Rise of Shiite militias poses a threat to Iraq

Rise of Shiite militias poses a threat to Iraq
Radio legend Casey Kasem dies at 82
The Clinton Costco circus
Israel PM says Hamas kidnapped missing teens
China adding school to outpost in disputed waters
Militants post images of mass killing in Iraq
US orders aircraft carrier to Gulf, Iran offers help
Philly rail service resumes after Obama intervenes
Manning says U.S. public lied to about Iraq from the start
Muslim reporter describes being ridiculed at Texas GOP convention
Argentine soccer fans get rowdy in Rio
Obama rips climate change deniers in graduation speech
Israeli premier: Terror group took 3 missing teens

Posted: 15 Jun 2014 11:26 AM PDT

BAGHDAD (AP) — Emboldened by a call to arms by the top Shiite cleric, Iranian-backed militias have moved quickly to the center of Iraq's political landscape, spearheading what its Shiite majority sees as a fight for survival against Sunni militants who control of large swaths of territory north of Baghdad.

Radio legend Casey Kasem dies at 82

Posted: 15 Jun 2014 08:18 AM PDT

Casey Kasem, the internationally famous radio broadcaster with the cheerful manner and gentle voice who became the king of the top 40 countdown with a syndicated show that ran for decades, died Sunday. He was 82.

The Clinton Costco circus

Posted: 15 Jun 2014 08:15 AM PDT

The throngs of people were officially there for Clinton to sign their discount copies of "Hard Choices," the former Secretary of State's book about her time in the Obama administration. In reality, Clinton herself was the least visible part of the whole, circus-like event. The average Costco patron couldn't even sneak a glimpse of her, as her book signing took place behind a giant fortress of water bottles and paper towel rolls, built by Costco employees using forklifts in the wee hours of Saturday morning. All that traveled over that bulk-product brick wall was the occasional laugh — was it Clinton's? Or someone else's? It was hard to know for sure — and the sound of clicking press cameras. Clinton fans weren't allowed to bring theirs past the security checkpoint.

Israel PM says Hamas kidnapped missing teens

Posted: 15 Jun 2014 05:34 AM PDT

Netanyahu accuses the Islamic militant group of kidnapping three teenagers who went missing nearly three days ago.

China adding school to outpost in disputed waters

Posted: 15 Jun 2014 05:39 AM PDT

BEIJING (AP) — China has begun building a school on a remote island in the South China Sea to serve the children of military personnel and others, expanding the rugged outpost it created two years ago to strengthen its claims to disputed waters and islands.

Militants post images of mass killing in Iraq

Posted: 15 Jun 2014 10:43 AM PDT

BAGHDAD (AP) — As the Iraqi government bolstered Baghdad's defenses Sunday, the Islamic militant group that captured two major cities last week posted graphic photos that appeared to show its fighters massacring dozens of captured Iraqi soldiers.

US orders aircraft carrier to Gulf, Iran offers help

Posted: 14 Jun 2014 08:15 PM PDT

The United States ordered an aircraft carrier into the Gulf Saturday over the Iraq crisis, where Sunni Arab jihadists have seized a swathe of the country, as Shiite Iran said it would consider helping foe Washington should it take action. The order came as Iraqi commanders said that soldiers had recaptured two towns north of Baghdad, and thousands of volunteers answered a call to arms from top Shiite cleric Grand Ayatollah Ali al-Sistani. US President Barack Obama said he was "looking at all the options" to halt the offensive that has brought Sunni Arab militants within 50 miles (80 kilometres) of Baghdad's city limits, but ruled out any return of US combat troops. "We will not be sending US troops back into combat in Iraq, but I have asked my national security team to prepare a range of other options that could help support Iraqi security forces," he said.

Philly rail service resumes after Obama intervenes

Posted: 15 Jun 2014 05:41 AM PDT

PHILADELPHIA (AP) — Commuter rail service in the Philadelphia area was restored early Sunday, just hours after workers returned to their jobs following a brief strike that was ended when President Barack Obama intervened.

Manning says U.S. public lied to about Iraq from the start

Posted: 14 Jun 2014 08:03 PM PDT

The detained US soldier convicted of leaking a trove of secret documents to WikiLeaks made a rare foray into public life Saturday to warn Americans they were being lied to about Iraq once more. Chelsea Manning is serving a 35-year prison sentence on espionage charges and other offenses for passing along 700,000 secret documents, including diplomatic cables and military intelligence files, to anti-secrecy website WikiLeaks in the largest-scale leak in US history. However, the concerns that motivated me have not been resolved," the soldier formerly known as Bradley Manning wrote in a New York Times editorial. "As Iraq erupts in civil war and America again contemplates intervention, that unfinished business should give new urgency to the question of how the United States military controlled the media coverage of its long involvement there and in Afghanistan."

Muslim reporter describes being ridiculed at Texas GOP convention

Posted: 14 Jun 2014 05:30 AM PDT

A reporter covering the Texas GOP's annual convention says she was targeted and taunted because of her Muslim headdress. "I discovered a cult-like hatred that is simply disgusting," writes Heba Said.

Argentine soccer fans get rowdy in Rio

Posted: 14 Jun 2014 07:25 PM PDT

Argentina fans are making themselves at home all over Rio de Janeiro.

Obama rips climate change deniers in graduation speech

Posted: 14 Jun 2014 01:43 PM PDT

Obama uses a commencement address to blast Republicans who reject scientific evidence.

Israeli premier: Terror group took 3 missing teens

Posted: 14 Jun 2014 12:53 PM PDT

JERUSALEM (AP) — A terror group abducted three teens, including an American, who disappeared in the West Bank, Israel's prime minister said Saturday, as soldiers searched the territory to find them.