Latest Iraq News

Virginia man charged in FBI sting with supporting Islamic State goes on trial

Dec. 09, 2024 15:23 PM EST

ALEXANDRIA, Va. (AP) — A Virginia man accused of funneling tens of thousands of dollars to the Islamic State group was a lonely man looking for a wife and relentlessly targeted by FBI sting operations, a defense lawyer told jurors Monday, including one undercover operative who pretended to be a...

Who is Abu Mohammed al-Golani, the leader of the insurgency that toppled Syria's Assad?

Dec. 08, 2024 23:22 PM EST

BEIRUT (AP) — Abu Mohammed al-Golani, the militant leader whose stunning insurgency toppled Syria’s President Bashar Assad, has spent years working to remake his public image, renouncing longtime ties to al-Qaida and depicting himself as a champion of pluralism and tolerance. As he entered...

Hegseth faces senators' concerns not only about his behavior but also his views on women in combat

Dec. 05, 2024 17:44 PM EST

WASHINGTON (AP) — Pete Hegseth has spent the week on Capitol Hill trying to reassure Republican senators that he is fit to lead President-elect Donald Trump’s Department of Defense in the wake of high-profile allegations about excessive drinking and sexual assault. But senators...

Austin endorses women in combat jobs and exhorts West Point cadets to defend the Constitution

Dec. 04, 2024 19:12 PM EST

WASHINGTON (AP) — Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin used a speech at West Point Wednesday to forcefully endorse having women in combat roles and emphasize the military's obligation to defend the U.S. Constitution — ideals some fear may come under fire in the upcoming Trump administration. ...

Trump selects a former soldier and Iraq War veteran to serve as Army secretary

Dec. 04, 2024 17:04 PM EST

WASHINGTON (AP) — President-elect Donald Trump said Wednesday that he has selected a former soldier and Iraq War veteran to serve as his secretary of the Army. Daniel P. Driscoll, who is from North Carolina, had been serving as a senior advisor to Vice President-elect JD Vance,...

US military takes pride in religious diversity. Would things change if Pete Hegseth takes charge?

Dec. 04, 2024 16:24 PM EST

It was a history-making event: In a chapel at Fort Liberty, North Carolina, 2nd Lt. Khady Ndiaye stood proudly -- wearing a hijab – as she became the first Muslim woman commissioned by the U.S. Army as a chaplain candidate. Presiding over the ceremony in June was Maj. Gen. Bill...

Trump's defense pick Pete Hegseth faces deepening scrutiny in Senate

Dec. 04, 2024 07:38 AM EST

WASHINGTON (AP) — Pete Hegseth, President-elect Donald Trump's pick for Defense Secretary, spent a second day on Capitol Hill, meeting privately with Republican senators amid rising questions about his ability to effectively lead the Pentagon. Hegseth told reporters Tuesday that he...

Who is Abu Mohammed al-Golani, the leader of Syria's shock insurgency?

Dec. 04, 2024 00:16 AM EST

BEIRUT (AP) — Over the past dozen years, Syrian militant leader Abu Mohammed al-Golani has worked to remake his public image and the insurgency he commands, renouncing longtime ties to al-Qaida and consolidating power before emerging from the shadows. Now al-Golani, 42, seeks to...

Today in History: November 27, Harvey Milk and George Moscone fatally shot

Nov. 27, 2024 00:03 AM EST

Today is Wednesday, Nov. 27, the 332nd day of 2024. There are 34 days left in the year. Today in history: On Nov. 27, 1978, San Francisco Mayor George Moscone (mah-SKOH’-nee) and city Supervisor and gay rights activist Harvey Milk were fatally shot inside City Hall...

Iraq's population grew to 45.4 million according to the first survey in decades

Nov. 25, 2024 06:06 AM EST

BAGHDAD (AP) — Preliminary results from an Iraqi national census, the first in nearly 40 years, show that the population has grown to 45.4 million, the prime minister said on Monday. The nationwide population census, carried out earlier this month, is a step aimed at modernizing...