Uk PM May: Wrong to say hard Brexit is inevitable

British Prime Minister Theresa May said on Monday it was wrong to say she was talking about a “hard Brexit”, after the pound fell to two-month lows following an interview she gave on Sunday. The pound dropped after traders felt May had indicated during the interview that Britain would dramatically rework trade ties with the EU after Brexit.

Deadly car bomb attack claimed by IS

A car bomb blast killed at least 13 people and wounded 50 others at a vegetable market in eastern Baghdad on Sunday, police and medical sources said. The explosion hit the mainly Shi’ite district of Jamila, the sources said with Islamic State later claiming that they were behind the blast.

Iraq says deal reached over Bashiqa, Turkey says issue will be solved

Iraq’s Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi said on Saturday an agreement had been reached with Turkey over an Iraqi demand that Turkish forces withdraw from the Bashiqa camp near Mosul in the north of the country, Iraqi state TV reported. However, a joint communique issued after Abadi met his Turkish counterpart Binali Yildirim in Baghdad did not refer to any such deal, but said both sides stressed that Bashiqa was an Iraqi camp.

American Military Advisers Have Entered Mosul at Times, US Official Says

Since the start of the Iraqi offensive to retake Mosul in mid-October, U.S. officials have not confirmed whether American advisers would operate in the city accompanying Iraqi forces while remaining behind the front lines. “They have been in the city at different times, yes,” said Colonel John Dorrian, the U.S. military spokesman for Operation Inherent Resolve, in response to a question about whether American military advisers have entered Mosul as part of the Iraqi offensive.

Tributes paid to ‘superb soldier’ killed in Iraq incident

Lance Corporal Scott Hetherington, 22, of 2nd Battalion The Duke of Lancaster’s Regiment, died following a “tragic incident” at Camp Taji, north of Baghdad, on Monday. The circumstances of the death of the father-of-one, from Middleton, Greater Manchester, are being investigated, the Ministry of Defence said.

64 killed in bombings in Baghdad

Five car bombs detonated in the Iraqi capital on Monday, marking a bloody start to the year as Iraq attempts to squeeze the Islamic State in Iraq and the Levant from its last remaining territory in the country. Sixty-four people were killed in the attacks, according to a security official from Baghdad Operations Command, who spoke on the condition of anonymity.

IS suicide bomber kills 36 in Baghdad market

A suicide bomber driving a pickup loaded with explosives struck a bustling market in Baghdad on Monday, killing at least 36 people in an attack claimed by the Islamic State group hours after French President Francois Hollande arrived in the Iraqi capital. The bomb went off in a fruit and vegetable market that was packed with day laborers, a police officer said, adding that another 52 people were wounded.

Iraq: Suicide Bombing Kills at Least 22 in Baghdad

A suicide bomber blew up his explosives-laden vehicle Monday in a bustling market area in Baghdad, killing at least 22 people, Iraqi officials said, hours after the arrival of French President Francois Hollande to the country and amid a fierce fight against the Islamic State group. The bomber driving a pickup truck attacked an outdoor fruit and vegetable market, day laborers and a police checkpoint in Baghdad’s eastern Sadr City district, a police officer said.

Humble Iraqi dish offers taste of home for Mosul’s displaced

Long before it became famous as a battlefield in the fight against the Islamic State group, the Iraqi city of Mosul was known for its ancient cuisine, enriched by Syrian, Turkish and Persian recipes. Mosul chefs make savory meat pies known as kubbeh and spicy flatbread smeared with ground beef, which can be found in Middle Eastern restaurants the world over.

Istanbul attack revives terror jitters in New Year

In London, over 100,000 people lined the banks of the River Thames to watch a spectacular fireworks display set to a soundtrack featuring Bowie and Prince. Photo: AFP An attack that killed 35 revelers in an Istanbul nightclub cast a shadow on New Year celebrations attended by millions of people around the world to ring in 2017.

Iraq PM Haider al-Abadi says needs three months to eliminate IS2 min ago

Baghdad, Dec 27 : Iraq’s premier said today security forces need another three months to eliminate the Islamic State group from the country after launching their offensive against IS in October. “The available data indicate that Iraq requires three months to eliminate Daesh,” Haider al-Abadi told a televised news conference, referring to the jihadist group by an Arabic acronym.