Judge declares mistrial after jury deadlocks in lawsuit filed by former Abu Ghraib prisoners
A judge declared a mistrial after a jury said it was deadlocked and couldn't reach a verdict in the trial of a military contractor accused of contributing to the abuse of detainees at the Abu Ghraib Prison in Iraq two decades ago.
Iran attacks alleged militant bases in Pakistan; Islamabad says 'unprovoked' strikes kill 2 children
Iran has launched attacks in Pakistan targeting what it described as bases for the Sunni militant group Jaish al-Adl, potentially further raising tensions in a Middle East already roiled by Israelโs war on Hamas in the Gaza Strip.
Missiles target US consulate in north Iraq, no casualties
Iran has claimed responsibility for a missile barrage that struck near a sprawling U.S. consulate complex in the northern Iraqi city of Irbil, saying it was retaliation for an Israeli strike in Syria that killed two members of its Revolutionary Guard.
Iran holds mass funeral for '80s war dead amid nuclear talks
Thousands of mourners have poured into the streets of Iranian cities for the mass funeral of 250 victims of the Iran-Iraq war โ remains recently recovered in a testament to the brutal conflictโs scale and enduring legacy after 35 years.
Pope Francis to visit Hungary in September, cardinal says
(AP Photo/Yara Nardi, pool)BUDAPEST โ Pope Francis will travel to Hungary's capital in September where he will participate in the closing Mass of a multiday, international Catholic gathering, according to the cardinal of Hungary's Roman Catholic Church. Francis will instead visit on the final day of the eight-day 52nd Congress in Budapest on Sept. 12, he said. AdโToday we can perhaps learn the most from Pope Francis, and not only about faith and humanity. Traveling back to the Vatican from a trip to Iraq on Monday, the pope told Italian media that following his visit to Budapest he may visit Bratislava, the capital of neighboring Slovakia. While that visit isn't confirmed, Slovakia's president, Zuzana Caputova, said she had invited the pontiff to visit during a meeting in the Vatican in December.
Where IS ruled, pope calls on Christians to forgive, rebuild
Pope Francis celebrates mass at the Franso Hariri Stadium in Irbil, Kurdistan Region of Iraq, Sunday, March 7, 2021. (AP Photo/Andrew Medichini)IRBIL โ Pope Francis urged Iraqโs Christians on Sunday to forgive the injustices against them by Muslim extremists and to rebuild as he visited the wrecked shells of churches and met ecstatic crowds in the communityโs historic heartland, which was nearly erased by the Islamic State groupโs horrific reign. Mosul, Iraqโs second largest city, was at the heart of the IS so-called โcaliphateโ and witnessed the worst of the groupโs rule inflicted on Muslims, Christians and others, including beheadings and mass killings. Mosul, Iraqโs second largest city, became ISโs bureaucratic and financial backbone. Things are difficult for those living here.โAt Qaraqosh, Francis urged its residents to continue to dream, and forgive.
The Latest: Pope Francis delivers sermon in Baghdad church
Pope Francis, center arrives to concelebrate a mass in the Chaldean Cathedral of Saint Joseph, in Baghdad, Iraq, Saturday, March 6, 2021. Francis honored Iraqโs persecuted Christians by celebrating Mass on Saturday at the Chaldean Catholic cathedral in Baghdad. ___6:30 p.m.U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken says he is pleased to see the historic visit by Pope Francis to Iraq. Iraqi and Vatican church officials had promised social distancing and other health measures would be enforced during Francisโ four-day visit to Iraq, especially at his indoor events. Francisโ interfaith meeting in Ur came after his historic encounter in nearby Najaf with Iraqโs top Shiite cleric, Grand Ayatollah Ali al-Sistani.
Pope, top Iraq Shiite cleric deliver message of coexistence
Women wait outside the Chaldean Cathedral of Saint Joseph, in Baghdad, Iraq, Saturday, March 6, 2021, where Pope Francis, depicted on a giant poster at their back, is concelebrating a mass. AdTogether, the dayโs events gave symbolic and practical punch to the central message of Francisโ visit, calling for Iraq to embrace its diversity. Al-Sistani is one of the most senior clerics in Shiite Islam, deeply revered among Shiites in Iraq and worldwide. Later, Pope Francis evoked the common reverence for Abraham to speak against religious violence at the inter-faith gathering at the Plains of Ur, near the southern city of Nasiriyah. Associated Press journalists Anmar Khalil in Najaf, Iraq, and Samya Kullab in Baghdad contributed.
Biden signals support to replace war power authority
The U.S. has blamed the militia for numerous attacks targeting U.S. personnel and interests in Iraq in the past. But several leading members of Congress, including members in Bidenโs own party, denounced the strikes โ the first military action he has authorized. Kaine and others argued offensive military action without congressional approval is not constitutional absent extraordinary circumstances. A U.S. contractor died after at least 10 rockets slammed into the base early Wednesday. โIf we assess further response is warranted, we will take action again in a manner and time of our choosing,โ Psaki said.
Biden administration suspends some sanctions on Yemen rebels
(AP Photo/Hani Mohammed)WASHINGTON โ The Biden administration on Monday suspended some of the terrorism sanctions that former Secretary of State Mike Pompeo imposed on Yemenโs Houthi rebels in his waning days in office. The Treasury Department said it would exempt certain transactions involving the Houthis from sanctions resulting from Pompeo's designation of the group as a โforeign terrorist organizationโ on Jan. 10. The sanctions Pompeo imposed had taken effect Jan. 19, just a day before President Joe Biden was inaugurated, and had been roundly criticized by the United Nations and relief organizations. Six years of war between a U.S.-backed Arab coalition and the Houthi rebels have been catastrophic for Yemen, killing more than 112,000 people and reducing infrastructure from roads and hospitals to water and electricity networks to ruins. Saudi Arabia has advocated the terror designation, hoping it would pressure the rebels to reach a peace deal.
US to move aircraft carrier out of Mideast amid Iran tension
The Pentagon announced Thursday, Dec. 31, 2020, that the USS Nimitz, the only Navy aircraft carrier operating in the Middle East, will return home to the U.S. West Coast. Navy via AP)WASHINGTON โ The Pentagon has decided to send home the only Navy aircraft carrier operating in the Middle East, a move that will reduce American firepower in the region amid heightened tensions with Iran. Sending the aircraft carrier, the USS Nimitz, home to the U.S. West Coast would seem at odds with the idea that a show of force is needed to deter Iran. โSome friendly health advice to Iran: If one American is killed, I will hold Iran responsible. The U.S. has maintained a near-continuous aircraft carrier presence in the Persian Gulf region since the USS Abraham Lincoln was sent in May 2019 amid concerns that Iran was considering attacking U.S. interests in the region.
US bomber mission over Persian Gulf aimed at cautioning Iran
A U.S. Air Force B-52H Stratofortress from Minot Air Force Base, N.D., is refueled by a KC-135 Stratotanker in the U.S. Central Command area of responsibility Wednesday, Dec. 30, 2020. The United States flew strategic bombers over the Persian Gulf on Wednesday for the second time this month, a show of force meant to deter Iran from attacking American or allied targets in the Middle East. Because of the potential for escalation that could lead to a wider war, the U.S. has sought to deter Iran from additional attacks. Iran denied involvement but was blamed by the United States for that attack. That flight was repeated this week, with two B-52s flying nonstop from Minot Air Force Base in North Dakota and heading home Wednesday after cruising over the western side of the Gulf.
US general says IS in Iraq and Syria still long-term threat
He said a solution must come from a joint effort by diplomatic, security and humanitarian organizations. The U.S. also has about 3,000 troops still in Iraq; on Tuesday the Pentagon announced that Trump had ordered a drawdown to 2,500 in Iraq with no change for Syria. Trump has pushed for the repatriation of foreign fighters in Syria, but their home countries have largely refused to take them back. In the short run, McKenzie said, IS is in no position to pose a major security threat to the United States. The al-Qaida extremist group and like-minded militants also are severely hobbled but not eliminated, he said.
Acting Pentagon chief cites risks during troop reductions
โAfter this retreat, there will still be American troops in Iraq and Afghanistan. โWe believe that there is strong bipartisan support from Congress and the administration for both Iraq and Afghanistan,โ they wrote. That person, whose title is assistant secretary of defense for special operations and low-intensity conflict, currently reports to the defense secretary through the undersecretary of defense for policy. This change in the administrative chain of command for special operations was required by the 2017 National Defense Authorization Act. There currently is no Senate-confirmed assistant secretary of defense for special operations and low-intensity conflict; Ezra Cohen holds the job in an acting capacity.
Pentagon to cut troop levels to 2,500 in Iraq, Afghanistan
Trump has refused to concede his election loss to Democrat Joe Biden, who takes office Jan. 20, just five days after the troop withdrawals are to finish. Miller, who refused to take questions from reporters after reading a prepared statement before TV cameras at the Pentagon, said the U.S. will reduce troop levels in Afghanistan from more than 4,500 to 2,500, and in Iraq from about 3,000 to 2,500. It also runs counter to his guidance that troop withdrawals be based on the conditions on the ground, not a date on the calendar. He has accused his predecessor, Barack Obama, of setting a timetable for troop withdrawals in Iraq and Afghanistan that worked against the achievement of military goals. Biden has sounded less absolute about troop withdrawal.
New US citizen refugees excited for first presidential vote
UK was a small child when his parents fled Myanmar, leaving him and his siblings to be cared for by their maternal grandmother. Through its citizenship classes, the International Rescue Committee has helped around 6,000 refugees and other newcomers become Americans each of the last few years. Born in Iraq and now a U.S. citizen living in Jacksonville, Florida, Alawee said she also plans to cast her first presidential ballot Nov. 3. โI can't wait.โ___BAWI UK was a small child when his parents fled Myanmar, leaving him and his siblings to be cared for by their maternal grandmother. The family resettled in Phoenix, where they all became U.S. citizens.
Iran vows 'hit' on all involved in US killing of top general
โWe took out the worldโs number one terrorist and the mass murderer of American troops and many, many troops and many people all over the world,โ Trump said. Very bad guy.โSalami rejected the report of an Iranian plot to assassinate Ambassador Lana Marks, but made clear that Iran intends to avenge the general's death. โDo you think we hit a female ambassador in return to our martyred brother?โ the general said. You should know that everybody who had role in the event will be hit, and this is a serious message. Trump has stepped up economic pressure on Iran with sanctions since he pulled the United States out of Iran's nuclear deal with world powers in 2018.
Trump bestowing Medal of Honor on soldier for hostage rescue
Maj. Payne will receive the honor in a White House ceremony on the 19th anniversary of the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks. Trump picked the 19th anniversary of the Sept. 11 attacks to honor Sgt. The team used bolt cutters to break the locks off the prison doors, freeing 38 hostages, according to the White House. Once the door was kicked opened, both American and Kurdish commandos escorted about 30 more hostages out of the burning building. He was initially given the Armyโs second-highest award, the Distinguished Service Cross, for the special operations raid, which was upgraded to a Medal of Honor.
Shiite Muslims mark holy day of mourning in virus' shadow
A health worker sprays disinfectant to sanitize the inside of the holy shrine of Imam Abbas during Muharram procession in Karbala, Iraq, Saturday, Aug. 29, 2020. Muharram, the first month of the Islamic calendar, is a month of mourning for Shiites in remembrance of the death of Hussein, the grandson of the Prophet Muhammad, at the Battle of Karbala in present-day Iraq in the 7th century. (AP Photo/Anmar Khalil)
Asia Today: SKorea records 113 new cases, most from overseas
SEOUL South Korea has reported 113 newly confirmed cases of COVID-19 over the past 24 hours, its first daily jump over 100 in nearly four months. The KCDC said 86 of the new cases were linked to international arrivals while the other 27 were local transmissions. It said the imported cases included 36 South Korean workers who returned from Iraq and 32 crew members of a Russia-flagged cargo ship docked in the southern port of Busan. South Korean officials consider imported cases as less threatening than local transmissions as they mandate tests and enforce two-week quarantines on all overseas arrivals. He said 89 of the 293 South Korean workers who arrived home Friday aboard two military planes from Iraq were exhibiting symptoms.
Fresh unrest in Iraq kills 4 protesters, wounds dozens more
BAGHDAD A rights group in Iraq says four protesters have been killed and some 130 wounded in clashes between security forces and protesters in a southern city. The semi-official Iraqi High Commission for Human Rights described on Monday the previous day's incidents in the city of Nasiryah as "regrettable," adding that some of the wounded are in serious conditions. At least 320 protesters have been killed by security forces since the protests and unrest over living conditions began last month. The Nasiriyah casualties occurred during confrontations outside the education directorate as security forces tear-gassed protesters trying to block employees from reaching the building in the city center. The demonstrators complain of widespread corruption, lack of job opportunities and poor basic services, including regular power cuts, despite Iraq's vast oil reserves.
Watch Local 4 News at 11 -- Aug. 9, 2019
DETROIT - Here's what is coming up on Local 4 News at 11:Near drowningPolice have spent hours in a Saline park trying to figure out what happened that left a 32-year-old woman in critically grave condition after being found in less than 4 feet of water. Deported man diesJimmy Aldaoud grew up and spent his entire life in Metro Detroit. He died this week when he couldn't get the insulin he needed after being deported to Iraq. Uniquely DetroitBagley Central is one of Detroit's newest cocktail bars. Copyright 2019 by WDIV ClickOnDetroit - All rights reserved.
Pentagon report says ISIS is 're-surging in Syria'
(CNN) - ISIS is "re-surging" in Syria less than five months after President Donald Trump declared the terror group's caliphate there had been 100% defeated, according to a new Pentagon inspector general's report on the fight against ISIS. "Despite losing its territorial 'caliphate,' the Islamic State in Iraq and Syria (ISIS) solidified its insurgent capabilities in Iraq and was re-surging in Syria," the report, which was published on Tuesday, warned. Trump has said that a small residual US force will remain in Syria for an indefinite period of time to help ensure ISIS remains defeated. Syria can handle their own problems -- along with Iran, along with Russia, along with Iraq, along with Turkey. Pentagon officials have expressed concerns in recent days that a potential Turkish military incursion targeting America's Kurdish allies in northeast Syria could undermine the fight against ISIS.
SEAL team ordered home from ISIS fight due to alleged misbehavior
The disciplined service members were members of SEAL Team 7, according to multiple defense officials. Special Operations Command said that "commanders have worked to mitigate the operational impact" of sending the SEAL platoon home. US Special Operations Command said, "All Department of Defense personnel are expected to uphold proven standards and to comply with laws and regulations. The news comes amid other allegations of misbehavior against Navy SEALs and other Special Operations Forces personnel. Earlier this month, a military court decided that Navy SEAL team leader Eddie Gallagher, a one-time member of SEAL Team 7, would be demoted in rank and have his pay reduced for posing for a photo with a dead ISIS prisoner while he was serving in Iraq.
Green Beret dies in combat in Afghanistan
CNN image(CNN) - A Green Beret who served multiple tours in Iraq and Afghanistan died Saturday during combat operations in Afghanistan, according to US Army special operations spokesman Lt. Col. Loren Bymer. Maj. James G. "Ryan" Sartor, 40, was from Teague, Texas, and was assigned to the 10th Special Forces Group. Ryan was a beloved warrior who epitomized the quiet professional," said Col. Brian R. Rauen, the commander of 10th Special Forces Group (Airborne). He completed the Special Forces Qualification Course to become a Green Beret in 2005 and deployed to Iraq with the 10th Special Forces Group (Airborne) in 2006, 2007, 2009, and 2010, the US Army said. Sartor's awards and decorations include the Bronze Star Medal with three oak leaf clusters, Defense Meritorious Service Medal, Joint Service Commendation Medal and more.
Girl Severely Burned in Iraq Gets 2nd Chance After Stranger in Ohio Sees Her Photo
A teenage girl who suffered severe burns in Iraq as a child got a new chance at life after a stranger in Ohio saw her photograph in a newspaper article. "Teeba's eyes were so compelling it was as if they were saying, 'Help me,'" Barbara Marlowe told Inside Edition. Teeba was just 5 when she was seriously injured in an explosion in war-torn Iraq in 2007. Because even though I was her American mom I knew she had another mom," said Marlowe. It's just Mom and Mom," Teeba said.
Witness in murder trial of Navy SEAL says he didn't see any stab wounds
Giorgio Kirylo, who was deployed in Mosul with Gallagher in 2017, testified that he did not see stab wounds on the ISIS detainee's neck. Kirylo testified he moved the body, after medical efforts failed, to take a "trophy photo." Last week, Special Operator First Class Corey Scott, a medic in Gallagher's deployment, testified that he was the one who killed the ISIS prisoner, not Gallagher. Ealier this week, Navy SEAL Special Operations Chief Craig Miller testified he saw Gallagher stab the wounded fighter "on the right side of his neck, toward the jugular vein." Another witness said he saw Gallagher stab the prisoner under the collarbone but didn't see any blood.
On this day: July 31
2009: Three American tourists, Sarah Shourd, Shane Bauer and Joshua Fattal, are arrested by Iran on suspicion of espionage during what their families have said was a simple hiking trip along the Iraq-Iran border. Shourd was released 14 months later on "humanitarian grounds" while Bauer and Fattal were convicted of "illegal entry" and "espionage" two years after their arrest. They were each sentenced to eight years in prison, but were released on Sept. 21, 2011. Each of the detainees was released after payment of about $465,000 bail. Hide Caption