Yahoo! News: Iraq

---

• White House denies snubbing Jordanian king
• U.S. aircraft bombs Islamic State cash pile in Iraq: U.S. military
• Nations vow better intel sharing to halt terror attacks
• Multiple jihadist attacks kill more than 30 in Iraq
• China's recently-completed Shanghai Tower is now the second tallest building in the world
• Iraqi embassy in Berlin issues 1,400 passports for migrants to return
• ISIS attacks on Libya: Why oil might not be its top goal
• Belgium charge top jihadi expert over false affidavit for detainee
• Syria monitor: Russian airstrike hits school, killing 12 children
• US bombs pile of Islamic State cash in Iraq
• At least 51 killed in attacks in Iraqi capital, eastern town
• Migrants in squalid camps in France get housing upgrade
• Air strike in Iraq's Mosul targets 'millions' in IS cash: US official
• German probe blames migrants for New Year's Eve violence
• Islamic State targeting Libyan oil to make trouble, not a profit
• Islamic State says it carried out 'twin' blasts in eastern Iraq: statement
• Iran 'equips, trains' Syria forces: interior minister
• IS claims responsibility for Baghdad mall attack
• Is the Democratic party shrinking?
• Migrant shelter made of shipping containers opens in France's Calais
• Iraq Turkmens alarmed by Kurdish trench
• Officials discuss how to coordinate fight against extremism
• Turkey arrests Egypt family of 12 on way to join IS in Syria
• On Iran-Saudi rift, Gulf Arab states tread with caution
• Bosnia holds four for intending to join Islamic State, seizes weapons
• Eight killed as gunmen take hostages in Baghdad mall
• Turkey unsettled by 'anti-Islamic' messages in U.S. presidency race: minister
• Dr. Mike Evens: "We should Fight Terrorists by Defining them as 'Infidels' and not 'radical jihadists'. Playing the "Radical Islam Card" Only Benefits the jihadists"
• U.S. leads 26 strikes in Syria, Iraq in fight against IS: statement
• Pope says Europe can rise to challenge of integrating migrants
• Britain uses Brimstone missiles for first time in Syria
• European values need not be threatened by migrant influx: pope
• Parents get son's letter from Iraq almost 11 years later
• Dutch push intelligence sharing after missed signals in Paris
• Syrian refugee among first lady's guests for State of Union
• State of union in 2016: Strong job market, middling economy
• Rolling Stone faces criticism over 'El Chapo' interview
• Putin says he wants global cooperation against terrorism: Bild

White House denies snubbing Jordanian king Posted: 11 Jan 2016 04:11 PM PST The White House on Monday said President Barack Obama would not meet with close ally King Abdullah of Jordan -- who is currently in Washington -- because of scheduling problems. "The president regrets that he is unable to meet with him personally on this visit due to scheduling conflicts, including the State of the Union address," a White House spokesperson said. On Tuesday, Obama will deliver his final annual address to a joint session of Congress, a set piece of the US political calendar.

U.S. aircraft bombs Islamic State cash pile in Iraq: U.S. military Posted: 11 Jan 2016 03:44 PM PST A U.S. aircraft bombed an Islamic State cash distribution site in Iraq on Monday, part of efforts by the American-led coalition to disrupt the militant group's financing of its activities, the U.S. military said. "The bulk cash distribution site was used by ISIL to distribute money to fund terrorist activities," Lieutenant Commander Ben Tisdale, a U.S. Central Command spokesman, said in a statement, using an acronym for the militant group.

Nations vow better intel sharing to halt terror attacks Posted: 11 Jan 2016 03:02 PM PST Foreign ministers and diplomats from over 50 nations on Monday bowed to calls for greater information sharing to stop extremists slipping across borders to carry out attacks, making concrete pledges to plug dangerous intelligence lapses. "We all agree that we need to share information better, smarter and faster," Dutch Foreign Minister Bert Koenders told a press conference. Intel sharing "has to be more precise including in such areas as the interruption of travel plans and the financing of terror plans".

Multiple jihadist attacks kill more than 30 in Iraq Posted: 11 Jan 2016 02:35 PM PST Jihadist gunmen and bombers killed at least 12 people in a busy market area of Baghdad while a double blast at a cafe north of the Iraqi capital claimed another 20 lives. An attack claimed by the Islamic State group and involving suicide explosions, gunfights and hostage-taking in the eastern neighbourhood of Baghdad al-Jadida wreaked chaos. The head of Baghdad Operations Command, Lieutenant General Abdelamir al-Shammari, insisted to reporters on the scene that the situation was quickly brought under control.

China's recently-completed Shanghai Tower is now the second tallest building in the world Posted: 11 Jan 2016 02:34 PM PST Surpassing Mecca's Makkah Royal Clock Tower Hotel as the second largest skyscraper in the world, Shanghai's plainly-named Shanghai Tower is officially built and open for occupancy. Standing a towering 2,073-feet tall on the small Chinese island, the massive structure was constructed by the San Francisco-based architectural firm, Gensler. Despite its massive size, Shanghai Tower also features an innovative twisting design which Gensler says will reduce wind loads by upwards of 24 percent, a feature which allowed the company to save roughly $58 million during construction. Built in Taiwan's Lujiazui Financial Center in Shanghai (an area home to acres of farm land roughly 20 years ago), Gensler's approach to constructing the tower took immense planning and preparation. For starters, the former farmland features an abundance of clay-based soil which, in its original state, has no business supporting the likes of a tower over 2,000 feet tall. To combat this, the firm manufactured an astounding 1,079 steel and concrete piles which were placed into the ground to serve as the tower's foundation. Once installed, a literal army of concrete-laying trucks spent roughly 63 straight hours pouring the concrete base required for construction. The Shanghai Tower CTBUH/Thomas Jaehndel Officially the third building in the world to achieve the status of "megatall" — i.e. anything above 1,968 feet tall — the Shanghai Tower is currently the tallest building in China. As mentioned above, it's also the second-tallest tower in the world, but this designation will likely only last around 4 years, as the 3,281-foot Jeddah Tower in Saudi Arabia is on track to be completed by 2020. Related:  This crazy underwater hotel is slated to be built off the coast of Florida in 2016 Construction of Shanghai Tower is also historically notable as it officially pushed Chicago's Willis Tower out of the top ten tallest buildings in the world, of which it was a member since construction finished on the building in 1974 — it was even the tallest building in the world at this point. Moreover, official completion of the Shanghai Tower was commemorated by the Council on Tall Buildings and Urban Habitat who included it on its CTBUH Current Tallest 20 which recognizes (you guessed it) the tallest 20 buildings in the world. All told, the tower boasts an astounding 128 floors which feature a little over 4.5 million square feet of floor space, of which nearly all will be taken up by high-end offices, retail shops, and hotel rooms. At the very top of the skyscraper, Gensler included what it calls an observation point/cultural area for visitors to marvel at the city's surroundings and learn more about the tower itself. Additionally, Shanghai Tower's 106 different elevators reportedly run at speeds of 40 miles per hour and the entire building is LEED Gold certified. An artist rendition of the Shanghai Tower's entrance CTBUH/Gensler On the outside, Gensler outfit the building with a double-layered glass exterior which allows outside light to filter in while also greatly increasing the entire structure's insulation. The firm also included a staggering 270 different wind turbines on the face of Shanghai Tower which create enough power to completely operate the building's exterior lighting. Aside from its innovative design, the twisting aesthetic actually benefits the building, funneling rainwater into specific reservoirs which will then use the amassed water to power the heat and air-conditioning used throughout the building. Related : An in-depth look at the Burj Khalifa: the tallest building in the world Completion of Shanghai Tower is a historic achievement which appears likely to set an architectural precedent for skyscraper construction moving forward. As its unique twisting feature provides a number of worthwhile benefits, it wouldn't be the least bit surprising to see more buildings constructed in this fashion. Also watch: Raimond de Hullu's vision for Oas1s green buildings Please enable Javascript to watch this video

Iraqi embassy in Berlin issues 1,400 passports for migrants to return Posted: 11 Jan 2016 02:24 PM PST The Iraqi embassy in Berlin has issued 1,400 passports recently for Iraqi migrants who want to return to their home country, the German foreign ministry said on Monday. A ministry official told Reuters only 150 passports had been issued here by the end of last October and did not give any reason for the sharp increase since then. Separately, a ministry source said the increase could be related to recent developments in the conflict in Iraq.

ISIS attacks on Libya: Why oil might not be its top goal Posted: 11 Jan 2016 02:10 PM PST The Islamic State affiliate in Libya has been busy attacking the North African country's vast oil facilities in recent weeks – raising concerns that the terrorist organization is out to seize another lucrative source of revenue, similar to the oilfields it controls in Syria and Iraq. The group that has taken advantage of four years of fighting among rival governments and weakening national authority to build up its foothold in Libya may be out to deny a new unity government the revenues it needs to function and provide services.

Belgium charge top jihadi expert over false affidavit for detainee Posted: 11 Jan 2016 01:51 PM PST Belgian prosecutors said Monday they have arrested a high-profile expert on jihadi fighters and charged him with providing a suspected extremist with a false affidavit that he was on a deradicalisation course. Montasser AlDe'emeh runs a centre in Brussels' gritty Molenbeek district -- where several of those who carried out November's Paris attacks lived -- that aims to prevent young Belgians from going to fight in Syria and also help reintegrate those who do so on their return. Prosecutors said Jawad O. was arrested on November 24, a few days after jihadists killed 130 people in a series of attacks across Paris which increasingly appear to have been coordinated from Brussels.

Syria monitor: Russian airstrike hits school, killing 12 children Posted: 11 Jan 2016 01:50 PM PST At least 12 children and an adult were killed by a Russian airstrike at a school in northern Syria Monday. Recommended: How well do you understand the conflict in Syria? Russia began to carry out airstrikes in September, though observers say its forces have mostly struck rebel targets attempting to oust President Bashar al-Assad, a long-time Russian ally.

US bombs pile of Islamic State cash in Iraq Posted: 11 Jan 2016 01:30 PM PST WASHINGTON (AP) — A U.S. defense official says American airstrikes are chipping away at the Islamic State group's cash piles.

At least 51 killed in attacks in Iraqi capital, eastern town Posted: 11 Jan 2016 01:23 PM PST Gunmen detonated suicide vests inside a shopping complex in Baghdad on Monday and a car bomb exploded nearby in an attack claimed by Islamic State that killed at least 18 people and wounded 40 others. Two bombs later went off in the eastern town of Muqdadiya, killing at least 23 people and wounding another 51, security and medical sources said. Another blast in a southeastern Baghdad suburb killed seven more.

Migrants in squalid camps in France get housing upgrade Posted: 11 Jan 2016 01:21 PM PST CALAIS, France (AP) — French officials took steps on Monday to improve the lot of thousands of migrants living in dastardly conditions in northern France, setting up containers with bunk beds in Calais, the largest camp, and approving plans to relocate another squalid camp outside nearby Dunkirk.

Air strike in Iraq's Mosul targets 'millions' in IS cash: US official Posted: 11 Jan 2016 12:58 PM PST A US-led coalition air strike has destroyed a cash storage facility used by Islamic State jihadists in the Iraqi city of Mosul, a US defense official said Monday. Two 2,000-pound (900-kilogram) bombs struck the facility, destroying "millions" of dollars worth of cash, the official told AFP, speaking on condition of anonymity.

German probe blames migrants for New Year's Eve violence Posted: 11 Jan 2016 12:57 PM PST German authorities said Monday that nearly all suspects in the New Year's Eve violence against women in Cologne were "of foreign origin", as police blamed far-right thugs for reprisal attacks. The men who groped and robbed women in the chaotic year-end festivities emerged from a crowd of over 1,000 "Arab and North African" men near Cologne's main railway station, said Ralf Jaeger, interior minister of North Rhine-Westphalia state. The sexual violence that marred the start of 2016 has shocked Germany and piled pressure on Chancellor Angela Merkel over her liberal stance towards refugees, after 1.1 million arrived last year from Syria, Iraq, Afghanistan and other countries.

Islamic State targeting Libyan oil to make trouble, not a profit Posted: 11 Jan 2016 12:34 PM PST When the Islamic State first set its eyes on Libya, it no doubt saw fertile soil for conquest in a lawless land being fought over by myriad political and military factions. The security vacuum left by the collapse of Muammar Qaddafi's regime in 2011 made Libya a jihadist destination of choice after Syria and Iraq. Recommended: How much do you know about the Islamic State?

Islamic State says it carried out 'twin' blasts in eastern Iraq: statement Posted: 11 Jan 2016 11:44 AM PST BAGHDAD (Reuters) - Islamic State said it was responsible for "twin" attacks near a casino in the eastern Iraqi town of Muqdadiya on Monday that killed at least 20 people, in a statement circulated online by supporters. The hardline Sunni Muslim militant group, which controls large swathes of territory in northern and western Iraq, said one of its militants had blown himself up near a group of Shi'ite militia fighters. A car bomb was then detonated, killing people who had gathered at the site of the first blast. (Reporting by Omar Fahmy; Writing by Stephen Kalin; Editing by Kevin Liffey)

Iran 'equips, trains' Syria forces: interior minister Posted: 11 Jan 2016 11:41 AM PST Iran is equipping and training Syrian government forces but not providing "direct aid", its interior minister said Monday on a trip to Damascus. Tehran is a staunch ally of President Bashar al-Assad and has continued to support him throughout the uprising that began in March 2011. Interior Minister Abdolreza Rahmani Fazli said Iran was providing both Syria and Iraq with aid "in advisory form".

IS claims responsibility for Baghdad mall attack Posted: 11 Jan 2016 11:21 AM PST BAGHDAD (AP) — The Islamic State group is claiming responsibility for the Baghdad mall attack that killed 18 people on Monday. Gunmen stormed into the Jawhara Mall after setting off a car bomb and launching a suicide attack at its entrance.

Is the Democratic party shrinking? Posted: 11 Jan 2016 11:16 AM PST The latest Gallup poll on party identification, published Monday, found that the number of respondents who identify as Democrats reached a historical low of 29 percent in the past year. Conducted annually since 1988, the Gallup poll sampled 12,137 adults, ages 18 and older, across all 50 states. Recommended: Are you more (or less) liberal than President Obama?

Migrant shelter made of shipping containers opens in France's Calais Posted: 11 Jan 2016 10:43 AM PST By Matthias Blamont CALAIS, France (Reuters) - France on Monday opened a migrants' shelter made of converted shipping containers in Calais on its northern Channel coast to try to bring some order to the so-called "jungle" camp in sand dunes near the port. The squalid, unsanitary "jungle" hosts 4,000 migrants from poor and strife-torn countries outside the European Union, most of whom hope to reach Britain across the Channel where a greater number of job opportunities and the more familiar English language are big draws. Tents and shanties in the northeast of the camp have been cleared away to make space for the shelter, designed to accommodate up to 1,500 people in 125 white-painted shipping containers.

Iraq Turkmens alarmed by Kurdish trench Posted: 11 Jan 2016 10:15 AM PST Officials from the Turkmen minority said the Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) was digging the trench roughly following conflict lines between the Islamic State group and Kurdish forces across northern Iraq. Kurdish officials insisted the trench was not a political act but rather a purely defensive measure aimed at preventing attacks by IS suicide car bombers. "We see this move to dig a trench as suspicious," Arshad al-Salehi, the head of the Iraqi Turkmen Front, told AFP.

Officials discuss how to coordinate fight against extremism Posted: 11 Jan 2016 10:06 AM PST THE HAGUE, Netherlands (AP) — Police, politicians and intelligence officials from more than 50 countries met Monday to discuss how to improve coordination in the fight against extremist violence and crack down on foreigners traveling to fight in conflict-torn countries like Syria and Iraq.

Turkey arrests Egypt family of 12 on way to join IS in Syria Posted: 11 Jan 2016 09:39 AM PST CAIRO (AP) — Turkish authorities have arrested an Egyptian family of 12 that was trying to cross into Syria to join the Islamic State group, Egypt's Foreign Ministry said on Monday.

On Iran-Saudi rift, Gulf Arab states tread with caution Posted: 11 Jan 2016 08:30 AM PST By Tom Finn DOHA (Reuters) - Gulf Arab states rallied dutifully behind Saudi Arabia when it cut relations with Iran last week, recalling their ambassadors and cancelling flights to Tehran in solidarity with the oil-rich kingdom after its embassy in Iran was torched by protesters. The crisis erupted when Saudi Arabia executed a prominent Shi'ite cleric on Jan. 2 and Iranian protesters retaliated by storming and setting fire to the Saudi embassy in Tehran. Tensions in the Gulf have reached levels unseen since the 1980s, when Iraq received Gulf Arab funding for its 1980-88 war against Iran in a pan-Arab effort to stem the influence of the Islamic revolution that had toppled the Shah.

Bosnia holds four for intending to join Islamic State, seizes weapons Posted: 11 Jan 2016 08:22 AM PST Bosnian police detained five people on suspicion of planning to join Islamic State and seized a cache of weapons and ammunition in raids in the northwest of the country on Monday, police said. The operation followed similar raids in the Sarajevo area in December when 11 people were arrested on suspicion of having links with the militant group. Police seized hand grenades, land mines, ammunition, a machete, an Islamic State flag and material for printing the group's insignia.

Eight killed as gunmen take hostages in Baghdad mall Posted: 11 Jan 2016 08:21 AM PST Gunmen detonated a car bomb, sprayed gunfire in a crowded area and took hostages in a shopping mall in eastern Baghdad Monday, killing at least eight people, police said. The gunmen were still holed up in the shopping centre in Baghdad al-Jadida, a police colonel said, adding that it was feared the attackers were wearing suicide belts. "They are inside the Zahrat Baghdad mall.

Turkey unsettled by 'anti-Islamic' messages in U.S. presidency race: minister Posted: 11 Jan 2016 06:54 AM PST By Tulay Karadeniz ANKARA (Reuters) - Turkey is unsettled by "anti-Islamic" messages in the U.S. presidential campaign, Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu said on Monday, citing the 2016 race for the White House that has seen the Republican front-runner advocate a ban on Muslim immigration. Donald Trump, the businessman-turned-politician leading the polls ahead of the November 2016 election, last month said that all foreign Muslims should be temporarily prevented from entering the United States, a proposal he repeated in his first TV ad last week. In November, Trump said he saw thousands of Muslims in New Jersey cheering the Sept. 11, 2001 attacks on New York's World Trade Center, an assertion fact-checkers have not supported.

Dr. Mike Evens: "We should Fight Terrorists by Defining them as 'Infidels' and not 'radical jihadists'. Playing the "Radical Islam Card" Only Benefits the jihadists" Posted: 11 Jan 2016 06:13 AM PST NEW YORK, Jan. 11, 2016 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- With debates and statements heating up as elections get closer, it seems that no Republican presidential candidate debate would be complete without a lecture on radical Islam. It implies that America should be at war with radical Islam. Dr. Mike Evens, a celebrated author and a strong member of the Republican Party, who spent decades in the Middle East, is convinced that playing the "radical Islam card" only benefits the jihadists.

U.S. leads 26 strikes in Syria, Iraq in fight against IS: statement Posted: 11 Jan 2016 05:44 AM PST The United States and its allies on Sunday staged 26 strikes in Syria and Iraq in the latest daily attacks amid the fight against Islamic State militants, the coalition leading the operations said in a statement. In Syria, 14 strikes near six cities hit six tactical units and destroyed three fighting positions, two cranes, a pipeline fitter truck and other targets, according to the statement released on Monday. Eleven strikes near six cities in Iraq destroyed a warehouse used by the militant group and hit six tactical units, among other targets, it said.

Pope says Europe can rise to challenge of integrating migrants Posted: 11 Jan 2016 05:12 AM PST By Crispian Balmer VATICAN CITY (Reuters) - The migrant crisis engulfing Europe poses a big challenge to Europe's values and traditions but the continent should be able to integrate the newcomers without undermining the safety of its citizens, Pope Francis said on Monday. More than one million people sought refuge in Europe last year, many of them fleeing violence in Syria and Iraq. A majority of the migrants are Muslims and Europeans are worried about how to integrate them, especially since the Nov. 13 attacks by Islamist militants in Paris that killed 130 people.

Britain uses Brimstone missiles for first time in Syria Posted: 11 Jan 2016 03:49 AM PST Britain carried out several air strikes against Islamic State (IS) militants in Syria on Sunday, deploying its Brimstone missiles for the first time there, a spokeswoman for Prime Minister David Cameron said on Monday. Britain joined U.S.-led air strikes against IS in Syria late last year but has been criticised for conducting few operations, which largely targeted oil fields. "We saw five new attacks by RAF forces in Syria, targeting a Daesh (IS) vehicle near Raqqa, enemy tunnels also near Raqqa and the Omar oil field.

European values need not be threatened by migrant influx: pope Posted: 11 Jan 2016 03:49 AM PST Pope Francis warned on Monday that the recent influx of migrants risked overwhelming European values and traditions, but said he was confident the continent could successfully integrate the newcomers. In an annual address to diplomats at the Vatican City, the pope said the flood of new arrivals, mainly from the Middle East and Africa, was a major burden for Europe and had given rise to "significant" fears over security and international terrorism. "The present wave of migration seems to be undermining the foundations of that 'humanistic spirit' which Europe has always loved and defended," he said.

Parents get son's letter from Iraq almost 11 years later Posted: 11 Jan 2016 03:24 AM PST ROANOKE, Va. (AP) — A Virginia couple was surprised after receiving a letter their son sent almost 11 years ago while serving in Iraq.

Dutch push intelligence sharing after missed signals in Paris Posted: 11 Jan 2016 12:55 AM PST By Anthony Deutsch THE HAGUE (Reuters) - The Netherlands called on Monday for greater sharing of intelligence data, including lists of suspected foreign fighters and their banking details, at a gathering of global counter-terrorism officials. The Dutch, who hold the rotating European Union presidency, circulated a draft outlining the objective to roughly 250 delegates of the Global Counter Terrorism Forum (GCTF) and the Global Coalition to Counter ISIL meeting in The Hague, Foreign Minister Bert Koenders said. Although a legal framework for sharing confidential intelligence already exists, the Dutch hope to boost the use of databases at the European and international police agencies Interpol and Europol, in the wake of weak communication before the Nov. 13 Paris attacks.

Syrian refugee among first lady's guests for State of Union Posted: 11 Jan 2016 12:36 AM PST WASHINGTON (AP) — A Syrian scientist stricken with cancer and seeking a new start for his family in Michigan will represent Syrian refugees as a guest of first lady Michelle Obama for the president's final State of the Union address.

State of union in 2016: Strong job market, middling economy Posted: 11 Jan 2016 12:35 AM PST WASHINGTON (AP) — President Barack Obama delivers his final State of the Union address on Tuesday night to a nation whose economy is far sturdier than it was when he took office in 2009.

Rolling Stone faces criticism over 'El Chapo' interview Posted: 10 Jan 2016 07:59 PM PST NEW YORK (AP) — It was a big scoop, and one Rolling Stone may well regret.

Putin says he wants global cooperation against terrorism: Bild Posted: 10 Jan 2016 07:04 PM PST By Dmitry Solovyov MOSCOW (Reuters) - Russia wants to fight terrorism jointly with the rest of the world, President Vladimir Putin said in an interview published on Monday, while again accusing the West of exacerbating international crises that had contributed to it. "We are faced with common threats, and we still want all countries, both in Europe and the whole world, to join their efforts to combat these threats, and we are still striving for this," Putin said in a wide-ranging interview with Germany's Bild newspaper. "Yet this does not mean that it is us who should agree with everything that others decide on these or other matters." Russia's air force is attacking targets in Syria and Moscow says it aims to undermine Islamic State, which has been joined by thousands of Russian citizens and now poses a serious threat to national security.

You are subscribed to email updates from Iraq News Headlines - Yahoo! News. To stop receiving these emails, you may unsubscribe now.	Email delivery powered by Google
Google Inc., 1600 Amphitheatre Parkway, Mountain View, CA 94043, United States