop tycoon
• Lack of EU migrant strategy reignites Serbia-Croatia tensions
• Constitution Check: Are people who follow some religious faiths barred from the presidency?
• NATO head urges 'constructive' Russian role in Syria
• Yemen mosque bombing kills 25 during holiday prayers
• AP Interview: Patty Griffin uses grief on 'Servant of Love'
• N. Korea blames 'evil' US for Europe's migrant crisis
• U.S., allies conduct 20 air strikes against Islamic State: U.S. military
• Syria drone strike prompts legal challenge against UK govt
• France and Britain alarmed by Russian buildup in Syria
• Persecuted by Islamic State, Yazidis turn to ICC for justice
• EU Pledges a Billion Euros to Help Syrian Refugees
• Syria, Ebola Failures Highlight UN shortcomings
• Today in History
• Ellen Page War Drama Finds Director (Exclusive)
• Editorial Roundup: Excerpts from recent editorials

The Latest: Pope praises nuns for their 'spirit of courage' Posted: 24 Sep 2015 04:55 PM PDT NEW YORK (AP) — Latest developments in Pope Francis' visit to the United States. All times local:

Pope, after blunt talk to Congress, thanks nuns in New York Posted: 24 Sep 2015 04:39 PM PDT NEW YORK (AP) — Pope Francis plunged into the melting pot of New York after reminding the country of its immigrant origins in the first papal speech before Congress on Thursday. Over an intense 40 hours that started with an evening prayer service at St. Patrick's Cathedral, where he gave a deeply meaningful thank you to America's nuns, he will address world leaders at the United Nations, participate in an interfaith service at the Sept. 11 memorial museum at ground zero and celebrate Mass at Madison Square Garden.

Neller takes over as Marine commandant Posted: 24 Sep 2015 03:06 PM PDT WASHINGTON (AP) — Marine Gen. Robert Neller, a commander who served in Iraq's western province during one of the most violent periods of the war, has taken over as commandant of the Marine Corps.

Culture Under Threat: the Fight to Save the Middle East's Antiquities from Terrorism Posted: 24 Sep 2015 02:18 PM PDT The widespread looting, trafficking and destruction of antiquities from Syria and other parts of the Middle East by terrorist groups is not just a cultural crime. "This is also a security threat," said Irina Bokova, the head of UNESCO, noting that the Islamic State (ISIS) finances its militant operations in part from illegal sales of art and artifacts. Bokova joined with U.N. officials and ministers from around the world Thursday morning in urging countries to adopt measures that will curb the market for antiquities coming out of Syria.

Yazidis urge ICC to open probe into IS atrocities Posted: 24 Sep 2015 02:11 PM PDT Iraq's Yazidi minority -- the target of brutal attacks by the Islamic State group -- on Thursday urged the International Criminal Court to investigate the militants for allegations of genocide and sexual slavery. Two Yazidi groups handed the court a new report and documents which show "that ISIS has systematically committed atrocities amounting to genocide and that these crimes fall within the jurisdiction of the ICC," said Murad Ismael of the Yazidi rights organisation Yazda. Earlier this year, ICC chief prosecutor Fatou Bensouda said the IS group, which is sometimes referred to as ISIS or ISIL, had committed crimes of "unspeakable cruelty" including mass executions, rape and torture.

France says it won't host more than 30,000 refugees: PM Posted: 24 Sep 2015 01:51 PM PDT France will not welcome more refugees than the 30,000 it has pledged to host within the next two years as part of a broader European Union plan, French Prime Minister Manuel Valls said on Thursday. "It won't be more," Valls said on France 2 television. On Monday, the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development warned Europe could expect a record one million people to request asylum this year as refugees flee war Syria and Iraq.

The world's deadliest stampedes Posted: 24 Sep 2015 01:07 PM PDT With a death toll of more than 700, Thursday's stampede at the hajj pilgrimage outside of Mecca was one of the world's deadliest for more than a century. The worst also occurred during the hajj, in 1990, and was followed by another incident involving Muslim pilgrims, in Baghdad, in 2005. On July 2, 1990, 1,426 mostly Asian Muslim pilgrims perished, trampled underfoot and asphyxiated in a tunnel at Mina, after a ventilation system failure.

At a castle in Austria, villagers and refugees celebrate Eid al-Adha Posted: 24 Sep 2015 01:02 PM PDT By Shadia and Nasralla BRUCKNEUDORF, Austria (Reuters) - An ancient castle in an Austrian village somewhere between Vienna and Hungary is not where you would expect to see an Islamic celebration. Tens of thousands of migrants have made their way from Syria, Iraq, Afghanistan and further afield in recent weeks, traveling up through the Balkan states and into Austria. Others have decided they want to stay in Austria for good, and some of them are in Bruckneudorf.

Tackle root causes to stem flow of Syrian refugees, says Red Cross official Posted: 24 Sep 2015 12:39 PM PDT By Joseph D'Urso LONDON (Thomson Reuters Foundation) - Governments could help stem the flow of Syrians fleeing to Europe by providing more services to those sheltering in Lebanon and Jordan or uprooted in Syria, a senior official from the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) said. ICRC's Middle East director Robert Mardini said most Syrians would prefer to stay close to their family than pay smugglers to take them to Europe, but living conditions at home had spurred many to take the risk. Syria's conflict has killed an estimated 250,000 people and driven more than 11 million from their homes, including four million Syrians who are refugees mostly in neighboring countries.

6 historic moments at the UN General Assembly Posted: 24 Sep 2015 12:05 PM PDT UNITED NATIONS (AP) — Khrushchev pounds the table with his shoe. Castro speaks for hours. Gadhafi tears up the U.N. charter. As the United Nations marks its 70th anniversary and world leaders gather in New York on Monday for the U.N. General Assembly's annual ministerial meeting, here's a look back at six memorable moments from past sessions:

See The Intense Things The NCIS Team Does To Keep People Safe Posted: 24 Sep 2015 12:00 PM PDT 1) DiNozzo and Teague took their counter-terrorism mission overseas. The NCIS team was determined to stop Daniel Budd, the leader of the terrorist group The Calling, after one of his recruits shot Gibbs at a marketplace in Iraq. Unwilling to let Budd escape, DiNozzo teamed up with CIA Officer Joanna Teague in order to put an end to the terrorist's tyrannical reign.

Picasso painting found in New Jersey back in Paris museum Posted: 24 Sep 2015 09:49 AM PDT PARIS (AP) — A $15 million Pablo Picasso painting is back on display in a Paris museum after a long and unusual journey.

Deadlock in battle for Iraq refinery casts doubts on Mosul campaign Posted: 24 Sep 2015 09:37 AM PDT By Stephen Kalin and Phil Stewart BAGHDAD/WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The Iraqi army's failure to recapture the country's largest oil refinery from Islamic State after 15 months of fighting is calling into question the government's plans to retake the northern city of Mosul from the jihadists. Iraq's military has been trying to build momentum at the Baiji refinery and in Anbar province in the west before attempting to seize Mosul, the biggest prize in the war against the ultra-hardine Sunni group. Officials say the army should secure gains in those areas before setting its sights on Mosul, the largest city in the north.

Turkey to seek support of world leaders for its militant crackdown Posted: 24 Sep 2015 09:31 AM PDT By Orhan Coskun and Humeyra Pamuk ANKARA, (Reuters) - Turkey's prime minister will tell world leaders next week Ankara can play a key role in stopping a spread of terrorism, including Islamic State, but expected understanding for its own battle against Kurdish militants. Washington, while considering the Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK) a terrorist group, sees the affiliated YPG Kurdish militia in Syria as its chief ally in fighting Islamic State there.

Denmark to send radar to help anti-IS fight in Iraq, Syria Posted: 24 Sep 2015 08:21 AM PDT COPENHAGEN, Denmark (AP) — Denmark says it will provide mobile radar for the international coalition fighting the Islamic State group in Iraq and Syria.

Syrian army uses new Russian jets to strike Islamic State: monitor Posted: 24 Sep 2015 08:19 AM PDT Syrian government forces used newly arrived Russian warplanes to bombard Islamic State insurgents in Aleppo province in northern Syria, a group monitoring the civil war said on Thursday, in an attempt to break a siege on a nearby air base. Russia is bolstering its ally Damascus against rebels with military aid that U.S. officials say has included fighter jets, helicopter gunships, artillery and ground forces. The air strikes, which began earlier this week, were accompanied by ground attacks near the Kweiris air base in the east of Aleppo province, where government troops have long been surrounded by Islamist militants, the Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said.

Housing refugees is big business for Swedish pop tycoon Posted: 24 Sep 2015 08:17 AM PDT By Sven Nordenstam STOCKHOLM (Reuters) - A Swedish pop music tycoon turned TV celebrity who once founded an anti-immigration political party might well be the most unlikely beneficiary of Europe's migration crisis. Sweden's answer to Simon Cowell, Karlsson founded a record label and later appeared as a ubiquitous judge on reality TV talent shows.

Lack of EU migrant strategy reignites Serbia-Croatia tensions Posted: 24 Sep 2015 08:17 AM PDT By Zoran Radosavljevic and Matt Robinson ZAGREB/BELGRADE (Reuters) - Former Yugoslav foes Serbia and Croatia traded embargoes and insults on Thursday in the latest fallout from Europe's failure to agree a comprehensive response to the tide of migrants streaming north through the Balkans. After weeks of recrimination and buck-passing, a summit on Wednesday did produce a glimmer of political unity between EU states on measures to help the refugees closer to home, or at least register their asylum requests as soon as they enter the European Union. German Chancellor Angela Merkel, the European leader who has done most to welcome refugees, told her parliament that the EU was "still a long way from where we must get to".

Constitution Check: Are people who follow some religious faiths barred from the presidency? Posted: 24 Sep 2015 07:31 AM PDT Lyle Denniston, the National Constitution Center's constitutional literacy adviser, looks at how part of the debate about a religious test for presidential candidates has been well-settled constitutionally, from the Founding to the present.

NATO head urges 'constructive' Russian role in Syria Posted: 24 Sep 2015 06:42 AM PDT NATO chief Jens Stoltenberg told AFP Thursday he was concerned by Russia's "substantial" military build-up in Syria and urged Moscow to play a constructive role in the fight against Islamic State jihadis. Russia had its responsibilities in Ukraine too, Stoltenberg said, warning Moscow could expect no let up in Western sanctions unless it helps ensure full implementation of the Minsk ceasefire accords it agreed to in February.

Yemen mosque bombing kills 25 during holiday prayers Posted: 24 Sep 2015 06:11 AM PDT A suicide bombing claimed by the Islamic State group targeting Shiite rebels at a mosque in Yemen's capital Thursday killed at least 25 people and wounded dozens more during holiday prayers. Sanaa, seized by the Iran-backed Huthi insurgents a year ago, has been shaken by a string of bombings in recent months by IS, a radical Sunni organisation which considers Shiites to be heretics. Witnesses said that after a first blast inside the mosque, a suicide bomber detonated an explosives belt at the entrance as worshippers rushed out.

AP Interview: Patty Griffin uses grief on 'Servant of Love' Posted: 24 Sep 2015 05:26 AM PDT AUSTIN, Texas (AP) — Songwriter Patty Griffin isn't discussing her breakup with Robert Plant, and anyone mining for clues in her new album, "Servant of Love," should beware: Even Griffin is still deciphering the lyrics.

N. Korea blames 'evil' US for Europe's migrant crisis Posted: 24 Sep 2015 04:38 AM PDT North Korea on Thursday offered its verdict on the migrant emergency facing Europe, blaming the "evil empire" United States for triggering the continent's worst refugee crisis since World War II. In a lengthy screed denouncing "intolerable" criticism of Pyongyang's human rights record, a North Korean foreign ministry spokesman argued that Washington should be the real focus of censure. "The US is an evil empire... committing all sorts of human rights abuses," the spokeswoman said in a statement carried by the North's official KCNA news agency. As an example, the spokesman cited the plight of the hundreds of thousands of migrants from war zones like Syria and Afghanistan who are seeking shelter in European countries.

U.S., allies conduct 20 air strikes against Islamic State: U.S. military Posted: 24 Sep 2015 04:28 AM PDT WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The United States and its allies have conducted 20 air strikes against Islamic State in Iraq and Syria since Wednesday, the U.S. military said in a statement on Thursday. Four air strikes in Syria targeted tactical units, artillery and vehicles near Al Hasakah, Ar Raqqah and Mar'a. In Iraq, 16 strikes hit various artillery and machine gun positions, buildings and fighting positions near Kirkuk, Ramadi and Sinjar, among other locations, the U.S. military said. ...

Syria drone strike prompts legal challenge against UK govt Posted: 24 Sep 2015 03:48 AM PDT Britain's government is facing a legal challenge Thursday over its use of a drone to kill two British Islamic State (IS) group jihadists in Syria, even though it is not part of military action there. Prime Minister David Cameron announced this month that a British drone had killed two British jihadists and another unidentified militant in the group's stronghold of Raqqa in August. Now two leading members of Britain's Green Party and legal rights charity Reprieve have said they are preparing to launch court action against the move.

France and Britain alarmed by Russian buildup in Syria Posted: 24 Sep 2015 03:43 AM PDT France and Britain expressed their concern Thursday about the Russian military buildup in Syria after Moscow said it would conduct naval drills in the eastern Mediterranean. French Defence Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian, speaking on a day of intense European diplomacy on the conflict, called on Moscow to justify the "very significant" Russian buildup.

Persecuted by Islamic State, Yazidis turn to ICC for justice Posted: 24 Sep 2015 03:42 AM PDT By Toby Sterling THE HAGUE (Reuters) - Advocates for the Yazidi people of northern Iraq, who have been targeted by Islamic State because they are not Muslims, urged the International Criminal Court on Thursday to investigate their persecution as a potential case of genocide. In a meeting with ICC Prosecutor Fatou Bensouda, two Yazidi groups submitted a report detailing atrocities they allege IS fighters in northern Iraq have perpetrated since August 2014. Islamic State has openly said it wants to eliminate the Yazidi religion, which it regards as heathen.

EU Pledges a Billion Euros to Help Syrian Refugees Posted: 24 Sep 2015 12:15 AM PDT European Union leaders have pledged another 1 billion euros ($1.1 billion) to help U.N. agencies supporting Syrian refugees in the Middle East, making the announcement at a summit held in Brussels on Wednesday evening. The leaders also pledged greater co-operation and dialogue with Turkey, assistance for the Balkan states, who have become the main route for migrants trying to reach northern Europe, and strengthened border controls, including more funding for border security forces. The European Union and its member states have pledged more than 4 billion euros ($4.5 billion) for relief and recovery assistance to Syrians in their country and to refugees and their host communities in neighboring Lebanon, Jordan, Iraq, Turkey and Egypt since the conflict began.

Syria, Ebola Failures Highlight UN shortcomings Posted: 23 Sep 2015 09:03 PM PDT UNITED NATIONS (AP) — The worsening war in Syria, allegations of child sexual abuse by U.N. peacekeepers and the mishandling of the Ebola epidemic cast a spotlight on the inadequacies of the United Nations in a globalized world, operating with a power structure that hasn't changed since 1945.

Today in History Posted: 23 Sep 2015 09:01 PM PDT Today is Thursday, September 24, the 267th day of 2015. There are 98 days left in the year.

Ellen Page War Drama Finds Director (Exclusive) Posted: 23 Sep 2015 09:00 PM PDT 'Lioness' tells the true story of Lance Corporal Leslie Martz, a U.S. Marine who led the first Female Engagement Team in Afghanistan.

Editorial Roundup: Excerpts from recent editorials Posted: 23 Sep 2015 02:50 PM PDT Excerpts from recent editorials in newspapers in the United States and abroad:

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