Yahoo! News: Iraq

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• Obama expected to name new commander for Mideast
• Pentagon award to recognize US drone operators
• ISIS Destroyed Syrian Monuments, So These Refugee Artists Built Replicas From Kebab Sticks
• Obama, Iraq's leader work to contain Iran-Saudi fallout
• What does Jeremy Corbyn’s cabinet reshuffle mean for UK foreign policy?
• North Korea bomb claim a new challenge for Clinton campaign
• Iraq offers to help diffuse Iran-Saudi rift
• UK Labour party in turmoil after leader's 'revenge' reshuffle
• Pentagon's lesson learned from Ramadi: patience
• Tunisia PM in sweeping cabinet reshuffle
• Iran warns Saudi to stop 'adding fuel to fire'
• Iraqi Shiite militias in mass anti-Saudi protest
• Iraq offers to mediate between Saudi and Iran, fearing for ISIS campaign
• Study: Mexico violence caused drop in male life expectancy
• Tunisian PM reshuffles cabinet amid security, economic challenges
• No easy options for West to dislodge IS from Libya: analysts
• Pentagon set to announce awards for combat, drone service
• Iraq offers to mediate between Saudi Arabia, Iran
• What the Iran-Saudi feud means for Syria peace talks
• IS steps up assault on western Iraqi town after losses
• 'About 2,500' IS fighters killed in Iraq and Syria last month
• APNewsBreak: US sees Assad staying in Syria until March 2017
• The Schools Taking in Syrian Refugees
• Iraq veteran shot to death leaving Alabama home for gym
• Call for Entries: Atlantic Media's Michael Kelly Award, Honoring Fearless Pursuit and Expression of Truth in Journalism
• Iran-Saudi crisis punches another hole in OPEC unity
• Bahrain says catches Iran-linked cell plotting attacks
• Britain's 'shoddy' security under fire after militant slips away to Islamic State
• Fears of more Iraq strife as regional Sunni-Shiite row escalates
• German cabinet approves more soldiers for Mali, Iraq
• U.S., allies stage 19 strikes in Iraq against Islamic State: statement
• German police give all-clear over packages at Merkel's office
• 10 Things to Know for Today
• Iraq FM in Iran for talks on Saudi crisis
• Indonesia turns to China as ethnic Uighurs join would-be jihadis
• Iraq must walk a fine line amid Iranian, Saudi tensions
• Today in History
• Nat Geo Prepping Scripted Dramas 'Blood Ivory,' 'Barkskins' From Scott Rudin

Obama expected to name new commander for Mideast Posted: 06 Jan 2016 05:08 PM PST WASHINGTON (AP) — President Barack Obama is expected to put a special operations officer in charge of U.S. Central Command, the headquarters that oversees U.S. military operations against the Islamic State in Iraq and Syria as well as the war in Afghanistan, a senior defense official said Wednesday.

Pentagon award to recognize US drone operators Posted: 06 Jan 2016 04:15 PM PST The US military will create a new way to recognize drone operators and other service members who contribute to America's fighting efforts from afar. According to a Pentagon memo due out Thursday, the military will introduce a new "R" designation -- known as a "device" -- that can be attached to medals given to drone operators and other non-combat troops, such as cyber warriors who hack enemy networks. The new honor comes as part of a yearlong Pentagon review of how the US military gives awards, sometimes criticized as taking too long or being too stringent.

ISIS Destroyed Syrian Monuments, So These Refugee Artists Built Replicas From Kebab Sticks Posted: 06 Jan 2016 03:49 PM PST Once a wealthy cultural mecca that prospered as a Roman trading outpost, the ancient Syrian city of Palmyra has been reduced to rubble since Islamic State militants took control of it last May. But across the border in Jordan, the once-dazzling city has been pristinely resurrected in miniature form. The scaled-down replica isn't constructed with stone but with more makeshift materials: kebab skewers and clay. The architectural model is one of several crafted by Syrian refugees living in the Zaatari camp as a means of preserving and remembering their heritage. This site represents our history and culture, not just for Syrians but all of humanity," the 25-year-old Syrian artist Mahmoud Hariri told UNHCR's Tracks website. "This is a way for them not to forget.

Obama, Iraq's leader work to contain Iran-Saudi fallout Posted: 06 Jan 2016 02:52 PM PST WASHINGTON (AP) — President Barack Obama and Iraq's leader are discussing ways to prevent a diplomatic dust-up between Saudi Arabia and Iran from exacerbating ongoing sectarian conflict in Iraq.

What does Jeremy Corbyn’s cabinet reshuffle mean for UK foreign policy? Posted: 06 Jan 2016 02:45 PM PST The leader of Britain's opposition Labour Party, Jeremy Corbyn, completed a reshuffle of his cabinet early Wednesday. This is a pivotal time for Labour, which during last May's general election was defeated far more soundly than expected. Since then, Labour has been writhing in an effort to rediscover its identity and purpose, as its members have split into two camps – those who fear electoral obliteration in the hands of such a left-leaning leader, and those who relish what they see as a return to the party's roots.

North Korea bomb claim a new challenge for Clinton campaign Posted: 06 Jan 2016 02:10 PM PST By James Oliphant and Doina Chiacu WASHINGTON (Reuters) - To Republican U.S. presidential contenders, North Korea's claim that it tested a hydrogen bomb may further make the 2016 race what they dearly want it to be: a referendum on President Barack Obama's foreign policy and, by extension, Hillary Clinton's. For months, these Republicans have liked to say the world is "on fire," pinning the conflicts in Iraq and Syria, the attacks in Paris and San Bernardino, California, and the recent tensions between Iran and Saudi Arabia on Obama's administration and Clinton's stint as his secretary of state from 2009 to 2013. Now, they can add North Korea to the threats they say face American voters. "When China fell to the communists (in 1949), the question that dogged the Truman administration was: 'Who lost China?'" said John Feehery, a Republican strategist.

Iraq offers to help diffuse Iran-Saudi rift Posted: 06 Jan 2016 01:39 PM PST Iraq has proposed facilitating talks between Iran and Saudi Arabia after the two countries dissolved diplomatic ties last weekend. Iraqi Foreign Minister Ibrahim al-Jaafari on Wednesday offered to mediate a dispute that has sent ripples of reaction across the Middle East and elevated international concerns of a deepening sectarian divide between Shiites and Sunnis. The comments were made during a press conference in Tehran with Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif on hand, during which al-Jaafari suggested that Iraq's involvement could help "alleviate tensions," the BBC reports.

UK Labour party in turmoil after leader's 'revenge' reshuffle Posted: 06 Jan 2016 01:32 PM PST British opposition leader Jeremy Corbyn tried to assert some authority over the Labour Party this week but his "revenge reshuffle" appeared only to worsen divisions between moderates and his leftist inner circle. Four months into the hard left veteran's tenure following his surprise leadership election win, Corbyn sacked two frontbench moderates for alleged disloyalty and demoted his defence spokeswoman with one commentator calling the situation inside the party "nuts". The reshuffle -- dragged out over three days -- then sparked yet more rancour as three people quit the Labour frontbench within three hours Wednesday in protest over what newspapers called the "revenge reshuffle".

Pentagon's lesson learned from Ramadi: patience Posted: 06 Jan 2016 01:17 PM PST Since it was taken over by Islamic State fighters last May, the Iraqi city of Ramadi has been a highly-charged symbol of unsuccessful United States involvement in the country. Now Ramadi has fallen once again – this time to Iraqi government forces. Recommended: Sunni and Shiite Islam: Do you know the difference?

Tunisia PM in sweeping cabinet reshuffle Posted: 06 Jan 2016 01:10 PM PST Tunisian Prime Minister Habib Essid announced Wednesday a major cabinet reshuffle, as his government grapples with a growing jihadist threat and a feeble economy. Foreign Minister Taieb Baccouche and Interior Minister Najem Gharsalli were among those replaced in the shake-up, the first since President Beji Caid Essebsi took office in late 2014.

Iran warns Saudi to stop 'adding fuel to fire' Posted: 06 Jan 2016 12:01 PM PST Iran warned Saudi Arabia Wednesday to stop working against it as their diplomatic crisis intensified despite efforts to defuse a row that has raised fears of greater regional instability. As its diplomats arrived home after being told to leave by Saudi Arabia, Shiite-dominated Iran fired the latest verbal salvo in a dispute that has seen Riyadh and some Sunni Arab allies cut diplomatic ties with Tehran. At a press conference in the capital, Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif said Riyadh must end prolonged efforts to confront Iran.

Iraqi Shiite militias in mass anti-Saudi protest Posted: 06 Jan 2016 11:47 AM PST Two thousand members and supporters of Iraq's powerful Shiite militias demonstrated Wednesday against Saudi Arabia's execution of a prominent Shiite cleric which sparked a regional row. The protest was staged in central Baghdad at the same time that government officials were attending military parades for Army Day, which is a national holiday in Shiite-majority Iraq. The militiamen were also in their best uniform, carrying flags and banners bearing the portrait of executed cleric Nimr al-Nimr.

Iraq offers to mediate between Saudi and Iran, fearing for ISIS campaign Posted: 06 Jan 2016 11:37 AM PST By Maher Chmaytelli BAGHDAD (Reuters) - Iraq dispatched its foreign minister to Tehran on Wednesday with an offer to mediate in an escalating feud between Saudi Arabia and Iran, reflecting Baghdad's fears that new sectarian conflict could unravel its campaign against Islamic State. Sunni Saudi Arabia's execution of Shi'ite dissident Nimr al-Nimr on Saturday has inflamed sectarian anger across the Middle East, infuriating Iran, the region's main Shi'ite Muslim power. After demonstrators sacked the Saudi embassy in Iran, Riyadh and some of its allies cut off diplomatic ties with Tehran.

Study: Mexico violence caused drop in male life expectancy Posted: 06 Jan 2016 11:32 AM PST MEXICO CITY (AP) — A new study suggests that Mexico's drug violence was so bad at its peak that it apparently caused the nation's male life expectancy to drop by several months.

Tunisian PM reshuffles cabinet amid security, economic challenges Posted: 06 Jan 2016 11:20 AM PST Tunisian Prime Minister Habib Essid named 12 new ministers on Wednesday in a cabinet reshuffle he hopes will boost the effectiveness of his government as it battles jihadist violence and tries to revive the economy. Tunisia has been under a state of emergency since an Islamic State suicide bomber attacked presidential guards in November in the capital Tunis following two previous militant attacks on foreign tourists that have damaged the country's economy. Tunisia, praised as a model for democratic transition since its 2011 revolt ousted autocrat Zine El-Abidine Ben Ali, has mostly avoided the violent turmoil of other "Arab Spring" countries which also toppled long-standing rulers.

No easy options for West to dislodge IS from Libya: analysts Posted: 06 Jan 2016 11:13 AM PST Western nations agree military action must be taken soon to combat the growing threat of the Islamic State (IS) group in conflict-wracked Libya, but analysts say there are no easy options. Air strikes by an international coalition helped rebel forces to overthrow Libyan dictator Moamer Kadhafi in 2011, but they have not been enough to dislodge IS from Syria and Iraq. "IS has clearly established a foothold in Libya, and it's a matter of growing concern for the United Kingdom and other NATO countries, so it (military intervention) is certainly possible," Malcolm Chalmers of the London-based Royal United Services Institute (RUSI) think-tank said.

Pentagon set to announce awards for combat, drone service Posted: 06 Jan 2016 10:48 AM PST WASHINGTON (AP) — U.S. defense officials say the Pentagon is creating awards to recognize drone pilots who have a direct impact on battle and troops who excel in combat.

Iraq offers to mediate between Saudi Arabia, Iran Posted: 06 Jan 2016 10:34 AM PST TEHRAN, Iran (AP) — Iraq on Wednesday offered to mediate between Saudi Arabia and Iran after tensions soared following the kingdom's execution of a Shiite cleric and attacks on two Saudi diplomatic posts in the Islamic Republic.

What the Iran-Saudi feud means for Syria peace talks Posted: 06 Jan 2016 10:05 AM PST Saudi Arabia's execution of a dissident Shiite cleric on Jan. 2 prompted Iranian protesters to ransack and burn the Saudi Embassy in Tehran. Now there are concerns that the two regional rivals – who support opposing sides in Syria's civil war and proxy forces elsewhere in the region – could jeopardize UN-sponsored peace talks due to resume in Geneva Jan. 25. The stakes could not be higher, with a quarter million dead in Syria and more than half of its pre-war population of some 22 million internally displaced or in exile as refugees.

IS steps up assault on western Iraqi town after losses Posted: 06 Jan 2016 09:08 AM PST BAGHDAD (AP) — The Islamic State group has stepped up attacks on the western Iraqi town of Haditha, where at least 45 Iraqi security forces and Sunni tribal fighters have been killed in clashes over the past three days and another 30 wounded, according to Iraqi officials.

'About 2,500' IS fighters killed in Iraq and Syria last month Posted: 06 Jan 2016 09:00 AM PST The US-led coalition that has been carrying out air strikes against the Islamic State group in Iraq and Syria killed about 2,500 jihadists last month, a military spokesman said Wednesday. The Pentagon has previously been wary of giving body counts, but Wednesday's figures come as officials hope to portray the IS group as being on the defensive after the jihadists suffered a series of setbacks -- including last week's loss of the Iraqi city of Ramadi. "In December, we estimate approximately 2,500 enemy fighters were killed in coalition air strikes across Iraq and Syria," Baghdad-based military spokesman Colonel Steve Warren told Pentagon reporters.

APNewsBreak: US sees Assad staying in Syria until March 2017 Posted: 06 Jan 2016 08:31 AM PST WASHINGTON (AP) — The Obama administration's best-case scenario for political transition in Syria does not foresee Bashar Assad stepping down as the country's leader before March 2017, outlasting Barack Obama's presidency by at least two months, according to a document obtained by The Associated Press.

The Schools Taking in Syrian Refugees Posted: 06 Jan 2016 08:00 AM PST HARTFORD, Conn.— When N.A. told her three young daughters in 2010 that they were only going to New York City for a few weeks to visit their grandmother, she meant it. She left their summer clothes—along with most of their belongings—behind in the house she planned to return to in the city she loved.

Iraq veteran shot to death leaving Alabama home for gym Posted: 06 Jan 2016 07:37 AM PST HOOVER, Ala. (AP) — Authorities say an Iraq war veteran has been killed while he was leaving his central Alabama home for an early morning workout.

Call for Entries: Atlantic Media's Michael Kelly Award, Honoring Fearless Pursuit and Expression of Truth in Journalism Posted: 06 Jan 2016 07:30 AM PST Washington, D.C. (January 6, 2016)—Atlantic Media has issued a call for entries for its 2016 Michael Kelly Award, honoring journalists for their exemplary work in memory of the late Atlantic Media editor Michael Kelly. The deadline to enter is Friday, February 5, 2016.

Iran-Saudi crisis punches another hole in OPEC unity Posted: 06 Jan 2016 07:15 AM PST Escalating diplomatic tensions between Iran and Saudi Arabia have added fresh strains to OPEC's unity, further dimming prospects of a production cut needed to raise rock-bottom oil prices, experts say. The cartel that produces a third of the world's oil used to restrain output to maintain prices, but it abruptly shifted gears in 2014 as Saudi Arabia moved to squeeze out new high-cost competition, in particular from US shale producers. The consequence has been crude oil prices tumbling some 60 percent since mid-2014, falling below $40 (37 euros).

Bahrain says catches Iran-linked cell plotting attacks Posted: 06 Jan 2016 06:08 AM PST Bahrain said on Wednesday it had caught an Iranian-linked cell plotting attacks on its territory, days after it followed its close ally Saudi Arabia in cutting ties with Iran. There was no immediate reaction from Iran, caught up in a mounting diplomatic dispute with its regional rival Saudi Arabia and other Sunni-led Gulf states including Bahrain. "A secret terrorist plot aided by the so-called Iranian Revolutionary Guard and the Hezbollah terrorist organization was foiled," the Gulf island kingdom's state news agency BNA reported.

Britain's 'shoddy' security under fire after militant slips away to Islamic State Posted: 06 Jan 2016 05:41 AM PST By Guy Faulconbridge LONDON (Reuters) - Six weeks after a British militant who is suspected of being an Islamic State executioner slipped out of the country, police sent a letter asking him to surrender his passport, a security bungle that has drawn criticism from opposition lawmakers. Dhar, 32, left Britain for Syria in September 2014 while on police bail after his arrest on suspicion of belonging to a banned group and encouraging terrorism. "The system has failed because it allowed him to abscond to Syria," Andy Burnham, the home affairs spokesman for the opposition Labour Party, said in parliament on Tuesday.

Fears of more Iraq strife as regional Sunni-Shiite row escalates Posted: 06 Jan 2016 05:05 AM PST Sectarian attacks south of Baghdad have aroused local fears that an escalating row between the region's Sunni and Shiite powerhouses could plunge Iraq back into all-out civil conflict. Wedged between Saudi Arabia and Iran, Iraq is the only country to have borders with both of the feuding giants -- but analysts say a return to the kind of communal bloodletting that raged a decade ago was unlikely. On Monday, two Sunni mosques were bombed, a Sunni muezzin and a displaced Sunni man were killed in the Hilla and Iskandariyah areas south of the capital.

German cabinet approves more soldiers for Mali, Iraq Posted: 06 Jan 2016 04:57 AM PST The German cabinet has approved plans to send up to 650 soldiers to Mali, boosting its presence in the U.N. peacekeeping mission in the West African country which is beset by Islamist militant violence. It also agreed to increase the numbers of soldiers training Kurdish Peshmerga forces in northern Iraq to up to 150 from 100. The majority of the German forces who will start going to Mali in the coming weeks will be stationed in the north of the country which has seen an upsurge of violence by Islamist militants.

U.S., allies stage 19 strikes in Iraq against Islamic State: statement Posted: 06 Jan 2016 04:21 AM PST WASHINGTON(Reuters) - The United States on Tuesday led 19 strikes targeting Islamic State in Iraq and one in Syria, the coalition leading the operations said in a statement on Wednesday. Nineteen of the strikes conducted near eight Iraqi cities hit several of the militant group's tactical units, fighting positions, bunkers and various equipment. The strikes, clustered near Ramadi and Kisik, also wounded several Islamic State fighters and hit several vehicles and buildings, according to the statement. In Syria, an air strike hit an Islamic State building near Raqqa, the U.S.-led coalition said. ...

German police give all-clear over packages at Merkel's office Posted: 06 Jan 2016 03:01 AM PST German police gave the all-clear after investigating five items delivered to Chancellor Angela Merkel's office in central Berlin on Wednesday. Officers had cordoned off the Chancellery as ministers gathered for a morning cabinet meeting inside. Germany and other European powers have been on particularly high alert since Islamist militants killed 130 people in Paris on Nov. 13.

10 Things to Know for Today Posted: 06 Jan 2016 02:30 AM PST Your daily look at late-breaking news, upcoming events and the stories that will be talked about today:

Iraq FM in Iran for talks on Saudi crisis Posted: 06 Jan 2016 12:56 AM PST Iraqi Foreign Minister Ibrahim al-Jaafari held talks in Tehran Wednesday with the crisis between Saudi Arabia and Iran in focus as international concern mounts. Jaafari met with Iranian counterpart Mohammad Javad Zarif and was scheduled to meet President Hassan Rouhani later, the official IRNA news agency said. Zarif and Jaafari discussed "regional and international issues", the report said, and they were to hold a joint press conference around 0830 GMT.

Indonesia turns to China as ethnic Uighurs join would-be jihadis Posted: 06 Jan 2016 12:06 AM PST By Randy Fabi and Agustinus Beo Da Costa JAKARTA (Reuters) - Indonesian authorities are working with their counterparts in China to stem a flow of ethnic Uighur militants seeking to join Islamist jihadists in the world's most populous Muslim country, Indonesia's counter-terrorism chief said. Saud Usman Nasution's comments come amid mounting concern in Indonesia about possible attacks by sympathizers of the Islamic State group and follows the arrest of 13 men across the island of Java, including a Muslim Uighur with a suicide-bomb vest. The appearance among Indonesian militant networks of Uighurs, who come from the Xinjiang region in far-western China, is likely to add to Beijing's concerns that exiles will return to their homeland as experienced and trained jihadists.

Iraq must walk a fine line amid Iranian, Saudi tensions Posted: 05 Jan 2016 11:19 PM PST BAGHDAD (AP) — While many Iraqi Shiites took to the streets in outrage over Saudi Arabia's execution of a prominent Shiite cleric, the country's prime minister has had to walk a more cautious line, trying to contain Iraq's own explosive sectarian tensions.

Today in History Posted: 05 Jan 2016 09:01 PM PST Today in History

Nat Geo Prepping Scripted Dramas 'Blood Ivory,' 'Barkskins' From Scott Rudin Posted: 05 Jan 2016 09:00 PM PST The cabler has also picked up another series from Scott Rudin and renewed 'Star Talk' for a third season at TCA.

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