Yahoo! News: Iraq

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• Terrified families emerge from rubble after battle of Ramadi
• U.S. reports 24 air strikes against Islamic State in Iraq
• Munich terror threat remains in place, stations open again
• France confirms buying four C-130J US transport planes
• Chinese artist Weiwei to create refugee memorial on Lesbos
• Germany lifts alert of imminent attack in Munich
• Donald Trump shames President Obama for watching 'Star Wars'
• French jets strike IS oil sites in Syria: minister
• Iraq forces extend Ramadi control, rescue civilians
• AP PHOTOS: Editor's picks from the Mideast and Pakistan
• Saudi Arabia reopens embassy in Baghdad: Arabiya TV
• Today in History
• Syrian, Iraqi militants said to have planned New Year attack in Munich
• UN says 980 killed in Iraq violence in December
• Tulsi Gabbard: A Young Star Headed for the Cabinet?
• PM Abe pledges to keep Japan out of war

Terrified families emerge from rubble after battle of Ramadi Posted: 01 Jan 2016 01:29 PM PST Terrified families waved white flags as they emerged from homes reduced to rubble in the Iraqi city of Ramadi, where government troops were still battling Islamic State fighters holed up on Friday, five days after the army recaptured the city center. The provincial capital in the fertile Euphrates River valley west of Baghdad is the biggest city to have been recaptured from Islamic State, and the first retaken by Iraq's army since it collapsed in the path of the militants' advance 18 months ago. The victory has been hailed as a turning point by the Iraqi government, which says its rebuilt army will soon march on Islamic State's main Iraqi stronghold Mosul further north, and defeat the group in Iraq in 2016.

U.S. reports 24 air strikes against Islamic State in Iraq Posted: 01 Jan 2016 01:29 PM PST WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The United States and its allies conducted 24 air strikes against Islamic State in Iraq on Thursday, the U.S. military said on Friday. It said in a statement the strikes targeted Islamic State positions in seven areas, including near Tal Afar, where 11 strikes destroyed nine bunkers, five culverts and four bridges used by the militants. Near Mosul, three strikes struck a tactical unit and destroyed two heavy machine guns, six fighting positions, a weapons cache and a trench. ...

Munich terror threat remains in place, stations open again Posted: 01 Jan 2016 12:23 PM PST BERLIN (AP) — A terror warning in Munich on New Year's Eve that led to the evacuation of two train stations was not a false alert, security officials said Friday, although there have been no arrests.

France confirms buying four C-130J US transport planes Posted: 01 Jan 2016 11:37 AM PST On a Jordanian military base (AFP) - French Defence Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian confirmed Friday that Paris will buy four Lockheed Martin C-130J tactical transport planes, in a deal that was announced by the United States in November.

Chinese artist Weiwei to create refugee memorial on Lesbos Posted: 01 Jan 2016 11:27 AM PST Chinese dissident artist Ai Weiwei on Friday announced plans to create a memorial on the Greek island of Lesbos to the plight of refugees, many of whom have lost their lives trying to reach Europe. "A lot of people have lost their lives under the waves... we need a memorial," Ai told AFP after a news conference on the project. Next year we are going to be involved with different projects," said Ai, adding that his workshops in China and Germany as well as a number of his students would be involved.

Germany lifts alert of imminent attack in Munich Posted: 01 Jan 2016 11:10 AM PST German police on Friday lifted an alert of an imminent attack in Munich, hours after evacuating two key train stations over fears jihadists were planning a New Year suicide bomb assault. Officials had said they were tipped off about a plot by the Islamic State group to strike at the southern German city shortly before midnight as Europe prepared to ring in the New Year in an atmosphere of unprecedented security. "Overall I would say that the situation for Munich is as it was before this threat of attack," Munich police chief Hubertus Andrae told journalists on Friday.

Donald Trump shames President Obama for watching 'Star Wars' Posted: 01 Jan 2016 09:34 AM PST Technically Incorrect: In a new campaign ad, the leading Republican candidate insists that serious presidents don't watch sci-fi movies at times like this.

French jets strike IS oil sites in Syria: minister Posted: 01 Jan 2016 08:39 AM PST French warplanes bombed Islamic State group oil installations close to its Syrian stronghold of Raqa on Friday, as France's defence minister visited the Jordanian air base where the jets took off. "I have been informed of the operations which took place overnight against oil sites. The first French strikes of 2016 were carried out by two Mirage 2000s around 2:00 am (0000 GMT), according to a military source on the base.

Iraq forces extend Ramadi control, rescue civilians Posted: 01 Jan 2016 08:12 AM PST Iraqi forces pushed out of central Ramadi Friday to extend their grip on the city, sweeping neighbourhoods for pockets of jihadists to flush out and trapped civilians to evacuate. Federal forces declared victory Sunday in the battle for Ramadi, which was months in the making, but the Anbar provincial capital has not yet been fully secured. "Our security forces launched an operation from Khaldiya, east of Ramadi, and managed to liberate the College of Agriculture," said Hamid al-Dulaimi, Ramadi district mayor.

AP PHOTOS: Editor's picks from the Mideast and Pakistan Posted: 01 Jan 2016 07:19 AM PST This week marked the end of 2015, a year that yet again saw turmoil across the Middle East, Afghanistan and Pakistan. It also underscored the resilience of the people across the region and their determination to celebrate despite much adversity.

Saudi Arabia reopens embassy in Baghdad: Arabiya TV Posted: 01 Jan 2016 07:12 AM PST Saudi Arabia has reopened its embassy in Baghdad, after a 25-year shutdown, which will allow the two countries to cooperate more closely against terrorism, al-Arabiya TV reported on Friday.The kingdom closed its embassy in Baghdad in 1990, after the Iraqi invasion of Kuwait.Its reopening will allow the two countries to cooperate on security and the fight against extremism, the new Saudi ambassador to Iraq, Thamer al-Sabhan, told al-Arabiya. A thaw in the once chilly relations between Sunni Muslim-ruled Saudi Arabia and Shi'ite-led Iraq could help strengthen a regional alliance against Islamic State militants who have seized territory in Iraq and Syria. Saudi Arabia has long accused Iraq of being too close to Shi'ite Iran, its main regional rival, and of encouraging sectarian discrimination against Sunnis, a charge Baghdad denies.

Today in History Posted: 01 Jan 2016 07:01 AM PST Today in History

Syrian, Iraqi militants said to have planned New Year attack in Munich Posted: 01 Jan 2016 06:05 AM PST By Joern Poltz MUNICH (Reuters) - Germany received a tip hours before midnight that militants from Iraq and Syria were planning New Year attacks in Munich but police could not find the suspects and are not even sure if they exist or are in the country, the city's police chief said on Friday. Hubertus Andrae told a news conference that German officials had received a "very concrete" tip that suicide attacks were planned on New Year's Eve at two train stations. The alarm came as Europe entered the New Year under a state of heightened alert, seven weeks after Islamist militants killed 130 people in shootings and suicide blasts across Paris.

UN says 980 killed in Iraq violence in December Posted: 01 Jan 2016 12:25 AM PST BAGHDAD (AP) — Violence has claimed the lives of 980 Iraqis in December, up from 888 the previous month, the United Nations said on Friday.

Tulsi Gabbard: A Young Star Headed for the Cabinet? Posted: 01 Jan 2016 12:00 AM PST She's a veteran with seats on three bumpin' committees in Congress. Quite the résumé for a 34-year-old from Hawaii.

PM Abe pledges to keep Japan out of war Posted: 31 Dec 2015 09:44 PM PST Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe on Friday promised he will keep his nation out of war following the introduction of contentious new security legislation, a day after China announced it is building its second aircraft carrier. In September parliament in the officially pacifist nation passed security bills opening the door for Japanese troops to engage in combat overseas for the first time since the end of World War II. The legislation was met with strong public resistance at home with tens of thousands taking part in street protests, while also fuelling anger in China and on the Korean peninsula.

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