| Iraq declares Ramadi liberated from IS, sweeps for bombs Posted: 28 Dec 2015 04:08 PM PST  Iraq declared the city of Ramadi liberated from the Islamic State group Monday and raised the national flag over its government complex after clinching a landmark victory against the jihadists. Pockets of jihadists may remain, but the army said it no longer faced any resistance in the city and that its main task was to defuse countless bombs and traps. "Ramadi has been liberated and the armed forces of the counter-terrorism service have raised the Iraqi flag above the government complex," Brigadier General Yahya Rasool said on television.
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| Relatives of drowned Syrian boy land in Canada Posted: 28 Dec 2015 03:38 PM PST  VANCOUVER, British Columbia (AP) — Relatives of a Syrian boy whose lifeless body washed up on a Turkish beach, sparking worldwide concern for the refugee crisis, have landed in Canada
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| Iraq PM vows to defeat ISIS in 2016 after army's first major victory Posted: 28 Dec 2015 03:21 PM PST  By Stephen Kalin and Maher Chmaytelli BAGHDAD (Reuters) - A triumphant Iraqi Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi declared on Monday that the coming year would see his forces defeat Islamic State, after his military achieved its first major victory since collapsing in the face of the fighters 18 months ago. Iraqi forces flew the national flag above the main government complex in Ramadi earlier in the day, declaring they had recaptured the city, a provincial capital west of Baghdad, which fell to Islamic State in May. "2016 will be the year of the big and final victory, when Daesh's presence in Iraq will be terminated," Abadi said in a speech broadcast on state television, using an Arabic acronym for Islamic State that the hardline group rejects.
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| Iraqi troops advance in Ramadi, pockets of IS remain Posted: 28 Dec 2015 03:08 PM PST  BAGHDAD (AP) — Iraqi forces backed by U.S.-led airstrikes drove Islamic State militants out of the center of Ramadi on Monday and seized the main government complex there, according to military officials, who said insurgents are still dug into pockets of the city west of Baghdad.
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| The Latest: Obama plays golf with longtime friends in Hawaii Posted: 28 Dec 2015 02:41 PM PST  KAILUA, Hawaii (AP) — The latest on President Barack Obama's annual two-week vacation in Hawaii (all times local):
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| U.S. defense chief congratulates Iraq on progress in Ramadi fight Posted: 28 Dec 2015 01:27 PM PST U.S. Defense Secretary Ash Carter on Monday congratulated the Iraqi government on its progress in retaking the city of Ramadi, after Iraqi forces declared earlier in the day that they had recaptured the city. Islamic State, also called ISIL or ISIS, seized Ramadi, a provincial capital west of Baghdad, in May, and its apparent recapture was a major milestone for the Iraqi army, which crumbled when Islamic State fighters charged into Iraq in June 2014. "The expulsion of ISIL by Iraqi security forces ... is a significant step forward in the campaign to defeat this barbaric group," Carter said in a statement. |
| US hails recapture of Ramadi by 'brave Iraqi forces' Posted: 28 Dec 2015 01:14 PM PST  The United States on Monday welcomed the Iraqi forces' victory over the Islamic State group in the city of Ramadi. "We commend the government of Iraq and the brave Iraqi forces that are displaying tremendous perseverance and courage in this fight," Secretary of State John Kerry said. Iraq had earlier declared that it had liberated Ramadi, the capital of Anbar province west of Baghdad, and was sweeping it for bombs and booby traps left behind by IS fighters.
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| Why Ramadi Victory Is Key in the Fight Against ISIS Posted: 28 Dec 2015 11:55 AM PST  Iraqi Security Forces have regained control of a key government center in the western city of Ramadi, a victory that could be key in the larger fight against ISIS across Iraq. If Iraqi forces can take and maintain control of the entire city, ISIS would suffer a serious strategic defeat. ISIS control of Fallujah, located between Ramadi and Baghdad, would likely be threatened if the supply route from Ramadi was cut off.
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| How Retaking Ramadi Is a Big Win for Obama’s Anti-ISIS Strategy Posted: 28 Dec 2015 11:43 AM PST  Iraqi troops retaking the city of Ramadi gives the White House a much-needed, highly-visible victory in its war against ISIS and undercuts the pervasive narrative that President Obama doesn't have the right strategy to defeat the terror group. When the city, located roughly 70 miles from Baghdad, fell to ISIS in May, it was a major setback for the administration's efforts to contain and repel the jihadists as well as to Iraq's military, still struggling to get back on its feet after months of humiliating defeats in 2014. Related: Is Obama's Strategy Working?
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| Britain congratulates Iraq on Ramadi recapture Posted: 28 Dec 2015 11:39 AM PST  Britain on Monday congratulated Iraq after the city of Ramadi was recaptured from the Islamic State jihadist group. Foreign Secretary Philip Hammond congratulated the Iraqi government after the national flag was raised over the provincial capital of Anbar once it was liberated from IS (Daesh) fighters. British jets have been striking Islamic State targets in Iraq and Syria.
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| Saudi Arabia posts $98B deficit, raises petrol prices Posted: 28 Dec 2015 11:31 AM PST  RIYADH, Saudi Arabia (AP) — Saudi Arabia on Monday said this year's budget deficit amounted to $98 billion (367 billion riyals) as lower oil prices cut into the government's main source of revenue, prompting the kingdom to scale back spending for the coming year and hike up petrol prices.
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| Iraq PM vows to free country from IS jihadists in 2016 Posted: 28 Dec 2015 10:01 AM PST  Iraqi Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi vowed Monday to free the whole country from the Islamic State group in 2016, speaking after security forces retook the city of Ramadi from the jihadists. "If 2015 was a year of liberation, 2016 will be the year of great victories, terminating the presence of Daesh (IS) in Iraq and Mesopotamia," he said in a televised address.
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| Iraqi PM Abadi says 2016 will be year of final victory against Islamic state Posted: 28 Dec 2015 09:37 AM PST The coming year will see the total defeat of Islamic State in Iraq, Iraqi Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi said on Monday in a speech broadcast on state TV, praising the capture of the western city of Ramadi. "2016 will be the year of the big and final victory, when Daesh's presence in Iraq will be terminated," he said, using a derogatory Arabic acronym for Islamic State. "We are coming to liberate Mosul and it will be the fatal and final blow to Daesh," he added, referring to the largest city under Islamic State control in northern Iraq. |
| Iraqi's retaking of Ramadi is a symbolic victory against ISIS Posted: 28 Dec 2015 09:13 AM PST The Iraqi city of Ramadi is no longer in the control of Islamic State (IS) fighters, according to Iraqi authorities. The capital of western Iraq's Anbar province, Ramadi was captured by the Islamist extremist group in May. After weeks of fighting, IS militants fled after being encircled by soldiers, policemen, and Sunni tribesmen, the military has declared an "epic" victory. Although reports of further fighting and resistance suggest that it's not yet a total liberation, Iraqi forces said Monday they've captured an essential government complex. |
| Giant Palmyra arch replicas to go on show in London, New York Posted: 28 Dec 2015 08:56 AM PST  Giant replicas of an ancient arch in the Syrian city of Palmyra attacked by Islamic State (IS) jihadists will go on show in London and New York next year, organisers said Monday. The full-size recreation of the arch from the 2,000-year-old Temple of Bel will reportedly made using the world's biggest 3D printer and put on display in London's Trafalgar Square and Times Square in New York in April.
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| IRAQ VIOLENCE Posted: 28 Dec 2015 08:06 AM PST Map locates Ramadi, Iraq.; 1c x 4 inches; 46.5 mm x 101 mm; |
| IS group gains and losses in Iraq and Syria Posted: 28 Dec 2015 06:39 AM PST  Following the Iraqi forces' victory in Ramadi, here is a recap of key cities and towns in Iraq and Syria seized by the Islamic State group or recaptured from them. RAMADI: This Sunni Arab city 100 kilometres (60 miles) west of Baghdad is the capital of Anbar, the country's largest province, which stretches from the borders with Syria, Jordan and Saudi Arabia to just west of the capital. Iraqi troops retook Al-Tameem, a large area on the southwestern side of the city on December 8 with support from US-led air strikes.
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| Political feuding imperils Ukraine's future, Obama's record Posted: 28 Dec 2015 06:25 AM PST  By Alessandra Prentice and Pavel Polityuk KIEV (Reuters) - On his most recent visit to Kiev, U.S. Vice-President Joe Biden said he spends more time speaking to Ukrainian officials than to his own wife. If the leaders fail, it will be a deep embarrassment to Washington, the EU, and the IMF which sacrificed relations with Russia to support these people. "I think we may have logged close to 1,000 hours on the telephone," Biden told reporters during his visit this month, referring to his calls with Ukraine's President Petro Poroshenko, before adding the quip that it was more time than he spends talking to Mrs Biden. The Obama administration, with the EU, has invested deeply in making a success of Ukraine's Feb. 2014 revolution, when protesters forced a Russian-backed leader to flee and pro-Western opposition figures took over.
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| Chinese artist Ai Weiwei visits Lesbos refugees Posted: 28 Dec 2015 06:08 AM PST  Chinese dissident artist Ai Weiwei paid a holiday visit to refugees and migrants flocking to the Greek island of Lesbos, tweeting out photos and videos in appeals for their plight. Another shows him on a beach holding a child's life vest, an object that has come to symbolise the human cost of the migrant flight, with nearly 700 people having drowned in the Aegean Sea between Turkey and Greece this year. The outspoken critic of the Chinese regime has made ample use of his passport since he got it back in July, four years after it was confiscated.
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| Iraq state TV shows national flag raised in Ramadi center Posted: 28 Dec 2015 05:22 AM PST BAGHDAD (Reuters) - Video footage broadcast by Iraq's state television on Monday showed soldiers raising the national flag atop a low-rise building said to be the main government complex in the western city of Ramadi. A military spokesman said earlier in the day that Ramadi had been liberated from Islamic State militants, a day after the army declared the provincial capital captured in its first major victory over the Sunni Muslim Jihadist group. Reuters could not independently authenticate the video. (Reporting By Stephen Kalin; editing by John Stonestreet) |
| Bosnian court keeps eight terrorism suspects in custody Posted: 28 Dec 2015 04:49 AM PST Bosnia's state court has ordered eight out of 11 Islamist terrorism suspects to remain in custody for one month, it said on Monday, after a prosecutor said the group was believed to have been plotting a New Year attack. The men were arrested last week in raids at several locations in the Bosnian capital in a search for 15 suspects believed to be connected with Islamic State. "The court made the motion due to fears the suspects could hinder investigation by influencing witnesses and accomplices or by destroying, hiding or forging evidence important for this criminal investigation," the court said in a statement. |
| U.S., allies conduct 37 strikes against Islamic State: U.S. military Posted: 28 Dec 2015 04:31 AM PST  The United States and its allies conducted 37 strikes against Islamic State in Iraq and Syria on Sunday, including a burst of air strikes against the militant group near the Syrian city of Manbij, according to the coalition leading the operations. In a statement released on Monday, the Combined Joint Task Force said the 11 air strikes near Manbij in Syria hit seven Islamic State tactical units as well as a building used by the group, among other targets. In Iraq, 21 strikes near eight cities included three near Ramadi, where Iraqi forces declared victory over Islamic State fighters over the weekend.
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| Iran threatens response to new U.S. visa restrictions Posted: 28 Dec 2015 04:24 AM PST  By Sam Wilkin DUBAI (Reuters) - Iran will take reciprocal measures in response to any breach of this year's nuclear deal, the Foreign Ministry warned on Monday, after Tehran said new U.S. visa restrictions contravened the historic agreement. Iran has started to restrict its nuclear programme under the terms of the July 14 deal with six world powers, including the United States. When the restrictions are completed, international sanctions on Tehran will be lifted.
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| Ending ISIS: An Ex-CIA Chief's Plan Posted: 28 Dec 2015 12:00 AM PST  In the first of a three-part series, OZY columnist John McLaughlin lays out what makes the Islamic State tick.
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| Syria to South Sudan: aid groups list their top humanitarian concerns for 2016 Posted: 27 Dec 2015 11:25 PM PST  By Tom Esslemont LONDON (Thomson Reuters Foundation) - There's one prediction for 2016 that most aid workers can make with confidence - that the new year will usher in rising humanitarian needs. The United Nations projects that at least 87 million people in dozens of countries will require humanitarian aid next year, and is seeking a record $20.1 billion to meet their needs. In a Thomson Reuters Foundation poll of 15 of the world's leading aid agencies, we asked them to name their top three humanitarian priorities for 2016.
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| Exclusive: Seized documents reveal Islamic State's Department of 'War Spoils' Posted: 27 Dec 2015 10:10 PM PST  By Jonathan Landay, Warren Strobel and Phil Stewart WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Islamic State has set up departments to handle "war spoils," including slaves, and the exploitation of natural resources such as oil, creating the trappings of government that enable it to manage large swaths of Syria and Iraq and other areas. The hierarchical bureaucracy, including petty rivalries between officials, and legal codes in the form of religious fatwas are detailed in a cache of documents seized by U.S. Special Operations Forces in a May raid in Syria that killed top IS financial official Abu Sayyaf. The level of bureaucratization, organization, the diwans, the committees," Brett McGurk, President Barack Obama's special envoy for the anti-IS coalition, told Reuters.
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| AFP's person of the year: Angela Merkel Posted: 27 Dec 2015 07:53 PM PST  AFP journalists have chosen Angela Merkel as the most influential figure of 2015 after the German chancellor stamped her mark on the European migrant and Greek financial crises. The vote by editorial staff from all services and languages across the world put Russian President Vladimir Putin as number two on a list of people who most influenced world affairs over the year. The flood of migrants, a consequence of the devastating war in Syria, was the biggest in Europe since World War II and put the continent under huge strain, exposing its fault lines.
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| Iraqi army declares first major victory over Islamic State in Ramadi Posted: 27 Dec 2015 06:33 PM PST  By Ahmed Rasheed and Maher Chmaytelli BAGHDAD (Reuters) - Iraq's army declared victory over Islamic State fighters in a provincial capital west of Baghdad on Sunday, the first major triumph for the U.S.-trained force since it collapsed in the face of an assault by the militants 18 months ago. The capture of Ramadi, capital of mainly Sunni-Muslim Anbar province in the Euphrates River valley west of the capital, deprives Islamic State militants of their biggest prize of 2015. The fighters seized it in May after government troops fled in a defeat which prompted Washington to take a hard look at strategy in its ongoing air war against the militants.
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| 10 Things to Know for Monday Posted: 27 Dec 2015 06:07 PM PST  Your daily look at late-breaking news, upcoming events and the stories that will be talked about Monday:
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