The United States will have no military bases inside Iraq once it withdraws its troops from the country but will continue to have a strong presence in the Middle East, President Barack Obama has said. "We are taking all of our troops out of Iraq. We will not have any bases inside Iraq. We will have a strong diplomatic presence inside Iraq," Obama said at a news conference along with visiting Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki.
Iraq football association has promoted Hakeem Shakir to the head coach's post, ending speculations of a possible appointment of Diego Maradona for the job.
Iraq is willing to double the credit period on crude sales to 60 days if Indian refiners buy more in 2014, the head of refineries at Hindustan Petroleum said. Iran has also sweetened the deal to expand its dwindling market share by offering free shipment and a nominal discount to Indian refiners, sources said last week.
West Indies all-rounder Andre Russell has expressed his willingness to play the second season of the Pakistan Super League (PSL) in the country, but said he is too scared to travel to Pakistan amidst safety and security concerns.
The government on Tuesday said four youth from Maharashtra have disappeared after leaving for Mosul from Baghdad in Iraq.
The latest flashpoint in West Asia has derailed India's preliminary plans to resume crude oil imports from Iran, officials said. In January, officials of the Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas had told Business Standard that the government had been studying proposals for the same, given that India was trying to expand sources of imports. "We are always monitoring the situation when it comes to crude flows.
India's net oil import bill could widen to $101-104 billion in current fiscal from $96.1 billion in 2023-24 and any escalation in the Iran-Israel conflict could impart an upward pressure on the value of imports, ICRA said on Tuesday. The domestic rating agency said based on its analysis, lower value of Russian oil imports is estimated to have led to savings of $7.9 billion in 11 months (April-February) of 2023-24, up from $5.1 billion in 2022-23.
Asian Cup holders Iraq cruised to a stylish 3-1 win over Uzbekistan while Thailand beat North Korea 1-0 in the other semi-final.
Forty Indian in the in violence-hit Iraqi city of Mosul could not be contacted, the external affairs ministry said on Wednesday amid reports of abduction.
Pope Benedict said Iraq's celebration of its Asian Cup soccer victory was a sign of a people yearning for peace.
sources said the explosion occurred at the Iraq army centre, Tamarat, near the town of Tal Afar, close to Mosul city.
As per plans, the Indian Air Force may use its planes to fly out Indian nationals stranded in Iraq to safer places nearby such as Kuwait or the United Arab Emirates from where commercial airliners would ferry them back to India.
The presumed remains of one of those killed were yet to be positively identified.
Many of the Indian nurses -- most of them from Kerala -- stuck in Iraq took loans to arrive in the war-torn country to support their families back home. Now, they have to choose between the devil and the deep sea.
Iran has supplied Iraq with fighter jets to help it counter the belligerent offensive by Islamist militants who have taken over large swathes of territory, a media report said in London.
India were handed a 3-0 drubbing in the Olympic football qualifier.
'The main reason people go to other countries is unemployment in Punjab'
As 46 Indian nurses, including six from Tamil Nadu, are stranded in a hospital in strife-torn Iraq, Chief Minister J Jayalalithaa on Thursday urged Prime Minister Narendra Modi to personally intervene in the issue and ensure their safe return home.
Both scored convincing victories, over Malaysia and Vietnam respectively, in the AFC Youth Championship.
Amid escalation in violence in Iraq, India on Sunday asked its citizens not to travel to the troubled-torn country and set up a 24-hour helpline to offer assistance to those living there.
A day after it was set up, the Haryana government control room has so far got information about 45 persons from the state, stranded in strife-torn Iraq. Majority of those stranded in Iraq hail from the northern parts of Haryana
Family members of the other missing persons said that from the Iraqi minister's statement, it was clear that the Indian government does have any concrete information about the missing.
In an interview to ABC news, Bush said pulling out from Iraq now would be akin to a surrender.
The ministry said it was noteworthy that all sections of the Iraqi population participated in this election and it would lead to a more inclusive and broad-based council of representatives.
Iraq beat Iran 7-6 on penalties to reach the semi-finals of the Asian Cup on Friday after the two Middle Eastern rivals played out one of the most extraordinary matches in the tournament's history.
In an address at a security conclave of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation in the Kazakh capital, he also underlined the need for holding accountable the sponsors, financiers and facilitators of terrorism, in remarks that came amid Pakistan's continuing support to various terror groups.
Iraq faces being kicked out of world soccer after its football association was disbanded, the sport's governing body FIFA said on Tuesday. Iraq has been given 72 hours to restore the IFA or the matter will be referred to the FIFA Emergency Committee which would almost certainly result in suspension.
At least four gunmen opened fire on Hashimi's car as she left her house.
The incident occured when thousands of Shias marching across a bridge in a religious procession heard rumours that a suicide bomber was about to attack, triggering a stampede.
If executed, the plan could have considerable political significance. The first reductions would take place before this fall's Congressional elections, while even bigger cuts might come before the 2008 presidential election.
Mentioning the recent attacks on US forces in Syria and Iraq, he added, "The US sent messages to the Axis of Resistance but received a clear response on the battlefield."
Escalation of the conflict in West Asia between Israel and Iran has had a direct impact on the energy markets, and more broadly on the financial markets as well as the global economy.
America's Afghan war costs are showing no signs of letting up. And now it has overtaken previous records of Iraq war.
The United States has ordered the aircraft carrier USS George H W Bush to move into the Arabian Gulf to provide President Barack Obama with options for possible military action against militants in Iraq.
Probably acknowledging setbacks in Iraq for the first time, Bush predicted violence will not end with parliamentary polls on Thursday and that a lot of work remained to be done.
The United Iraqi Alliance is expected to win 132 seats of the 275 in the National Assembly. The results will be officially announced in three days.
Nearly half the funds earmarked for reconstruction were diverted towards fighting rebels and preparing for the Saddam Hussein trial.
The United States has discussed with Iran the need to refrain from pressing a "sectarian agenda" in Iraq as the two rivals met on the sidelines of talks on Tehran's nuclear programme in Vienna.
