Yahoo! News: Iraq

---

• Kurds defeat Islamic State jihadists in Syria's Kobane
• Top Asian News at 12:30 a.m. GMT
• USAID suspends awards to US contractor
• USAID suspends awards to Virginia-based contractor
• U.S. suspends aid contractor for funding ‘misconduct’
• Ten killed in fighter jet crash during NATO exercises in Spain
• Arab Rights Group Urges 'American Sniper's' Clint Eastwood and Bradley Cooper to Condemn Muslim Threats
• Kurdish forces control 90 percent of Syria's Kobane
• WikiLeaks slams Google over delay in revealing US warrants
• Iranian opposition leader Maryam Rajavi: Partnering with Tehran to fight ISIS impedes campaign against Islamic extremism
• Kurds push Islamic State out of Kobani after four-month battle
• Kurds celebrate ousting Islamic State fighters from Kobani
• 'American Sniper' still booming at N. America box office
• The liberation of Kobane and other signs of trouble for the Islamic State
• U.S. suspends International Relief and Development for 'misconduct'
• Sunni officials in Iraq say Shi'ite militias kill 70 after IS rollback
• Syrian opposition starts talks in Moscow, expectations low
• Sunni officials in Iraq say Shi'ite militias executed 70 civilians
• Philanthropist Lois Pope Welcomes Charming Animal Stars Crystal And Hudson At Inspiring Celebration In Palm Beach
• IS affiliate in Egypt claims executing police officer
• Is 'American Sniper' an anti-war film?
• Obama, new Saudi king expected to talk about IS, Yemen
• Moscow hosts Syria talks, little hope of breakthrough
• McCain gives thumbs up to 'American Sniper' movie
• IS urges new attacks after Charlie Hebdo killings
• Failed Iraqi bomber named in Islamic State hostage crisis
• Japan seeks Jordan's help in gaining hostage's release
• WikiLeaks accuses Google of handing over emails to US
• More than 40 Philippine police killed in clash with Muslims
• Video shows killing of Egypt officer by Sinai extremists
• Hackers target Malaysia Airlines, threaten data dump
• Canadian troops again battle IS group in Iraq
• Iraq forces 'liberate' Diyala province from IS
• IS spokesman calls on Muslims in West to commit more attacks
• In Hamas leader’s exit from Qatar, signs of growing Saudi-Egyptian influence
• Five indicted in Kosovo on terrorism charges
• Egypt court convicts doctor of female genital mutilation
• Syria: the battle for Kobane in 10 dates
• Saudis seek greater US role in Mideast as Obama visits

Kurds defeat Islamic State jihadists in Syria's Kobane Posted: 26 Jan 2015 04:47 PM PST Kurdish militia drove the Islamic State group from the Syrian town of Kobane and raised their flags on Monday, dealing the jihadists an important blow after months of heavy fighting. Across the border in Iraq, meanwhile, a top army officer announced troops had "liberated" Diyala province from IS jihadists. In Syria, the Kurdish advance in Kobane, on the frontier with Turkey, marked the culmination of a battle lasting more than four months in which nearly 1,800 people were killed. The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said the Kurdish People's Protection Units (YPG) had "expelled all Islamic State fighters from Kobane and have full control of the town".

Top Asian News at 12:30 a.m. GMT Posted: 26 Jan 2015 04:33 PM PST NEW DELHI (AP) — As President Barack Obama and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi met in New Delhi this week, the shadow of a third player hung over the talks: neighboring China, which has complicated relationships with both the United States and India. To Obama, forging deeper ties with India fits in neatly with his efforts to deepen U.S. influence in countries on China's doorstep. And as the world's largest democracy, India is a particularly attractive partner to the U.S. as it seeks to cultivate a robust regional counterbalance to communist China.

USAID suspends awards to US contractor Posted: 26 Jan 2015 04:31 PM PST WASHINGTON (AP) — The main U.S. foreign assistance agency on Monday suspended awards to a non-governmental organization that has received more than $1 billion for its work in Afghanistan and Iraq the past nine years.

USAID suspends awards to Virginia-based contractor Posted: 26 Jan 2015 04:24 PM PST WASHINGTON (AP) — The main U.S. foreign assistance agency on Monday suspended awards to a non-governmental organization that has received more than $1 billion for its work in Afghanistan and Iraq the past nine years.

U.S. suspends aid contractor for funding ‘misconduct’ Posted: 26 Jan 2015 04:14 PM PST The United States said on Monday it had suspended International Relief and Development, a non-profit aid contractor which won major U.S. contracts in Iraq and Afghanistan, after finding "serious misconduct" involving funding. "The agency's review revealed serious misconduct in IRD's performance, management, internal controls and present responsibility," the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID), the United States' premier aid agency, said in a statement. USAID contracts with IRD in Afghanistan amounted to more than $1 billion and roughly $85.57 million in Iraq between 2006 and 2014, according to statistics provided by USAID.

Ten killed in fighter jet crash during NATO exercises in Spain Posted: 26 Jan 2015 03:52 PM PST Eight French and two Greek nationals were killed Monday when a fighter jet crashed on takeoff at a military base in Spain housing a NATO training centre for elite pilots. The F-16 jet "lost power" as it took off from the base near the southeastern city of Albacete and crashed into an area where other planes were parked, damaging at least five other aircraft, the defence ministry said in a statement. "It appears that there are two people who died and who have Greek nationality and eight French," Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy said in an interview with private television Telecinco. At least 19 other people were injured in the accident, including five who were moved to a burn unit of Madrid's La Paz hospital, the defence ministry said.

Arab Rights Group Urges 'American Sniper's' Clint Eastwood and Bradley Cooper to Condemn Muslim Threats Posted: 26 Jan 2015 03:24 PM PST The American-Arab Anti-Discrimination Committee has sent letters to both men in response to "violent messages targeting Arab and Muslim Americans from moviegoers."

Kurdish forces control 90 percent of Syria's Kobane Posted: 26 Jan 2015 03:14 PM PST Kurdish forces have pushed back the Islamic State group and now control 90 percent of the key Syrian town of Kobane, US Central Command said Monday, confirming claims by the Kurdish militia. The extremist IS group, which has overrun large areas of Syria and Iraq, had poured men and weapons into an offensive to secure Kobane, which is near the Turkish border. "US Central Command confirms that anti-ISIL forces now control approximately 90 percent" of Kobane, a statement said. "While the fight against ISIL (IS) is far from over, ISIL's failure in Kobane has denied them one of their strategic objectives," it said.

WikiLeaks slams Google over delay in revealing US warrants Posted: 26 Jan 2015 02:59 PM PST BERLIN (AP) — WikiLeaks on Monday criticized Google for failing to swiftly inform the secrets-spilling group about U.S. search warrants issued seeking emails and other personal information from three of its staff.

Iranian opposition leader Maryam Rajavi: Partnering with Tehran to fight ISIS impedes campaign against Islamic extremism Posted: 26 Jan 2015 02:44 PM PST STRASBOURG, France, Jan. 26, 2015 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Speaking at the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE) on the invitation of two major political groups: the European People's Party Group (EPP) and the Alliance of Liberals and Democrats for Europe (ALDE), the Iranian opposition leader Maryam Rajavi warned: "The Iranian regime's participation in the anti-ISIS coalition is a hundred times more dangerous than any form of Islamic fundamentalism, under the cloak of Shiite or Sunni Islam." Tehran's involvement would "provide the regime the room to act and to go on the offensive and engulf other regional countries in death and devastation," she emphasized. In general it meets for one week four times per year at the Palace of Europe in Strasbourg. During her visit, Rajavi also met with several senior PACE officials to discuss the recent terrorist incidents in France and Belgium, which have raised concerns over Islamic fundamentalism and the threat it poses in Europe.

Kurds push Islamic State out of Kobani after four-month battle Posted: 26 Jan 2015 02:41 PM PST By Sylvia Westall and Ayla Jean Yackley BEIRUT/ISTANBUL (Reuters) - Kurdish forces took control of the Syrian town of Kobani on Monday after driving out Islamic State fighters, a monitoring group and Syrian state media said, although Washington said the four-month battle was not yet over. Some Islamic State supporters took to Twitter to say the fight for Kobani, a focal point of the international struggle against the ultra-hardline Islamist group, was still raging. The Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said the Syrian Kurdish People's Protection Units (YPG) had retaken the town, close to the Turkish border, but were proceeding carefully in the eastern outskirts where Islamic State had planted mines before fleeing. "I can see the YPG flag flying over Kobani.

Kurds celebrate ousting Islamic State fighters from Kobani Posted: 26 Jan 2015 02:28 PM PST BEIRUT (AP) — Jubilant Kurdish fighters ousted Islamic State militants from the key Syrian border town of Kobani on Monday after a four-month battle — a significant victory for both the Kurds and the U.S.-led coalition.

'American Sniper' still booming at N. America box office Posted: 26 Jan 2015 02:20 PM PST Los Angeles (AFP) - Clint Eastwood's record-breaking "American Sniper" topped box office charts in North America for a second week, industry figures showed Monday, as debate swirls over the Oscar-nominated war drama.

The liberation of Kobane and other signs of trouble for the Islamic State Posted: 26 Jan 2015 02:09 PM PST Is the Islamic State, the jihadi group that's become notorious for beheading and enslaving captives, in trouble? The IS siege of Kobane began four months ago, putting to work a lot of the heavy weaponry IS fighters seized when the Iraqi military collapsed in the north of that country over the summer. If the battle for Kobane has truly been won, it would be among the most significant successes against the group so far.

U.S. suspends International Relief and Development for 'misconduct' Posted: 26 Jan 2015 02:05 PM PST The United States said on Monday it had suspended International Relief and Development, a non-profit aid contractor which won major U.S. contracts in Iraq and Afghanistan, after finding "serious misconduct" involving funding. "The agency's review revealed serious misconduct in IRD's performance, management, internal controls and present responsibility," the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID), the United States' premier aid agency, said in a statement. USAID contracts with IRD in Afghanistan amounted to over $1 billion and roughly $85.57 million in Iraq between 2006 and 2014, according to statistics provided by USAID. USAID said its decision was based on a zero-tolerance policy for mismanagement of American taxpayer funds.

Sunni officials in Iraq say Shi'ite militias kill 70 after IS rollback Posted: 26 Jan 2015 02:04 PM PST Sunni politicians and tribal chiefs from Iraq's eastern Diyala province accused Shi'ite militias on Monday of killing more than 70 unarmed civilians who had fled clashes with Islamic State militants. Interior Ministry spokesman Brigadier General Saad Maan denied the claims, saying IS was trying to undermine the reputation of Iraqi security forces. The accusations followed a three-day offensive in which Iraqi security forces and Shi'ite militias captured two dozen villages from Islamic State fighters in Diyala. The assault, which began on Friday, enabled Shi'ite militias, the Iraqi army and Sunni tribesmen to push the militants out of the Muqdadiya area, the closest Islamic State outpost to the Iranian border 40 km (25 miles) to the east.

Syrian opposition starts talks in Moscow, expectations low Posted: 26 Jan 2015 12:54 PM PST By Gabriela Baczynska MOSCOW (Reuters) - Members of the Syrian opposition meeting in Moscow on Monday said they aimed to work out common demands to present to the Damascus government when its representatives join them later this week in an attempt to revive peace efforts. The talks have been spurned by key political opposition and do not involve the main insurgent groups fighting on the ground nearly four years into the war in Syria. Opposition members who refused to attend cited Moscow's long-standing backing for Syrian President Bashar al-Assad as their main reason, saying the talks were aimed at propping up the man they want to leave power. "We are trying to create an atmosphere of trust, between all sides, including the regime, and with all who are trying to create a ceasefire," Majid Habbo, a senior member of the opposition National Coordination Committee said in Moscow.

Sunni officials in Iraq say Shi'ite militias executed 70 civilians Posted: 26 Jan 2015 12:36 PM PST BAGHDAD (Reuters) - An Iraqi governor, parliamentarian and two tribal chiefs on Monday accused Shi'ite militias of executing more than 70 unarmed civilians who had fled fighting with Islamic State militants. Interior ministry spokesman Brigadier General Saad Maan denied the claims, saying Islamic State was trying to undermine the reputation of Iraqi security forces. A local official said it was too soon to draw conclusions and suggested Islamic State could have been behind the deaths in the eastern village of Barwanah. ...

Philanthropist Lois Pope Welcomes Charming Animal Stars Crystal And Hudson At Inspiring Celebration In Palm Beach Posted: 26 Jan 2015 12:27 PM PST PALM BEACH, Fla., Jan. 26, 2015 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- It was an inspiring, magical afternoon at the Chesterfield Hotel's Leopard Lounge in Palm Beach on Thursday January 22 as a packed house of animal lovers and movie lovers attended a special "Afternoon Tea with America's Animal Stars" honoring famed Hollywood animal actors Crystal the capuchin and Hudson the Golden Retriever. Hosted by philanthropist and humanitarian Lois Pope, and organized by American Humane Association, the country's first national humane organization, the tea provided guests the opportunity to meet these beloved animal actors, hear first-hand from their trainers about the hard work and dedication it takes to bring their roles to life on the silver screen, and what it takes to protect these animal actors. In 2015, American Humane Association's "No Animals Were Harmed®" program celebrates 75 years as the only official film-industry sanctioned group ensuring the humane protection, safety and welfare of animal actors on sets of movies, television shows, and commercials around the globe.

IS affiliate in Egypt claims executing police officer Posted: 26 Jan 2015 12:25 PM PST The Islamic State group's Egyptian affiliate, Ansar Beit al-Maqdis, claimed in a video released Monday the killing of a police officer whose body was found almost two weeks ago. Egyptian troops found the body of Ayman al-Desouky, who had been kidnapped from near the town of Rafah on the border with the Gaza Strip, during a search operation in North Sinai on January 13. In the video released on its Twitter account, Ansar Beit al-Maqdis (Partisans of Jerusalem) said its militants abducted Desouky and later executed him. In November, Ansar Beit al-Maqdis, the deadliest militant group in Egypt, pledged its allegiance to the Islamic State jihadist group, which has captured large chunks of territory in Syria and Iraq.

Is 'American Sniper' an anti-war film? Posted: 26 Jan 2015 12:14 PM PST Does American Sniper glorify or debase war?

Obama, new Saudi king expected to talk about IS, Yemen Posted: 26 Jan 2015 12:08 PM PST US President Barack Obama and the new Saudi king are expected to discuss the military campaign against Islamic State group extremists and the crisis in Yemen at upcoming talks in Riyadh, the White House said Monday. Obama's brief visit to the Saudi capital on Tuesday was mainly intended as an opportunity to meet King Salman "and to pay respects to the family and to the people of Saudi Arabia" after the death last week of long-time ruler King Abdullah, a senior official said. "But I'm sure that while we are there, they will touch on some of the leading issues where we cooperate very closely with Saudi Arabia," White House Deputy National Security Advisor Ben Rhodes said in New Delhi.

Moscow hosts Syria talks, little hope of breakthrough Posted: 26 Jan 2015 12:04 PM PST Syrian opposition figures met in Moscow on Monday as part of a new Russia-coordinated bid to wind down the war in Syria, although there was little hope of a breakthrough. The main opposition group, the exiled National Coalition, has boycotted the talks while Syrian President Bashar al-Assad cast doubt on the Moscow initiative bearing any fruit. Moscow said more than 30 members of the Syrian opposition were taking part in the negotiations.

McCain gives thumbs up to 'American Sniper' movie Posted: 26 Jan 2015 11:56 AM PST WASHINGTON (AP) — The chairman of the Senate Armed Services Committee says critics of U.S. foreign policy are disparaging the movie, "American Sniper" and denigrating the memory of Chris Kyle, the U.S. serviceman depicted in the film.

IS urges new attacks after Charlie Hebdo killings Posted: 26 Jan 2015 11:22 AM PST The Islamic State jihadist group Monday urged Muslims to carry out new attacks after the targeting of France's Charlie Hebdo magazine, in a recording by its spokesman posted online. It comes after 17 people were killed in deadly assaults on January 7-9 in Paris against Charlie Hebdo magazine and a kosher supermarket. Of the three attackers, only one appeared to have pledged allegiance to the Islamic State, but the group endorsed the killings in the message.

Failed Iraqi bomber named in Islamic State hostage crisis Posted: 26 Jan 2015 10:15 AM PST BEIRUT (AP) — In the moments after her husband blew himself up in the ballroom of a Jordanian hotel as part of an al-Qaida plot, Sajida al-Rishawi fled the scene of chaos wearing her own explosive belt.

Japan seeks Jordan's help in gaining hostage's release Posted: 26 Jan 2015 10:15 AM PST TOKYO (AP) — A Japanese diplomat emerged from talks in Jordan on Monday with no signs of progress in securing the release of a freelance journalist held hostage by the extremist Islamic State group.

WikiLeaks accuses Google of handing over emails to US Posted: 26 Jan 2015 10:10 AM PST Whistleblowing site WikiLeaks on Monday accused Google of handing over the emails and electronic data of its senior staff to the US authorities without providing notification until almost three years later. Google was apparently acting in response to warrants issued by the US Department of Justice, which is investigating WikiLeaks for publishing hundreds of thousands of classified military and diplomatic files. WikiLeaks said the allegations against it point to a far broader investigation into its activities than the US authorities have previously indicated. "Today, WikiLeaks' lawyers have written to Google and the US Department of Justice concerning a serious violation of the privacy and journalistic rights of WikiLeaks' staff," the site said in a statement.

More than 40 Philippine police killed in clash with Muslims Posted: 26 Jan 2015 10:00 AM PST More than 40 Philippine police commandos were killed in an 11-hour firefight with Muslim rebels which erupted while they were chasing one of the region's most wanted militants, police said Monday. The clash -- which broke out despite a peace pact with the main rebel group -- was "the single largest loss of life in recent memory by our security forces", said interior minister Manuel Roxas. Almost 400 police commandos swooped before dawn on the hideout of the Bangsamoro Islamic Freedom Fighters (BIFF), a splinter group which rejects the peace pact, in search of Zulkifli bin Hir. The 10,000-strong MILF, the main Muslim rebel group in the south, signed a peace treaty with the government in March last year.

Video shows killing of Egypt officer by Sinai extremists Posted: 26 Jan 2015 09:58 AM PST CAIRO (AP) — A video emerged Monday showing the killing of an Egyptian police captain by extremists in the restive northern part of the Sinai Peninsula earlier this month.

Hackers target Malaysia Airlines, threaten data dump Posted: 26 Jan 2015 09:57 AM PST The website of Malaysia Airlines was commandeered for several hours on Monday by hackers who referenced the Islamic State jihadists and threatened to expose data taken from the carrier's servers. The attack, whose motivation remained unclear, was claimed by the "Lizard Squad", a group that has taken credit previously for denial-of-service attacks around the world. It was not clear why the troubled airline was targeted, but the Lizard Squad said on its Twitter feed that it was "Going to dump some loot found on malaysiaairlines.com servers soon." Visitors to the website were re-directed to another page bearing an image of a tuxedo-wearing lizard and reading "Hacked by LIZARD SQUAD -- OFFICIAL CYBER CALIPHATE".

Canadian troops again battle IS group in Iraq Posted: 26 Jan 2015 09:40 AM PST Canadian special forces have twice exchanged gunfire with Islamic State fighters in Iraq since the first confirmed ground battle between Western troops and IS earlier this month, a senior officer said Monday. The first clash mid-January in which the Canadians came under mortar and machine gun fire while training Iraqi troops near front lines underscored political divisions in Ottawa over the US-led mission against IS. Canada's opposition leader accused Prime Minister Stephen Harper of having lied when he promised no ground combat alongside coalition airstrikes against the Islamic State group. An unapologetic Harper said Canadian troops were responding to an evolving threat.

Iraq forces 'liberate' Diyala province from IS Posted: 26 Jan 2015 09:12 AM PST Iraqi forces have "liberated" Diyala province from the Islamic State jihadist group, retaking all populated areas of the eastern region, a top army officer said on Monday. Iraqi forces have regained "complete control of all the cities and districts and subdistricts of Diyala province," he said. Diyala has seen months of fighting, especially in the Jalawla and Saadiyah areas in the province's north, which were held by IS, and areas near the town of Muqdadiyah, which the militants repeatedly attacked but never took. The last battle for a populated part of the province began last Friday in an area of villages near Muqdadiyah, northeast of Diyala capital Baquba.

IS spokesman calls on Muslims in West to commit more attacks Posted: 26 Jan 2015 09:08 AM PST BEIRUT (AP) — The spokesman for the Islamic State group called on Muslims living in Western countries to carry out more attacks, saying any loyalist who has the opportunity to "shed a drop of blood" should do so.

In Hamas leader’s exit from Qatar, signs of growing Saudi-Egyptian influence Posted: 26 Jan 2015 09:04 AM PST Hamas political leader Khaled Meshal, arguably Qatar's most famous resident, has left Doha, his departure marking a deeper geopolitical shift taking hold in the region. While the reasons for Mr. Meshal's departure in late December were cloaked initially by official denials from both Hamas and Qatar – Meshal's refuge and base of operations since fleeing unrest in Damascus in January 2012 – Hamas officials and observers now say it was brought about by pressure from Qatar's Arab Gulf neighbors. The main force at play in the region is a strengthening of an Egyptian-Saudi axis that is increasingly hostile to Islamists, particularly the Muslim Brotherhood, of which Hamas is the Palestinian chapter. Egyptian leader Abdel Fattah al-Sisi, who succeeded ousted Islamist President Mohamed Morsi and regards the Brotherhood as his political enemy, has already made life difficult for the Hamas government in the Gaza Strip.

Five indicted in Kosovo on terrorism charges Posted: 26 Jan 2015 08:50 AM PST Five people in Kosovo have been indicted on terrorism charges for fighting in Syria, trying to buy assault rifles and assaulting two Christian missionaries from the United States in 2013. The indictments coincided with a vote in parliament on introducing prison sentences for waging war abroad, as the predominantly Muslim Balkan country seeks to confront the threat posed by radical Islamists returning from Syria and Iraq. Security agencies estimate that between 100 and 200 Kosovars have enlisted with Islamic State. Most of Kosovo's 90 percent Albanian majority are Muslim but overwhelmingly secular.

Egypt court convicts doctor of female genital mutilation Posted: 26 Jan 2015 08:00 AM PST CAIRO (AP) — An Egyptian appeals court on Monday convicted a doctor of manslaughter and performing female genital mutilation that led to the death of a 13-year-old girl, sentencing him to two years and three months in prison in the country's first case that came to trial over the widespread practice, defense lawyers said.

Syria: the battle for Kobane in 10 dates Posted: 26 Jan 2015 07:58 AM PST BEIRUT (AFP) - These are the main developments in the battle for Kobane, as a monitor said Monday that Kurds have expelled jihadists from the Syrian border town, after more than four months of fighting.

Saudis seek greater US role in Mideast as Obama visits Posted: 26 Jan 2015 07:46 AM PST New Saudi King Salman is expected to use President Barack Obama's stopover on Tuesday to push for greater US involvement in resolving Middle East crises, analysts say. Obama, accompanied by his wife Michelle, is cutting short a visit to India to convey his condolences after the death of ailing King Abdullah last Friday. Following the death, Obama in a statement paid tribute to the late king as a bold leader who made an enduring contribution to Middle East peace. Anwar Eshki, chairman of the Jeddah-based Centre for Strategic and Legal Studies, said "divergences persist" between the two sides.

You are subscribed to email updates from Iraq News Headlines - Yahoo! News To stop receiving these emails, you may unsubscribe now.	Email delivery powered by Google
Google Inc., 1600 Amphitheatre Parkway, Mountain View, CA 94043, United States