Islamists 'Massacre' 80 Yazidis In Northern Iraq

Al Maliki's Successor Faces Old Problems

Updated: 6:29pm UK, Friday 15 August 2014

By Andrew Wilson, Sky News Presenter, in Irbil, Iraq

The disaster in the Sinjar mountains turns out to be less of a public relations nightmare for Western leaders than first feared.

A few thousand destitute Yazidi people don't carry anything like the clout of tens of thousands.

The UNHCR operators on the ground had figured this out days ago. Their job is numbers and they know that in a brutal world, the problem isn't Sinjar anymore, it's the displacement of those that were there and are now here looking for long-term shelter from the Kurdish Regional Government and maybe even homes in Europe and America.

So what about the spread of this Islamic caliphate across Northern Iraq and Syria?

Well, as far as its leaders-in-waiting are concerned, it's going pretty well.

It's ominous dark shade on the Middle Eastern map is now one colour from Aleppo to Diyala on Iraq's eastern border. 

And, to date, that progress has been largely unchallenged.

Reports of executions and crucifixions have played a part; even the Taliban back in 2001 could not generate the kind of terror that precedes Islamic State (IS) fighters wherever they go.

But IS are picking their enemies strategically as well.

Few tears were shed in Washington when the extremists turned on President Assad, and as for Baghdad, it took so long for the West to declare mission accomplished and pull out that going back in now would be unthinkably embarrassing.

Better to find another old friend to blame, this time the stubbornly sectarian Nouri al Maliki.

It is all his fault that disgruntled Sunnis allowed the IS to swoop down in their armed pickups and help themselves to all the American weapons lying abandoned in the sand.

If only he had built a more unified Iraq with loyal officers and disciplined troops, says the West, failing to mention 2003 when a cadre of professional Iraqi generals stood ready to deploy their well-trained forces for the post-Saddam rebuild only to be shunned by the American occupiers who knew better. 

So now the successor is embraced. Haider al Abadi seems a decent man, more of a consensus builder than a bully.

He is still a Shia, of course, same party as Mr Maliki, in fact, and you wouldn't want his job for all the gold in Saddam's palace.

He will need three phones; for Washington, Tehran and Brussels, and they will all be on his case to fix - in no particular order - the Islamic Caliphate; Sunni minority rights; an army that's just given all its weapons to the other side; Shia aspirations for a greater Iraq joined by holy sites to Iran and, of course, tens of thousands of displaced Yazidis.

It's difficult, if not suicidal, to be a consensus politician in the Middle East.

Think Sadat, Rabin, or even Mahmoud Abbas sitting quietly in Ramallah with "Israeli traitor" daubed on the walls near his house.

Sadly, in this part of the world, where the borders were drawn by foreigners a long time ago, the time-honoured formula, still espoused by Assad, Sisi, the Royal families of Saudi Arabia and Qatar, is more simple: build a power base and crush your enemies.

Nouri al Maliki was on the way, but didn't make it.

And this time, no more boots on the ground.

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Ukraine 'Destroys Russian Armoured Convoy'

Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko says his forces have destroyed part of a Russian armoured convoy that crossed into eastern Ukraine, adding: "We won't tolerate any invasion."

Military officials in Kiev said they tracked the vehicles, including armoured personnel carriers, from the border and then attacked with artillery.

Mr Poroshenko tweeted: "At night much of the armoured vehicles which entered Ukraine (have) been destroyed by the Ukrainian artillery. We won't tolerate any invasion!"

The US said it could not confirm whether Kiev's forces had attacked the convoy, but said Russia had no right to send vehicles into Ukraine.

It condemned Moscow's actions as "extremely dangerous and provocative".

Sky's Foreign Affairs Editor Sam Kiley said the attack would mark "a very serious development" in the four-month conflict, and "could be the beginnings of something much more dangerous".

World stock markets have fallen on the news, with the rouble weakening against the dollar and euro.

A Russian convoy of trucks carrying humanitarian aid for Ukraine

Moscow's Defence Ministry denied Ukrainian forces had destroyed a Russian military column, saying no such force had crossed into eastern Ukraine.

It dismissed Kiev's claims as "some kind of fantasy".

Ukraine's Foreign Minister Pavlo Klimkin is due to meet his Russian counterpart Sergei Lavrov in Berlin on Sunday to discuss the crisis.

The European Union said it would consider any Russian incursion as "a blatant violation of international law".

Ukrainian soldiers at a checkpoint outside Donetsk

Around 23 Russian military vehicles crossed the border near the town of Donetsk on Thursday night, according to journalists from The Guardian and The Daily Telegraph.

This was later confirmed by Nato chief Anders Fogh Rasmussen, who said it was a "clear demonstration of continued Russian involvement in the destabilisation of eastern Ukraine".

Ukrainian journalist Gregory Zhygalov, in Donetsk, told Sky News Russian military convoys have been crossing into eastern Ukraine "regularly" for the past three months.

He said the difference this time was it was witnessed by international journalists, making it an "incontestable fact".

Russian armoured vehicles outside Kamensk-Shakhtinsky in Rostov

Earlier, British Foreign Secretary Philip Hammond said he was "very alarmed" at the Russian military incursion and summoned the Russian ambassador to clarify the situation.

Meanwhile, the Red Cross said it is still trying to verify that an aid convoy from Russia to Ukraine is carrying nothing more than humanitarian aid.

Ukrainian border guards are checking the cargo on Russian territory near the Ukrainian settlement of Izvaryne, held by separatists.

A dozen Russian armoured trucks are waiting with the aid lorries.

Ukraine is concerned the convoy of about 260 vehicles would be used as a 'Trojan horse', allowing Russia to establish a permanent presence in the east.

In an effort to ease tensions, Russian officials allowed journalists to see the contents of trucks.

Among the supplies reporters saw were bottles of water, sacks of buckwheat and portable generators.

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Ebola Outbreak's Scale 'Vastly Underestimated'

The number of deaths and confirmed cases of ebola in west Africa has been vastly underestimated, the World Health Organisation (WHO) says.

The death toll from the outbreak currently stands at 1,069 people. There have been 1,975 confirmed, probable or suspected cases.

The majority of the cases have occurred in Guinea, Sierra Leone and Liberia. Four deaths have also been reported in Nigeria.

But the WHO said there is evidence that the number of reported cases underestimates the scale of the suffering.

"The outbreak is expected to continue for some time. WHO's operational response plan extends over the next several months," the WHO said in a statement.

A convoy of UN soldiers passes a screen displaying an ebola message

"Staff at the outbreak sites see evidence that the numbers of reported cases and deaths vastly underestimate the magnitude of the outbreak."

It comes after several does of the experimental drug ZMapp arrived in Liberia this week.

Officials say only three people will receive the drug, which could prove life-saving, ineffective or even harmful.

The Liberian government previously said two doctors would receive ZMapp, but it remains unclear who else will be treated.

The ebola outbreak was first identified in Guinea in March and has since spread to Liberia, Sierra Leone and Nigeria.

Nurses at a maternity hospital in Abidjan

The spread of the disease has overwhelmed strained health systems in west Africa.

As there is no licenced treatment for Ebola - which is transmitted by contact with bodily fluids - doctors have turned to the limited supply of untested drugs to treat some cases.

Two Americans and one Spaniard have so far received ZMapp.

The Americans have since shown signs of improvement, however it remains unclear what role the drug has played in their recovery. The Spaniard died within days.

As the human cost continues to rise, there are concerns about the wider economic threat caused by the outbreak.

The Moody's ratings agency warned on Thursday that the virus could have "significant economic" ramifications for a number of west African countries.

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UK 'Prepared To Arm Kurdish Fighters In Iraq'

The UK will "consider positively" any request for military equipment from Kurdish fighters in Iraq, according to a Government source.

David Cameron and Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg agreed during an emergency Cobra meeting that it was "vital" to help the fight against the militants.

It is now expected the Government would provide weapons and equipment if Kurdish leaders made a request.

Iraqi and Kurdish forces are battling the brutal Islamic State group, which has recently made significant gains in the north of the country, causing thousands to flee amid death threats and an ultimatum to covert to Islam.

Other EU countries have already agreed to send weapons to the Kurds

A Downing Street source said any supplies would be "dependent on what the Kurds would need".

France is already sending weapons to Iraq, with President Prancois Hollande confirming the "imminent delivery of military equipment.

Germany, the Czech Republic and the Netherlands have also said they will send arms or are considering doing so.

Meanwhile, several thousand refugees from the Yazidi minority remain on Mount Sinjar in searing temperatures - but the US has said it is now unlikely to mount a rescue.

Kurish forces helped end the 'siege of Sinjar'

President Barack Obama said the situation had "greatly improved" after a special forces mission found many people had escaped.

Mr Obama said airdrops had delivered more than 114,000 meals and tens of thousands of gallons of water, with fighter jets striking Islamic State fighters to allow the drops to take place.

The militants' siege of Sinjar town has been broken, the president said, but strikes will continue.

Yazidi people demonstrate at the Iraq-Syria border

UK International Development Secretary Justine Greening said military action and resistance from Kurdish troops had cleared a safe path for many refugees, who originally were thought to number in the tens of thousands.

Britain has also completed completed seven aid deliveries and a "small number" of RAF Chinook helicopters are being sent to the region, in addition to Tornado jets with surveillance equipment.

Iraq's prime minister, Nouri al Maliki, bowed to pressure and stepped down on Thursday with his country's military still struggling to contain Islamic State's onslaught. Haider al Abadi was named as his replacement.

Nouri al Maliki has bowed to pressure at home and abroad

The US called the decision a "major step forward in uniting (Iraq)".

Secretary of State John Kerry said: "We commend the important and honourable decision by Prime Minister Nouri al Maliki to support Prime Minister-designate Haider al Abadi in his efforts to form a new government and develop a national program in line with Iraq's constitutional timeline.

A night vision image of an air drop by the RAF

"This milestone decision sets the stage for a historic and peaceful transition of power in Iraq."

EU foreign ministers meet in Brussels later to discuss the ongoing aid efforts, and possibly an agreement on a joint position on arming Kurdish forces.

Islamic State's offensive has seen them this year capture major cities, such as Mosul and Tikrit, with reports of beheadings and crucifixions as they grab more territory for their self-proclaimed caliphate in Syria and Iraq.

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'Parents Giving Thirsty Children Blood To Drink'

Parents cutting themselves so that thirsty children can drink their blood. Others dying from dehydration and being buried under rocks. These are some of the horrifying stories emerging from those who were trapped on a mountain by Islamic State (IS) fighters in Iraq.

Some 6,000 to 8,000 refugees have managed to escape to a makeshift camp in Dohuk province - but up to 30,000 still remain on Mount Sinjar in what a British aid worker has told Sky news is a "heartbreaking humanitarian crisis".

Sky's Sherine Tadros is at the Dohuk camp, which has no electricity and just three or four toilets.

A map detailing the Sinjar mountains

"They've told us harrowing stories," she said. "One man has just told us how he saw four children die of thirst. There was nowhere to bury them on the mountain so they just put rocks on their bodies.

"Another man was saying the children were so thirsty, their parents started cutting their own hands and giving them blood to drink.

"And then they make the perilous journey to these areas - sometimes 12 hours. And when they get here the conditions are pretty dire. There is no electricity, no aid agencies - this is just a makeshift camp."

Children at the makeshift camp in Dohuk province

Refugees in the camp - some of whom have gunshot wounds - are surviving on food and water being brought to them by locals.

The international community is starting to take action - but the situation is now unprecedented, according to an aid worker on the ground.

"There is still a big humanitarian crisis going on - what I saw was heartbreaking," British Kurd Taban Shoresh told Sky News.

"We need to do something to rescue those people - 30,000 people trapped on a mountain by IS in fear of extermination. There is no way out - the only way to get to them is by helicopter.

Refugees in Dohuk scramble for aid

"They've got absolutely nothing, and I can't stress this enough. No food, no water. They're dehydrated. They've got no clothes, their shoes have been worn off. It is extremely hot and exposed to the sun.

"This is the first time in history where 30,000 people have been trapped on a mountain in fear of being killed - all the leaders need to come together and figure out the best way to rescue these people. We can't watch 30,000 people die."

Each helicopter sent with aid or to lift the most vulnerable prompts a "scramble".

Areas the Islamic State has launched offensives and wants to make one state

"They are fighting to get on the helicopters and survive - it's their only way out," added Ms Shoresh.

The local mayor has donated 230 tents, Tadros said - but it is sparse shelter for the thousands lucky enough to escape Sinjar.

UNICEF is delivering water, protein biscuits and hygiene kits to refugees but, with one million people now displaced in Iraq, the organisation is struggling to cope.

Colin MacInnes, in Iraq, told Sky News: "We are doing all we can but it is not enough at this time."

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Iraq: Yazidi Rescue Mission 'Far Less Likely'

'Parents Giving Thirsty Children Blood To Drink'

Updated: 8:31pm UK, Wednesday 13 August 2014

Parents cutting themselves so that thirsty children can drink their blood. Others dying from dehydration and being buried under rocks. These are some of the horrifying stories emerging from those who were trapped on a mountain by Islamic State (IS) fighters in Iraq.

Some 6,000 to 8,000 refugees have managed to escape to a makeshift camp in Dohuk province - but up to 30,000 still remain on Mount Sinjar in what a British aid worker has told Sky news is a "heartbreaking humanitarian crisis".

Sky's Sherine Tadros is at the Dohuk camp, which has no electricity and just three or four toilets.

"They've told us harrowing stories," she said. "One man has just told us how he saw four children die of thirst. There was nowhere to bury them on the mountain so they just put rocks on their bodies.

"Another man was saying the children were so thirsty, their parents started cutting their own hands and giving them blood to drink.

"And then they make the perilous journey to these areas - sometimes 12 hours. And when they get here the conditions are pretty dire. There is no electricity, no aid agencies - this is just a makeshift camp."

Refugees in the camp - some of whom have gunshot wounds - are surviving on food and water being brought to them by locals.

The international community is starting to take action - but the situation is now unprecedented, according to an aid worker on the ground.

"There is still a big humanitarian crisis going on - what I saw was heartbreaking," British Kurd Taban Shoresh told Sky News.

"We need to do something to rescue those people - 30,000 people trapped on a mountain by IS in fear of extermination. There is no way out - the only way to get to them is by helicopter.

"They've got absolutely nothing, and I can't stress this enough. No food, no water. They're dehydrated. They've got no clothes, their shoes have been worn off. It is extremely hot and exposed to the sun.

"This is the first time in history where 30,000 people have been trapped on a mountain in fear of being killed - all the leaders need to come together and figure out the best way to rescue these people. We can't watch 30,000 people die."

Each helicopter sent with aid or to lift the most vulnerable prompts a "scramble".

"They are fighting to get on the helicopters and survive - it's their only way out," added Ms Shoresh.

The local mayor has donated 230 tents, Tadros said - but it is sparse shelter for the thousands lucky enough to escape Sinjar.

UNICEF is delivering water, protein biscuits and hygiene kits to refugees but, with one million people now displaced in Iraq, the organisation is struggling to cope.

Colin MacInnes, in Iraq, told Sky News: "We are doing all we can but it is not enough at this time."

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Hollywood Actress Lauren Bacall Dies Aged 89

The Hollywood actress Lauren Bacall has died at the age of 89 after suffering a stroke at her New York home.

The actress' death was confirmed by the estate of her first husband Humphrey Bogart, which announced the death on Twitter.

Lauren Bacall arrives at a Vanity Fair event in California in March 2010

"With deep sorrow, yet with great gratitude for her amazing life, we confirm the passing of Lauren Bacall," the Bogart estate said.

Born Betty Joan Perske, Bacall made her Hollywood debut in the 1944 film To Have And Have Not.

She famously met Bogart on set, and the couple were married until his death from throat cancer in 1957. They had two children.

Beginning her career in the Golden Age of Hollywood, Bacall enjoyed a long and successful life on screen and on Broadway.

She starred in many films with the leading actors of her time, including Bogart, John Wayne, Gregory Peck and Marilyn Monroe.

Her career on stage was also hailed by critics. She won two Tony Awards for her roles in Applause in 1970 and Woman Of The Year in 1981.

Bacall had a third child with her second husband, Jason Robards, during their eight-year marriage in the 1960s.

She narrowly missed out on winning an Oscar for her performance in 1996's The Mirror Has Two Faces.

Bacall began her career during the Golden Age of Hollywood

In 2009, she was presented with an honorary Academy Award.

Bacall also wrote an unflinching autobiography titled Be Myself which won the National Book Award in 1990.

She once said her "great luck in life was being surrounded by people who had goals".

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Iraq Crisis: US Sends 130 More Military Advisers

The US has sent 130 more military advisers to northern Iraq to assess the scope of the humanitarian mission.

Defence Secretary Chuck Hagel said: "I recommended to the President and the President has authorised me to go ahead and send about 130 new assessment team members up to northern Iraq in the Irbil area to take a closer look and give more in-depth assessment of where we can continue to help."

The soldiers have been sent to northern Iraq to "develop additional humanitarian assistance options beyond the current airdrop effort in support of displaced Iraqi civilians trapped on Sinjar Mountain by the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant".

Since June the US has sent about 700 military personnel to Iraq to protect diplomats there and take stock of the country's military capacity.

Western powers and international aid agencies are considering further help for the thousands of refugees driven from their homes by the Sunni militants of the Islamic State near the Syrian border.

Secretary of State John Kerry said the US would consider requests for military and other assistance once Iraq's new prime minister-designate forms a government to unite the country.

Haider al Abadi has received support from the US and Iran as well as Sunni neighbours Turkey and Saudi Arabia.

However his Shi'ite party colleague Nuri al-Maliki has refused to step aside after eight years as premier.

Meanwhile, a suicide bomber attacked a checkpoint near Mr al Abadi's Baghdad home on Tuesday. There have been no reports of casualties.

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Robin Williams Dies In Suspected Suicide

Robin Williams: Tributes For Actor Dead At 63

Updated: 3:45am UK, Tuesday 12 August 2014

Relatives, showbiz personalities and politicians have expressed their sadness at the death of Robin Williams, who has died at the age of 63 from a suspected suicide.

The Oscar-winning actor was found dead at his home in northern California, according to the Marin County Sheriff's Office.

Williams' wife Susan Schneider said in a statement: "This morning, I lost my husband and my best friend, while the world lost one of its most beloved and beautiful human beings. I am utterly heartbroken."

The star of much-loved films including Mrs Doubtfire and Good Morning, Vietnam had been struggling with severe depression in recent weeks, according to Williams' press agent Mara Buxbaum.

A statement from President Barack Obama described the actor as "one of a kind".

"Robin Williams was an airman, a doctor, a genie, a nanny, a president, a professor, a bangarang Peter Pan, and everything in between. But he was one of a kind," he said.

"He arrived in our lives as an alien - but he ended up touching every element of the human spirit. He made us laugh. He made us cry.

"He gave his immeasurable talent freely and generously to those who needed it most - from our troops stationed abroad to the marginalised on our own streets.

"The Obama family offers our condolences to Robin's family, his friends, and everyone who found their voice and their verse thanks to Robin Williams."

Many celebrities also took to Twitter to express their shock at the actor's death, and to pay tribute to Williams' large and well-respected body of work. 

The US actor and director Henry Winkler wrote on Twitter: "Robin Williams was like no other .. To watch him create on the spot was a privilege to behold.

"Robin you are an angel now!!! REST IN PEACE," he added.

Actor and comedian Steve Martin said: "I could not be more stunned by the loss of Robin Williams, mensch, great talent, acting partner, genuine soul."

Comedian Eddie Izzard said: "Robin Williams has died and I am very sad. From every comedian here at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival, we salute him & we say goodbye."

Jonathan Ross said: "Robin Williams is one. I loved him. Incredibly talented performer. Wonderfully sweet and generous person. Heartbreaking news. So sad."

Sharon Osbourne wrote: "I'm so sad and devastated to hear of the passing of Robin Williams. My thoughts are with his family."

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Robin Williams: Tributes For Actor Dead At 63

Relatives, showbiz personalities and politicians have expressed their sadness at the death of Robin Williams, who has died at the age of 63 from a suspected suicide.

The Oscar-winning actor was found dead at his home in northern California, according to the Marin County Sheriff's Office.

Williams' wife Susan Schneider said in a statement: "This morning, I lost my husband and my best friend, while the world lost one of its most beloved and beautiful human beings. I am utterly heartbroken."

The star of much-loved films including Mrs Doubtfire and Good Morning, Vietnam had been struggling with severe depression in recent weeks, according to Williams' press agent Mara Buxbaum.

Ellen DeGeneres expresses her sadness at the death of Robin Williams

A statement from President Barack Obama described the actor as "one of a kind".

"Robin Williams was an airman, a doctor, a genie, a nanny, a president, a professor, a bangarang Peter Pan, and everything in between. But he was one of a kind," he said.

"He arrived in our lives as an alien - but he ended up touching every element of the human spirit. He made us laugh. He made us cry.

"He gave his immeasurable talent freely and generously to those who needed it most - from our troops stationed abroad to the marginalised on our own streets.

"The Obama family offers our condolences to Robin's family, his friends, and everyone who found their voice and their verse thanks to Robin Williams."

Many celebrities also took to Twitter to express their shock at the actor's death, and to pay tribute to Williams' large and well-respected body of work. 

The US actor and director Henry Winkler wrote on Twitter: "Robin Williams was like no other .. To watch him create on the spot was a privilege to behold.

"Robin you are an angel now!!! REST IN PEACE," he added.

Comedian Eddie Izzard pays tribute to Williams on Twitter

Actor and comedian Steve Martin said: "I could not be more stunned by the loss of Robin Williams, mensch, great talent, acting partner, genuine soul."

Comedian Eddie Izzard said: "Robin Williams has died and I am very sad. From every comedian here at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival, we salute him & we say goodbye."

Jonathan Ross said: "Robin Williams is one. I loved him. Incredibly talented performer. Wonderfully sweet and generous person. Heartbreaking news. So sad."

Sharon Osbourne wrote: "I'm so sad and devastated to hear of the passing of Robin Williams. My thoughts are with his family."

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Iraqi Militants Execute 500: Some Buried Alive

Iraq militants have executed at least 500 Yazidi people, dumping their victims in mass graves across the north of the country, an official has said.

There is "striking evidence" that Islamic State fighters, formerly known as ISIS, have buried some of their victims, including women and children, alive as they continue their bloody advance across Iraq, according to the human rights minister.

The militants have driven as many as 150,000 Yazidis from their homes into the Sinjar mountains, where they are cut off from food and water and struggling to survive. Hundreds are already reported to have died.

Yazidis flee as the jihadists carve a bloody trail through northern Iraq

The jihadists have also kidnapped 300 women as slaves.

Human rights minister Mohammed Shia al-Sudani said: "We have striking evidence obtained from Yazidis fleeing Sinjar and some who escaped death, and also crime scene images that show indisputably that the gangs of the Islamic States have executed at least 500 Yazidis after seizing Sinjar.

"Some of the victims, including women and children, were buried alive in scattered mass graves in and around Sinjar."

Thousands are hiding in the Sinjar mountains but face starvation

Officials earlier said at least 20,000 of those trapped in the mountains had managed to escape into Syria and been escorted by Kurdish fighters back into Iraqi Kurdistan.

Iraqi Kurdish President Massoud Barzani has appealed to the international community for weapons to help them  fight the extremists.

Humanitarian aid drops from the back of an RAF plane

On Sunday, officials said Kurdish troops have retaken Makhmur and Gwer, the first cities in northern Iraq since US airstrikes targeted militant artillery and equipment.

An RAF plane made the first British aid drop across northern Iraq on Sunday morning, delivering reusable filtration containers, tents and solar lights which can also recharge mobile phones.

It comes after the US launched a fresh round of strikes in an attempt to stop the jihadists' advance across the country, following a warning from Barack Obama that he was ready for a protracted campaign.

Aid parcels are loaded on to the plane

The militants have been sweeping through northern Iraq, beheading and crucifying captives who refuse to be converted to Islam.

During a press conference on Saturday, Mr Obama accepted there would be no quick fix for the rapidly deteriorating situation in the country and vowed to continue strikes for weeks or months if necessary.

Kurdish fighters try to protect the Yazidis

The President, who has ruled out sending in ground troops, and David Cameron discussed the commitment to providing humanitarian relief during a telephone conversation on Saturday.

Foreign Secretary Philip Hammond also announced on Saturday that there would be "a continuing drumbeat of airdrop operations" around the Sinjar mountains.

The Government has pledged an emergency £8m aid package to help refugees in Iraq.

The strikes mark the first American offensive in Iraq since Washington pulled out its forces in 2011 after nearly a decade of brutal war.

The EU has said the violence in the north of Iraq could constitute "crimes against humanity".

Foreign policy chief Catherine Ashton said in a statement: "We are appalled by the rapid deterioration of the humanitarian situation with hundreds of thousands of civilians, mainly from minorities, fleeing the areas of conflict as a result of persecution and violation of basic human rights."

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Israel Agrees Three-Day Ceasefire Plan In Gaza

Israeli and Palestinian negotiators have agreed an Egyptian proposal for a new three-day ceasefire in Gaza.

The truce, which began at 10pm BST on Sunday, was agreed during negotiations between both sides in Cairo aimed at ending a month of violence.

The Egyptian Foreign Ministry said the ceasefire would allow the resumption of humanitarian aid to Gaza.

Israel also said it would return to Cairo for more talks on Sunday if the truce holds.

A similar 72-hour truce collapsed into violence on Friday and Israel initially said it would not take part in talks while Hamas rocket attacks continued.

Smoke rises from the coastal side of the Gaza Strip after an Israeli strike

It comes after an 11-year-old Palestinian boy was apparently shot dead by Israeli soldiers in the West Bank.

Mohammed Khalil al Anati was killed in Al Fawwar refugee camp, southwest of the city of Hebron, a medical official told AFP news service.

The Israeli military said it was investigating reports the youngster was shot by one of its soldiers.

A man sits amid the ruins of his home in Gaza

Earlier, it looked like peace talks in Cairo would collapse after a Palestinian delegation threatened to walk out of discussions unless the Israelis returned to the table without conditions.

However, both Hamas and Israeli officials later said they had agreed the plan, paving the way for new talks.

"Israel will not negotiate under fire," Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said after his weekly cabinet meeting.

"At no stage did we declare (Israel's military offensive) was over. The operation will continue until its objective - the restoration of quiet over a protracted period - is achieved."

A boy surrounded by rumble in a bombed out Gaza street

The Palestinians blamed their decision to resume fire on Israel's refusal to end the blockade of Gaza and open a seaport.

British Prime Minister David Cameron and US President Barack Obama expressed "serious concern" about renewed hostilities in Gaza during a phone call on Saturday.

The leaders called on Israel to exercise "restraint".

The Israelis launched more than 30 air attacks in Gaza on Saturday, killing nine Palestinians, while militants continued to fire rockets into Israel.

A month after Israel launched its military campaign, nearly 1,900 Palestinians have been killed - mostly civilians.

Israel has lost 64 soldiers in combat, while three civilians have died from rocket fire into the country.

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Senior UKIP Politician In 'Copy Hitler' Row

A senior UKIP politician has defended reports he urged young party members to "copy Hitler".

The Mail On Sunday acquired a recording of West Midlands MEP Bill Etheridge telling prospective candidates to "pick up little moments" of Hilter's speaking style.

Mr Etheridge can be heard saying the Nazi leader was "a hateful figure who achieved a great deal".

The Mail carried its story under the headline: "UKIP urges its youth wing: copy Hitler."

Speaking to Sky News, Mr Etheridge called the article a "silly, unpleasant attack".

"Hitler was an evil, monstrous tyrant but that doesn't mean he wasn't good at public speaking," said the 44-year-old.

The Mail On Sunday front page

"I wish he hadn't been, but we must be able to discuss historical figures without being slurred as agreeing with them.

"I speak about Tony Blair, Dr Martin Luther King and President Ronald Reagan - all kinds of people who were great public speakers.

"I regret that the Mail should stoop so low - it's embarrassing for all of us."

The recording - which Sky News has verified - was made last week at a conference for UKIP's youth wing, Young Independents.

Mr Etheridge, who is also a Dudley councillor, is heard saying: "If you look back to the most magnetic and forceful public speaker possibly in history.

"When Hitler gave speeches, and many of the more famous ones were at rallies, at the start he walks, back and forth, looked at people - there was a silence, he waited minutes just looking out at people, fixing them with his gaze.

"And they were looking back and he would do it for a while. And then they were so desperate for him to start that when he started speaking they were hanging on his every word.

Bill Etheridge urged candidates to "pick up moments" from Hitler speeches

"Again, I'm not saying direct copy - pick up little moments."

Labour MP Mike Gapes told the Mail On Sunday: "I thought nothing could surprise me anymore, but this just goes to show that (Nigel) Farage has completely failed to clean up his party.

"One of his MEPs training young candidates to speak like Hitler? Simply unbelievable."

But UKIP said The Mail On Sunday's interpretation of the speech was "truly disgusting".

A spokesman added: "Bill Etheridge gave a seminar on public speaking and highlighted great speakers of the past, like Churchill, Blair, Martin Luther King and Hitler as people whose style, not content could be studied.

"It is no surprise that two national newspapers have covered this conference - The Guardian and The Mail on Sunday. One gave it a fair hearing, the other as a Tory paper is terrified by the rise of UKIP and apparently will stoop to nothing to attack the party. We are disappointed, but unsurprised.

"During a period of respectful and pensive commemoration of those who gave their lives in war, the Tory Mail on Sunday's tasteless and desperate front page attack is truly disgusting."

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US Jets In Four More Iraq Strikes On Militants

American jet fighters and drones have conducted four more airstrikes on Islamic militants in Iraq.

The US military said the strikes took out armoured carriers and a truck that were firing on civilians.

The strikes were spread out, with three before noon on Saturday and one about 3pm, the military said.

Thousands of Yazidis have fled their homes

Indications suggested that the operation was successful in destroying the armoured vehicles.

This is the third round of airstrikes against Islamic State (IS) forces by the US military since they were authorised by President Barack Obama.

On Friday, two waves of airstrikes hit an IS artillery position, destroyed a militant convoy and killed a mortar team.

US and Iraqi aircraft have also air dropped food and water to the thousands of mainly Yazidis stranded on Mount Sinjar since fleeing IS attacks on their homes a week ago.

The boundary shows the rough area IS wants to create as a caliphate

Mr Obama said he viewed the US offensive in Iraq as a "long-term project" to rout out militants and deliver aid to beleaguered civilians.

It is the first American offensive in Iraq since Washington pulled out its forces in 2011 after nearly a decade of brutal war.

He has also said US air strikes aim to prevent IS fighters from attacking Irbil, the capital of the Iraqi Kurdish region.

The US has a diplomatic mission and military advisors in Irbil.

"I'm not going to give a particular timetable, because as I've said from the start, wherever and whenever US personnel and facilities are threatened, it's my obligation, my responsibility as commander in chief, to make sure they are protected," Mr Obama told reporters.

President Obama says the US offensive is a "long-term" project

Mr Obama, who has ruled out ground troops, and David Cameron have pledged to work together to avoid "genocide" in Iraq.

Two Royal Air Force (RAF) C-130 transport planes took off from Britain on Saturday carrying equipment.

The equipment included clean water, tents, tarpaulins and solar lights that can also recharge mobile phones.

In a telephone call on Saturday, the leaders admitted that a "long term solution" would be needed to quell the IS advance.

A Downing Street spokesman said: "The Prime Minister welcomed the US efforts and made clear that we are keen to work with the Americans on the humanitarian effort.

British aid is loaded onto a plane destined for Iraq

"They agreed that the immediate priority is to get vital supplies to those trapped on Mt Sinjar and the UK will join the US in delivering aid drops.

"Both leaders also agreed that aid drops are not a long term solution, and that a way must be found to get these people to safety and to avert a genocide."

Up to 150,000 Yazidi refugees are still isolated on a stretch of mountain in Iraq surrounded by Islamic extremists.

Reports suggested that thousands of Yazidis, including children, may have already lost their lives after being trapped in the mountains without food and water for days. 

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