2015年9月1日星期二

Yahoo! News: Iraq

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

Yahoo! News: Iraq


Al-Qaeda fighters could tackle IS: Petraeus

Posted: 01 Sep 2015 04:18 PM PDT

Fighters from Al-Qaeda's Syrian affiliate Al-Nusra Front drive in the northern Syrian city of Aleppo, on May 26, 2015Former CIA chief and retired general David Petraeus wants the United States to consider working with some members of an Al-Qaeda-affiliated organization to tackle the Islamic State group in Syria, he said Tuesday. In a statement to CNN, Petraeus said some members of the Al-Qaeda affiliated Al-Nusra Front might be persuaded to join the coalition battling the IS group. "We should under no circumstances try to use or co-opt Nusra, an Al-Qaeda affiliate in Syria, as an organization against ISIL," Petraeus told CNN, using another acronym for the IS group.


A look at couples suing over marriage licenses in Kentucky

Posted: 01 Sep 2015 02:37 PM PDT

Rowan County Clerk Kim Davis, right, talks with David Moore following her office's refusal to issue marriage licenses at the Rowan County Courthouse in Morehead, Ky., Tuesday, Sept. 1, 2015. Although her appeal to the U.S. Supreme Court was denied, Davis still refuses to issue marriage licenses. (AP Photo/Timothy D. Easley)FRANKFORT, Ky. (AP) — Six couples, including four gay couples and two straight couples, have sued a county clerk in Kentucky for refusing to issue marriage licenses after the U.S. Supreme Court overturned bans on same-sex marriage nationwide.


Oil retreats more than $5 on weak data, eroding 25 percent rally

Posted: 01 Sep 2015 02:34 PM PDT

A customer prepares to fill the tank of her car at a fuel station in Sint Pieters LeeuwOil prices plummeted on Tuesday, settling 8 percent lower, as weak Chinese data extended a roller-coaster run that knocked oil to its lowest in 6-1/2 years last week before frenzied short-covering fueled a 25 percent three-session surge. "It was primarily the China fear factor," Carsten Fritsch at Commerzbank in Frankfurt told the Reuters Global Oil Forum.


Is the Arctic Circle a safer route for Syria refugees?

Posted: 01 Sep 2015 02:12 PM PDT

As conflict and violence in Syria, Iraq, and Afghanistan continues, more refugees are seeking asylum in Europe, risking their lives to cross the Mediterranean on overcrowded boats. Located 1,500 miles northeast of Oslo in the town of Kirkenes, the Storskog border post has seen about 150 refugees in the past two months, according to Kirkenes police chief Hans Mollebakken, though Norwegian immigration has processed nearly 1,000 refugees overall this year. Because the border is closed to pedestrians, some migrants arrive by car, while others arrive on bicycle.

US condemns IS destruction of Syria temple

Posted: 01 Sep 2015 02:12 PM PDT

This handout picture provided on August 31, 2015 by UNITAR-UNOSAT shows a close-up of a satellite-acquired image, with rubble seen at the location of the Temple of Bel in Syria's ancient city of PalmyraThe United States added its voice Tuesday to the global chorus of condemnation of the Islamic State group's destruction of the main temple in the ancient ruins of Palmyra. The jihadist group seized the ruins from Syrian government forces in May and it has since been accused of the destructive looting of the site for black market artifacts. Last month, the group beheaded the 82-year-old former antiquities chief in Palmyra, Khaled al-Assaad, and destroyed the ancient shrine of Baal Shamin.


Western-backed Syrian rebels say kill foreign Islamic State fighters in undercover strike

Posted: 01 Sep 2015 02:09 PM PDT

A group of Western-backed Syrian insurgents said on Tuesday they had killed three foreign fighters -- two Saudis and a Tunisian -- with the Islamic State group in an undercover raid into an area under the control of the ultra-radical militants. An alliance of rebel groups known as Jabhat al Shamiya (Levant Front) operating in the northern Aleppo countryside near the border with Turkey said the operation was conducted by their clandestine security unit and was the first of its kind. "We promise Baghdadi (leader of Islamic State) more of these security operations in the heart of areas under the control of his fighters," a statement by the Levant Front said.

Greek ship ferries hundreds more migrants to mainland

Posted: 01 Sep 2015 01:52 PM PDT

A ship bringing about 1,800 migrants and refugees from an eastern Greek island to the port of Piraeus arrived on Tuesday night, the Greek coastguard said. Greece has seen a spike in the number of refugees and migrants arriving on the islands by rubber dinghies via nearby Turkey this summer, with aid agencies estimating about 2,000 crossing over daily last month. "You have to help us," said 27-year-old Isham, a Syrian teacher who left his wife and two children behind in Turkey.

Turkish soldier killed, another missing after fire from IS territory in Syria

Posted: 01 Sep 2015 01:00 PM PDT

A Turkish border post sits by the barbed wire border fence with Syria on January 15, 2014 near Kilis and the Oncupinar border crossingA Turkish soldier was killed and another one was missing following cross-border fire from Islamic State-held territory in Syria, the army said. The soldier died of his wounds in hospital following the incident in the border region of Kilis when shots were fired from the IS-controlled area in Syria, the Turkish Armed Forces (TSK) said in a statement on its website. The army did not say who had fired the shots, but Kilis Governor Suleyman Tapsiz had earlier said that a group of smugglers trying to cross from Syria into Turkey had opened fire on the border troops.


Can the U.S. Use al Qaeda Fighters to Defeat ISIS? David Petraeus Has a Plan

Posted: 01 Sep 2015 01:00 PM PDT

Retired U.S. Army general and former Central Intelligence Agency director David Petraeus is publicly floating a new and somewhat surprising proposal for combating the terrorist group ISIS in the Middle East. The architect of the "surge" in Iraq that helped defeat al Qaeda in that country nearly a decade ago is now suggesting that some al Qaeda-affiliated fighters might be persuaded to turn their guns on the Islamic State. In Iraq, part of Petraeus's success was built on helping to engineer a shift in loyalties among Sunni Muslim militias that, in many cases, had been fighting against the U.S. and Iraqi government.

Turkey tightens grip on journalists with harsh terrorism charges

Posted: 01 Sep 2015 12:37 PM PDT

Jake Hanrahan, Philip Pendlebury, and a local journalist working with them in Diyarbakir, southeast Turkey, were detained last Thursday, with the severity of the charges provoking an outcry from human rights groups who have for years charted an erosion of press freedom in Turkey. Called "baseless and alarmingly false" by VICE News, the charges also show Turkey's sensitivity about renewed conflict with ethnic Kurds that has surged in intensity since mid-summer. Recommended: Think you know Turkey?

A look at what migrants are carrying with them to Europe

Posted: 01 Sep 2015 10:50 AM PDT

In this photo taken Friday, Aug. 28, 2015, Hussein Al-Shamali, 20, from Idlib, Syria, shows his school identity card as he rests after crossing from Serbia to Roszke, Hungary. In his backpack, Hussein carries what he hopes is the key to his future: all the records of his learning. (AP Photo/Darko Bandic)ROSZKE, Hungary (AP) — To survive days on end of walking and improvised camping in harsh weather, they must concentrate on essentials: pain medicine, foot powder and first aid, food and personal hygiene items. The savviest have smartphones with backup battery power and SIM cards that work in the countries they're passing through. Otherwise, they can end up walking in circles without satellite navigation, particularly at night, when many travel to avoid police.


Lindsey Graham files for home state Republican primary

Posted: 01 Sep 2015 10:38 AM PDT

COLUMBIA, S.C. (AP) — South Carolina's Lindsey Graham on Tuesday made his presidential campaign official in his home state, saying he is the most qualified to serve as commander in chief despite his meager poll standings.

Kurds suspect another chemical attack by Islamic State in Iraq

Posted: 01 Sep 2015 10:27 AM PDT

Kurdish authorities said on Tuesday they suspected a homemade rocket fired by Islamic State at their peshmerga forces in northern Iraq contained chemical substances, accusing the Islamist insurgents of an increasing use of chemical weapons. The Kurdistan Region's Security Council (KRSC) said the attack had taken place along the front line north of Mosul on Aug. 31, and one peshmerga fighter was receiving treatment in hospital. "This is one of an increasing number of attacks in recent months suspected of carrying chemical substances," the KRSC said in a statement.

U.S., allies conduct 19 air strikes against Islamic State: U.S. military

Posted: 01 Sep 2015 10:20 AM PDT

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The United States and its allies conducted 19 air strikes against Islamic State militants in Iraq and Syria on Monday, the U.S. military said in a statement on Tuesday. In Syria, six attacks hit tactical units, fighting positions, a training camp and other targets, it said. In Iraq, there were 13 strikes near Bayji, Mosul, Ramadi and other towns. (Reporting by Washington newsroom; Editing by Eric Walsh)

Multiple suicide attacks kill 12 Iraqi troops, militiamen

Posted: 01 Sep 2015 09:56 AM PDT

BAGHDAD (AP) — A series of suicide attacks by the Islamic State group outside a town in Iraq's western Anbar province on Tuesday killed 12 soldiers and allied Sunni militiamen, military and hospital officials said.

Satellite images confirm major temple destroyed in Syria's Palmyra: U.N

Posted: 01 Sep 2015 09:31 AM PDT

A general view shows the Temple of Bel in the historical city of PalmyraSatellite images have confirmed the destruction of the Temple of Bel, which was one of the best preserved Roman-era sites in the Syrian city of Palmyra, a United Nations agency said, after activists said the hardline Islamic State group had targeted it. A comparison of before and after images shows the damage to the temple at the UNESCO World Heritage site, the Geneva-based United Nations Institute for Training and Research (UNITAR) said. The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights monitoring group and other activists said on Sunday that Islamic State had destroyed part of the more than 2,000-year-old temple, one of Palmyra's most important monuments.


Dick Cheney remains tight-lipped on Trump, 2016 field

Posted: 01 Sep 2015 08:53 AM PDT

In interviews for his new book, former Vice President Cheney has declined to endorse the billionaire businessman – or any other Republican candidate. Recommended: What do you know about Donald Trump? Cheney has been making the media rounds with daughter Liz for their new book out Tuesday, "Exceptional: Why the World Needs a Powerful America." In it, Dick and Liz Cheney make a case for a more assertive US foreign policy, weighing in on the Iran nuclear deal (which Cheney calls "tragically reminiscent" of the Munich pact), the Iraq war, and President Barack Obama ("worst president we've ever had").

UNESCO chief: IS destruction of Syrian temple 'intolerable'

Posted: 01 Sep 2015 08:45 AM PDT

COMBO - This combination of two satellite images provided by UNITAR-UNOSAT shows damage to the main building of the ancient Temple of Bel in Palmyra, Syria on Monday, Aug. 31, 2015, top, and before the damage on Thursday, Aug. 27, 2015. The main building has been destroyed, a United Nations agency said on Monday, Aug. 31, 2015. The imagery was taken before and after a massive explosion was set off near the 2,000-year-old temple in the city occupied by Islamic State militants. (UNITAR-UNOSAT via AP)BEIRUT (AP) — Islamic State militants in Syria committed an "intolerable crime against civilization" by destroying the Temple of Bel, one of the ancient world's most iconic monuments, the head of the U.N. cultural agency said Tuesday.


US Iran's 'No.1 enemy' despite nuclear deal: cleric

Posted: 01 Sep 2015 07:45 AM PDT

Ayatollah Mohammad Yazdi (right) says Iran's nuclear agreement with world powers should not "change our foreign policy" of opposition to the United StatesThe United States remains Iran's "number one enemy" despite a recent nuclear deal with world powers, the chief of Tehran's top clerical committee said on Tuesday, Iranian media reported. The Assembly of Experts is among Iran's most influential institutions, comprising 86 elected clerics who appoint and can dismiss the country's supreme leader. It is led by the ultraconservative Ayatollah Mohammad Yazdi.


Kuwait charges 26 suspects over arms cache, alleges Iran link

Posted: 01 Sep 2015 07:29 AM PDT

Kuwait has charged 26 people with possessing weapons and having contacts with Iran and the Lebanese Hezbollah group in order to plot attacks against the Gulf state. The case relates to the seizure of an arms cache in Kuwait last month which local newspapers have reported was smuggled in from Iran. Ties between Iran and its Gulf Arab neighbors are strained by suspicions that Tehran is trying to extend its influence into Arab countries including Syria, Iraq and Yemen.

Injured Veterans Tackle Wounds of War in Soldier Ride Dallas

Posted: 01 Sep 2015 07:25 AM PDT

The national program brings service members together for a long weekend focused on physical health, wellness, and healing. Every Soldier Ride begins with a bike fitting, where each disabled veteran is fit with adaptive equipment to meet their specific needs. Soldier Ride presented by USAA is also being supported across the country by U-HAUL, a founding partner of Soldier Ride, and TREK, both proud supporters of WWP.

A primer on where pope stands on gays, divorce, climate

Posted: 01 Sep 2015 06:35 AM PDT

FILE - In this Wednesday, Aug. 26, 2015, file photo, Pope Francis waves as arrives for his weekly general audience in St. Peter's Square at the Vatican. Francis, speaking Monday, Aug. 31, 2015, from Rome via satellite to people in three American cities, asked a teenage girl to sing for him as he sought prayers for his upcoming trip to the United States. (AP Photo/Alessandra Tarantino, File)VATICAN CITY (AP) — Pope Francis is expected to raise issues ranging from climate change to income inequality when he visits Cuba and the United States Sept. 19-27. Francis has launched an agenda of reform in the Vatican and in the global church, prioritizing different issues and counseling a more merciful message. Here's a primer on where the pope stands on key issues.


Sardarbegian: Petco's Blatant Discrimination Practices Prevent Consumers of Iranian-Descent from Observing Nowruz

Posted: 01 Sep 2015 06:04 AM PDT

LOS ANGELES, Sept. 1, 2015 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Three separate potential patrons were denied purchasing goldfish in preparation for Nowruz— a yearly cultural tradition—on three separate occasions by Petco sales associates. It was soon discovered that retail stores were given direct orders from Petco flagship offices to refuse the sale of goldfish to anyone who is purchasing with the intent of celebrating Nowruz. Nowruz is also celebrated by peoples and countries that share borders or are in the same region such as: Afghanistan, Albania, Azerbaijan, Georgia, India, Iraq, Kazakhstan, Kosovo.

European court ruling shows risk of rushed migrant repatriation

Posted: 01 Sep 2015 06:00 AM PDT

A ruling by human rights judges against Italy on Monday over the deportation of three Tunisians in 2011 highlights the risks of streamlining repatriation as European authorities propose just that to help cope with an influx from Africa, Syria and Iraq. The expulsion decisions which were "identically worded" and with no reference to the personal situation of the migrants, the court found, violating Article 4 of the 4th Protocol to the European Convention on Human Rights. As Europe faces its biggest refugee crisis since World War Two, the European Commission, the EU executive, is proposing to speed up the repatriation of migrants who do not qualify for asylum.

Wounded Warrior Project to Participate In Combined Federal Campaign

Posted: 01 Sep 2015 06:00 AM PDT

JACKSONVILLE, Fla., Sept. 1, 2015 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- National veterans' service organization (VSO) and nonprofit  Wounded Warrior Project® (WWP) will once again participate in the Combined Federal Campaign (CFC), the world's largest and most successful annual workplace-charity campaign. CFC utilizes almost 200 campaigns nationwide and overseas to raise millions of dollars each year for eligible non-profits. CFC provides the perfect opportunity for military and civilian federal employees to get involved by supporting causes they believe in.

Veteran Regains Control of His Life Through Online Fitness Program

Posted: 01 Sep 2015 04:59 AM PDT

PITTSBURGH, Sept. 1, 2015 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- When Robert Anderson retired from the U.S. Army, his body served as a constant reminder of the wear and tear that can only come from over a decade of military service. It wasn't until he discovered the programs and services available to him through Wounded Warrior Project® (WWP) that he realized his potential instead of his limitations. By attending a Cleveland Browns game with his fellow injured service members through the WWP Alumni program, Anderson took his first steps on the road to recovery.

Wounded Warrior Project Soldier Ride Cycles through Hampton Roads

Posted: 01 Sep 2015 04:00 AM PDT

VIRGINIA BEACH, Va., Sept. 1, 2015 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- An area known for its history and breathtaking beaches will soon serve as a backdrop for more than 50 injured service members taking an emotional first step towards recovery. Come show your support for our country's bravest men and women as Wounded Warrior Project® (WWP) Soldier Ride® presented by USAA® heads to Hampton Roads September 10-12. Often serving as an introductory physical health and wellness event for WWP veterans, Soldier Ride brings together injured service members for a long weekend that facilitates camaraderie and healing through various physical health and wellness activities.

Press group urges Philippines to protect journalists

Posted: 01 Sep 2015 03:36 AM PDT

MANILA, Philippines (AP) — The Committee to Protect Journalists urged Philippine President Benigno Aquino III on Tuesday to act to stop attacks against the press in the country after three journalists were killed recently.

Why Oil’s Big Bounce Won’t Last

Posted: 01 Sep 2015 03:15 AM PDT

Crude oil has enjoyed an epic reversal in recent days, with West Texas Intermediate rallying from a low of $37.75 during last week's market volatility to close above $47 a barrel on Monday — a rebound of nearly 28 percent. On the demand side, the approach of the end of the peak summer driving season, concerns over China and refinery outages were to blame — in what looks like a prototypical short-covering surge. Or is this another price rebound destined to fade?

Can the GOP Deal With Iran?

Posted: 01 Sep 2015 12:00 AM PDT

President Nixon responded with air and naval strikes on the North. Three months earlier, Nixon had gone to Peking to toast Mao Zedong, whose regime was also aiding Hanoi, and which, two decades before, had been killing GIs in the thousands in Korea. Which brings us to Iran.

France to build Calais camp for 1,500 migrants

Posted: 31 Aug 2015 11:30 PM PDT

Migrants play paddle ball near tents in the makeshift camp called "The New Jungle" in CalaisBy Pierre Savary CALAIS, France (Reuters) - France plans to build a camp this winter for as many as 1,500 migrants in the northern port city of Calais where twice that many are living in tents and hoping to make the sea-crossing to Britain. European Commission Vice-President Frans Timmermans, visiting Calais with French Prime Minister Manuel Valls, said the Commission would contribute 5 million euros ($5.6 million) to the new centre which will house people in large tents. Calais mayor Natacha Bouchart said the new facility would be welcome but fell short of what was needed.


Norm Macdonald: A Raw and Uncensored Interview

Posted: 31 Aug 2015 09:00 PM PDT

The comedy legend sounds off on Bill Maher ("completely unfunny"), admits faking drunk to win over audiences (and "grope" women) and compares Donald Trump to Hitler in this no-holds-barred conversation.

Cultural heritage a casualty of war

Posted: 31 Aug 2015 08:46 PM PDT

An undated image, which appears to be a screenshot from a video and which was published by Islamic State group in the Homs province on August 25, 2015, allegedly shows smoke billowing from the Baal Shamin temple in Syria's ancient city of PalmyraIslamic State militants have destroyed two of the most important temples in the UNESCO-listed Syrian city of Palmyra, as they press their campaign to wipe out some of the Middle East's most important heritage sites. The United Nations released satellite images Monday confirming the ancient city's most famed shrine, the 2,000-year-old Temple of Bel, had been blown up a week after the destruction of the temple of Baal Shamin. The jihadists have become notorious for demolishing archaeological treasures since declaring a "caliphate" last year straddling Iraq and Syria.


UN: Satellite images show Temple of Bel in Syria "destroyed"

Posted: 31 Aug 2015 07:56 PM PDT

This Monday, Aug. 31, 2015 satellite image provided by UNITAR-UNOSAT shows damage to the main building of the ancient Temple of Bel in the Palmyra, Syria. The main building has been destroyed, a United Nations agency said. The image was taken a day after a massive explosion was set off near the 2,000-year-old temple in the city occupied by Islamic State militants. (UrtheCast, UNITAR-UNOSAT via AP)DAMASCUS, Syria (AP) — A satellite image on Monday shows that the main building of the ancient Temple of Bel in the Syrian city of Palmyra has been destroyed, a United Nations agency said. The image was taken a day after a massive explosion was set off near the 2,000-year-old temple in the city occupied by Islamic State militants.


Migrants face indignity, corruption and fear on Balkan route

Posted: 31 Aug 2015 05:14 PM PDT

Syrian refugees line up with children at a registration camp in Presevo after arriving in Serbia on August 30, 2015"It starts on the (inflatable) boat from Turkey to Greece. "We leave our countries to flee oppression, but we find on the way that our dignity and humanity are totally lost," the former student said as he got off a bus in Belgrade. Every step along the way from Turkey's shores to Greece, through Macedonia and Serbia and then Hungary, tens of thousands like Mohammad must face obstacle after obstacle.


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