Yahoo! News: Iraq

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• Syria ceasefire begins, but is shaky with early clashes
• Coalition Airstrike May Have Hit Civilians in Mosul, Military Says
• Syria ceasefire deal backed by Russia and Turkey takes effect
• Syria truce begins under deal backed by Russia, Turkey 
• Celebrity Golfers Join Veterans to Support Wounded Warrior Project
• U.S. law enforcement line-of-duty deaths hit five-year high in 2016
• Syria regime, rebels agree nationwide ceasefire
• Tunisia premier says returning jihadists will be arrested
• Albania arrests Kosovo citizen tried as terror group member
• Iraqi forces launch second phase of Mosul offensive against Islamic State
• Iraqi troops resume Mosul fight after 2-week lull
• Iraq forces launch new assault on IS in Mosul
• In Ethiopia, the elderly get new help from an old tool
• In dramatically young Africa, elderly are a valuable resource
• Why 55,000 migrants left Germany voluntarily, more than were deported in 2016
• Oman confirms it is joining Saudi-led anti-terrorism alliance
• Russia announces ceasefire in Syria from midnight
• AP PHOTOS: Top Middle East photos from 2016
• Saddam still haunts Washington, 10 years after his death
• Guantanamo Bay Prison Gitmo May Outlive Barack Obama's Presidency
• A new wild card in Afghanistan war: Russia
• For a Mideast roiling with conflict and change, 2017 promises more of same
• Ten years since Iraq's Saddam executed
• Iraq's main port receives large vessel for first time
• A decade later, Saddam 'lives on' in Baghdad shop
• After Berlin attack, German CSU wants clampdown on Mediterranean
• Iraq forces in 'second phase' of east Mosul battle: commander
• Rain, cold cause misery for Iraq's displaced
• Today in History
• Mystery bombing at boxing bout wounds 33 in Philippines
• IS military leader killed in Syria air strike: Pentagon

Syria ceasefire begins, but is shaky with early clashes Posted: 29 Dec 2016 04:49 PM PST By John Davison BEIRUT (Reuters) - A nationwide ceasefire in Syria, brokered by Russia and Turkey which back opposing sides in the conflict, got off to a shaky start after midnight on Friday (2200 GMT on Thursday) in the latest attempt to end nearly six years of bloodshed. Russian President Vladimir Putin, a key ally of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, announced the ceasefire on Thursday after forging the agreement with Turkey, a longtime backer of the opposition. Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said the United States could join the peace process once President-elect Donald Trump takes office on Jan. 20.

Coalition Airstrike May Have Hit Civilians in Mosul, Military Says Posted: 29 Dec 2016 03:45 PM PST Coalition forces attempting to liberate Mosul, Iraq, from the grip of ISIS may have killed civilians in an airstrike, according to U.S. military officials.The strike was targeting a van carrying ISIS fighters who were spotted firing an anti-tank rifle. The van was hit in an area that officials later realized was a hospital compound parking lot, resulting in potential civilian casualties.In a statement, the Combined Joint Task Force-Operation Inherent Resolve said it "takes all allegations of civilian casualties seriously" and that an investigation into the incident is being conducted. ...

Syria ceasefire deal backed by Russia and Turkey takes effect Posted: 29 Dec 2016 03:36 PM PST By John Davison BEIRUT (Reuters) - A nationwide ceasefire in Syria, brokered by Russia and Turkey, which back opposing sides in the conflict, came into force at midnight local time on Friday (2200 GMT on Thursday) in the latest attempt to end nearly six years of bloodshed. Russian President Vladimir Putin, a key ally of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, announced the ceasefire on Thursday after forging the agreement with Turkey, a longtime backer of the opposition. Monitoring group the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said calm prevailed in areas across the country included in the truce shortly after midnight, and that warring sides mostly appeared to have ceased firing.

Syria truce begins under deal backed by Russia, Turkey  Posted: 29 Dec 2016 03:18 PM PST A nationwide ceasefire in Syria brokered by Russia and Turkey took effect at midnight (2200 GMT), in a potentially major breakthrough in the conflict of more than five years. The deal, which does not include designated "terrorists" like the Islamic State group, was announced hours earlier by Russian President Vladimir Putin and confirmed by the Syrian army and opposition. The Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said there had been "total calm since the start of the ceasefire in many provinces all over Syria" adding that "no violations were monitored in all regions".

Celebrity Golfers Join Veterans to Support Wounded Warrior Project Posted: 29 Dec 2016 02:45 PM PST LOS ANGELES, Dec. 29, 2016 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- A group of wounded veterans joined Hollywood celebrities during the 11th Annual Celebrity Golf Classic on the greens of Saticoy Country Club. Hosted by GOTT Entertainment, the tournament brought together actor Michael Pena ("Ant-Man," "The Martian," "Shooter"), Hall of Fame NFL running back Marshall Faulk, and Grant Show ("Devious Maids"), among others, to raise support for the wounded warriors, caregivers, and families Wounded Warrior Project® (WWP) serves. Army veteran and experienced golfer Ryan Fowler was one of the warriors in attendance.

U.S. law enforcement line-of-duty deaths hit five-year high in 2016 Posted: 29 Dec 2016 02:44 PM PST Law enforcement fatalities hit a five-year high in 2016 with 135 officers killed in the line of duty, including eight killed in ambush attacks in Dallas and Louisiana in July that raised nationwide concerns, a study released on Thursday said. This included five police officers gunned down in Dallas in July by a deranged U.S. Army Reserve veteran, 25-year-old Micah X. Johnson, who said he aimed to avenge the shootings of black men by police nationwide.

Syria regime, rebels agree nationwide ceasefire Posted: 29 Dec 2016 02:03 PM PST Syria's army and key ally Russia Thursday announced a nationwide ceasefire to take effect at midnight, in a potential major breakthrough after nearly six years of civil war. The deal was brokered by Russia and Turkey, which back opposing sides in the conflict, but does not involve Washington, which has negotiated previous ceasefires with Moscow. The agreement, hailed by Syria's government as a "real opportunity" to find a political solution to the war, comes a week after the regime recaptured second city Aleppo in a major blow to rebel forces.

Tunisia premier says returning jihadists will be arrested Posted: 29 Dec 2016 01:07 PM PST Tunisia's Prime Minister Youssef Chahed on Thursday said all jihadists returning from foreign battlefields would be immediately arrested and judged according to the country's counter-terrorism law. "The Tunisian state has not signed any deal on the return of terrorists and the government's position on the matter is clear: it does not support the return from areas of tension," Chahed told state television El Wataniya. Concern about the return of jihadists has risen since Tunisian Anis Amri, 24, was identified as the suspected attacker who mowed down 11 people with a truck at a Berlin Christmas market last week and also killed the driver.

Albania arrests Kosovo citizen tried as terror group member Posted: 29 Dec 2016 11:57 AM PST TIRANA, Albania (AP) — Albanian police say they have arrested an ethnic Albanian from neighboring Kosovo who was wanted for allegedly fighting with terror groups in Syria.

Iraqi forces launch second phase of Mosul offensive against Islamic State Posted: 29 Dec 2016 11:49 AM PST By Isabel Coles and Stephen Kalin NEAR MOSUL, Iraq (Reuters) - Iraqi security forces on Thursday began the second phase of their offensive against Islamic State militants in Mosul, pushing from three directions into eastern districts where the battle has been deadlocked for nearly a month. Since the offensive to capture Mosul began 10 weeks ago, U.S.-backed forces have retaken a quarter of the jihadists' last major stronghold in Iraq in the biggest ground operation there since the 2003 U.S.-led invasion that toppled Saddam Hussein. More than 5,000 soldiers and federal police troops, redeployed from Mosul's southern outskirts, entered half a dozen southeastern districts, while counter-terrorism forces advanced in al-Quds and Karama districts after reinforcements arrived.

Iraqi troops resume Mosul fight after 2-week lull Posted: 29 Dec 2016 11:47 AM PST MOSUL, Iraq (AP) — Breaking a two-week lull in fighting, Iraqi troops backed by the U.S.-led coalition's airstrikes and artillery pushed deeper into eastern Mosul on Thursday in a multi-pronged assault against Islamic State militants in the city.

Iraq forces launch new assault on IS in Mosul Posted: 29 Dec 2016 11:46 AM PST Iraqi forces advanced Thursday after declaring a new phase in their offensive on eastern Mosul, stepping up efforts to reclaim the Islamic State group's last major stronghold in the country. Elite forces have reconquered several parts of eastern Mosul since beginning the massive operation to recapture the northern city from the jihadists on October 17, but IS still occupies the city's west. Retaking Mosul could effectively end the jihadist group's days as a land-holding force in Iraq and deal a death blow to the "caliphate" IS leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi proclaimed in the city in June 2014.

In Ethiopia, the elderly get new help from an old tool Posted: 29 Dec 2016 11:45 AM PST "The number of older people left alone has increased, because their children have left for other cities or countries and don't visit or support them anymore," says Etalemaha Mekbib, the treasurer of a 700-member idir on the outskirts of the capital Addis Ababa. Recommended: Think you know Africa? Although Africa is the world's youngest continent, people here are living longer too.

In dramatically young Africa, elderly are a valuable resource Posted: 29 Dec 2016 11:44 AM PST In Novusumzi Masala's life, there are 13 of everything – 13 pairs of battered shoes scattered around her tiny two-bedroom house, 13 bowls stacked high above her sink, 13 stacks of homework to puzzle over every night. Instead, at age 78, Ms. Masala is busy raising a baker's dozen of her grandchildren, scrambling to keep pace with everything from the rap beats thumping from their tinny cell phone speakers to the schedule of their anti-retroviral medicines and doctors' visits. Recommended: Think you know Africa?

Why 55,000 migrants left Germany voluntarily, more than were deported in 2016 Posted: 29 Dec 2016 11:43 AM PST A record 55,000 migrants to Germany left the country voluntarily in 2016, according to data from the Office for Migration and Refugees (BAMF). The large amount of voluntary departures was more than twice the amount that were deported by German authorities. The news comes during the ongoing Syrian war that spurred the arrival of more than one million refugees and asylum seekers to Germany during the past two years. Over the last several months, anti-immigration sentiments have reached a high in that country, with widespread criticism of German Chancellor Angela Merkel's "open door" policy for refugees that initially contributed to the influx.

Oman confirms it is joining Saudi-led anti-terrorism alliance Posted: 29 Dec 2016 11:20 AM PST Oman, traditionally on friendly terms with Iran, confirmed on Thursday that it had joined a Saudi-led coalition of Muslim countries fighting terrorism, a move praised by other Gulf Arab states as closing ranks with them against Iran. Saudi and Gulf sources reported the development on Wednesday, saying Omani Minister for Defence Affairs Badr bin Saud al-Busaidi had informed Saudi Arabia in a letter that it would join the 40-strong grouping. On Thursday, the Omani Foreign Ministry said in a statement that the move "comes within the common understanding of the Islamic countries and in particular the role and leadership of the sisterly Kingdom of Saudi Arabia".

Russia announces ceasefire in Syria from midnight Posted: 29 Dec 2016 10:26 AM PST By Denis Pinchuk and Tulay Karadeniz MOSCOW/ANKARA (Reuters) - Russian President Vladimir Putin announced a ceasefire between Syrian opposition groups and the Syrian government starting at midnight on Thursday. The parties were also prepared to start peace talks, Putin said, after Moscow, Iran and Turkey expressed readiness to broker a deal to settle the nearly six-year-old Syrian war. The Syrian army announced a nationwide halt to fighting but said Islamic State and ex-Nusra Front militants and all groups linked to them would be excluded from the deal.

AP PHOTOS: Top Middle East photos from 2016 Posted: 29 Dec 2016 09:41 AM PST CAIRO (AP) — For the Middle East, Afghanistan and Pakistan, 2016 was a year of grueling warfare.

Saddam still haunts Washington, 10 years after his death Posted: 29 Dec 2016 08:24 AM PST Ten years after Saddam Hussein's execution, the ghost of the Iraqi strongman still haunts America, serving as a potent reminder of its broken ambitions to bring stability and democracy to the Middle East. When Saddam was hung in Baghdad on December 30, 2007, then president George W. Bush already knew that the invasion of Iraq, which had already left 3,000 US forces dead, had not yielded the progress Washington sought. The democratic Iraq that Bush had envisioned turned out to be little more than a pipe dream, with the Americans failing to stop the deadly spiral of sectarian violence in the country.

Guantanamo Bay Prison Gitmo May Outlive Barack Obama's Presidency Posted: 29 Dec 2016 08:11 AM PST It was one of the earliest promises President Barack Obama made after entering the White House in 2009, one that had also been made often on the campaign trail: to close the U.S. Detention Center at the naval base at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, a military prison he called a "stain" on a nation whose founding principle is the rule of law. Nearly a year ago, the president again vowed to close the center, submitting the latest among several failed plans to Congress. "This is about closing a chapter in our history," Obama said in February 2016, repeating the same idealistic arguments he's made since he announced his first White House campaign nine years earlier: It's expensive, unnecessary and contradicts U.S. ideals.

A new wild card in Afghanistan war: Russia Posted: 29 Dec 2016 05:48 AM PST Next month, Donald Trump will inherit the nation's longest war – the war in Afghanistan. More than 8,000 United States troops remain there, 15 years on, primarily to support Afghan forces in their battle against the Taliban, while the Islamic State, or ISIS, has also gained a foothold. For a president-elect who abhors nation-building – and castigated President Obama for prematurely pulling out of Iraq – Afghanistan presents few good options.

For a Mideast roiling with conflict and change, 2017 promises more of same Posted: 29 Dec 2016 05:00 AM PST Take our geography quiz.Q. Is Syria's six-year-old war finally reaching an end? No one predicts that Syria's civil war will soon be over, but the recapture of rebel-held eastern Aleppo is likely to prove a game changer as rebel forces – some backed by the United States, others linked to so-called Islamic State (IS) or Al Qaeda – are forced from their most significant urban stronghold. Smelling victory are the Syrian Army loyal to President Bashar al-Assad – backed by more than a year of Russian airstrikes – and ground forces from Iran, Hezbollah, and allied Shiite militias.

Ten years since Iraq's Saddam executed Posted: 29 Dec 2016 03:54 AM PST Ousted Iraqi dictator Saddam Hussein was hanged inside one of his own regime's former torture centres a decade ago on December 30, 2006. On December 30, 2006, Saddam was hanged at the military intelligence headquarters in the Kadhimiyah district of northern Baghdad. Officials who witnessed the pre-dawn execution say Saddam, 69, remained defiant to the end, railing against his Iranian and American enemies and praising insurgents who had pushed Iraq to the brink of civil war.

Iraq's main port receives large vessel for first time Posted: 29 Dec 2016 03:38 AM PST BASRA, Iraq (AP) — A Jordanian investing company says Iraq has received a large vessel for the first time in its history, thanks to rehabilitation work on its main port.

A decade later, Saddam 'lives on' in Baghdad shop Posted: 29 Dec 2016 02:19 AM PST Baghdad shopkeeper Anwar offers Saddam Hussein photos, coins and postage stamps that keep the ousted president alive 10 years after his execution and cater to customers nostalgic for his rule. While Saddam was brutal to those who opposed him, and led his country into two disastrous wars, there are those who still look back fondly on his time in power, especially in comparison to the years of devastating internal violence and ineffective governance that followed his overthrow in 2003. "It was a gift that Saddam gave to deserving officers," said Anwar, who may be his own best customer for Saddam memorabilia.

After Berlin attack, German CSU wants clampdown on Mediterranean Posted: 29 Dec 2016 01:55 AM PST By Erik Kirschbaum BERLIN (Reuters) - Germany's arch conservative Christian Social Union (CSU) party, a junior partner in Chancellor Angela Merkel's coalition, wants to close off the Mediterranean Sea route for migrants by sending them back to Africa rather than allowing them to stay in Europe. As a reaction to the Dec. 19 truck attack in Berlin, the Bavarian sister party to Merkel's Christian Democrats (CDU) has drafted a paper calling for a change in policies that allow refugees rescued from endangered vessels to remain in Europe.

Iraq forces in 'second phase' of east Mosul battle: commander Posted: 29 Dec 2016 12:24 AM PST Iraqi forces launched the multi-pronged "second phase" of the battle to retake eastern Mosul from jihadists on Thursday, a top commander said. Iraqi forces punched into eastern Mosul after the massive operation to recapture the northern city from the Islamic State group was launched on October 17, but progress slowed to a crawl. "The second phase of liberating the left bank in Mosul was launched, and our forces began advancing toward Al-Quds neighbourhood," Staff Lieutenant General Abdulghani al-Assadi, a senior officer in Iraq's Counter-Terrorism Service, told AFP.

Rain, cold cause misery for Iraq's displaced Posted: 28 Dec 2016 10:00 PM PST QAYARA, Iraq (AP) — The mud was three inches deep in parts of the Madrag Camp for displaced Iraqis after the heavy overnight downpour. Water seeped into the blue-and-white tents, soaking families sleeping inside.

Today in History Posted: 28 Dec 2016 09:01 PM PST Today in History

Mystery bombing at boxing bout wounds 33 in Philippines Posted: 28 Dec 2016 07:19 PM PST A bombing wounded 33 people during an amateur boxing match in a central Philippines province, the government said on Thursday, the second attack on a public place by unknown perpetrators in less than a week. President Rodrigo Duterte has warned of the threat of a proliferation of festering Islamist militancy in the Philippines and an infiltration by the Islamic State militant group if offensives to drive its fighters out of Iraq and Syria succeed. Duterte has warned of vulnerability in the southern Philippines, where some splinter groups have pledged allegiance to Islamic State and only a small stretch of sea separates predominantly Muslim areas of the Philippines, Malaysia, Brunei and Indonesia.

IS military leader killed in Syria air strike: Pentagon Posted: 28 Dec 2016 04:05 PM PST A key military commander for the Islamic State group in Syria has been killed in an air strike carried out by the US-led coalition, the Pentagon said Thursday. Abu Jandal al-Kuwaiti died Monday near Tabqa Dam, west of the IS stronghold of Raqa, according to a statement from Centcom, the US military command in the Middle East.

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