Yahoo! News: Iraq

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• Christian persecution spurs charity, calls for more asylum
• Business Highlights
• News Guide: A look at the Iran nuclear deal and Congress
• UN says majority of health programs suspended in Iraq
• Friends: Slain officer was strong, but avoided confrontation
• Man pleads not guilty in New Jersey's first state terrorism case
• UN chief seeks urgent funding for Palestinian refugees
• EU, US urge Turkey restraint amid PKK onslaught
• Mindfulness-based therapy eases veterans’ PTSD symptoms
• Sheriff: 2 men fire at soldiers in Mississippi; none hurt
• Iraqis complain of poor government services as heat rises
• Syrian FM in Iran for talks with allies
• Man accused of killing 4 to punish US pleads not guilty
• State workers' suit against Duckworth spills into Senate bid
• 9 Reasons to Support the Iran Deal
• Syria foreign minister in Tehran for talks with Iran, Russia
• What you need to know about artificial intelligence, and the imminent robot future
• Turkish jets hit PKK targets, soldiers killed in southeast
• Report: Turkish jets attack PKK targets in southeast Turkey
• Tennessee Native and Astronaut Wilmore is on a Mission to Honor Armed Forces
• Cures for PTSD Often Remain Elusive for War Veterans
• Facing Islamic State threat, Iraq digitizes national library
• Turkish nationalists could back AK minority government in return for November poll
• William Zarit Joins The Cohen Group As A Senior Counselor
• Saudi court convicts ex-soldier of terrorism and joining IS
• Turkish jets hit Kurdish militant targets in southeast Turkey
• Turkish raids raise Iraqi Kurdish leadership stakes
• 10 Things to Know for Today
• Missing In Action
• In Egypt, disaffected youth increasingly drawn to extremism
• Obama: This May Be ‘The Last Generation’ That Can Stop Climate Change
• 'Bearded voter-repellent' or cure for 'virus'? Leftist shakes up Labour
• PKK attacks Turkey's halted Shah Deniz gas pipeline
• Russia calls for international cooperation to fight Islamic State
• Britain extends Iraq air strikes mission by a year
• UK extends Iraqi air campaign against Islamic State until March 2017
• Cult satirist Stewart retires from 'Daily Show'
• Returning Uighurs attacked Thai, Chinese police, China says
• Fire sale on stuff that burns: Oil, natural gas, coal down

Christian persecution spurs charity, calls for more asylum Posted: 04 Aug 2015 04:50 PM PDT PHILADELPHIA (AP) — A Syrian archbishop said the United States' reluctance to offer asylum to persecuted Christians is "unjust and condemnable" and appealed to the American people for help withstanding Islamic militants fighting to root out their faith.

Business Highlights Posted: 04 Aug 2015 03:03 PM PDT ___ How much more does the CEO make? You may find out CEOs make a lot more than the average working Joe or Jane. And in the near future, Americans will find out how big the disparity actually is within ...

News Guide: A look at the Iran nuclear deal and Congress Posted: 04 Aug 2015 02:55 PM PDT WASHINGTON (AP) — Congress' vote on the international accord to curb Iran's nuclear program in exchange for billions of dollars in sanction relief stands as the most crucial national security decision since lawmakers voted in 2002 to authorize the invasion of Iraq.

UN says majority of health programs suspended in Iraq Posted: 04 Aug 2015 02:55 PM PDT UNITED NATIONS (AP) — The U.N. says a funding crisis has led to the closure of a majority of health programs in Iraq.

Friends: Slain officer was strong, but avoided confrontation Posted: 04 Aug 2015 02:52 PM PDT MEMPHIS, Tenn. (AP) — Slain police officer Sean Bolton's physical strength and powerful, melon-sized hands served him well in tight situations, like when he subdued two suspects at one time. Still, friends say he avoided confrontation whenever possible, and dedicated his life to protecting others.

Man pleads not guilty in New Jersey's first state terrorism case Posted: 04 Aug 2015 02:35 PM PDT Ali Muhammad Brown, 30, is charged with shooting to death 19-year-old Brendan Tevlin as he stopped at a traffic light in West Orange, New Jersey, not far from his family's home in Livingston, said Katherine Carter, spokeswoman for the Essex County Prosecutor's Office. The murder case marks the first time prosecutors in New Jersey have used state terrorism charges, she said. The charge was brought after permission was granted by the New Jersey Attorney General's Office, Carter said.

UN chief seeks urgent funding for Palestinian refugees Posted: 04 Aug 2015 02:32 PM PDT UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon on Tuesday raised alarm over a $100 million shortfall in funding for the UN aid agency for Palestinian refugees and called for urgent donations. Ban said in a statement that the UNRWA relief agency was "a pillar of stability" for five million Palestinian refugees at a time when the Middle East is in the throes of crises and suffering. Ban has personally spoken to several world leaders in the past weeks about the unprecedented funding crisis at UNRWA, his spokesman said.

EU, US urge Turkey restraint amid PKK onslaught Posted: 04 Aug 2015 02:15 PM PDT Europe and the United States on Tuesday urged Turkey to show a "proportionate response" in the face of daily attacks by Kurdish militants amid growing concern over the scale of Ankara's air campaign against the rebels. Three more Turkish soldiers were killed in the latest assault blamed on Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK) militants, as Ankara pressed on with a relentless air campaign against hideouts in northern Iraq. Ankara is waging a two-pronged cross-border "anti-terror" bombing campaign against Islamic State (IS) militants in Syria and PKK rebels in northern Iraq.

Mindfulness-based therapy eases veterans’ PTSD symptoms Posted: 04 Aug 2015 02:03 PM PDT By Lisa Rapaport (Reuters Health) - Some veterans may experience a sharper decline in symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) with mindfulness-based stress reduction therapy than with other forms of group treatment, a study suggests. Researchers gave one group of veterans with PTSD eight weekly 2.5-hour sessions focused on mindfulness and meditation, as well as a day-long retreat, and compared their progress to their peers who received nine weekly 1.5-hour group sessions designed to address specific problems stemming from PTSD in daily life. With mindfulness-based therapy, 49 percent of veterans reported a dramatic reduction in PTSD symptoms, compared with just 28 percent of their peers who didn't receive this type of treatment.

Sheriff: 2 men fire at soldiers in Mississippi; none hurt Posted: 04 Aug 2015 01:53 PM PDT HATTIESBURG, Miss. (AP) — Authorities are searching for two men who fired gunshots from a vehicle at soldiers at a military facility in Mississippi, although no one was reported wounded, a sheriff said Tuesday.

Iraqis complain of poor government services as heat rises Posted: 04 Aug 2015 01:25 PM PDT By Mohammed Ati AMARA, Iraq (Reuters) - Iraqis complaining about corruption and poor services, epitomized by power cuts during a heatwave, took to the streets on Tuesday, underlining the pressures on a government struggling to fend off radical insurgents. The unrest, though limited and largely peaceful, could weigh down the government of Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi just as its forces are gearing up for a fresh offensive to retake western Anbar province from Islamic State. Witnesses said hundreds of demonstrators chanted against the government in the late afternoon heat in the provincial capital of Amara, about 300 km (185 miles) southeast of Baghdad, demanding electricity, jobs and government reforms.

Syrian FM in Iran for talks with allies Posted: 04 Aug 2015 12:20 PM PDT Syrian Foreign Minister Walid Muallem arrived in Iran Tuesday to meet his Iranian counterpart Mohammad Javad Zarif to discuss the situation in the region, the official IRNA news agency reported. IRNA said Bogdanov and Deputy Foreign Minister Hossein Amir-Abdollahian discussed "the situation in Syria and the region".

Man accused of killing 4 to punish US pleads not guilty Posted: 04 Aug 2015 12:11 PM PDT NEWARK, N.J. (AP) — A Muslim man accused of killing four people in two states in a fit of rage over the U.S. government's role in the Middle East pleaded not guilty Tuesday to murder and terrorism charges in one of the deaths — the shooting of a New Jersey college student at a traffic light.

State workers' suit against Duckworth spills into Senate bid Posted: 04 Aug 2015 11:35 AM PDT JONESBORO, Ill. (AP) — A civil lawsuit alleging ethics violations nearly a decade ago has become an issue in a Democratic congresswoman's bid to unseat first-term Republican U.S. Sen. Mark Kirk in what is expected to be one of the most competitive 2016 Senate races.

9 Reasons to Support the Iran Deal Posted: 04 Aug 2015 11:35 AM PDT Having carefully reviewed the lengthy and complex agreement negotiated by the United States and its international partners with Iran, I have reached the following conclusion: If I were a member of Congress, I would vote yes on the deal. Before negotiations halted its nuclear advance, Iran had marched relentlessly down the field from 10 years away from a bomb to two months from that goal line. In response, the United States and its partners imposed a series of sanctions that have had a significant impact on Iran's economy, driving it to negotiate.

Syria foreign minister in Tehran for talks with Iran, Russia Posted: 04 Aug 2015 10:56 AM PDT Syrian Foreign Minister Walid al-Moualem arrived in Tehran on Tuesday for talks with officials from allies Iran and Russia that are expected to focus on efforts to end the civil war in his country. Iran and Russia have stood by Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, providing military and financial support during more than four years of the conflict. The United States and some of its Gulf Arab allies have said Assad must leave office.

What you need to know about artificial intelligence, and the imminent robot future Posted: 04 Aug 2015 09:39 AM PDT From autonomous warfare to still-distant sentience, artificial intelligence in 2015 is nothing like we expected. Here are three things every geek who dreamed of a robot future needs to know.

Turkish jets hit PKK targets, soldiers killed in southeast Posted: 04 Aug 2015 08:34 AM PDT By Seyhmus, Cakan and Jonny Hogg DIYARBAKIR (Reuters) - Turkish warplanes hit Kurdish rebel targets in southeastern Turkey on Tuesday, Dogan news agency reported, and three soldiers were killed in two separate attacks in a neighboring province, the military said. Turkish F-16 jets carried out a 35-minute assault on Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK) targets in Daglica, in Hakkari Province near the border with Iraq, whose northern mountains offer a relatively safe base for the insurgents. Violence has swept eastern Turkey since last month, when the outlawed PKK ramped up attacks against Turkish security forces and Ankara launched reciprocal air strikes against its fighters in Turkey and northern Iraq.

Report: Turkish jets attack PKK targets in southeast Turkey Posted: 04 Aug 2015 08:33 AM PDT ANKARA, Turkey (AP) — Turkish warplanes pounded suspected Kurdish rebel targets in southeast Turkey on Tuesday in retaliation to a rebel mortar attack at a military base which wounded a 6-year-old girl, the state-run Anadolu Agency reported.

Tennessee Native and Astronaut Wilmore is on a Mission to Honor Armed Forces Posted: 04 Aug 2015 08:14 AM PDT HOUSTON, Aug. 4, 2015 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- In early August, NASA astronaut and U.S. Navy Captain Barry "Butch" Wilmore departs Houston for a mission of gratitude and honor. Wilmore along with fellow astronaut Rick Mastracchio will visit military troops at bases in Greenland, Guantanamo Bay and Puerto Rico to share their experiences living and working in space with the men and women serving in remote locations. "I look forward to thanking fellow service men and women and their families for their sacrifices," said Wilmore.

Cures for PTSD Often Remain Elusive for War Veterans Posted: 04 Aug 2015 08:00 AM PDT The researchers looked at randomized clinical trials of psychotherapy for military-related PTSD to examine which psychotherapies improve symptoms. This included, in particular, a review of trials of two commonly-used, evidence-based treatment models: cognitive processing therapy (CPT) and prolonged exposure (PE) therapy.

Facing Islamic State threat, Iraq digitizes national library Posted: 04 Aug 2015 07:38 AM PDT BAGHDAD (AP) — The dimly lit, dust-caked stacks of the Baghdad National Library hide a treasure of the ages: crinkled, yellowing papers holding the true stories of sultans and kings; imperialists and socialists; occupation and liberation; war and peace.

Turkish nationalists could back AK minority government in return for November poll Posted: 04 Aug 2015 07:14 AM PDT By Ercan Gurses ANKARA (Reuters) - Turkey's nationalist opposition would support a minority government formed by the ruling AK Party if it agreed to hold a snap election in November, its deputy chairman Semih Yalcin told Reuters on Tuesday. In a sign of the sensitivities around efforts to form a new government, Yalcin subsequently issued a statement saying his words had been misrepresented. A caretaker AKP government has launched air strikes against rebel Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK) camps in northern Iraq and Islamic State fighters in Syria, moves seen by opponents as a bid to shore up nationalist support and undermine the pro-Kurdish opposition ahead of a potential fresh vote.

William Zarit Joins The Cohen Group As A Senior Counselor Posted: 04 Aug 2015 07:14 AM PDT WASHINGTON, Aug. 4, 2015 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The Cohen Group has announced that William Zarit, the former Minister for Commercial Affairs at the U.S. Embassy in Beijing, has become a Senior Counselor with the firm.  He will be based in Beijing, China."During his years of experience in China and East Asia with the U.S. government and in the private sector, Bill has earned the deep respect of government officials and business leaders alike, and we are honored and delighted to welcome him to our team," said firm chairman Secretary William S. ...

Saudi court convicts ex-soldier of terrorism and joining IS Posted: 04 Aug 2015 07:11 AM PDT RIYADH, Saudi Arabia (AP) — Semi-official Saudi news websites say a former soldier has been found guilty of fighting for the Islamic State group in Syria and has been sentenced to nine years in prison.

Turkish jets hit Kurdish militant targets in southeast Turkey Posted: 04 Aug 2015 06:34 AM PDT ANKARA (Reuters) - Turkish fighter jets bombed Kurdish militant targets in southeastern Turkey on Tuesday after three security personnel were killed in a neighboring town by a mine, the private Dogan news agency reported. The air strikes came amid a surge of attacks against the military by the outlawed Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK), and reciprocal strikes by Turkish jets on PKK targets in northern Iraq. The air operation lasted 35 minutes and the targets in Daglica province near the Iraqi border were completely destroyed, Dogan said. (Writing by Ece Toksabay; Editing by Alison Williams)

Turkish raids raise Iraqi Kurdish leadership stakes Posted: 04 Aug 2015 06:31 AM PDT Turkey's air strikes in Iraqi Kurdistan have increased the pressure on regional president Massud Barzani, who is a key player in the US-led anti-jihadist war but faces an uncertain political future. Barzani, the 68-year-old leader of the Kurdistan Democratic Party (KDP), has been at the helm of Iraq's autonomous Kurdish region for 10 years. Barzani argues his leadership is crucial to the fight against the Islamic State (IS) group but the other parties in Kurdistan seem to agree they will not give him another free ride.

10 Things to Know for Today Posted: 04 Aug 2015 06:10 AM PDT Your daily look at late-breaking news, upcoming events and the stories that will be talked about today:

Missing In Action Posted: 04 Aug 2015 06:00 AM PDT Over the past decade, a string of war movies emerged in the wake of 9/11: The Hurt Locker, Syriana, The Messenger, Green Zone, Lone Survivor, and American Sniper, to name just a few. Almost none has included portrayals of women in combat. For the last two years I reported on a team of women soldiers recruited by special operations in 2011 to serve on combat missions alongside Army Rangers and Navy SEALs, among other special operations teams, all while the combat ban on women remained in place.

In Egypt, disaffected youth increasingly drawn to extremism Posted: 04 Aug 2015 05:52 AM PDT CAIRO (AP) — The 20-year-old law student says he has had enough of fruitless protests in support of Egypt's deposed Islamist president, two years of a losing struggle with police.

Obama: This May Be ‘The Last Generation’ That Can Stop Climate Change Posted: 04 Aug 2015 04:00 AM PDT President Obama on Monday formally unveiled his signature plan for dramatically reducing emissions from coal-fired power plants over the coming decade, and then immediately fired a salvo at his congressional and energy industry critics who have vowed to fight the new rules. During an afternoon White House ceremony, Obama framed his controversial drive to reduce utility plant carbon emissions as part of a larger global struggle to preserve the environment and avert catastrophic weather and public health problems and economic chaos. "As one of America's governors has said, we're the first generation to feel the impact of climate change, and the last generation that can do something about it," he said, quoting Washington State governor Jay Inslee.

'Bearded voter-repellent' or cure for 'virus'? Leftist shakes up Labour Posted: 04 Aug 2015 02:49 AM PDT By Kylie MacLellan and William James LONDON (Reuters) - Reeling from their worst defeat in decades, senior figures in the Labour Party want to tack to the centre to win back voters, but party activists are rallying behind a leftist stalwart who says it is time to get radical. Labour is so divided over the choice of a leader to replace failed prime ministerial candidate Ed Miliband that some are questioning whether the party that created Britain's welfare state and health service can even hold together. Party heavyweights who served as cabinet ministers under Tony Blair and Gordon Brown from 1997-2010 have been issuing increasingly panicked warnings that a lurch to the left would consign Labour to electoral oblivion.

PKK attacks Turkey's halted Shah Deniz gas pipeline Posted: 04 Aug 2015 02:43 AM PDT Kurdish militants attacked Turkey's Shah Deniz pipeline carrying natural gas from Azerbaijan early on Tuesday, but the blast did not impact supply as flow had already been halted for maintenance, the energy minister said on Tuesday. The blast came days after another attack by the outlawed Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK) halted flows along a pipeline carrying crude oil to Turkey from Iraq. "With last night's attack, the separatist terror organization (PKK) has once again shown that they aim to prevent our people from accessing their most basic needs," Energy Minister Taner Yildiz said in an e-mailed statement.

Russia calls for international cooperation to fight Islamic State Posted: 04 Aug 2015 02:33 AM PDT Russia is concerned about the growing influence of Islamic State, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said on Tuesday, calling for international cooperation on the matter. "It is common knowledge that Russia has been expressing concern at the highest levels about a growing influence of the so-called Islamic State and how it is expanding territory under its control in Syria and Iraq," Peskov told reporters.

Britain extends Iraq air strikes mission by a year Posted: 04 Aug 2015 02:25 AM PDT Britain is extending its air strikes against Islamic State (IS) group targets in Iraq by a year to March 2017, Defence Secretary Michael Fallon said in comments broadcast Tuesday. The announcement represents a second reprieve for the squadron of ageing Tornado GR4 fighter bombers currently based in Cyprus which was due to be disbanded first this year and then next, and will now be kept on. "We want to ensure we maintain this crucial operational tempo and so we will extend the lifetime of Number 12 Squadron for a further year to March 2017," Fallon told the BBC during a visit to Baghdad.

UK extends Iraqi air campaign against Islamic State until March 2017 Posted: 04 Aug 2015 01:04 AM PDT Britain will extend its air campaign in Iraq against Islamic State militants by a year, Defence Secretary Michael Fallon said on Tuesday, saying it would use aging Tornado fighter jets to conduct strikes until at least early 2017. Britain had previously said the Tornados would stay operational until March 2016, a year later than originally intended, and would then be finally taken out of service. "The Tornado squadrons have proved their worth in the air campaign because of the precision weapons they have and because of the reconnaissance and surveillance that they carry out when they're not striking," Fallon told BBC radio.

Cult satirist Stewart retires from 'Daily Show' Posted: 04 Aug 2015 12:51 AM PDT Not even Barack Obama wants to see him go. The content and guests on the last program on Comedy Central are a closely guarded secret, but it is scheduled to last an hour, twice as long as normal. "Let me make something clear, I'm not dying," joked Stewart last week as fans wondered how they could follow a new presidential race without him slamming the candidates four nights a week.

Returning Uighurs attacked Thai, Chinese police, China says Posted: 03 Aug 2015 11:48 PM PDT By Michael Martina BEIJING (Reuters) - Some of the 109 Uighurs returned to China from Thailand last month attacked Thai and Chinese police while being taken aboard a flight back to Xinjiang, as they believed they would be executed on their return, Xinjiang's government said on Tuesday. Hundreds, possibly thousands, of Muslim Uighurs keen to escape unrest in China's far western Xinjiang region have traveled clandestinely via Southeast Asia to Turkey, home to a large Uighur diaspora.

Fire sale on stuff that burns: Oil, natural gas, coal down Posted: 03 Aug 2015 09:55 PM PDT NEW YORK (AP) — These days it seems whatever can be burned to power a car, heat a home, make electricity or ship people and goods around the globe is being sold at bargain basement prices.

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