Yahoo! News: Iraq

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• Former SEAL Zinke tapped to lead Interior Department
• Trump's choice for top diplomat is no fan of sanctions
• Creative wife includes deployed Air Force husband in adorable family Christmas card
• Aleppo cease-fire unravels, raising specter of bloody end
• Had a war like Syria's started in Europe, refugees would be treated better: Jordan's Prince Ali
• Factbox: Trump fills top jobs for his administration
• Year's top news filled with division _ and no middle ground
• The Latest: Istanbul protest blames Iran for deal's failure
• US: IS group may have air defense weapons in Syria town
• Germany moves to deport Afghan asylum seekers, group says
• UN seeks protection for ancient Nimrud site wrecked by IS
• For Russia and Iran, Aleppo is a big win, but not the end of the road
• Film of abducted Yazidi girl wins Dubai award
• Status of main battle fronts in Syria and Iraq
• IS fighters may have seized air-defense weapons in Palmyra: US general
• Iran's Rouhani congratulates Assad on Aleppo 'victory'
• In collapse of US-Russian military ties, some see nuke risk
• Fall of Aleppo puts Iran on cusp of 'Shi'ite crescent' of influence
• Timeline: The battle for Aleppo
• The Latest: Rights groups urge EU migrant policy about-face
• Report: Islamic State manufacturing arms on industrial scale
• AP Analysis: Advantage Assad _ Aleppo capture a key moment
• Finland wants EU deals with Iraq and others on migrants
• Germany's Muslim population now as high as 4.7 million
• France to deploy extra police, troops for festive events
• Trump Fish: Iraqi restaurant spells out Kurdish faith in president-elect
• Loophole in EU-Turkey deal draws migrants to river crossing
• A snapshot of 2016
• Today in History
• Oscar winner shields Bergdahl interviews from US lawyers
• Syria’s civil war to mar Obama legacy
• Democrats enlist experts to scour Tillerson's business record
• From Syria to North Korea, Tillerson would inherit a messy global situation

Former SEAL Zinke tapped to lead Interior Department Posted: 14 Dec 2016 05:34 PM PST BILLINGS, Mont. (AP) — Rep. Ryan Zinke of Montana made no secret of his ambitions to join a Donald Trump Cabinet, and yet his nomination as interior secretary is in some ways an unlikely fit for the retired U.S. Navy SEAL.

Trump's choice for top diplomat is no fan of sanctions Posted: 14 Dec 2016 04:19 PM PST WASHINGTON (AP) — If there's one thing Republicans and Democrats have agreed on in foreign policy, it is the power of sanctions. But Donald Trump's choice for secretary of state has seen things differently.

Creative wife includes deployed Air Force husband in adorable family Christmas card Posted: 14 Dec 2016 02:51 PM PST One family Christmas card went to some pretty great lengths to get everyone in the shot. Ashley Sistrunk wanted to include her entire family in her Christmas card this year, her four children and her husband, Brandon - even though he is currently deployed over 7,000 miles away in Iraq. "I would see my friends posting their cute family Christmas photos and while I thought they were precious, my heart would get sad," Sistrunk told Mashable in an email, "I would think, 'I wish we could have a family Christmas card photo!'" SEE ALSO: Watch The Rock surprise a 'Tonight Show' staffer with a military homecoming Determined to make her family card a reality, Sistrunk decided to get creative and dig around the internet for ideas.  "I went to Pinterest and typed in 'Christmas card ideas for military' and saw a couple of different versions of photoshopped photos of military members and their families," she said. "I wanted to put my own twist on it!" She took a photo with the couple's four children, and had Brandon pose by himself in Iraq. Then, she put her photoshop skills to use. "We did a 'normal' Christmas photo and then a more quirky version since we're a pretty silly family," she said, explaining the adorably unique second card. "We married in 2006 at the age of 18, and found out five weeks later that we were expecting our first child," Sistrunk divulged, "We quickly realized that the real world was hard and wasn't free, so Brandon joined the military when I was six months pregnant." "My husband, Brandon, is one of the most kindhearted people on the planet," the wife proudly explained, "He will do anything for anyone, including taking silly photos for a Christmas card." She posted a hilarious compilation of Brandon's side of the Christmas photo on her Facebook page to show just how selfless Brandon really is. "I can't even believe the coverage this is getting," Sistrunk revealed of their greeting card, "Brandon and I have always talked about wanting to be a voice for military families." "Deployments are hard and you can feel so alone," she continued, "You'd be amazed at how strong military families are, but how sad you can get at the same time. We want other deployed families to know that the emotions they feel are normal." "[Brandon] can't believe this little card has impacted so many lives," she added. We can't say we're surprised. The joy of families reuniting are what the holidays are all about. BONUS: These artists blow air in molten glass to make beautiful Christmas ornaments

Aleppo cease-fire unravels, raising specter of bloody end Posted: 14 Dec 2016 02:51 PM PST BEIRUT (AP) — A cease-fire to evacuate rebel fighters and civilians from the remaining opposition-held neighborhoods of Aleppo unraveled on Wednesday, once again raising the specter of a bloody end to the battle for Syria's largest city as residents reported the resumption of shelling and brutal bombing runs.

Had a war like Syria's started in Europe, refugees would be treated better: Jordan's Prince Ali Posted: 14 Dec 2016 02:45 PM PST By Nita Bhalla NEW DELHI (Thomson Reuters Foundation) - If the war in Syria had taken place in Europe, the world would have reacted more quickly to foster peace and treated millions of refugees fleeing the protracted conflict more humanely, said Jordan's Prince Ali Bin Al-Hussein. Jordan has been overwhelmed by the influx of refugees since the conflict in neighboring Syria began almost six years ago. Around one-fifth of Jordan's 10 million population are Syrian refugees - making it the largest host of refugees per capita.

Factbox: Trump fills top jobs for his administration Posted: 14 Dec 2016 02:38 PM PST (Reuters) - U.S. President-elect Donald Trump has chosen Republican Representative Ryan Zinke of Montana, a former Navy SEAL commander, as his interior secretary, a senior transition official said on Tuesday. A retired Army officer and Harvard Law School graduate, Pompeo supports the U.S. government's sweeping collection of Americans' communications data and wants to scrap the nuclear deal with Iran.

Year's top news filled with division _ and no middle ground Posted: 14 Dec 2016 02:09 PM PST Fed up with Europe's union across borders? Reject it. Disgusted with the U.S. political establishment? Can it. The news in 2016 was filled with battles over culture and territory that exposed divisions ...

The Latest: Istanbul protest blames Iran for deal's failure Posted: 14 Dec 2016 02:04 PM PST BEIRUT (AP) — The Latest on the conflict in Syria, where fighting is still underway in Aleppo despite a cease-fire deal that was to allow opposition fighters and civilians to withdraw (all times local):

US: IS group may have air defense weapons in Syria town Posted: 14 Dec 2016 10:08 AM PST WASHINGTON (AP) — The top U.S. general leading the fight against the Islamic State group says the militants got control of military equipment and weapons, possibly including air defense equipment, when they recaptured the Syrian town of Palmyra.

Germany moves to deport Afghan asylum seekers, group says Posted: 14 Dec 2016 12:27 PM PST BERLIN (AP) — About 50 Afghans who had their asylum bids in Germany rejected were being deported on Wednesday, a pro-refugee group said, as the government works to reduce the number of migrants remaining in the country.

UN seeks protection for ancient Nimrud site wrecked by IS Posted: 14 Dec 2016 11:59 AM PST NIMRUD, Iraq (AP) — Islamic State extremists have destroyed the ancient site of Nimrud almost beyond recognition, and left its ruins vulnerable to thieves and further damage, according to the United Nations.

For Russia and Iran, Aleppo is a big win, but not the end of the road Posted: 14 Dec 2016 11:55 AM PST The bombardment of rebel-held east Aleppo by Russian forces, the Syrian army, and Iran-led militias has been unprecedented in its intensity, even by the standards of Syria's brutal six-year civil war. The blitz has also been effective at removing rebels – some of them backed by the US, others Islamic jihadists ­– from their most significant urban stronghold in Syria. Recommended: How well do you understand the conflict in Syria?

Film of abducted Yazidi girl wins Dubai award Posted: 14 Dec 2016 11:53 AM PST A Kurdish Iraqi film depicting the ordeal of a Yazidi girl taken hostage by the Islamic State jihadist group won best feature at the Dubai International Film Festival on Wednesday. In "The Dark Wind", Kurdish director Hussein Hassan tells the tale of Pero and her fiance Reko, a young Yazidi couple preparing for their wedding when IS fighters attack their village.

Status of main battle fronts in Syria and Iraq Posted: 14 Dec 2016 11:10 AM PST Shelling and air strikes sent terrified residents running through the streets of Aleppo amid international efforts to save a deal to evacuate rebel-held districts of the city. A month into an assault to regain control of all of the northern city, Syria's army has taken back more than 90 percent of the former rebel stronghold in east Aleppo. It was unclear how many civilians remained in rebel territory, after an estimated 130,000 fled to other parts of Aleppo during the government advance.

IS fighters may have seized air-defense weapons in Palmyra: US general Posted: 14 Dec 2016 10:37 AM PST Islamic State fighters possibly seized air-defense weapons when they recaptured the ancient Syrian city of Palmyra, a US general said Wednesday, adding a potential complication to the coalition's air war. Lieutenant General Stephen Townsend, who commands the US-led coalition bombing IS in Iraq and Syria, said jihadists seized a trove of gear when they retook the desert city from Russia-backed Syrian regime troops on Sunday. "We believe that includes some armored vehicles and various guns and other heavy weapons, possibly some air-defense equipment," Townsend said in a video briefing from Baghdad.

Iran's Rouhani congratulates Assad on Aleppo 'victory' Posted: 14 Dec 2016 10:33 AM PST Iran's President Hassan Rouhani phoned his Syrian counterpart Bashar al-Assad on Wednesday to congratulate him on the impending defeat of rebel forces in the battleground city of Aleppo, his website said. "The victory in Aleppo... constitutes a great victory for the Syrian people against terrorists and those who support them," Rouhani told Assad. The Syrian leader reportedly responded that Iran had stood "on the side of the Syrian people and government in its most difficult moments, and we will never forget it".

In collapse of US-Russian military ties, some see nuke risk Posted: 14 Dec 2016 10:30 AM PST LONDON (AP) — It's not quite Cold War II, but the collapse of U.S. military relations with Russia could prove to be one of the most consequential aspects of President Barack Obama's national security legacy while presenting an early test of Donald Trump's hope for friendly ties to Moscow.

Fall of Aleppo puts Iran on cusp of 'Shi'ite crescent' of influence Posted: 14 Dec 2016 09:00 AM PST By Babak Dehghanpisheh BEIRUT (Reuters) - Iran has played a pivotal role in Syrian President Bashar al-Assad's campaign to crush rebel resistance in Aleppo and is now close to establishing a "Shi'ite crescent" of regional influence stretching from the Afghan border to the Mediterranean Sea. Revolutionary Guards commanders and senior clerics in Tehran have this week praised Iran's defeat of "Wahhabi terrorists" in Syria and the country they characterize as the rebels' patron, Sunni Muslim regional rival Saudi Arabia.

Timeline: The battle for Aleppo Posted: 14 Dec 2016 08:08 AM PST BEIRUT (Reuters) - Restoring full control over Aleppo, Syria's most populous city before the war, has been seen as critical to the fortunes of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad in a multi-sided civil war now in its sixth year. Insurgents who had held the eastern part of the city since the early days of the war effectively agreed to surrender what remained of their besieged enclave and evacuate after a fierce government assault. Famous for textiles, soap and its UNESCO-listed citadel, Aleppo was Syria's economic hub and of huge historic and cultural importance. ...

The Latest: Rights groups urge EU migrant policy about-face Posted: 14 Dec 2016 06:29 AM PST PARIS (AP) — The Latest on migration issues in Europe (all times local):

Report: Islamic State manufacturing arms on industrial scale Posted: 14 Dec 2016 06:10 AM PST IRBIL, Iraq (AP) — The Islamic State group was manufacturing weapons in and around Mosul on an industrial scale with products largely purchased in bulk from Turkey, according to a report published by an arms research group Wednesday.

AP Analysis: Advantage Assad _ Aleppo capture a key moment Posted: 14 Dec 2016 05:45 AM PST BEIRUT (AP) — The Syrian government's expected recapture of Aleppo after a prolonged and punishing air assault is a defining moment in the country's devastating civil war: it leaves President Bashar Assad in control of almost all major urban areas — and poised to petition for a role in the world community's broader war against Islamic State militants clinging to parts of Syria's northeast.

Finland wants EU deals with Iraq and others on migrants Posted: 14 Dec 2016 03:41 AM PST Finland said on Wednesday it would push the European Union to step up efforts to curb illegal migration by negotiating agreements with Iraq, Afghanistan and Somalia. In exchange for financial support, the EU requires those countries to impose tighter border controls and to take back illegal migrants.

Germany's Muslim population now as high as 4.7 million Posted: 14 Dec 2016 03:38 AM PST BERLIN (AP) — The German government says that the number of Muslims living in Germany has risen to between 4.4 and 4.7 million, about 1.2 million more than five years ago.

France to deploy extra police, troops for festive events Posted: 14 Dec 2016 03:23 AM PST France will put more police and soldiers on the streets to deter would-be militant attackers from striking during Christmas and New Year festivities, Interior Minister Bruno Le Roux said on Wednesday. The newly appointed minister was speaking after parliament voted overnight to extend a state of emergency imposed after Islamists killed 130 people in Paris in multiple attacks just over a year ago. "The threat is serious," said Le Roux, who has the power to deploy around 3,000 extra police and soldiers during the year-end holiday season, a peak time for party events and at airports and railway stations.

Trump Fish: Iraqi restaurant spells out Kurdish faith in president-elect Posted: 14 Dec 2016 03:21 AM PST By Stephen Kalin DUHOK, Iraq (Reuters) - The newest enterprise bearing Donald Trump's name is not a five-star hotel or an exclusive golf club. It is a restaurant in northern Iraq serving fire-roasted carp for $10 a kilo which the U.S. president-elect probably doesn't even know exists. Trump Fish, whose logo features the businessman-turned-politician's distinctive yellow mane, opened about 10 days ago in the Kurdish city of Duhok, an hour's drive from the latest battle against Islamic State militants in Mosul.

Loophole in EU-Turkey deal draws migrants to river crossing Posted: 14 Dec 2016 01:11 AM PST DIDYMOTEICHO, Greece (AP) — This time of year, the Evros river runs broad and icy, its banks muddy and remote. It's a formidable sight for migrants reaching Turkey's land border with Greece, but not formidable enough to stop people who have already come so far in their bid to make it to a new life in Europe.

A snapshot of 2016 Posted: 13 Dec 2016 10:48 PM PST On November 8, Republican billionaire Trump, a 70-year-old populist with no political experience, wins the US presidential election against Hillary Clinton. In Asia, firebrand Rodrigo Duterte overwhelmingly wins the Philippines' presidency in May, while in Europe, nationalist and far-right parties gain ground. Conservative prime minister David Cameron steps down, to be replaced in July by Theresa May. She promises by March 31, 2017 to invoke Article 50 of the Lisbon Treaty, the first step in leaving the bloc.

Today in History Posted: 13 Dec 2016 09:01 PM PST Today in History

Oscar winner shields Bergdahl interviews from US lawyers Posted: 13 Dec 2016 07:01 PM PST LOS ANGELES (AP) — The federal government dropped its efforts to seize hours of unaired interviews an Oscar-winning screenwriter recorded with Army Sgt. Bowe Bergdahl, his lawyer said Tuesday.

Syria’s civil war to mar Obama legacy Posted: 13 Dec 2016 06:45 PM PST By Matt Spetalnick and Jonathan Landay WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The fall of the last rebel-held areas in the Syrian city of Aleppo could seal the fate of the "Obama Doctrine," deepening the world's worst humanitarian crisis in decades and staining U.S. President Barack Obama's legacy. With the U.S.-aligned rebels facing defeat by government forces backed by Russia and Iran, Obama's light-footprint approach to the Syrian conflict will suffer a serious blow weeks before he hands power to President-elect Donald Trump on Jan. 20. The rebel loss would underscore the failure of U.S. efforts to stem the carnage from Syria's nearly six-year-old civil war, leading some critics to predict that Obama's record will be tarnished just as President Bill Clinton's was by his refusal to intervene to halt the 1994 Rwandan genocide.

Democrats enlist experts to scour Tillerson's business record Posted: 13 Dec 2016 06:39 PM PST By Patricia Zengerle WASHINGTON (Reuters) - U.S. Senate Democrats plan to enlist accountants and legal experts to pore through the business records of Exxon Mobil Chief Executive Rex Tillerson, President-elect Donald Trump's pick for secretary of state, Democratic aides said. Tillerson could face a rocky confirmation process, given concerns among both Democrats and Republicans about his ties to Russia. If Tillerson can overcome the skepticism of Republicans, he could win confirmation since their party will control a slim majority in the Senate when Trump takes office on Jan. 20.

From Syria to North Korea, Tillerson would inherit a messy global situation Posted: 13 Dec 2016 06:36 PM PST From Syria's bloody civil war and the slow-burning crisis in eastern Ukraine to perennial diplomatic headaches such as the North Korean and Iranian nuclear programs, Rex Tillerson would face a messy, complex world as the chief U.S. diplomat. Below are brief descriptions of some of the problems that will land on his plate if he is confirmed by the U.S. Senate as the 69th U.S. secretary of state after a career spent at Exxon Mobil Corp, where he rose to be chief executive. SYRIA Tillerson will inherit an increasingly complex conflict in Syria, where the rebel-held eastern portion of Aleppo is on the verge of falling to Syrian government forces backed by Russia, Iran and Shi'ite militias from Lebanon and Iraq.

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