Yahoo! News: Iraq

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• Bomb likely caused Russian plane crash: Britain
• Ex-president George H.W. Bush lashes out at Cheney, Rumsfeld
• Mustard gas use in Syria conflict confirmed
• British PM says bomb likely caused Russian airliner crash
• Soldier accused of conspiring to kill wife pleads not guilty
• Exclusive: Chemical weapons used by rebels in Syria - sources
• Obama, Cameron say bomb may have caused Egypt plane crash
• Mustard gas used in Syria fighting: UN watchdog source
• Germany to speed up repatriations as migrants near million mark
• Why does Florida VA office keep listing living veterans as deceased?
• Medical group says no armed men in hospital attacked by US
• IS bomb on Russia plane would herald new phase in conflict
• Americans Agree on Little About ISIS – Except the U.S. Is Losing the War
• Bush '41 unloads: Unsparing critique of Cheney, Rumsfeld
• Islamic State Egypt branch suspected in plane crash remains elusive
• 4 with US men charged with providing support to al Qaida
• 4 with Ohio ties charged with providing support to al Qaida
• 58 Iraqis died of electrocution during heavy rains: ministry
• Sweden says can no longer guarantee housing for new refugees
• Syria jihadists capture regime town along vital road
• Bush I Says Cheney and Rumsfeld Pushed the U.S. Into War in Iraq and Afghanistan
• Netanyahu's new media chief has called Obama anti-Semitic, Kerry 'comical'
• Germany to speed up repatriations of rejected asylum-seekers
• Turkey weighs further action against IS in coming days
• Does George Bush's new book throw his son under the bus? Hardly
• Soccer-Effigy of 'Bad Guy' Blatter to go up in smoke
• Bernie Sanders Does an About-Face on Clinton’s Emails
• France deploying aircraft carrier to help fight against IS
• U.N. expects Europe's refugee flow to top 1 million in 2015
• Did ISIS bomb Russian aircraft over Sinai?
• At least 19 civilians dead in Syria near Iraq border: monitor
• All indicators point to Islamic State attack on Russian plane: U.S. lawmaker
• RiverHills Bank, FHLB Dallas Award First HAVEN Grant in Mississippi to Help Navy Veteran Repair Home
• PKK tears up unilateral Turkey truce as violence rages
• AP-GfK Poll: Americans souring on Obama's Islamic State plan
• France to deploy aircraft carrier to help operations against Islamic State
• Kurdish PKK militants end unilateral ceasefire in Turkey: agency
• Europe's migrant crisis weighs on 'investment zone': bank
• France 'to deploy aircraft carrier against IS in Syria, Iraq'
• Britain says Islamic State likely brought down Russian plane

Bomb likely caused Russian plane crash: Britain Posted: 05 Nov 2015 04:57 PM PST By Paul Sandle LONDON (Reuters) - British Prime Minister David Cameron said on Thursday it was increasingly likely a bomb brought down a Russian airliner over Egypt with the loss of 224 lives, and U.S. President Barack Obama said Washington was taking that possibility "very seriously". In a telephone call, Russian President Vladimir Putin told Cameron it was important that assessments of the cause of the crash be based on information from the official investigation, Interfax news agency reported. Egypt, which depends on tourism as a crucial source of revenue, said there was no evidence a bomb was to blame.

Ex-president George H.W. Bush lashes out at Cheney, Rumsfeld Posted: 05 Nov 2015 04:41 PM PST Former president George H.W. Bush has slammed Dick Cheney as an "iron-ass" and Donald Rumsfeld as an "arrogant fellow," in a new book in which he vents publicly for the first time about their influence on his son George's presidency. Bush, president from 1989-1993, has mostly been silent on issues regarding his son's presidency and the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. Former vice president Cheney is an "iron-ass" who built "his own empire and marched to a different drummer," and who exerted too much of a "hard-line" influence over his son, Bush told his biographer Jon Meacham, the Times said.

Mustard gas use in Syria conflict confirmed Posted: 05 Nov 2015 03:57 PM PST Mustard gas was used during summer fighting in Syria but it was not clear by whom, the global chemical weapons watchdog said Thursday, while jihadists seized a key town from regime forces. The deadly gas was used in the flashpoint town of Marea in the northern province of Aleppo on August 21, a source from the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW) told AFP. Allegations that jihadist militants have been using chemical arms have been increasing in recent months in both Iraq and Syria.

British PM says bomb likely caused Russian airliner crash Posted: 05 Nov 2015 03:36 PM PST By Paul Sandle LONDON (Reuters) - British Prime Minister David Cameron said on Thursday it was increasingly likely a bomb brought down a Russian airliner over Egypt with the loss of 224 lives, and U.S. President Barack Obama said Washington was taking that possibility "very seriously". In a telephone call, Russian President Vladimir Putin told Cameron it was important that assessments of the cause of the crash be based on information from the official investigation, Interfax news agency reported. Egypt, which depends on tourism as a crucial source of revenue, said there was no evidence a bomb was to blame.

Soldier accused of conspiring to kill wife pleads not guilty Posted: 05 Nov 2015 03:20 PM PST HONOLULU (AP) — An Army medic in Honolulu pleaded not guilty Thursday after a federal grand jury indictment accused him of conspiring with his lover to kill his wife.

Exclusive: Chemical weapons used by rebels in Syria - sources Posted: 05 Nov 2015 03:13 PM PST By Anthony Deutsch THE HAGUE (Reuters) - Chemical weapons experts have determined that mustard gas was used in a Syrian town where Islamic State insurgents were battling another rebel group, according to a report by an international watchdog seen by Reuters. A confidential Oct. 29 report by the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW), a summary of which was shown to Reuters, concluded "with the utmost confidence that at least two people were exposed to sulfur mustard" in the town of Marea, north of Aleppo, on Aug. 21. "It is very likely that the effects of sulfur mustard resulted in the death of a baby," it said.

Obama, Cameron say bomb may have caused Egypt plane crash Posted: 05 Nov 2015 03:09 PM PST US President Barack Obama and British Prime Minister David Cameron raised the possibility Thursday that a bomb brought down a Russian plane that crashed over Egypt's Sinai Peninsula, undermining efforts by Cairo and Moscow to downplay the suggestion of an attack. With concerns over security mounting, a number of European airlines readied to bring home thousands of tourists from the Red Sea resort of Sharm el-Sheikh, where the ill-fated plane departed from last Saturday. "I think there is a possibility that there was a bomb on board and we are taking that very seriously," Obama told a US radio station, while emphasising it was too early to say for sure.

Mustard gas used in Syria fighting: UN watchdog source Posted: 05 Nov 2015 03:04 PM PST Weapons experts have concluded for the first time that mustard gas was used during fighting in Syria, UN sources told AFP Thursday adding a terrifying dimension to the four-year conflict. The deadly gas, first used in battle in World War I, was unleashed in the flashpoint town of Marea in the northern province of Aleppo on August 21, a source from the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW) said. "It is the first time that we have confirmed the use of mustard gas in Syria," the source said, asking not to be named.

Germany to speed up repatriations as migrants near million mark Posted: 05 Nov 2015 02:48 PM PST Germany said Thursday it would speed up the repatriation of rejected asylum-seekers as new figures showed the country inching closer to the million-migrant mark and EU forecasts showed even more people seeking refuge in Europe next year. After weeks of infighting in Germany's ruling coalition over how to absorb record numbers of migrants Chancellor Angela Merkel and the leaders of two allied parties agreed that those deemed economic migrants -- from countries not at war -- would be sent home within three weeks. The coalition leaders also agreed to set up three to five "reception centres" for asylum-seekers deemed on arrival to have little chance of being allowed to stay -- a move aimed at making it easier to repatriate those denied refugee status.

Why does Florida VA office keep listing living veterans as deceased? Posted: 05 Nov 2015 02:22 PM PST A Vietnam veteran had his benefits suspended this month when a federal agency mistakenly categorized him as dead. Mike Rieker called the US Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) office in the Tampa Bay area this week when a disability check was not deposited into his bank account as expected. Recommended: Are you smarter than a US Marine?

Medical group says no armed men in hospital attacked by US Posted: 05 Nov 2015 02:15 PM PST WASHINGTON (AP) — Inside the intensive care unit of the Doctors Without Borders hospital in Northern Afghanistan in the early hours of Oct. 3, the situation was as normal as it could be in the middle of an active war zone, the charity says.

IS bomb on Russia plane would herald new phase in conflict Posted: 05 Nov 2015 02:12 PM PST BEIRUT (AP) — At this stage, there is no hard evidence. But reports from the U.S. and Britain suggesting an Islamic State group bomb may have caused the Russian plane crash in Egypt are raising the alarm among experts, who say such an act would be a frightening change in tactics by the extremist group.

Americans Agree on Little About ISIS – Except the U.S. Is Losing the War Posted: 05 Nov 2015 02:00 PM PST There's no mystery to why members of Congress have avoided having to take a formal stand on the U.S. war against ISIS in Iraq and Syria. Despite some brave talk from the Obama administration and the Pentagon, the yearlong effort to "degrade and ultimately defeat" the Islamic terrorists is going badly. While few Republican or Democratic lawmakers were pleased with the Obama's announcement a week ago that it would send at least 50 U.S. troops into Syria to oversee military operations against ISIS, there is virtually no chance that lawmakers will come off the sidelines and finally pass new war powers legislation that leaves their fingerprints on an increasingly dubious U.S. policy in the Middle East.

Bush '41 unloads: Unsparing critique of Cheney, Rumsfeld Posted: 05 Nov 2015 01:52 PM PST WASHINGTON (AP) — Former President George H. W. Bush has finally revealed what he really thinks of his son's presidency, faulting George W. Bush for setting an abrasive tone on the world stage and failing to rein in hawkish Vice President Dick Cheney and former Defense chief Donald Rumsfeld.

Islamic State Egypt branch suspected in plane crash remains elusive Posted: 05 Nov 2015 01:45 PM PST By Michael Georgy and Ahmed Mohamed Hassan CAIRO (Reuters) - The Islamic State branch suspected of bringing down a Russian airliner in Egypt had eluded a security dragnet by operating in secretive cells inspired by a leader who used to import clothes for a living, Egyptian intelligence officials say. Western officials are increasingly pointing the finger of blame at Sinai Province, which has focused on killing Egyptian soldiers and police since the military toppled President Mohamed Mursi of the Muslim Brotherhood in 2013 after mass protests. If a bomb knocked Airbus A321 out of the sky, that would challenge Egypt's assertions that it had brought under control militants who have carried out high-profile attacks on senior government officials and Western targets.

4 with US men charged with providing support to al Qaida Posted: 05 Nov 2015 01:43 PM PST TOLEDO, Ohio (AP) — Four men, two of them Indian citizens, were working together to send money and other assistance to a known al Qaida leader before he was killed in a drone strike, the U.S. Justice Department said Thursday.

4 with Ohio ties charged with providing support to al Qaida Posted: 05 Nov 2015 12:48 PM PST TOLEDO, Ohio (AP) — Four men with Ohio ties, including two former Ohio State University students, were working together to send money and other assistance to a known al Qaida leader before he was killed in a drone strike, the U.S. Justice Department said Thursday.

58 Iraqis died of electrocution during heavy rains: ministry Posted: 05 Nov 2015 12:29 PM PST Fifty-eight Iraqis died of electrocution during heavy rains and flooding last week, the health ministry said Thursday, illustrating the dangers posed by the country's dilapidated infrastructure. The 58 "died of electric shocks," spokesman Ahmed al-Ridaini told AFP. The sewer system was overwhelmed by several days of downpour, leading to widespread flooding in Baghdad and other parts of the country, and with some areas still flooded days after the rain stopped.

Sweden says can no longer guarantee housing for new refugees Posted: 05 Nov 2015 11:45 AM PST Sweden's migration minister warned on Thursday that the government could no longer guarantee finding accommodation for newly arrived refugees as the country applied for EU emergency aid to cope with record number of asylum seekers. The Migration Agency said it was preparing to shelter around 50 refugees in the reception area of its headquarters because of the lack of housing. The agency forecast up to 190,000 asylum seekers would arrive this year, double the previous record from the early 1990s.

Syria jihadists capture regime town along vital road Posted: 05 Nov 2015 11:43 AM PST Jihadists seized a key town Thursday along a vital road in Syria's central Hama province, where regime forces are struggling to gain ground despite a month of Russian air strikes. The setback for Damascus came as France announced it would deploy an aircraft carrier to boost its fight against the Islamic State group, which has seized control of large parts of Iraq and Syria.

Bush I Says Cheney and Rumsfeld Pushed the U.S. Into War in Iraq and Afghanistan Posted: 05 Nov 2015 11:39 AM PST It wasn't long ago that former Vice President Dick Cheney and his daughter, Liz, were out flogging their book, Exceptional: Why the World Needs a Powerful America, in which they lauded the inherent greatness of America while brutally criticizing President Obama and his policies. Cheney, who served two terms as George W. Bush's vice president, had as much influence as anyone in shaping post-9/11 foreign policy and war strategy in Afghanistan and Iraq.

Netanyahu's new media chief has called Obama anti-Semitic, Kerry 'comical' Posted: 05 Nov 2015 11:38 AM PST By Jeffrey Heller JERUSALEM (Reuters) - He has accused Barack Obama of anti-Semitism, suggested his own country's president was not important enough to assassinate and described U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry as having the mental abilities of a 12-year-old. Ran Baratz's Facebook and web page barbs might have remained forever on the margins of social media, save for one thing: the appointment of the 42-year-old philosophy lecturer as Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's new communications director. As head of public diplomacy and media, Baratz, who was named to the post on Wednesday, will be tasked with improving Israel's reputation in the world.

Germany to speed up repatriations of rejected asylum-seekers Posted: 05 Nov 2015 11:17 AM PST Germany plans to speed up repatriations of rejected asylum-seekers from new central hubs, Chancellor Angela Merkel and her coalition allies agreed Thursday, vowing to bring order to a record migrant influx. While refugees from Syria and other war zones would continue to be granted safe haven, those deemed economic migrants, mostly from "safe origin" Balkans countries, would be sent back within three weeks, said Merkel. Laying to rest weeks of coalition infighting, Merkel and the two other party chiefs also agreed on a new streamlined ID system and a central database for asylum-seekers.

Turkey weighs further action against IS in coming days Posted: 05 Nov 2015 10:45 AM PST Turkey said Thursday that all options are being considered in the fight against the Islamic State group after the foreign minister said Ankara was planning more military action against the jihadists soon. "We have plans to act militarily against them in the coming days," Foreign Minister Feridun Sinirlioglu told a conference Wednesday in the northern Iraqi city of Arbil, describing IS as a "clear and present threat". Sinirlioglu did not specify what sort of operation Ankara was planning or where.

Does George Bush's new book throw his son under the bus? Hardly Posted: 05 Nov 2015 10:05 AM PST Dick Cheney became a different person after the 9/11 attacks – "very hard line." As vice president during the George W. Bush administration. Mr. Cheney seemed eager to use military force to solve all United States security problems in the Middle East.

Soccer-Effigy of 'Bad Guy' Blatter to go up in smoke Posted: 05 Nov 2015 10:00 AM PST A giant effigy of embattled FIFA president Sepp Blatter will be set alight as part of the Bonfire Night celebrations of a small English town. The towering 11-metre sculpture built by artist Frank Shepherd has been erected at Edenbridge in Kent and portrays the 79-year-old Swiss holding the World Cup, a ball and box of bank notes. The effigy of Blatter, who is currently suspended for 90 days by FIFA's ethics committee and reeling from the most serious corruption scandal ever to engulf the world governing body, will be torched on Saturday.

Bernie Sanders Does an About-Face on Clinton’s Emails Posted: 05 Nov 2015 09:58 AM PST Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-VT) has changed his tune on Hillary Clinton's email problem. Sanders' comments appear to reverse the stance he took last month during the first Democratic presidential debate. The line drew lengthy applause and prompted a handshake of gratitude from Clinton, whose candidacy had been weighed down by questions about the personal email server she used while acting as the country's top diplomat.

France deploying aircraft carrier to help fight against IS Posted: 05 Nov 2015 08:58 AM PST PARIS (AP) — France will deploy an aircraft carrier in the Persian Gulf to assist the fight against the Islamic State group in Iraq and Syria.

U.N. expects Europe's refugee flow to top 1 million in 2015 Posted: 05 Nov 2015 08:55 AM PST By Stephanie Nebehay GENEVA (Reuters) - Refugees and migrants are likely to keep coming to Europe at a rate of up to 5,000 per day via Turkey this winter, the United Nations said on Thursday, meaning that more than a million people will have fled to the continent this year. If that is the case, we are looking at another 600,000 refugees and migrants arriving in Europe between November this year and February next year," William Spindler, spokesman for the U.N. High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), told Reuters Television. "It will put the figure over a million for this year." In 2014, 216,000 people arrived in Europe by sea seeking asylum, a number matched by those arriving this October alone.

Did ISIS bomb Russian aircraft over Sinai? Posted: 05 Nov 2015 08:48 AM PST It is "more likely than not a terrorist bomb" that brought down a St. Petersburg-bound flight with 224 aboard in Egypt's Sinai Peninsula, British Prime Minister David Cameron said on Thursday. US officials have told CNN that intelligence points to Islamic State (IS) or its affiliates placing a bomb on the Russian plane, which flight data shows broke apart in midair, leaving no survivors. Those officials emphasized that the US intelligence community has drawn no official conclusions, nor have US officials examined forensic evidence from the crash site. Recommended: How much do you know about the Islamic State?

At least 19 civilians dead in Syria near Iraq border: monitor Posted: 05 Nov 2015 08:42 AM PST At least 19 civilians and some Islamic State group fighters were killed Thursday in air raids against jihadist positions in the Syrian town of Bukamal, near the Iraqi border, a monitor said. "At least 19 civilians, including a woman and two children, as well as jihadists were killed by warplanes," the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said, adding that it was unclear who carried out the raids. In July 2014, IS forced anti-regime rebels from Bukamal, in Deir Ezzor province, after its lightning offensive seized swathes of neighbouring Iraq's Sunni Arab heartland.

All indicators point to Islamic State attack on Russian plane: U.S. lawmaker Posted: 05 Nov 2015 08:23 AM PST U.S. Representative Michael McCaul, chairman of the House Homeland Security Committee, said on Thursday evidence so far indicates there was an Islamic State bomb attack on the Russian passenger plane that crashed in Egypt's Sinai Peninsula. McCaul acknowledged another theory - that the plane's tail had been worked on several years ago and may have broken off or otherwise failed - had not been ruled out. "But I think the more likely scenario where all indicators seem to be pointing, is that this was an ISIS attack with an explosive device in the airplane," McCaul told Fox News, using a common acronym for the militant group.

RiverHills Bank, FHLB Dallas Award First HAVEN Grant in Mississippi to Help Navy Veteran Repair Home Posted: 05 Nov 2015 07:59 AM PST VICKSBURG, Miss., Nov. 5, 2015 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Steve Williams spent 18 years in the Navy, most of that with a Navy Construction Battalion. As a "Seabee," Mr. Williams was deployed in 2007 to Iraq where he did contingency construction for special operations forces, including the building of hangar bays for the 82nd Airborne and barracks for the Navy Seals. Mr. Williams injured his back during his Iraq deployment while placing concrete T-walls — large concrete slabs used as protection around the perimeter of buildings.

PKK tears up unilateral Turkey truce as violence rages Posted: 05 Nov 2015 07:57 AM PST Kurdish rebels in Turkey tore up a unilateral ceasefire Thursday over a surge in deadly violence following an election that swept President Recep Tayyip Erdogan's party back to power, fanning fears of a return to all-out war. The announcement from the Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK) came after a spate of deadly clashes and days of Turkish bombing raids targeting its fighters in southeastern Turkey and across the border in northern Iraq. "The unilateral state of inaction has ended due to the AKP (Justice and Development Party) government's latest attacks," said a PKK statement carried by the pro-Kurdish news agency Firat.

AP-GfK Poll: Americans souring on Obama's Islamic State plan Posted: 05 Nov 2015 07:56 AM PST WASHINGTON (AP) — Americans are souring on President Barack Obama's approach to fighting the Islamic State, according to an Associated Press-GfK poll that also found deep pessimism about U.S. prospects for success in Afghanistan and uncertainty about Obama's plan to leave thousands of troops there when he leaves office.

France to deploy aircraft carrier to help operations against Islamic State Posted: 05 Nov 2015 07:32 AM PST France will deploy its aircraft carrier to support operations against Islamic State in Syria and Iraq, President Francois Hollande said on Thursday, bolstering Paris' firepower in the region amid international efforts to launch Syrian peace talks. The carrier is usually accompanied by an attack submarine, several frigates, refueling ships, as well as fighter jets and surveillance aircraft. "The aircraft carrier will enable us to be more efficient in coordination with our allies," Hollande said at the inauguration of the new defense ministry headquarters in Paris French warplanes struck their first targets in Syria at the end of September.

Kurdish PKK militants end unilateral ceasefire in Turkey: agency Posted: 05 Nov 2015 07:17 AM PST By Daren Butler ISTANBUL (Reuters) - Kurdish militants scrapped a month-old ceasefire in Turkey on Thursday, a day after President Tayyip Erdogan vowed to "liquidate" them, dashing hopes of any let-up in violence in the wake of a national election. The Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK) militant group said the ruling AK Party, which won back its parliamentary majority in Sunday's election, had shown it was on a war footing with attacks launched this week. "The unilateral halt to hostilities has come to an end with the AKP's war policy and the latest attacks," it said in a statement carried by the Firat news agency, which is close to the militant group, based in the mountains of northern Iraq.

Europe's migrant crisis weighs on 'investment zone': bank Posted: 05 Nov 2015 05:43 AM PST The migrant crisis has weighed heavily on the economies of southeastern Europe and the eastern Mediterranean, the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development warned on Thursday. "The 'frontline' countries -- those immediately bordering the conflict zone in Syria and Iraq -- saw a massive influx of refugees" in recent months, the EBRD said in its outlook for the lender's 36 countries of operation that include former Soviet bloc countries. "Turkey is estimated to be hosting 2.5 million refugees, while in Jordan they account for almost one-fifth of the population," the EBRD said.

France 'to deploy aircraft carrier against IS in Syria, Iraq' Posted: 05 Nov 2015 05:33 AM PST Paris (AFP) - The French presidency on Thursday said it would deploy its Charles de Gaulle aircraft carrier to boost its operations against the Islamic State group in Iraq and Syria.

Britain says Islamic State likely brought down Russian plane Posted: 05 Nov 2015 05:16 AM PST By Paul Sandle LONDON (Reuters) - Britain said on Thursday there was a significant possibility that Islamic State's Egyptian affiliate was behind a suspected bomb attack on a Russian airliner that killed 224 people in the Sinai Peninsula. Russia dismissed the claim as speculation and Egypt said there was no indication so far that a bomb was to blame. The topic is sensitive for Russia, whose warplanes have launched raids against Islamic State in Syria, and for Egypt, which depends heavily on revenues from tourism.

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