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All rights reservedThu, 16 Aug 2012 16:37:35 -04005http://news.yahoo.com/mideast/ http://l.yimg.com/a/i/us/nws/th/main_142c.gif<p><a href="http://news.yahoo.com/bahrain-activist-sentenced-3-years-protests-203735554.html"><img src="http://l2.yimg.com/bt/api/res/1.2/96McZJn.0e5cq3apfCO5AQ--/YXBwaWQ9eW5ld3M7Zmk9ZmlsbDtoPTg2O3E9ODU7dz0xMzA-/http://media.zenfs.com/en_us/News/ap_webfeeds/f62885caf2a25916180f6a706700c9eb.jpg" width="130" height="86" alt="In this photo taken Aug. 12, 2012, human rights activist Sayyed Yousif al-Muhafdha, left, speaks to protesters during a march in Bilad al-Qadeem, Bahrain, calling for freedom for jailed rights activists seen on the poster at right, Abdul Hadi al-Khawaja, upper left, Nabeel Rajab, upper right, and Zainab al-Khawaja lower center. Opposition activists said Wednesday that al-Muhaddha was arrested at a police checkpoint in A&#039;ali Village. (AP Photo/Hasan Jamali)" align="left" title="In this photo taken Aug. 12, 2012, human rights activist Sayyed Yousif al-Muhafdha, left, speaks to protesters during a march in Bilad al-Qadeem, Bahrain, calling for freedom for jailed rights activists seen on the poster at right, Abdul Hadi al-Khawaja, upper left, Nabeel Rajab, upper right, and Zainab al-Khawaja lower center. Opposition activists said Wednesday that al-Muhaddha was arrested at a police checkpoint in A&#039;ali Village. (AP Photo/Hasan Jamali)" border="0" /></a>A three-year prison sentenced handed down Thursday to a prominent Bahraini human rights activist for instigating and participating in several anti-government rallies prompted rare criticism from the United States and sparked clashes in the streets of the Gulf nation&#039;s capital.</p><br clear="all"/>http://news.yahoo.com/bahrain-activist-sentenced-3-years-protests-203735554.htmlThu, 16 Aug 2012 16:37:35 -0400Associated Pressbahrain-activist-sentenced-3-years-protests-203735554<p><a href="http://news.yahoo.com/bahrain-activist-sentenced-3-years-protests-203735554.html"><img src="http://l2.yimg.com/bt/api/res/1.2/96McZJn.0e5cq3apfCO5AQ--/YXBwaWQ9eW5ld3M7Zmk9ZmlsbDtoPTg2O3E9ODU7dz0xMzA-/http://media.zenfs.com/en_us/News/ap_webfeeds/f62885caf2a25916180f6a706700c9eb.jpg" width="130" height="86" alt="In this photo taken Aug. 12, 2012, human rights activist Sayyed Yousif al-Muhafdha, left, speaks to protesters during a march in Bilad al-Qadeem, Bahrain, calling for freedom for jailed rights activists seen on the poster at right, Abdul Hadi al-Khawaja, upper left, Nabeel Rajab, upper right, and Zainab al-Khawaja lower center. Opposition activists said Wednesday that al-Muhaddha was arrested at a police checkpoint in A&#039;ali Village. (AP Photo/Hasan Jamali)" align="left" title="In this photo taken Aug. 12, 2012, human rights activist Sayyed Yousif al-Muhafdha, left, speaks to protesters during a march in Bilad al-Qadeem, Bahrain, calling for freedom for jailed rights activists seen on the poster at right, Abdul Hadi al-Khawaja, upper left, Nabeel Rajab, upper right, and Zainab al-Khawaja lower center. Opposition activists said Wednesday that al-Muhaddha was arrested at a police checkpoint in A&#039;ali Village. (AP Photo/Hasan Jamali)" border="0" /></a>A three-year prison sentenced handed down Thursday to a prominent Bahraini human rights activist for instigating and participating in several anti-government rallies prompted rare criticism from the United States and sparked clashes in the streets of the Gulf nation&#039;s capital.</p><br clear="all"/><p><a href="http://news.yahoo.com/wave-attacks-northern-central-iraq-kill-24-161631203.html"><img src="http://l.yimg.com/bt/api/res/1.2/2cmvFQl3bF_LyzszDu307A--/YXBwaWQ9eW5ld3M7Zmk9ZmlsbDtoPTg2O3E9ODU7dz0xMzA-/http://media.zenfs.com/en_us/News/ap_webfeeds/2f0f5c2a0ad36a17180f6a7067002aff.jpg" width="130" height="86" alt="Security forces inspect the scene of a car bomb attack in Kirkuk, 290 kilometers (180 miles) north of Baghdad, Iraq, Thursday, Aug 16, 2012. Five separate bombings in central and northern Iraq, killed and wounded scores of people early Thursday, police said. (AP Photo/Emad Matti)" align="left" title="Security forces inspect the scene of a car bomb attack in Kirkuk, 290 kilometers (180 miles) north of Baghdad, Iraq, Thursday, Aug 16, 2012. Five separate bombings in central and northern Iraq, killed and wounded scores of people early Thursday, police said. (AP Photo/Emad Matti)" border="0" /></a>Insurgents unleashed a wave of attacks Thursday that killed 24 people and wounded dozens in central and northern Iraq, the latest in a series of persistent strikes aimed at undermining the government&#039;s authority.</p><br clear="all"/>http://news.yahoo.com/wave-attacks-northern-central-iraq-kill-24-161631203.htmlThu, 16 Aug 2012 12:19:46 -0400Associated Presswave-attacks-northern-central-iraq-kill-24-161631203<p><a href="http://news.yahoo.com/wave-attacks-northern-central-iraq-kill-24-161631203.html"><img src="http://l.yimg.com/bt/api/res/1.2/2cmvFQl3bF_LyzszDu307A--/YXBwaWQ9eW5ld3M7Zmk9ZmlsbDtoPTg2O3E9ODU7dz0xMzA-/http://media.zenfs.com/en_us/News/ap_webfeeds/2f0f5c2a0ad36a17180f6a7067002aff.jpg" width="130" height="86" alt="Security forces inspect the scene of a car bomb attack in Kirkuk, 290 kilometers (180 miles) north of Baghdad, Iraq, Thursday, Aug 16, 2012. Five separate bombings in central and northern Iraq, killed and wounded scores of people early Thursday, police said. (AP Photo/Emad Matti)" align="left" title="Security forces inspect the scene of a car bomb attack in Kirkuk, 290 kilometers (180 miles) north of Baghdad, Iraq, Thursday, Aug 16, 2012. Five separate bombings in central and northern Iraq, killed and wounded scores of people early Thursday, police said. (AP Photo/Emad Matti)" border="0" /></a>Insurgents unleashed a wave of attacks Thursday that killed 24 people and wounded dozens in central and northern Iraq, the latest in a series of persistent strikes aimed at undermining the government&#039;s authority.</p><br clear="all"/><p><a href="http://news.yahoo.com/kidnappings-rooted-rough-world-lebanon-clans-180445948.html"><img src="http://l2.yimg.com/bt/api/res/1.2/byNKiXoG5n8_jIIA5pSxaw--/YXBwaWQ9eW5ld3M7Zmk9ZmlsbDtoPTg2O3E9ODU7dz0xMzA-/http://media.zenfs.com/en_us/News/ap_webfeeds/0b984a730b476c17180f6a7067000090.jpg" width="130" height="86" alt="A masked man from a Sunni group who blocked a road linked to the Lebanese-Syrian border, checks a Syrian car which carries Syrian passengers, in Masnaa, eastern Lebanon, Thursday, Aug. 16, 2012. Masked Lebanese believed to be from the town of Majdal Anjar, notorious for harboring Sunni fundamentalist fugitives, set up roadblocks and checkpoints on the road leading to and from the Lebanon-Syria Masnaa border crossing, asking people for their IDs before deciding whether to let them pass. They said their action was in retaliation to the abductions taking place by Shiites in Beirut. (AP Photo)" align="left" title="A masked man from a Sunni group who blocked a road linked to the Lebanese-Syrian border, checks a Syrian car which carries Syrian passengers, in Masnaa, eastern Lebanon, Thursday, Aug. 16, 2012. Masked Lebanese believed to be from the town of Majdal Anjar, notorious for harboring Sunni fundamentalist fugitives, set up roadblocks and checkpoints on the road leading to and from the Lebanon-Syria Masnaa border crossing, asking people for their IDs before deciding whether to let them pass. They said their action was in retaliation to the abductions taking place by Shiites in Beirut. (AP Photo)" border="0" /></a>The al-Mikdad clan that is behind a wave of abductions of Syrians in Lebanon is a powerful Shiite Muslim family that has its roots in the eastern Bekaa Valley, where government control is weak and tribes hold sway, backed by their own personal militias.</p><br clear="all"/>http://news.yahoo.com/kidnappings-rooted-rough-world-lebanon-clans-180445948.htmlThu, 16 Aug 2012 14:04:45 -0400Associated Presskidnappings-rooted-rough-world-lebanon-clans-180445948<p><a href="http://news.yahoo.com/kidnappings-rooted-rough-world-lebanon-clans-180445948.html"><img src="http://l2.yimg.com/bt/api/res/1.2/byNKiXoG5n8_jIIA5pSxaw--/YXBwaWQ9eW5ld3M7Zmk9ZmlsbDtoPTg2O3E9ODU7dz0xMzA-/http://media.zenfs.com/en_us/News/ap_webfeeds/0b984a730b476c17180f6a7067000090.jpg" width="130" height="86" alt="A masked man from a Sunni group who blocked a road linked to the Lebanese-Syrian border, checks a Syrian car which carries Syrian passengers, in Masnaa, eastern Lebanon, Thursday, Aug. 16, 2012. Masked Lebanese believed to be from the town of Majdal Anjar, notorious for harboring Sunni fundamentalist fugitives, set up roadblocks and checkpoints on the road leading to and from the Lebanon-Syria Masnaa border crossing, asking people for their IDs before deciding whether to let them pass. They said their action was in retaliation to the abductions taking place by Shiites in Beirut. (AP Photo)" align="left" title="A masked man from a Sunni group who blocked a road linked to the Lebanese-Syrian border, checks a Syrian car which carries Syrian passengers, in Masnaa, eastern Lebanon, Thursday, Aug. 16, 2012. Masked Lebanese believed to be from the town of Majdal Anjar, notorious for harboring Sunni fundamentalist fugitives, set up roadblocks and checkpoints on the road leading to and from the Lebanon-Syria Masnaa border crossing, asking people for their IDs before deciding whether to let them pass. They said their action was in retaliation to the abductions taking place by Shiites in Beirut. (AP Photo)" border="0" /></a>The al-Mikdad clan that is behind a wave of abductions of Syrians in Lebanon is a powerful Shiite Muslim family that has its roots in the eastern Bekaa Valley, where government control is weak and tribes hold sway, backed by their own personal militias.</p><br clear="all"/>Syria's foreign minister defiantly dismissed rebel forces and their international backers on Thursday as incapable of toppling the military defending Bashar Assad's regime, even as condemnation grew over expanded offensives that activists say have claimed dozens of civilian lives in recent days.http://news.yahoo.com/syrian-fm-claims-rebels-no-match-military-192403732.htmlThu, 16 Aug 2012 15:24:03 -0400Associated Presssyrian-fm-claims-rebels-no-match-military-192403732<p><a href="http://news.yahoo.com/wave-attacks-rumbles-across-iraq-killing-59-205600236.html"><img src="http://l.yimg.com/bt/api/res/1.2/2cmvFQl3bF_LyzszDu307A--/YXBwaWQ9eW5ld3M7Zmk9ZmlsbDtoPTg2O3E9ODU7dz0xMzA-/http://media.zenfs.com/en_us/News/ap_webfeeds/2f0f5c2a0ad36a17180f6a7067002aff.jpg" width="130" height="86" alt="Security forces inspect the scene of a car bomb attack in Kirkuk, 290 kilometers (180 miles) north of Baghdad, Iraq, Thursday, Aug 16, 2012. Five separate bombings in central and northern Iraq, killed and wounded scores of people early Thursday, police said. (AP Photo/Emad Matti)" align="left" title="Security forces inspect the scene of a car bomb attack in Kirkuk, 290 kilometers (180 miles) north of Baghdad, Iraq, Thursday, Aug 16, 2012. Five separate bombings in central and northern Iraq, killed and wounded scores of people early Thursday, police said. (AP Photo/Emad Matti)" border="0" /></a>Insurgents in Iraq unleashed a relentless wave of attacks from before dawn until late at night Thursday, killing 59 people and wounding many more in a deadly show of force aimed at undermining the government&#039;s authority.</p><br clear="all"/>http://news.yahoo.com/wave-attacks-rumbles-across-iraq-killing-59-205600236.htmlThu, 16 Aug 2012 16:56:00 -0400Associated Presswave-attacks-rumbles-across-iraq-killing-59-205600236<p><a href="http://news.yahoo.com/wave-attacks-rumbles-across-iraq-killing-59-205600236.html"><img src="http://l.yimg.com/bt/api/res/1.2/2cmvFQl3bF_LyzszDu307A--/YXBwaWQ9eW5ld3M7Zmk9ZmlsbDtoPTg2O3E9ODU7dz0xMzA-/http://media.zenfs.com/en_us/News/ap_webfeeds/2f0f5c2a0ad36a17180f6a7067002aff.jpg" width="130" height="86" alt="Security forces inspect the scene of a car bomb attack in Kirkuk, 290 kilometers (180 miles) north of Baghdad, Iraq, Thursday, Aug 16, 2012. Five separate bombings in central and northern Iraq, killed and wounded scores of people early Thursday, police said. (AP Photo/Emad Matti)" align="left" title="Security forces inspect the scene of a car bomb attack in Kirkuk, 290 kilometers (180 miles) north of Baghdad, Iraq, Thursday, Aug 16, 2012. Five separate bombings in central and northern Iraq, killed and wounded scores of people early Thursday, police said. (AP Photo/Emad Matti)" border="0" /></a>Insurgents in Iraq unleashed a relentless wave of attacks from before dawn until late at night Thursday, killing 59 people and wounding many more in a deadly show of force aimed at undermining the government&#039;s authority.</p><br clear="all"/><p><a href="http://news.yahoo.com/wave-attacks-northern-central-iraq-kill-41-194206669.html"><img src="http://l.yimg.com/bt/api/res/1.2/2cmvFQl3bF_LyzszDu307A--/YXBwaWQ9eW5ld3M7Zmk9ZmlsbDtoPTg2O3E9ODU7dz0xMzA-/http://media.zenfs.com/en_us/News/ap_webfeeds/2f0f5c2a0ad36a17180f6a7067002aff.jpg" width="130" height="86" alt="Security forces inspect the scene of a car bomb attack in Kirkuk, 290 kilometers (180 miles) north of Baghdad, Iraq, Thursday, Aug 16, 2012. Five separate bombings in central and northern Iraq, killed and wounded scores of people early Thursday, police said. (AP Photo/Emad Matti)" align="left" title="Security forces inspect the scene of a car bomb attack in Kirkuk, 290 kilometers (180 miles) north of Baghdad, Iraq, Thursday, Aug 16, 2012. Five separate bombings in central and northern Iraq, killed and wounded scores of people early Thursday, police said. (AP Photo/Emad Matti)" border="0" /></a>Insurgents in Iraq unleashed a wave of attacks from before dawn until late in the evening Thursday, killing 41 people and wounding dozens, the latest in a series of persistent strikes aimed at undermining the government&#039;s authority.</p><br clear="all"/>http://news.yahoo.com/wave-attacks-northern-central-iraq-kill-41-194206669.htmlThu, 16 Aug 2012 15:42:06 -0400Associated Presswave-attacks-northern-central-iraq-kill-41-194206669<p><a href="http://news.yahoo.com/wave-attacks-northern-central-iraq-kill-41-194206669.html"><img src="http://l.yimg.com/bt/api/res/1.2/2cmvFQl3bF_LyzszDu307A--/YXBwaWQ9eW5ld3M7Zmk9ZmlsbDtoPTg2O3E9ODU7dz0xMzA-/http://media.zenfs.com/en_us/News/ap_webfeeds/2f0f5c2a0ad36a17180f6a7067002aff.jpg" width="130" height="86" alt="Security forces inspect the scene of a car bomb attack in Kirkuk, 290 kilometers (180 miles) north of Baghdad, Iraq, Thursday, Aug 16, 2012. Five separate bombings in central and northern Iraq, killed and wounded scores of people early Thursday, police said. (AP Photo/Emad Matti)" align="left" title="Security forces inspect the scene of a car bomb attack in Kirkuk, 290 kilometers (180 miles) north of Baghdad, Iraq, Thursday, Aug 16, 2012. Five separate bombings in central and northern Iraq, killed and wounded scores of people early Thursday, police said. (AP Photo/Emad Matti)" border="0" /></a>Insurgents in Iraq unleashed a wave of attacks from before dawn until late in the evening Thursday, killing 41 people and wounding dozens, the latest in a series of persistent strikes aimed at undermining the government&#039;s authority.</p><br clear="all"/>An Egyptian court on Thursday ordered a popular TV presenter and a chief editor of an independent daily to face trial for insulting the country's newly elected Islamist president.http://news.yahoo.com/egyptian-tv-presenter-chief-editor-trial-214542224.htmlThu, 16 Aug 2012 17:45:42 -0400Associated Pressegyptian-tv-presenter-chief-editor-trial-214542224<p><a href="http://news.yahoo.com/wave-attacks-northern-central-iraq-kill-48-203110357.html"><img src="http://l.yimg.com/bt/api/res/1.2/2cmvFQl3bF_LyzszDu307A--/YXBwaWQ9eW5ld3M7Zmk9ZmlsbDtoPTg2O3E9ODU7dz0xMzA-/http://media.zenfs.com/en_us/News/ap_webfeeds/2f0f5c2a0ad36a17180f6a7067002aff.jpg" width="130" height="86" alt="Security forces inspect the scene of a car bomb attack in Kirkuk, 290 kilometers (180 miles) north of Baghdad, Iraq, Thursday, Aug 16, 2012. Five separate bombings in central and northern Iraq, killed and wounded scores of people early Thursday, police said. (AP Photo/Emad Matti)" align="left" title="Security forces inspect the scene of a car bomb attack in Kirkuk, 290 kilometers (180 miles) north of Baghdad, Iraq, Thursday, Aug 16, 2012. Five separate bombings in central and northern Iraq, killed and wounded scores of people early Thursday, police said. (AP Photo/Emad Matti)" border="0" /></a>Insurgents in Iraq unleashed a wave of attacks from before dawn until late at night Thursday, killing 48 people and wounding dozens in a deadly show of force aimed at undermining the government&#039;s authority.</p><br clear="all"/>http://news.yahoo.com/wave-attacks-northern-central-iraq-kill-48-203110357.htmlThu, 16 Aug 2012 16:31:10 -0400Associated Presswave-attacks-northern-central-iraq-kill-48-203110357<p><a href="http://news.yahoo.com/wave-attacks-northern-central-iraq-kill-48-203110357.html"><img src="http://l.yimg.com/bt/api/res/1.2/2cmvFQl3bF_LyzszDu307A--/YXBwaWQ9eW5ld3M7Zmk9ZmlsbDtoPTg2O3E9ODU7dz0xMzA-/http://media.zenfs.com/en_us/News/ap_webfeeds/2f0f5c2a0ad36a17180f6a7067002aff.jpg" width="130" height="86" alt="Security forces inspect the scene of a car bomb attack in Kirkuk, 290 kilometers (180 miles) north of Baghdad, Iraq, Thursday, Aug 16, 2012. Five separate bombings in central and northern Iraq, killed and wounded scores of people early Thursday, police said. (AP Photo/Emad Matti)" align="left" title="Security forces inspect the scene of a car bomb attack in Kirkuk, 290 kilometers (180 miles) north of Baghdad, Iraq, Thursday, Aug 16, 2012. Five separate bombings in central and northern Iraq, killed and wounded scores of people early Thursday, police said. (AP Photo/Emad Matti)" border="0" /></a>Insurgents in Iraq unleashed a wave of attacks from before dawn until late at night Thursday, killing 48 people and wounding dozens in a deadly show of force aimed at undermining the government&#039;s authority.</p><br clear="all"/><p><a href="http://news.yahoo.com/over-40-killed-syrias-azaz-airstrike-watchdog-074855521.html"><img src="http://l3.yimg.com/bt/api/res/1.2/JtNvovkxtumZkot_6WMctA--/YXBwaWQ9eW5ld3M7Zmk9ZmlsbDtoPTg2O3E9ODU7dz0xMzA-/http://media.zenfs.com/en_us/News/ap_webfeeds/7419fff7f2a45916180f6a70670085fa.jpg" width="130" height="86" alt="Syrians check the damage of destroyed houses after an air strike destroyed at least ten houses in the town of Azaz on the outskirts of Aleppo, Syria, Wednesday, Aug. 15, 2012. (AP Photo/ Khalil Hamra)" align="left" title="Syrians check the damage of destroyed houses after an air strike destroyed at least ten houses in the town of Azaz on the outskirts of Aleppo, Syria, Wednesday, Aug. 15, 2012. (AP Photo/ Khalil Hamra)" border="0" /></a>Syrian government airstrikes on a residential neighborhood in a rebel-held town killed over 40 people and wounded at least 100 others including many women and children, international watchdog Human Rights Watch said Thursday.</p><br clear="all"/>http://news.yahoo.com/over-40-killed-syrias-azaz-airstrike-watchdog-074855521.htmlThu, 16 Aug 2012 08:32:44 -0400Associated Pressover-40-killed-syrias-azaz-airstrike-watchdog-074855521<p><a href="http://news.yahoo.com/over-40-killed-syrias-azaz-airstrike-watchdog-074855521.html"><img src="http://l3.yimg.com/bt/api/res/1.2/JtNvovkxtumZkot_6WMctA--/YXBwaWQ9eW5ld3M7Zmk9ZmlsbDtoPTg2O3E9ODU7dz0xMzA-/http://media.zenfs.com/en_us/News/ap_webfeeds/7419fff7f2a45916180f6a70670085fa.jpg" width="130" height="86" alt="Syrians check the damage of destroyed houses after an air strike destroyed at least ten houses in the town of Azaz on the outskirts of Aleppo, Syria, Wednesday, Aug. 15, 2012. (AP Photo/ Khalil Hamra)" align="left" title="Syrians check the damage of destroyed houses after an air strike destroyed at least ten houses in the town of Azaz on the outskirts of Aleppo, Syria, Wednesday, Aug. 15, 2012. (AP Photo/ Khalil Hamra)" border="0" /></a>Syrian government airstrikes on a residential neighborhood in a rebel-held town killed over 40 people and wounded at least 100 others including many women and children, international watchdog Human Rights Watch said Thursday.</p><br clear="all"/><p><a href="http://news.yahoo.com/more-spectacular-defections-syria-soon-france-215320586.html"><img src="http://l1.yimg.com/bt/api/res/1.2/JdhrVGDPT_4n4Lm.IoipNg--/YXBwaWQ9eW5ld3M7Zmk9ZmlsbDtoPTg2O3E9ODU7dz0xMzA-/http://media.zenfs.com/en_us/News/afp.com/photo_1345153939608-1-0.jpg" width="130" height="86" alt="French Foreign Minister Laurent Fabius addresses the media upon his arrival at Beirut international airport" align="left" title="French Foreign Minister Laurent Fabius addresses the media upon his arrival at Beirut international airport" border="0" /></a>French Foreign Minister Laurent Fabius told AFP Thursday he had information that the regime of embattled Syrian leader Bashar al-Assad would be rocked by more &quot;spectacular&quot; defections soon.</p><br clear="all"/>http://news.yahoo.com/more-spectacular-defections-syria-soon-france-215320586.htmlThu, 16 Aug 2012 17:53:20 -0400AFPmore-spectacular-defections-syria-soon-france-215320586<p><a href="http://news.yahoo.com/more-spectacular-defections-syria-soon-france-215320586.html"><img src="http://l1.yimg.com/bt/api/res/1.2/JdhrVGDPT_4n4Lm.IoipNg--/YXBwaWQ9eW5ld3M7Zmk9ZmlsbDtoPTg2O3E9ODU7dz0xMzA-/http://media.zenfs.com/en_us/News/afp.com/photo_1345153939608-1-0.jpg" width="130" height="86" alt="French Foreign Minister Laurent Fabius addresses the media upon his arrival at Beirut international airport" align="left" title="French Foreign Minister Laurent Fabius addresses the media upon his arrival at Beirut international airport" border="0" /></a>French Foreign Minister Laurent Fabius told AFP Thursday he had information that the regime of embattled Syrian leader Bashar al-Assad would be rocked by more &quot;spectacular&quot; defections soon.</p><br clear="all"/><p><a href="http://news.yahoo.com/least-8-dead-wave-iraq-attacks-074114057.html"><img src="http://l3.yimg.com/bt/api/res/1.2/Lnn8LW9uJE7lH7FJHLhqpg--/YXBwaWQ9eW5ld3M7Zmk9ZmlsbDtoPTg2O3E9ODU7dz0xMzA-/http://media.zenfs.com/en_us/News/afp.com/photo_1345110024727-11-0.jpg" width="130" height="86" alt="People inspect a destroyed vehicle following a car bomb attack in the northern city of Kirkuk" align="left" title="People inspect a destroyed vehicle following a car bomb attack in the northern city of Kirkuk" border="0" /></a>A wave of attacks across Iraq killed at least 53 people on Thursday amid warnings that insurgents would mount deadly attacks ahead of the end of the holy Muslim fasting month of Ramadan.</p><br clear="all"/>http://news.yahoo.com/least-8-dead-wave-iraq-attacks-074114057.htmlThu, 16 Aug 2012 17:41:11 -0400AFPleast-8-dead-wave-iraq-attacks-074114057<p><a href="http://news.yahoo.com/least-8-dead-wave-iraq-attacks-074114057.html"><img src="http://l3.yimg.com/bt/api/res/1.2/Lnn8LW9uJE7lH7FJHLhqpg--/YXBwaWQ9eW5ld3M7Zmk9ZmlsbDtoPTg2O3E9ODU7dz0xMzA-/http://media.zenfs.com/en_us/News/afp.com/photo_1345110024727-11-0.jpg" width="130" height="86" alt="People inspect a destroyed vehicle following a car bomb attack in the northern city of Kirkuk" align="left" title="People inspect a destroyed vehicle following a car bomb attack in the northern city of Kirkuk" border="0" /></a>A wave of attacks across Iraq killed at least 53 people on Thursday amid warnings that insurgents would mount deadly attacks ahead of the end of the holy Muslim fasting month of Ramadan.</p><br clear="all"/><p><a href="http://news.yahoo.com/syrian-warplanes-bomb-rebel-held-town-20-killed-232646401.html"><img src="http://l2.yimg.com/bt/api/res/1.2/rM8bpm.LzrBW8qm6RLaflg--/YXBwaWQ9eW5ld3M7Zmk9ZmlsbDtoPTg2O3E9ODU7dz0xMzA-/http://media.zenfs.com/en_us/News/ap_webfeeds/25a2c1fdf2475816180f6a70670059b2.jpg" width="130" height="86" alt="Injured Syrian women arrive at a field hospital after an air strike hit their homes in the town of Azaz on the outskirts of Aleppo, Syria, Wednesday, Aug. 15, 2012. (AP Photo/ Khalil Hamra)" align="left" title="Injured Syrian women arrive at a field hospital after an air strike hit their homes in the town of Azaz on the outskirts of Aleppo, Syria, Wednesday, Aug. 15, 2012. (AP Photo/ Khalil Hamra)" border="0" /></a>Syrian fighter jets screamed through the sky Wednesday over this rebel-held town, dropping bombs that leveled the better part of a poor neighborhood and wounded scores of people, many of them women and children buried under piles of rubble. Activists said more than 20 people were killed.</p><br clear="all"/>http://news.yahoo.com/syrian-warplanes-bomb-rebel-held-town-20-killed-232646401.htmlWed, 15 Aug 2012 17:35:35 -0400Associated Presssyrian-warplanes-bomb-rebel-held-town-20-killed-232646401<p><a href="http://news.yahoo.com/syrian-warplanes-bomb-rebel-held-town-20-killed-232646401.html"><img src="http://l2.yimg.com/bt/api/res/1.2/rM8bpm.LzrBW8qm6RLaflg--/YXBwaWQ9eW5ld3M7Zmk9ZmlsbDtoPTg2O3E9ODU7dz0xMzA-/http://media.zenfs.com/en_us/News/ap_webfeeds/25a2c1fdf2475816180f6a70670059b2.jpg" width="130" height="86" alt="Injured Syrian women arrive at a field hospital after an air strike hit their homes in the town of Azaz on the outskirts of Aleppo, Syria, Wednesday, Aug. 15, 2012. (AP Photo/ Khalil Hamra)" align="left" title="Injured Syrian women arrive at a field hospital after an air strike hit their homes in the town of Azaz on the outskirts of Aleppo, Syria, Wednesday, Aug. 15, 2012. (AP Photo/ Khalil Hamra)" border="0" /></a>Syrian fighter jets screamed through the sky Wednesday over this rebel-held town, dropping bombs that leveled the better part of a poor neighborhood and wounded scores of people, many of them women and children buried under piles of rubble. Activists said more than 20 people were killed.</p><br clear="all"/>Iraqi officials say gunmen have killed three people in two separate attacks in and around the northern city of Mosul.http://news.yahoo.com/officials-3-iraqis-killed-separate-attacks-143853933.htmlWed, 15 Aug 2012 10:38:53 -0400Associated Pressofficials-3-iraqis-killed-separate-attacks-143853933<p><a href="http://news.yahoo.com/wave-attacks-northern-central-iraq-kill-37-193429644.html"><img src="http://l.yimg.com/bt/api/res/1.2/2cmvFQl3bF_LyzszDu307A--/YXBwaWQ9eW5ld3M7Zmk9ZmlsbDtoPTg2O3E9ODU7dz0xMzA-/http://media.zenfs.com/en_us/News/ap_webfeeds/2f0f5c2a0ad36a17180f6a7067002aff.jpg" width="130" height="86" alt="Security forces inspect the scene of a car bomb attack in Kirkuk, 290 kilometers (180 miles) north of Baghdad, Iraq, Thursday, Aug 16, 2012. Five separate bombings in central and northern Iraq, killed and wounded scores of people early Thursday, police said. (AP Photo/Emad Matti)" align="left" title="Security forces inspect the scene of a car bomb attack in Kirkuk, 290 kilometers (180 miles) north of Baghdad, Iraq, Thursday, Aug 16, 2012. Five separate bombings in central and northern Iraq, killed and wounded scores of people early Thursday, police said. (AP Photo/Emad Matti)" border="0" /></a>Insurgents in Iraq unleashed a wave of attacks from before dawn until late in the evening Thursday, killing 37 people and wounding dozens, the latest in a series of persistent strikes aimed at undermining the government&#039;s authority.</p><br clear="all"/>http://news.yahoo.com/wave-attacks-northern-central-iraq-kill-37-193429644.htmlThu, 16 Aug 2012 15:34:29 -0400Associated Presswave-attacks-northern-central-iraq-kill-37-193429644<p><a href="http://news.yahoo.com/wave-attacks-northern-central-iraq-kill-37-193429644.html"><img src="http://l.yimg.com/bt/api/res/1.2/2cmvFQl3bF_LyzszDu307A--/YXBwaWQ9eW5ld3M7Zmk9ZmlsbDtoPTg2O3E9ODU7dz0xMzA-/http://media.zenfs.com/en_us/News/ap_webfeeds/2f0f5c2a0ad36a17180f6a7067002aff.jpg" width="130" height="86" alt="Security forces inspect the scene of a car bomb attack in Kirkuk, 290 kilometers (180 miles) north of Baghdad, Iraq, Thursday, Aug 16, 2012. Five separate bombings in central and northern Iraq, killed and wounded scores of people early Thursday, police said. (AP Photo/Emad Matti)" align="left" title="Security forces inspect the scene of a car bomb attack in Kirkuk, 290 kilometers (180 miles) north of Baghdad, Iraq, Thursday, Aug 16, 2012. Five separate bombings in central and northern Iraq, killed and wounded scores of people early Thursday, police said. (AP Photo/Emad Matti)" border="0" /></a>Insurgents in Iraq unleashed a wave of attacks from before dawn until late in the evening Thursday, killing 37 people and wounding dozens, the latest in a series of persistent strikes aimed at undermining the government&#039;s authority.</p><br clear="all"/><p><a href="http://news.yahoo.com/wave-attacks-northern-central-iraq-kill-28-190540401.html"><img src="http://l.yimg.com/bt/api/res/1.2/2cmvFQl3bF_LyzszDu307A--/YXBwaWQ9eW5ld3M7Zmk9ZmlsbDtoPTg2O3E9ODU7dz0xMzA-/http://media.zenfs.com/en_us/News/ap_webfeeds/2f0f5c2a0ad36a17180f6a7067002aff.jpg" width="130" height="86" alt="Security forces inspect the scene of a car bomb attack in Kirkuk, 290 kilometers (180 miles) north of Baghdad, Iraq, Thursday, Aug 16, 2012. Five separate bombings in central and northern Iraq, killed and wounded scores of people early Thursday, police said. (AP Photo/Emad Matti)" align="left" title="Security forces inspect the scene of a car bomb attack in Kirkuk, 290 kilometers (180 miles) north of Baghdad, Iraq, Thursday, Aug 16, 2012. Five separate bombings in central and northern Iraq, killed and wounded scores of people early Thursday, police said. (AP Photo/Emad Matti)" border="0" /></a>Insurgents unleashed a wave of attacks Thursday that killed 28 people and wounded dozens in central and northern Iraq, the latest in a series of persistent strikes aimed at undermining the government&#039;s authority.</p><br clear="all"/>http://news.yahoo.com/wave-attacks-northern-central-iraq-kill-28-190540401.htmlThu, 16 Aug 2012 15:05:40 -0400Associated Presswave-attacks-northern-central-iraq-kill-28-190540401<p><a href="http://news.yahoo.com/wave-attacks-northern-central-iraq-kill-28-190540401.html"><img src="http://l.yimg.com/bt/api/res/1.2/2cmvFQl3bF_LyzszDu307A--/YXBwaWQ9eW5ld3M7Zmk9ZmlsbDtoPTg2O3E9ODU7dz0xMzA-/http://media.zenfs.com/en_us/News/ap_webfeeds/2f0f5c2a0ad36a17180f6a7067002aff.jpg" width="130" height="86" alt="Security forces inspect the scene of a car bomb attack in Kirkuk, 290 kilometers (180 miles) north of Baghdad, Iraq, Thursday, Aug 16, 2012. Five separate bombings in central and northern Iraq, killed and wounded scores of people early Thursday, police said. (AP Photo/Emad Matti)" align="left" title="Security forces inspect the scene of a car bomb attack in Kirkuk, 290 kilometers (180 miles) north of Baghdad, Iraq, Thursday, Aug 16, 2012. Five separate bombings in central and northern Iraq, killed and wounded scores of people early Thursday, police said. (AP Photo/Emad Matti)" border="0" /></a>Insurgents unleashed a wave of attacks Thursday that killed 28 people and wounded dozens in central and northern Iraq, the latest in a series of persistent strikes aimed at undermining the government&#039;s authority.</p><br clear="all"/><p><a href="http://news.yahoo.com/sinai-nest-terrorists-says-israeli-military-source-193038666.html"><img src="http://l3.yimg.com/bt/api/res/1.2/ediGSkfmqu_TxwViB_Qp9w--/YXBwaWQ9eW5ld3M7Zmk9ZmlsbDtoPTg2O3E9ODU7dz0xMzA-/http://media.zenfs.com/en_us/News/afp.com/photo_1345145408622-1-0.jpg" width="130" height="86" alt="Egyptian security forces stand on APCs ahead of a military operation in the northern Sinai peninsula" align="left" title="Egyptian security forces stand on APCs ahead of a military operation in the northern Sinai peninsula" border="0" /></a>If Egypt fails to restore order in the Sinai peninsula it could come to resemble the Afghan mountain hideouts which sheltered the Taliban and their Al-Qaeda allies, an Israeli military source warned on Thursday.</p><br clear="all"/>http://news.yahoo.com/sinai-nest-terrorists-says-israeli-military-source-193038666.htmlThu, 16 Aug 2012 15:30:38 -0400AFPsinai-nest-terrorists-says-israeli-military-source-193038666<p><a href="http://news.yahoo.com/sinai-nest-terrorists-says-israeli-military-source-193038666.html"><img src="http://l3.yimg.com/bt/api/res/1.2/ediGSkfmqu_TxwViB_Qp9w--/YXBwaWQ9eW5ld3M7Zmk9ZmlsbDtoPTg2O3E9ODU7dz0xMzA-/http://media.zenfs.com/en_us/News/afp.com/photo_1345145408622-1-0.jpg" width="130" height="86" alt="Egyptian security forces stand on APCs ahead of a military operation in the northern Sinai peninsula" align="left" title="Egyptian security forces stand on APCs ahead of a military operation in the northern Sinai peninsula" border="0" /></a>If Egypt fails to restore order in the Sinai peninsula it could come to resemble the Afghan mountain hideouts which sheltered the Taliban and their Al-Qaeda allies, an Israeli military source warned on Thursday.</p><br clear="all"/><p><a href="http://news.yahoo.com/air-strike-kills-over-30-oic-suspends-syria-042305097.html"><img src="http://l2.yimg.com/bt/api/res/1.2/eKccZnl5oBa7_p6kUIlmkQ--/YXBwaWQ9eW5ld3M7Zmk9ZmlsbDtoPTg2O3E9ODU7dz0xMzA-/http://media.zenfs.com/en_us/News/afp.com/photo_1345144960037-8-0.jpg" width="130" height="86" alt="A member of the Free Syrian Army opens fire on a government forces helicopter" align="left" title="A member of the Free Syrian Army opens fire on a government forces helicopter" border="0" /></a>The United Nations called an end to its observer mission in Syria on Thursday, while activists reported more bloodletting in an attack on civilians in the main battleground of Aleppo.</p><br clear="all"/>http://news.yahoo.com/air-strike-kills-over-30-oic-suspends-syria-042305097.htmlThu, 16 Aug 2012 15:23:38 -0400AFPair-strike-kills-over-30-oic-suspends-syria-042305097<p><a href="http://news.yahoo.com/air-strike-kills-over-30-oic-suspends-syria-042305097.html"><img src="http://l2.yimg.com/bt/api/res/1.2/eKccZnl5oBa7_p6kUIlmkQ--/YXBwaWQ9eW5ld3M7Zmk9ZmlsbDtoPTg2O3E9ODU7dz0xMzA-/http://media.zenfs.com/en_us/News/afp.com/photo_1345144960037-8-0.jpg" width="130" height="86" alt="A member of the Free Syrian Army opens fire on a government forces helicopter" align="left" title="A member of the Free Syrian Army opens fire on a government forces helicopter" border="0" /></a>The United Nations called an end to its observer mission in Syria on Thursday, while activists reported more bloodletting in an attack on civilians in the main battleground of Aleppo.</p><br clear="all"/><p><a href="http://news.yahoo.com/bahrain-court-jails-prominent-rights-activist-093010586.html"><img src="http://l2.yimg.com/bt/api/res/1.2/8e7o2Fkh.enCuqe3qT5JZQ--/YXBwaWQ9eW5ld3M7Zmk9ZmlsbDtoPTg2O3E9ODU7dz0xMzA-/http://media.zenfs.com/en_us/News/afp.com/photo_1345108703533-4-0.jpg" width="130" height="86" alt="Nabeel Rajab hugs his mother at his home in the village of Bani Jamrah, west of Manama, in June" align="left" title="Nabeel Rajab hugs his mother at his home in the village of Bani Jamrah, west of Manama, in June" border="0" /></a>A Bahraini court on Thursday sentenced prominent Shiite rights activist Nabeel Rajab to three years in jail over &quot;unauthorised&quot; protests against the Sunni monarchy, drawing international criticism, a lawyer said.</p><br clear="all"/>http://news.yahoo.com/bahrain-court-jails-prominent-rights-activist-093010586.htmlThu, 16 Aug 2012 15:15:55 -0400AFPbahrain-court-jails-prominent-rights-activist-093010586<p><a href="http://news.yahoo.com/bahrain-court-jails-prominent-rights-activist-093010586.html"><img src="http://l2.yimg.com/bt/api/res/1.2/8e7o2Fkh.enCuqe3qT5JZQ--/YXBwaWQ9eW5ld3M7Zmk9ZmlsbDtoPTg2O3E9ODU7dz0xMzA-/http://media.zenfs.com/en_us/News/afp.com/photo_1345108703533-4-0.jpg" width="130" height="86" alt="Nabeel Rajab hugs his mother at his home in the village of Bani Jamrah, west of Manama, in June" align="left" title="Nabeel Rajab hugs his mother at his home in the village of Bani Jamrah, west of Manama, in June" border="0" /></a>A Bahraini court on Thursday sentenced prominent Shiite rights activist Nabeel Rajab to three years in jail over &quot;unauthorised&quot; protests against the Sunni monarchy, drawing international criticism, a lawyer said.</p><br clear="all"/><p><a href="http://news.yahoo.com/beirut-passengers-asked-chip-air-france-fuel-185236425.html"><img src="http://l1.yimg.com/bt/api/res/1.2/Gu7TLiplMkluQ8xjtV7fKw--/YXBwaWQ9eW5ld3M7Zmk9ZmlsbDtoPTg2O3E9ODU7dz0xMzA-/http://media.zenfs.com/en_us/News/afp.com/photo_1345143052479-1-0.jpg" width="130" height="86" alt="Tires burn as Lebanese protesters block the road leading to Beirut&#039;s International Airport on August 15" align="left" title="Tires burn as Lebanese protesters block the road leading to Beirut&#039;s International Airport on August 15" border="0" /></a>Air France passengers on a flight which was diverted from Beirut and landed instead in Damascus were asked at one point to chip in and help pay to refuel the plane, a passenger said on Thursday.</p><br clear="all"/>http://news.yahoo.com/beirut-passengers-asked-chip-air-france-fuel-185236425.htmlThu, 16 Aug 2012 14:52:36 -0400AFPbeirut-passengers-asked-chip-air-france-fuel-185236425<p><a href="http://news.yahoo.com/beirut-passengers-asked-chip-air-france-fuel-185236425.html"><img src="http://l1.yimg.com/bt/api/res/1.2/Gu7TLiplMkluQ8xjtV7fKw--/YXBwaWQ9eW5ld3M7Zmk9ZmlsbDtoPTg2O3E9ODU7dz0xMzA-/http://media.zenfs.com/en_us/News/afp.com/photo_1345143052479-1-0.jpg" width="130" height="86" alt="Tires burn as Lebanese protesters block the road leading to Beirut&#039;s International Airport on August 15" align="left" title="Tires burn as Lebanese protesters block the road leading to Beirut&#039;s International Airport on August 15" border="0" /></a>Air France passengers on a flight which was diverted from Beirut and landed instead in Damascus were asked at one point to chip in and help pay to refuel the plane, a passenger said on Thursday.</p><br clear="all"/><p><a href="http://news.yahoo.com/israel-wraps-national-sms-missile-alert-test-001925116.html"><img src="http://l1.yimg.com/bt/api/res/1.2/9UfBA4lOEMP0VjIn2m4zBw--/YXBwaWQ9eW5ld3M7Zmk9ZmlsbDtoPTg2O3E9ODU7dz0xMzA-/http://media.zenfs.com/en_us/News/afp.com/photo_1345119248934-2-0.jpg" width="130" height="86" alt="A picture from Iran&#039;s Fars news agency shows a Shahab-3 missile being launched during military exercises in Iran" align="left" title="A picture from Iran&#039;s Fars news agency shows a Shahab-3 missile being launched during military exercises in Iran" border="0" /></a>Israel on Thursday wound up nationwide testing of an SMS warning system against missile attack, sending texts to mobile phones in Jerusalem and other parts of the country, a military spokeswoman said.</p><br clear="all"/>http://news.yahoo.com/israel-wraps-national-sms-missile-alert-test-001925116.htmlThu, 16 Aug 2012 14:41:08 -0400AFPisrael-wraps-national-sms-missile-alert-test-001925116<p><a href="http://news.yahoo.com/israel-wraps-national-sms-missile-alert-test-001925116.html"><img src="http://l1.yimg.com/bt/api/res/1.2/9UfBA4lOEMP0VjIn2m4zBw--/YXBwaWQ9eW5ld3M7Zmk9ZmlsbDtoPTg2O3E9ODU7dz0xMzA-/http://media.zenfs.com/en_us/News/afp.com/photo_1345119248934-2-0.jpg" width="130" height="86" alt="A picture from Iran&#039;s Fars news agency shows a Shahab-3 missile being launched during military exercises in Iran" align="left" title="A picture from Iran&#039;s Fars news agency shows a Shahab-3 missile being launched during military exercises in Iran" border="0" /></a>Israel on Thursday wound up nationwide testing of an SMS warning system against missile attack, sending texts to mobile phones in Jerusalem and other parts of the country, a military spokeswoman said.</p><br clear="all"/>

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