Yahoo! News: Iraq

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• Trump shrugs off widespread outrage over proposed Muslim ban
• House passes bill to tighten visa waiver program
• Russia tells UN Turkey was acting 'recklessly' in Iraq
• Maryam Rajavi: International community must maintain hard line on Iran, Syria and Daesh
• Iraq at U.N. plays down dispute with Turkey over troop deployment
• US House votes to tighten controls on visa-free travelers
• House Roll Call: Visa Waiver
• Top Asian News 10:58 p.m. GMT
• House tightens controls on visa-free travel to US
• Pentagon says anti-Muslim rhetoric undermines U.S. national security
• Russia gave warning of Syria cruise missile strikes, US says
• Here’s Why the Republican Party Is Terrified of Trump
• Russia launches new airstrikes in Syria; 1st from submarine
• Iraqi PM asks NATO to press Turkey to pull troops from north Iraq
• UN council to meet at Moscow's request on Syria, Iraq
• American, US resident extremists defect in Somalia
• ISIS and the ‘Internet Radicalization’ Trope
• Iraq forces retake large part of key city Ramadi from IS
• Germany carries out raids linked to planned attack in Berlin
• Putin-Erdogan clash leaves Turkey's merchants holding the (unsold) bag
• ISIS Is Winning the Recruitment War as Foreign Fighters Flow into Syria
• Iraqi forces seize neighborhood on outskirts of IS-held city
• Senator Cruz introduces bill to let states reject refugees
• Iraqi PM asks NATO to 'use authority' to urge Turkish withdrawal from N.Iraq
• ISIS, ISIL, Daesh, Islamic State: Why the Terror Group Has So Many Names
• Washington, Baghdad on different pages in fight against IS
• Israel charges 5 Arabs for setting up Islamic State cell
• ISIS Cutting Back as U.S.-Led Coalition Strikes Degrade Group's Oil Trade
• Turkey stopped deployment of troops to Iraq two days ago: foreign ministry
• Top House lawmaker: most Democrats likely to back visa waiver bill
• European states urge action against IS antiquities dealing
• Militants in Syria attract 31,000 foreign fighters: ex-UK spy chief
• Russia 'seriously concerned' at reports that coalition hit Syrian army
• 5 Ways Affinity Groups Can Boost Your Career
• Spain arrests two suspected Islamic State recruiters
• Police: No active links between Filipino, IS group militants
• Women in Combat: Physical Differences May Mean Uphill Battle
• Donald Trump's comments escalate GOP rhetoric on Muslims
• World chess chief to sue US for $50 bn over sanctions
• U.S.-led coalition targets Islamic State with 31 air strikes: statement

Trump shrugs off widespread outrage over proposed Muslim ban Posted: 08 Dec 2015 05:14 PM PST MOUNT PLEASANT, S.C. (AP) — Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump's call to block Muslims from entering the United States is being met with a chorus of near-universal condemnation from across the country and around the globe.

House passes bill to tighten visa waiver program Posted: 08 Dec 2015 04:52 PM PST By Patricia Zengerle WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The House of Representatives voted overwhelmingly on Tuesday to tighten restrictions on travel to the United States by citizens of 38 nations who are allowed to enter the country without obtaining a visa. The measure would require visitors from the visa waiver countries, which include much of western Europe, to obtain a visa to travel to the United States if they had been to Syria, Iraq, Iran or Sudan during the past five years. It would also require countries participating in the program to share information with U.S. authorities about suspected terrorists or risk being suspended from the scheme.

Russia tells UN Turkey was acting 'recklessly' in Iraq Posted: 08 Dec 2015 04:49 PM PST UNITED NATIONS (AP) — Russia's United Nations ambassador says he told the U.N. Security Council that Turkey was acting "recklessly and inexplicably" by sending troops across the border into Iraq without the consent of the government.

Maryam Rajavi: International community must maintain hard line on Iran, Syria and Daesh Posted: 08 Dec 2015 04:31 PM PST PARIS, Dec. 8, 2015 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The Union of Iranian Associations in Europe sponsored a meeting, "United Against Fundamentalism: Role of Iranian Resistance" on Tuesday, December 8, 2015, two days ahead of International Human Rights Day. The event featured Iranian opposition leader Maryam Rajavi, former US Senator and 2004 presidential candidate Joseph Lieberman and Professor Alejo Vidal Quadras, Vice-President of the European Parliament from 1999-2014.

Iraq at U.N. plays down dispute with Turkey over troop deployment Posted: 08 Dec 2015 03:56 PM PST By Louis Charbonneau UNITED NATIONS (Reuters) - Iraq's ambassador to the United Nations on Tuesday appeared to play down a dispute between Baghdad and Ankara over the deployment of Turkish troops in northern Iraq, saying bilateral talks between the neighboring states to end the row were proceeding favorably. "We are solving it between Baghdad and Ankara bilaterally," Iraqi Ambassador Mohamed Ali Alhakim told reporters after Russia raised the issue of Turkey's deployment during a closed-door meeting of the United Nations Security Council.

US House votes to tighten controls on visa-free travelers Posted: 08 Dec 2015 03:34 PM PST American lawmakers voted overwhelmingly Tuesday to impose restrictions making it more difficult for visitors to Iraq, Syria and countries listed as supporting terrorism to travel visa-free to the United States. The House of Representatives voted 407 to 19 in support of the Visa Waiver Program Improvement Act of 2015, a bill backed by the White House in the aftermath of the deadly attacks in Paris that were conducted by extremists who could have traveled to America without a visa. It would bar people who traveled after March 1, 2011 to Iraq and Syria, as well as Iran and Sudan, from participating in the visa-free program, require the use of electronic passports for all participating countries and call for those countries to share more intelligence data on terror and criminal suspects.

House Roll Call: Visa Waiver Posted: 08 Dec 2015 03:08 PM PST The 407-19 roll call Tuesday by which the House voted to tighten controls on travel to the U.S. and require visas for anyone who's been in Iraq or Syria in the previous five years.

Top Asian News 10:58 p.m. GMT Posted: 08 Dec 2015 02:58 PM PST U.S. presidential candidate Donald Trump has called for a "total and complete shutdown of Muslims entering the United States," immigrants and visitors alike, because of what he describes as hatred among "large segments of the Muslim population" toward Americans. The Associated Press is asking Muslims around the world for their thoughts on his proposal: ___ AYOUB MUSTAFA, a 42-year-old major with the Iraqi Kurdish peshmerga forces battling the Islamic State group, said Trump's rhetoric reminded him of that of the Islamic State group, known also as Daesh, after its Arabic language acronym. "This man is encouraging the same kind of hatred as Daesh." ___ FERAS ALI ABOU GHABEN, a 30-year-old Palestinian American stock broker: "Trump has managed to gain votes through hate speech.

House tightens controls on visa-free travel to US Posted: 08 Dec 2015 02:58 PM PST WASHINGTON (AP) — Driven by the Paris terror attacks, the House voted overwhelmingly Tuesday to tighten controls on travel to the U.S. and require visas for anyone who's been in Iraq or Syria in the previous five years.

Pentagon says anti-Muslim rhetoric undermines U.S. national security Posted: 08 Dec 2015 01:52 PM PST By Phil Stewart and Yeganeh Torbati WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The Pentagon warned on Tuesday against fueling Islamic State's narrative of a U.S. war with Islam, in a swipe at rhetoric by Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump that has triggered outrage around the world. Trump, the Republican front-runner for the November 2016 presidential election, has proposed banning Muslims from entering the United States. Asked about Trump's remarks, Pentagon spokesman Peter Cook said Muslims serve in the U.S. armed forces and that America's war strategy to combat Islamic State hinged on support from Muslim countries.

Russia gave warning of Syria cruise missile strikes, US says Posted: 08 Dec 2015 01:49 PM PST Russia warned in advance that its military would launch strikes Tuesday on Syria for the first time from a submarine stationed in the Mediterranean, the United States said. The strikes were aimed at "two terrorist strongholds" around Raqa, the de facto Syrian capital of the Islamic State group, Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu said. The advanced notice on the cruise missiles was "an additional measure of safety," said Cook.

Here’s Why the Republican Party Is Terrified of Trump Posted: 08 Dec 2015 01:00 PM PST It took nearly 24 hours after GOP presidential frontrunner Donald Trump's call to ban Muslims from entering the U.S. from abroad for a statement from Reince Priebus, the chairman of the Republican National Committee, to surface. "I don't agree," Priebus said about Trump's plan. Coincidentally, on Wednesday afternoon, the results of a poll conducted by USA Today and Suffolk University revealed one reason why Priebus and his colleagues at the RNC might be a little nervous about being overly critical of the former reality television star currently dominating their party's race.

Russia launches new airstrikes in Syria; 1st from submarine Posted: 08 Dec 2015 12:46 PM PST MOSCOW (AP) — Russia has unleashed another barrage of airstrikes against targets in Syria, including the first combat launch of a new cruise missile from a Russian submarine in the Mediterranean Sea, the country's defense minister said Tuesday.

Iraqi PM asks NATO to press Turkey to pull troops from north Iraq Posted: 08 Dec 2015 12:40 PM PST By Tulay Karadeniz and Ercan Gurses ANKARA (Reuters) - Iraq asked NATO on Tuesday to put pressure on alliance member Turkey to withdraw its troops immediately from northern Iraq after Ankara said it would not deploy any more but refused to pull out those already there. The arrival of a heavily armed Turkish contingent near the frontline close to Mosul has added yet another controversial deployment to a war against Islamic State that has drawn in most of the world's major powers. "NATO must use its authority to urge Turkey to withdraw immediately from Iraqi territory," Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi said in a statement, posted after a 48-hour deadline set by Baghdad for a withdrawal of the troops expired.

UN council to meet at Moscow's request on Syria, Iraq Posted: 08 Dec 2015 12:24 PM PST The UN Security Council will hold informal talks at Russia's request on Tuesday over Turkey's military operations in Iraq and Syria, diplomats said, as Moscow demanded answers. The closed-door talks will be presided over by the United States, which heads the rotating presidency of the 15-nation council in December. "We want the secretariat to tell us what is happening in the region," said Peter Iliichev, Russia's representative to the UN Security Council.

American, US resident extremists defect in Somalia Posted: 08 Dec 2015 12:24 PM PST MOGADISHU, Somalia (AP) — The defections of two fighters, an American and a U.S. resident, from Somalia's Islamic extremist rebels highlight tensions within al-Shabab over whether it should remain affiliated to al-Qaida or switch allegiance to the Islamic State group, an al-Shabab commander said Tuesday.

ISIS and the ‘Internet Radicalization’ Trope Posted: 08 Dec 2015 12:01 PM PST Nearly a week after the attacks in San Bernardino, the picture of the attackers and what drove them remains murky. The husband-and-wife team of Syed Rizwan Farook, an American citizen, and Tashfeen Malik, a permanent resident who FBI officials said pledged loyalty to the Islamic State on Facebook shortly before the shootings, were both killed fleeing the scene and are now the subject of an evolving investigation into the impetus for their radical act. At a news conference on Monday, David Bowdich, the assistant director of the FBI's Los Angeles office, told reporters that the pair had been "radicalized" for "quite some time" but "the question for us is how and by whom and where were they radicalized? Maybe there's not a 'by whom.' Remember, oftentimes it's on the Internet. We just don't know."

Iraq forces retake large part of key city Ramadi from IS Posted: 08 Dec 2015 11:46 AM PST Iraqi security forces recaptured a large part of the city of Ramadi from the Islamic State group Tuesday, officials said, scoring a significant breakthrough in their fightback against the jihadists. Baghdad's forces have been fighting for months to secure territory around Ramadi, the capital of the vast Anbar province, and retaking the Al-Tameem area on its southwestern side is an important step in the battle for the major city west of Baghdad. "Today, our forces completely cleared the Al-Tameem area after a fierce battle against Daesh gunmen," said Sabah al-Noman, spokesman for Iraq's counter-terrorism service, using an Arabic acronym for IS.

Germany carries out raids linked to planned attack in Berlin Posted: 08 Dec 2015 11:27 AM PST German police searched several locations in Berlin and the eastern state of Saxony on Tuesday for three people accused of planning an attack with explosives in the capital, the prosecutor's office said. One of the three is suspected of having tried to recruit members for the Islamic State militant group, which controls large parts of Syria and Iraq.

Putin-Erdogan clash leaves Turkey's merchants holding the (unsold) bag Posted: 08 Dec 2015 11:22 AM PST Today the brisk business of summer has subsided, but while a slowdown is natural this time of year, some merchants here fear the downturn could be protracted if Russia and Turkey continue on their collision course. Relations between Moscow and Ankara soured in late November after a Turkish fighter jet shot down a Russian bomber near the Turkey-Syria border. Turkey says the Sukhoi bomber violated its air space, a claim Moscow denies. Russia, Turkey's second largest trading partner, responded with a raft of economic sanctions and reinstated a need for visas to travel between the two countries.

ISIS Is Winning the Recruitment War as Foreign Fighters Flow into Syria Posted: 08 Dec 2015 11:01 AM PST The international effort to stem the flow of would-be extremists to Syria and Iraq to join ISIS appears to be a bust. According to a new private intelligence report, the number of foreign fighters in the region has doubled since 2014. Somewhere between 27,000 and 31,000 fighters from 86 countries have entered the conflict in the last year, according to the New York-based firm, compared to roughly 12,000 in Syria in June 2014.

Iraqi forces seize neighborhood on outskirts of IS-held city Posted: 08 Dec 2015 10:33 AM PST BAGHDAD (AP) — Iraqi troops battling the Islamic State group on Tuesday captured a neighborhood on the outskirts of militant-held Ramadi and a provincial operations center to the north of the city, officials said.

Senator Cruz introduces bill to let states reject refugees Posted: 08 Dec 2015 10:25 AM PST By Alana Wise and Patricia Zengerle WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Senator Ted Cruz, who is seeking the Republican nomination for president in 2016, said on Tuesday that he introduced legislation to give governors the ability to opt out of refugee resettlement programs. Cruz said that if President Barack Obama wanted to send refugees to any state, his legislation would let its governor refuse to participate, "to conclude that the federal government has not done a sufficient job ensuring that the safety and security of the citizens of the state will be protected." The comments came at a news conference with Greg Abbott, the Republican governor of Cruz's home state of Texas. Abbott was one of the first U.S. governors to seek to block the resettlement of refugees from Syria.

Iraqi PM asks NATO to 'use authority' to urge Turkish withdrawal from N.Iraq Posted: 08 Dec 2015 09:42 AM PST Iraqi Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi has asked NATO to "use its authority" to urge alliance member Turkey to withdraw its troops immediately from northern Iraq, according to a statement posted on his website on Tuesday. "NATO must use its authority to urge Turkey to withdraw immediately from Iraqi territory," Abadi said in the statement, posted after the expiry of a 48-hour deadline for a withdrawal of the troops set by the Baghdad government. Abadi spoke with NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg by telephone, the statement added.

ISIS, ISIL, Daesh, Islamic State: Why the Terror Group Has So Many Names Posted: 08 Dec 2015 09:36 AM PST President Obama calls them ISIL. The media mostly uses ISIS, Islamic State or IS. In the wake of the terrorist attacks in San Bernardino, Paris and Beirut, world leaders are preparing to step up with a more unified fight against the radical Islamic group.

Washington, Baghdad on different pages in fight against IS Posted: 08 Dec 2015 09:14 AM PST BAGHDAD (AP) — A series of political spats in Baghdad over the past week surrounding foreign forces on Iraqi soil have exposed the increasing weakness of Iraq's prime minister and a disconnect between Washington and Baghdad in the fight against the Islamic State group.

Israel charges 5 Arabs for setting up Islamic State cell Posted: 08 Dec 2015 08:59 AM PST JERUSALEM (AP) — Israel has indicted five Arab citizens for establishing a cell of the Islamic State group.

ISIS Cutting Back as U.S.-Led Coalition Strikes Degrade Group's Oil Trade Posted: 08 Dec 2015 08:29 AM PST Strikes against the group in Iraq and Syria are squeezing their vital revenue stream, new report says.

Turkey stopped deployment of troops to Iraq two days ago: foreign ministry Posted: 08 Dec 2015 08:11 AM PST Turkey stopped the deployment of troops to the northern Iraqi region of Bashiqa two days ago after Baghdad complained, and Ankara will not do anything to diminish Iraq's sovereignty, the Turkish foreign ministry said on Tuesday. "It is unacceptable to think that Turkey would take a step that would weaken Iraq's sovereignty and territorial integrity, over which Turkey has a high sensitivity," the foreign ministry said in a statement.

Top House lawmaker: most Democrats likely to back visa waiver bill Posted: 08 Dec 2015 08:05 AM PST U.S. House Democratic Caucus Chair Xavier Becerra on Tuesday said most of his fellow Democrats will likely support the visa waiver bill expected on the floor of the U.S. House of Representatives. Becerra, speaking to reporters, said he thought most Democrats in the Republican-led chamber "will take a look at this legislation and probably support it" when it comes to the floor later on Tuesday.

European states urge action against IS antiquities dealing Posted: 08 Dec 2015 08:01 AM PST Germany, Italy and France called Tuesday for the European Union to crack down on the illegal trade in antiquities used to bankroll attacks by the Islamic State group. The culture ministers of the three countries wrote in a letter to the European Commission urging concerted measures against the illicit trade in cultural treasures for the benefit of the jihadist group. "By taking part directly or indirectly in the trade in cultural artifacts from archaeological digs, museums and libraries finance their (IS's) atrocities in the region and in Europe," Monika Gruetters, Dario Franceschini and Fleur Pellerin wrote.

Militants in Syria attract 31,000 foreign fighters: ex-UK spy chief Posted: 08 Dec 2015 07:30 AM PST By Guy Faulconbridge LONDON (Reuters) - Syria has become the pre-eminent global incubator for a new generation of militants after Islamist groups more than doubled their recruitment of foreign fighters to as much as 31,000 over the past 18 months, according to a former British spy chief. In the chaos of Syria's civil war, the majority of foreign fighters end up in militant groups like Islamic State, which uses an extreme interpretation of Islam to justify attacks on its foes and impose repressive rule in the swathes of Syria and neighboring Iraq that it has captured. "The Islamic State has seen success beyond the dreams of other terrorist groups that now appear conventional and even old-fashioned, such as al Qaeda," said Richard Barrett, a former head of global counter-terrorism at Britain's Secret Intelligence Service, known as MI6.

Russia 'seriously concerned' at reports that coalition hit Syrian army Posted: 08 Dec 2015 07:21 AM PST Russia is "seriously concerned" by Syrian reports that a coalition led by the United States launched air strikes on Syrian government forces in the Deir al-Zor area, the Russian Foreign Ministry said in a statement on Tuesday. Both Russia and a U.S.-led coalition are fighting against Islamic State in Syria but, while Russia supports Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, Western countries in the coalition say he has lost legitimacy.

5 Ways Affinity Groups Can Boost Your Career Posted: 08 Dec 2015 07:06 AM PST If you work for a corporation with a focus on diversity and inclusion, chances are that your employer sponsors affinity groups for various communities, including groups for women, veterans, employees with disabilities and more. An affinity group, sometimes called an employee resource group, is a group of colleagues with a common interest or goal.

Spain arrests two suspected Islamic State recruiters Posted: 08 Dec 2015 07:01 AM PST Spanish police on Tuesday arrested a man and a woman suspected of recruiting jihadists and launching terror threats against Spain and France, the country's interior ministry said. The pair pledged allegiance to Daesh and its leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi, the ministry said in a statement, using an alternative name for the Islamic State group. The suspects are of Moroccan nationality and lived in Spain legally, the ministry said.

Police: No active links between Filipino, IS group militants Posted: 08 Dec 2015 06:46 AM PST MANILA, Philippines (AP) — Philippine police say there is no sign of any active collaboration between Filipino Muslim militants and the Islamic State group to which they have pledged allegiance.

Women in Combat: Physical Differences May Mean Uphill Battle Posted: 08 Dec 2015 06:16 AM PST The Pentagon announced last week that it would open up all positions in the military to women — including combat positions. But in one way, the sex difference is stark: Men are physically stronger than women, on average.

Donald Trump's comments escalate GOP rhetoric on Muslims Posted: 08 Dec 2015 05:47 AM PST WASHINGTON (AP) — Amid fear of terrorism, Republican presidential candidates for months have escalated their rhetoric about the place of Muslims in the United States.

World chess chief to sue US for $50 bn over sanctions Posted: 08 Dec 2015 05:41 AM PST World Chess Federation (FIDE) president Kirsan Ilyumzhinov said Tuesday he would seek $50 billion from the United States over his addition to a blacklist for alleged ties to the Syrian regime. "I consider that these accusations are either a mistake or a provocation," Ilyumzhinov told Russia's Sport-Express newspaper. The US Treasury Department accused Ilyumzhinov of "materially assisting and acting for or on the behalf of" the Syrian government and the central bank, as well as Central Bank governor Adib Mayaleh.

U.S.-led coalition targets Islamic State with 31 air strikes: statement Posted: 08 Dec 2015 05:34 AM PST WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The United States and its allies staged 31 air strikes in Syria and Iraq against the Islamic State militant group on Monday, the U.S. military said in a statement. Twenty air strikes near eight Iraqi cities struck eight tactical units and destroyed several vehicles, buildings and other targets. In Syria, 11 strikes near three cities hit 10 tactical units and other targets, according to the statement released on Tuesday. (Reporting by Washington Newsroom)

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