Yahoo! News: Iraq

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• Mississippi woman pleads guilty to trying to join Islamic State
• Rich states resettle barely one percent of Syrian refugees: Oxfam
• Obama to hold informal talks with Turkey's Erdogan as ties show strain
• Iraqi PM asks parliament to clarify stance on corruption-fighting cabinet
• US orders diplomatic, military families out of south Turkey
• China, Syria advance in World Cup qualifying
• Iraq PM pushes back against deadline for new cabinet
• Newly displaced feel joy and fear as Iraqi army returns ahead of Mosul campaign
• UN chief urges swift handover of power in Libya
• Belgium accused of string of attacks blunders
• Syria's Assad says military gains will speed up political deal
• Syria's Assad tries to polish image with Palmyra's recapture
• Why more veterans are abusing opioids – and the push for alternate treatments
• China through to final stage of 2018 World Cup qualifiers
• UK defence chief says Qatar warplane deal 'on the table'
• Soccer-China, Syria and Australia advance in World Cup qualifying
• US orders families of personnel out of southern Turkey
• Bolster US-Europe efforts against terror? Not so easy
• Russia's Syrian air strikes 'have killed more than 1,000'
• Kosovo PM: No citizen has joined extremist groups recently
• PM: Romanian prepaid cards used in extremist attacks
• Turkey 'detains 20' in anti-migrant smuggling operation
• Polish leader goes to US summit, no talks planned with Obama
• Radical Islamist Terror Accelerates Rapidly in Lethality and Geography, New IPT Analysis Shows
• Suicide bomber kills at least 7 civilians in Iraqi capital
• U.S., allies conduct four strikes against Islamic State in Iraq: U.S. military
• Islamic State claims central Baghdad bombing
• Arab Region Students Creatively Use Arts Degrees
• Calls mount to stop abuse of migrant workers in Italy's 'red gold': the tomato sector
• Behind Trump’s Rise: A False Sense of Crisis in America
• Sanders team pushes Clinton for New York debate
• Pentagon's innovation office reaching out to industry for ideas

Mississippi woman pleads guilty to trying to join Islamic State Posted: 29 Mar 2016 04:19 PM PDT A Mississippi woman pleaded guilty in federal court on Tuesday to trying to join Islamic State in Syria, 2-1/2 weeks after her husband entered the same plea. Jaelyn Delshaun Young, 20, was arrested at a Mississippi airport in August 2015 while attempting to board a flight to Turkey with her husband, Muhammad Oda Dakhlalla, 23. Young's Twitter posts about her desire to join the militant group caught the attention of the FBI in May 2015, and an agent posing as an Islamic State recruiter began corresponding with her and Dakhlalla.

Rich states resettle barely one percent of Syrian refugees: Oxfam Posted: 29 Mar 2016 03:50 PM PDT Wealthy countries have resettled only a fraction of the nearly five million refugees who have fled Syria, Oxfam said on Tuesday, urging them to step up and do their share. The British charity called on wealthy countries to resettle at least 10 percent of the 4.8 million Syrian refugees registered in the region surrounding the war-ravaged nation by the end of the year. The charity issued its report ahead of an unprecedented UN-hosted conference in Geneva on Wednesday, where countries will be asked to pledge resettlement spots for Syrian refugees.

Obama to hold informal talks with Turkey's Erdogan as ties show strain Posted: 29 Mar 2016 12:39 PM PDT By Can Sezer and Jeff Mason ISTANBUL/ABOARD AIR FORCE ONE (Reuters) - President Barack Obama will hold informal talks with Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan in Washington this week, the White House said on Tuesday, dismissing suggestions that the lack of a formal meeting represented a snub to Ankara. Erdogan will be among more than 50 world leaders attending a Nuclear Security Summit in Washington on Thursday and Friday, during which time he is due to have a formal meeting with Vice President Joe Biden. There had been intense speculation in the Turkish media over whether Obama would meet Erdogan, with some suggesting a failure to do so would mark a deliberate U.S. snub amid differences over Syria and Washington's concerns over the direction of Turkey's domestic policies.

Iraqi PM asks parliament to clarify stance on corruption-fighting cabinet Posted: 29 Mar 2016 12:38 PM PDT Iraqi Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi asked parliament on Tuesday to give him clear guidance on whether he should appoint party politicians or independent technocrats to a new cabinet aimed at fighting corruption. Abadi was responding in a speech broadcast on state television to a deadline set by parliament on Monday to come up with a new lineup by Thursday. Powerful Shi'ite Muslim cleric Moqtada al-Sadr responded swiftly, threatening Abadi with a no-confidence vote if he did not present the promised cabinet lineup by Thursday.

US orders diplomatic, military families out of south Turkey Posted: 29 Mar 2016 12:30 PM PDT WASHINGTON (AP) — The State Department and Pentagon ordered the families of U.S. diplomats and military personnel Tuesday to leave posts in southern Turkey due to "increased threats from terrorist groups" in the country.

China, Syria advance in World Cup qualifying Posted: 29 Mar 2016 12:20 PM PDT China joined Asian heavyweights Australia and Japan in the next round of World Cup qualifying after stunning Qatar 2-0 in their last Group C match in Xi'an on Tuesday. China were helped in their cause by the Philippines' 3-2 upset of North Korea in Manila. North Korea appeared to be heading for victory and into the next round when they led 2-1, but conceded two goals in the final six minutes to crash out of contention.

Iraq PM pushes back against deadline for new cabinet Posted: 29 Mar 2016 12:20 PM PDT Iraqi Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi called Tuesday for parliament to support or reject his calls for a technocratic government, pushing back against a looming deadline for a new cabinet line-up. "It is not wise to present a ministerial line-up that faces rejection by parliament," Abadi said in televised remarks, calling on lawmakers to clarify their position. Parliament must decide if it wants him "to present ministers from the political blocs or to present technocratic ministers from outside the blocs," said Abadi.

Newly displaced feel joy and fear as Iraqi army returns ahead of Mosul campaign Posted: 29 Mar 2016 12:17 PM PDT By Isabel Coles MAKHMOUR, Iraq (Reuters) - Joy and fear were what Um Mahmoud felt when she saw the Iraqi flag for the first time since Islamic State insurgents raised their black banner over her village of Khurbardan nearly two years ago. The Iraqi flag was waving from a Humvee driven by Iraqi security forces in an offensive touted as the first move in a highly anticipated campaign to liberate the northern province of Nineveh from Islamic State.

UN chief urges swift handover of power in Libya Posted: 29 Mar 2016 12:12 PM PDT UN chief Ban Ki-moon pleaded Tuesday for Libya's unity government to be allowed to start work quickly and called for anyone obstructing the peace process to be held accountable. World powers are pressing all sides in the Libyan conflict to accept the UN-brokered deal, amid concerns the Islamic State jihadist group is gaining influence in the country.

Belgium accused of string of attacks blunders Posted: 29 Mar 2016 12:02 PM PDT In one of the most embarrassing mix-ups to date, Belgium on Monday released a man identified as Faycal C, two days after he had been charged with offences including "terrorist murder". Key Paris attacks suspect Salah Abdeslam was questioned for only three hours between his arrest in Brussels on March 18 and the attacks on March 22, raising questions about whether authorities could have done more to extract information from him about his accomplices. Prosecutors said he was asked only about Paris, after which he exercised his right to silence.

Syria's Assad says military gains will speed up political deal Posted: 29 Mar 2016 12:02 PM PDT By Vladimir Soldatkin and Dominic Evans MOSCOW/BEIRUT (Reuters) - Syrian army successes will help accelerate a political settlement to the country's civil war, President Bashar al-Assad said, because they weaken the position of international opponents who he accused of hindering any agreement. In an interview published as government forces, backed by heavy Russian air power, maintained an offensive against Islamic State militants, Assad said his government "continue to be flexible" in its approach to talks aimed at ending the war.

Syria's Assad tries to polish image with Palmyra's recapture Posted: 29 Mar 2016 11:10 AM PDT BEIRUT (AP) — The recapture of Palmyra in central Syria from Islamic State militants puts government forces at the heart of the fight against the jihadist group — and not just geographically speaking.

Why more veterans are abusing opioids – and the push for alternate treatments Posted: 29 Mar 2016 10:53 AM PDT The biggest challenge in confronting the crisis lies in its origins. Doctors are prescribing the opioids to treat veterans who suffer from chronic pain, as an estimated 50 percent of older veterans do, Sarah Childress reported for PBS Frontline. In the case of opioids, however, the treatment is often proving at least as dangerous as the injury. Recommended: How much do you know about America's veterans?

China through to final stage of 2018 World Cup qualifiers Posted: 29 Mar 2016 10:40 AM PDT XIAN, China (AP) — China advanced to the final Asian qualifying round for the World Cup for the first time since 2002 after a 2-0 victory over Qatar on Tuesday.

UK defence chief says Qatar warplane deal 'on the table' Posted: 29 Mar 2016 10:22 AM PDT Britain's defence minister said on Tuesday that a deal to sell Eurofighter Typhoon warplanes to Qatar was "definitely still on the table". Michael Fallon, speaking on board a British destroyer anchored in Doha port, said he had held discussions on a possible sale with Qatari officials within the past week. "It's definitely still on the table," said Fallon, who is in Qatar to attend the three-day Dimdex defence and security fair.

Soccer-China, Syria and Australia advance in World Cup qualifying Posted: 29 Mar 2016 10:13 AM PDT China, helped by a slip-up from North Korea, scraped through to the final phase of World Cup qualifying in Asia on Tuesday after beating future hosts Qatar 2-0 in a nervy Group C showdown between the continent's super rich. While the Qataris could relax having already qualified for the 12-team third round as group winners, China needed to win in Xi'an and hope other results went their way in order to grab one of the four best runners-up spots across the eight groups.

US orders families of personnel out of southern Turkey Posted: 29 Mar 2016 09:41 AM PDT The Pentagon and US State Department on Tuesday ordered families of US troops and civilian personnel stationed in southern Turkey to leave the region due to security fears. The order encompasses the city of Adana, where a US consulate and Incirlik air base are located, as well as Ismir and Mugla provinces. "This decision allows for the deliberate, safe return of family members from these areas due to continued security concerns in the region," the Pentagon said in a statement.

Bolster US-Europe efforts against terror? Not so easy Posted: 29 Mar 2016 09:29 AM PDT The Brussels terrorist attacks could result in new efforts for the United States and Europe to better cooperate to combat terrorism, but such efforts also would confront a fundamental problem of differing priorities and approaches – and even distrust. The attacks have spawned a torrent of calls on this side of the Atlantic for stepped-up counterterrorism cooperation between the US and Europe. The rationale is clear enough, and not just because the US worries that Europe, a key ally on matters of global security, could end up  a less effective partner if it becomes bogged down in its internal battle with terrorism.

Russia's Syrian air strikes 'have killed more than 1,000' Posted: 29 Mar 2016 09:05 AM PDT Russian air strikes in Syria likely killed more than 1,000 civilians in the war-torn country during the last quarter of 2015, the Airwars monitoring group said Tuesday. Airwars put that number at 1,044 but the Pentagon says it is far lower and has so far confirmed the deaths of only 21 civilians, though several investigations into claimed civilian deaths are ongoing.

Kosovo PM: No citizen has joined extremist groups recently Posted: 29 Mar 2016 08:02 AM PDT PRISTINA, Kosovo (AP) — Kosovo Prime Minister Isa Mustafa says no Kosovo citizens have joined extremist groups in Syria and Iraq in the last eight months, which he credited to the work of domestic intelligence agencies and their coordination with neighboring countries and international institutions.

PM: Romanian prepaid cards used in extremist attacks Posted: 29 Mar 2016 08:00 AM PDT Romania's prime minister, who is backing legislation to require buyers of prepaid phone cards to show identity documents, said Tuesday that cards from his nation have been used in extremist attacks. The ...

Turkey 'detains 20' in anti-migrant smuggling operation Posted: 29 Mar 2016 07:45 AM PDT Turkish police on Tuesday detained at least 20 people in a nationwide operation aimed at cracking down on the trafficking of migrants seeking to reach the European Union, reports said. It said that the suspected traffickers, who are citizens of Turkey, Syria and Iraq, were believed to have smuggled migrants from Turkey's coast across the Aegean Sea in exchange for money. Materials seized in the raids included lists of migrants, money counting machines and hard currency, Turkish media reports said.

Polish leader goes to US summit, no talks planned with Obama Posted: 29 Mar 2016 07:22 AM PDT WARSAW, Poland (AP) — Poland's president is traveling to Washington for a security summit but has no meeting scheduled with President Barack Obama. Observers in Poland say controversial government policies may be the reason.

Radical Islamist Terror Accelerates Rapidly in Lethality and Geography, New IPT Analysis Shows Posted: 29 Mar 2016 07:14 AM PDT WASHINGTON, March 29, 2016 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- A new analysis by the Investigative Project on Terrorism (IPT) reveals that deaths attributed to radical Islamist terror increased by more than 700 percent since 2011, marking a rapid acceleration in lethality and geography. "Westerners sense that Islamist terror is on the rise as they follow the daily news, especially with the devastating attacks in Brussels and Paris," said Pete Hoekstra, IPT Shillman Senior Fellow former Chairman of the U.S. House Intelligence Committee.

Suicide bomber kills at least 7 civilians in Iraqi capital Posted: 29 Mar 2016 05:43 AM PDT BAGHDAD (AP) — Iraqi officials say a suicide bombing in the capital has killed at least seven civilians and wounded 23.

U.S., allies conduct four strikes against Islamic State in Iraq: U.S. military Posted: 29 Mar 2016 04:37 AM PDT WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The United States and its allies conducted four strikes against Islamic State in Iraq on Monday, the coalition leading the operations said. In a statement released on Tuesday, the Combined Joint Task Force said four strikes near three cities in Iraq hit a bed down location and a safe house, destroyed five assembly areas, and suppressed a machine gun position. (Reporting by Washington Newsroom)

Islamic State claims central Baghdad bombing Posted: 29 Mar 2016 04:22 AM PDT The hardline Sunni militant group Islamic State claimed responsibility for a suicide bombing on Tuesday morning in central Baghdad that police said killed three people and wounded 27. Islamic State, which claimed responsibility in an online statement, also claimed a suicide bombing last Friday that killed 26 people at an amateur soccer game in Iskandariya, south of Baghdad. An apparent escalation of bombings targeting areas outside Islamic State's primary control in northern and western Iraq suggests that Iraqi government forces may be stretched thin after recent gains against the group.

Arab Region Students Creatively Use Arts Degrees Posted: 29 Mar 2016 04:00 AM PDT For students seeking to nurture a particular creative talent or passion, arts-focused degrees may be a good start. From graphic design to television and film, arts-focused grads -- including those from other countries in the region -- are finding original and innovative ways to use their Arab region university degrees in a range of fields. Jean-Pierre El Asmar, associate professor and dean of the faculty of architecture, art and design at Notre Dame University -- Louaize in Lebanon, says among the benefits of arts-focused degrees are analytical, technical, communication, research, entrepreneurial and time management skills, as well as the ability to work independently or in teams.

Calls mount to stop abuse of migrant workers in Italy's 'red gold': the tomato sector Posted: 29 Mar 2016 03:30 AM PDT By Paola Totaro PUGLIA, Italy (Thomson Reuters Foundation) - Baah, a tall, broad-shouldered Ghanaian man, stares through a grimy window, his face a study of disappointment as he watches a chill wind cast ripples over fields of corn in southern Italy. The countryside of Puglia, the region that spans the south-eastern tip of the Italian peninsula, is best known for its vast groves of olive trees, vineyards bounded by postcard-perfect dry-stone walls, and emerald and turquoise beaches. Investigations by Italian labor unions who are demanding change have revealed that a vast army of vulnerable, often stateless North African and Eastern European migrants used to pick tomato crops are controlled by illegal work-gang masters and held in slave-like conditions in rural ghettos.

Behind Trump’s Rise: A False Sense of Crisis in America Posted: 29 Mar 2016 02:15 AM PDT The moral of these stories is that politically correct Democratic politicians are destroying the country and that Republicans must take all necessary steps to protect us from disaster. Donald Trump's surprising surge toward the GOP presidential nomination is the unintended consequence of this kind of political rhetoric and media coverage that has created a false sense of crisis in America. It's not that everything is just peachy — but when voters come to believe that everything is broken, they are more willing to listen to outsiders like Trump who propose drastic actions that may do more harm than good.

Sanders team pushes Clinton for New York debate Posted: 28 Mar 2016 06:13 PM PDT Bernie Sanders' campaign team called on Hillary Clinton to relent and agree to hold a debate between the Democratic presidential hopefuls in New York before the state primary on April 19. Sanders, a self-described democratic socialist, is hanging on in the race for the party ticket and trounced frontrunner Clinton at the weekend in three western states. Sanders, a Vermont senator originally from Brooklyn, is pushing for New York to be one of the venues.

Pentagon's innovation office reaching out to industry for ideas Posted: 28 Mar 2016 05:36 PM PDT The Pentagon's Strategic Capabilities Office plans to reach out to U.S. industry in about a month for ways to put existing weapons technologies to new uses as the department scrambles to maintain its competitive edge over Russia and China. "We're looking for things we can put our hands on today, go test today," said Will Roper, director of the SCO, or what he called the Pentagon's "take risk" office, said . The secretive Pentagon office was set up in August 2012 at the behest of Defense Secretary Ash Carter, then the deputy defense secretary, who worried that the U.S. military was not ready for a return to great power competition after years of fighting extremist groups in Iraq and Afghanistan.

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