US Planes Bomb Jihadists As Food Aid Dropped

US warplanes have bombed Islamist fighters in northern Iraq for a second time - as 30,000 meals were dropped for refugees.

Aircraft  launched a second round of strikes on Islamic State (IS) targets in northern Iraq after President Barack Obama said Washington must act to prevent "genocide".

Islamic State fighters, who have beheaded and crucified captives, have advanced to within a half an hour of Irbil, Iraq's Kurdish capital and a hub for US oil companies.

Water bundles loaded onto a plane for a humanitarian drop to refugees

They have also seized control of Iraq's biggest dam, which could allow them to flood cities and cut off vital water and electricity supplies.

Iraq's government says hundreds of women from the Yazidi religious minority have been taken captive by fighters for IS, formerly known as ISIS.

The Pentagon said two F/A-18 aircraft from an aircraft carrier in the Gulf had dropped laser-guided 500-pound bombs on the fighters' artillery.

The rough outline of the desired IS caliphate

Other airstrikes had targeted mortar positions and an Islamic State convoy.

For the second night, the US also dropped relief supplies to members of the ancient Yazidi sect.

Tens of thousands of them are massed on a desert mountaintop seeking shelter from fighters who have ordered them to convert or die.

Warplanes launched a second wave of airstrikes in northern Iraq overnight

Three cargo planes escorted by two F/A-18 combat jets dropped the supplies - including 72 bundles which contained 28,224 individually packaged meals.

Another 16 bundles contained 1,522 gallons of fresh drinking water.

Mr Obama has authorised the first US airstrikes on Iraq since he pulled all troops out in 2011.

Iraqi military personnel distribute water to Shiite Iraqi Kurds

The action is aimed at halting the Islamist advance, protecting hundreds of thousands of Christians and other religious minorities who have fled for their lives.

In Britain, Defence Secretary Michael Fallon expressed a willingness to help Americans in their efforts to provide humanitarian support.

Combat jets are trying to halt the march of jihadists towards Irbil

In the hours after the airstrikes, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) banned all US civilian flights over Iraq.

British Airways also decided to stop flying over the war-torn region.

Other international airlines including Turkish Airlines, Lufthansa and Austrian Airlines have halted their flights to Irbil until Monday.

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Hundreds Of Women Captured By ISIS Fighters

Hundreds of women from the Yazidi religious minority have been taken captive by Islamist militants, Iraq's government has said.

Kamil Amin, a spokesman for the country's human rights ministry, said the women were kidnapped by Islamic State (IS) fighters.

He added that some of the women are being held in schools in Iraq's second city Mosul, and that the ministry learned of the kidnappings from the victims' families.

"We think that the terrorists by now consider them slaves and they have vicious plans for them," Mr Amin said.

"We think that these women are going to be used in demeaning ways by those terrorists to satisfy their animalistic urges in a way that contradicts all the human and Islamic values."

The aftermath of US airstrikes near Irbil, seen from the Khazer Checkpoint

A US official speaking on condition of anonymity said IS militants kidnapped the women so they could be sold or married off to extremist fighters.

Some 50,000 residents from the ancient Yazidi community fled the northern Iraqi town of Sinjar after IS militants overwhelmed Kurdish forces this month.

Many Yazidis are trapped on Mount Sinjar without food or water and are at risk of starvation as militants surround the base.

Kurdish media has reported that Peshmerga forces have rescued 11,000 of those trapped in the mountains.

The US has been carrying out airstrikes against the militants in the north of the country.

An F/A-18C Hornet aboard the USS George HW Bush on August 8

Two F/A-18 aircraft dropped 500lb laser-guided bombs on a mobile artillery piece near Irbil, the capital of the semi-autonomous Kurdish region.

Later on Friday, two further strikes were carried out near Irbil, targeting mortar positions and a convoy of IS vehicles.

On Thursday, the US also dropped thousands of gallons of drinking water and 8,000 packaged meals to Yazidis.

President Barack Obama said the airdrops were made at the request of the Iraqi government as IS fighters tightened their grip on northern Iraq.

In his remarks late Thursday, he mentioned "chilling reports" of fighters with the group "rounding up families, conducting mass executions, and enslaving Yazidi women".

IS believes the Yazidis, who are followers of a religion derived from Zoroastrianism, are "devil worshippers".

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Obama Approves Strikes To Stop Iraq 'Genocide'

President Barack Obama has authorised airstrikes against Islamist militants in northern Iraq and ordered airdrops of supplies to besieged religious minorities.

Three aircraft delivered food and water to thousands of Iraqis trapped on a mountain, and left the drop zone after 15 minutes, according to the Pentagon.

In a late-night televised address, Mr Obama said targeted strikes would be launched - if needed - to stop the advance on Irbil by the Islamic State - the group previously known as ISIS or ISIL.

The President said the action would be aimed at defending Americans and protect civilians under siege, preventing a "potential act of genocide".

Thousands of Yazidis have fled their homes

"Earlier this week, one Iraqi in the area cried to the world, 'There is no one coming to help,'" said Mr Obama.

"Well, today America is coming to help."

However, he stressed there was no intention of sending in any troops.

Prime Minister David Cameron called the attacks by IS "barbaric" and said he was "extremely concerned by the appalling situation in Iraq and the desperate situation facing hundreds of thousands of Iraqis".

However, Downing Street said there would be no military action in Iraq.

Some 40,000 residents from the ancient Yazidi community have been forced to leave the northern Iraqi town of Sinjar after the Sunni fighters overwhelmed Kurdish forces.

Many Yazidis are trapped on Mount Sinjar without food or water and are at risk of starvation as the militants surround the base.

"Children are dying of thirst, meanwhile ISIL forces have called for the destruction of the entire Yazidi people, which would constitute genocide," Mr Obama said.

Obama in discussion with his national security team

"These innocent families are faced with a horrible choice: Descend the mountain and be slaughtered, or stay and slowly die of thirst and hunger."

Two F-18 fighter jets kept watch over the three cargo aircraft - one C-17 and two C-130s - during the Mount Sinjar aid mission.

The planes dropped 72 bundles, containing more than 20,000 litres of drinking water and 8,000 pre-packaged meals.

Militants have been surging across the north of Iraq towards Irbil, the capital of the Kurdish region.

The US has a consulate in the city, where civilian and military staff work.

Mr Obama said target would target IS convoys "should they move toward the city".

The announcement was Mr Obama's most significant response yet to the crisis. The President had been reluctant to deepen US military re-engagement in Iraq after the last troops left in 2011.

ISIS issued an ultimatum toYazidis to convert to Islam

But he said the strikes had been approved to help Iraqi forces and stop a "massacre" of the Yazidis.

IS has issued the Yazidi people an ultimatum to convert to Islam, pay a religious fine, flee their homes or face death.

The group sees the Yazidis, who are followers of a religion derived from Zoroastrianism, as "devil worshippers".

Attacks on minorities in Iraq could constitute a crime against humanity, said the UN Security Council at an emergency meeting on Thursday.

Hundreds of thousands of people, mostly Christians, are fleeing from the jihadists who have swept through more than a dozen towns in recent days.

Militants have been surging across the north of Iraq towards Irbil

Among them, the militants captured Iraq's biggest Christian town, Qaraqosh, prompting many residents to leave, fearing for their lives.

The group has declared a caliphate - an Islamic state - across much of Iraq and Syria and wants to bring in a strict version of Islamic law.

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Obama Shows Steely Side To Stand Up To ISIS

By Tim Gallagher, Washington DC Bureau Chief

The White House has a mantra: There is no US military solution to Iraq's problem.

Indeed, any US military mission against the murderous Islamic State - previously known as ISIS or ISIL - was unthinkable to the White House earlier in the summer when the insurgents began their bloody crusade through northern Iraq.

But now Barack Obama has ordered US military aircraft to engage in airstrikes inside northern Iraq.

So what has changed?

For one thing, the scale of the crisis facing tens of thousands of Iraqi Christians, Yazidis and Shias is now an undeniable humanitarian catastrophe.

And there's some form here. The justification for US involvement in Libya in 2011 was painted in similar terms by Obama.

"We knew that if we waited … Benghazi … could suffer a massacre that would have reverberated across the region and stained the conscience of the world," he said.

Scene of the 2012 Benghazi attack

At the time of the Libya conflict, the White House described America's role as "Leading from Behind". That doctrine has now been eclipsed, the President describing his attack on IS as a "hallmark of American leadership".

Then there's the man himself. The Obama on display earlier spoke with purpose and steel. The professorial President we saw a year ago agonising over whether to get involved in Syria is no more. In his place, a Commander-in-Chief with a clear promise. "America is coming to help," he said.

Obama justified the action in Iraq because American diplomatic interests at the US Consulate in Irbil were threatened by the IS advance. The administration was badly scarred by the attacks on a diplomatic posting in Benghazi in 2012, in which ambassador Chris Stevens lost his life. It is not a mistake that they will make twice.

America is a war-weary nation. It has paid a heavy price for two long and costly engagements in Iraq and Afghanistan and there is no public appetite for getting involved again in Iraq. Indeed, Obama was keen to reiterate the line that there will be no American boots on the ground this time.

This is a President who wants to be remembered for ending two wars, not starting new ones.

But in the space of a few days, we have seen the US military back in action over the skies of Iraq and a US General gunned down in Afghanistan. For a Commander-in-Chief trying to craft a legacy, it's a stark reminder that the shadows of the past may well endure long after he has left the spotlight.

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Families Stuck In Temporary Homes For Years

By Jason Farrell, Senior Political Correspondent

A Sky News investigation has found families are being forced to live in unsuitable temporary accommodation for up to seven years.

Government figures show that 80,000 children are among the increasing numbers of those living in limbo because councils cannot find them proper homes.

Some are forced to live in hostels or B&Bs where they are only supposed to remain for up to six weeks.

The number of families with children overstaying in B&Bs has quadrupled since 2010.

A separate study by the charity Shelter, seen exclusively by Sky News, reveals 41% of families in temporary homes in London are kept there for more than two years.

Derya said the cramped bedroom was like a prison cell

Roger Harding from Shelter told Sky News: "We were really surprised by the number of families having to live in temporary accommodation for so long.

"That's 4,000 families living in temporary accommodation for over two years and that's them living in a place where their life has been put on hold.

"They don't have the foundation of a stable home to get back on their feet and to properly look for jobs and get their kids into permanent schools."

Even though they are often more cramped, it costs taxpayers more to house families in emergency or temporary accommodation than in normal council homes.

More than 4,000 families live in B&Bs in 2014

Mother Derya Dosdogru was given a one-bedroom flat in north London as emergency accommodation when she became pregnant.

The bedroom is two metres by two metres and has no windows.

Enfield Council initially said she could move somewhere more appropriate within six months.

But seven years later she and her son still shared the box-like bedroom surrounded by unpacked belongings.

She described it as "like a cell" and like being "in prison" without daylight.

Ms Dosdogru and her son were recently moved out after being assisted by local charity Raising My Voice Foundation.

Storage items are stacked up high in Derya Dosdogru's old flat

During those seven years her flat cost the council between £200 and £300 a week.

Classed as temporary or emergency accommodation, rent can be up to three times that of a two bed council property - a bill footed by taxpayers.

Temporary or emergency homes are supposed to be a short term fix for homeless families.

But the number of those in Derya's situation has risen 20% in three years to more than 58,000.

When it comes to those in B&Bs, it has doubled from 2,050 families in the first quarter of 2010 to 4,370 in the first quarter of this year.

Roger Harding from Shelter says it's tough for families in temporary homes

Henry Gregg, from the National Housing Association, said: "The increasing number of people languishing in bed and breakfast, hostels and private rented accommodation, often with shared bathrooms and toilets, which is completely unsuitable for families, shows there is a real problem.

"We just don't build enough homes."

But Housing Minister Brandon Lewis told Sky News: "Councils have a responsibility to house families in settled accommodation as quickly as possible."

He said councils had been given greater powers to provide better privately rented accommodation.

"The number of households in temporary accommodation is well below the peak reached under the previous administration, which hit 101,000 in 2004," he said.

"Households now spend on average eight months less in temporary accommodation than at the start of 2010."

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Oscar Pistorius Arrives At Court As Trial Resumes

Oscar Pistorius has arrived at court in Pretoria to hear the closing statements in his trial for the murder of Reeva Steenkamp.

Pistorius, 27, faces a minimum of 25 years in prison if found guilty of premeditated murder.

He could also be convicted on lesser charges, such as culpable homicide or murder without premeditation.

Ms Steenkamp's parents have also arrived to hear the closing arguments from prosecution and defence lawyers. The speeches are expected to last two days.

It is the first time Ms Steenkamp's father, Barry Steenkamp, has attended court since the trial began.

The trial in Pretoria was put on hold last month after hearing from 37 witnesses.

More follows...

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Darling 'Wins Debate' With Style And Substance

I remember putting together a profile piece on Alistair Darling and his old schoolmaster at Loretto in Musselburgh telling me how the young Alistair insisted to his schoolmates that his surname was pronounced 'Durling'.

The reason was that, in a place where everyone was addressed by their second name, the future Chancellor couldn't bear the shout of "Hello Darling!" across the playground.

In time, of course, he's grown to shed the schoolboy sensitivity and a nation has come to know a political player.

From local councillor to MP to Chancellor, to chairman of the Better Together campaign, a sort of Defender-in-Chief of Scotland's place in the United Kingdom. 

Alistair Darling served as Chancellor from 2007 to 2010

He's Westminster's Clark Kent - bookish, some say boring - but he's no mug.  A 27-year survival record in the political bear-pit is testimony to that. 

Two hours of referendum debate, in particular, showed a man who knows when to adjust his game.

The Alistair Darling that faced Alex Salmond was in streetfighter mode. He shouted, finger-pointed and sneered his way through TV's first referendum head-to-head.

Mr Darling appeared more assertive on screen

To those who said he lacked passion, he laid it out before them in a spectacle rarely viewed. And it seemed to work.

The general consensus is that Mr Darling was the winner on the night, prompting near-euphoria amongst supporters who've watched Mr Salmond trample over them in debate for years.       

Mr Darling landed blows on the subject matter, in particular the currency that an independent Scotland would use.

Critically, he also scored on style. He was more assertive and dominated the TV screen, drew the viewer's eye. 

Mr Salmond had clearly opted for mild-manners and measured tones. This, following reports he was in consultation with a 'happiness guru' who was grooming him for his performance. 

I wonder if, on reflection, he'll be happier toughening up his act for the TV debates to come.

Perhaps he needs to redress the balance between nice man and hard man before he can look statesman.

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Scottish Referendum: Leaders Clash In TV Debate

The two men leading the fight for Scotland's future have clashed in a lively televised debate on the independence referendum.

Scottish First Minister Alex Salmond faced Alistair Darling MP, the leader of the Better Together campaign, with just over six weeks to go until the September 18 vote.

The pair thrashed out issues from whether an independent Scotland would keep the pound and remain a member of the European Union, to the economy and the future of North Sea oil revenues.

An instant Guardian/ICM poll of viewers conducted immediately after the debate concluded Mr Darling won the debate by 56% to 44%.

A yes vote stands for 'hope and ambition', said Mr Salmond

But Scotland's Deputy First Minister Nicola Sturgeon told broadcaster STV, which had staged the independence clash: "I definitely think my side won."

The debate was the first such encounter between the two men.

There were fiery exchanges over Scotland's future prosperity and the prospect of currency union after independence, with Mr Salmond refusing to set out his "Plan B" if Scotland is barred from keeping the pound.

Speaking in front of an occasionally raucous 350-strong audience at the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland in Glasgow, Mr Darling said: "Any eight-year-old can tell you the flag of a country, the capital of a country and its currency.

Mr Darling may have scored a victory, a poll suggested

"I presume the flag is the saltire, I assume our capital will still be Edinburgh, but you can't tell us what currency we will have."

Mr Salmond told his opponent he was not in favour of joining the euro and added: "We'll keep the pound because it belongs to Scotland as much as to England."

On the EU, Mr Salmond accused the Yes campaign of trying to scare people into thinking they could be thrown out of the union after independence.

But Mr Darling said it was unclear on what terms Scotland would be allowed to rejoin the EU, or if its membership would be opposed.

Pressed on whether he agreed with David Cameron that an independent Scotland could be successful, Mr Darling said he believed the country could go it alone - but the risks and costs of doing so outweighed the benefits.

The pair were cheered and jeered by the 350-strong audience in Glasgow

In closing statements, Mr Darling said the referendum would be the "single biggest decision" for Scotland, and there would be "no going back" on a Yes vote.

But Mr Salmond insisted: "No-one will ever govern Scotland better than the people who live and work in Scotland ... voting yes is a vote for hope and ambition over fear."

The latest poll from Ipsos MORI shows more people plan to vote to break away from the UK when the referendum takes place next month.

Although a majority of the electorate is expected to vote to stay in the United Kingdom.

On the morning of the debate, the three main UK party leaders announced they had signed a pledge to increase the powers of the Scottish Parliament.

David Cameron, Ed Miliband and Nick Clegg all put their names to a declaration made earlier this year by their parties' Scottish leaders to guarantee an increase in Scotland's powers under devolution.

Think tank Demos, which looked at how the debate played out on Twitter, said: "It wasn't cheers but boos that filled this new digital arena and our analysis suggests people were turned off for one of the oldest reasons of all - neither politician was keen to answer the question."

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Miliband Slams Cameron's Handling Of Gaza Crisis

By Anushka Asthana, Political Correspondent

Labour leader Ed Miliband has accused David Cameron of failing to speak out about an Israeli military operation that he describes as "wrong and unjustifiable".

In a strongly worded statement, he said Mr Cameron had been right to call Hamas an appalling, terrorist organisation.

"But the Prime Minister is wrong not to have opposed Israel's incursion into Gaza," said Mr Miliband.

The Opposition leader added: "And his silence on the killing of hundreds of innocent Palestinian civilians caused by Israeli's military action will be inexplicable to people across Britain and internationally."

Downing Street reacted angrily to the statement, insisting the Prime Minister had been clear that both sides in the conflict need to observe a ceasefire.

"We are shocked that Ed Miliband would seek to misrepresent that position and play politics with such a serious issue."

A Labour source said the situation on the ground in Gaza had led Mr Miliband to speak out.

He said he supported Israel and believed it had the right to defend itself.

"But its military actions in the past two weeks have been wrong and unjustifiable.

The crisis in Gaza is set to continue

"The escalation of violence engulfing Gaza has led, and is leading, to suffering and destruction on an appalling scale, and is losing Israel friends in the international community day by day."

It came amid claims that Britain is selling arms to Israel that could be being used against Palestinian citizens.

Katy Clark, a Labour MP on the Committee on Arms Export Controls, told Sky News arms had been sold since 2010 under hundreds of licences that were still in place.

Her committee found the UK can sell 22 different types of equipment to Israel including components for military combat vehicles, communications equipment, sniper rifles and water cannon.

The Government said it had started a review into all the licences, with the ultimate decision to suspend any lying with the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills.

It is led by Lib Dem minister Vince Cable, who will be under pressure to act given the outspoken interventions from senior figures in his party.

Deputy Prime Minister and Lib Dem leader Nick Clegg has called on Israel to open direct talks with the political arm of Hamas.

Writing in The Guardian, he said the "daily images of human torment in Gaza have been harrowing and heartbreaking".

And he insisted Israel's "disproportionate" military response was only worsening the long-term situation.

Mr Clegg pointed to how the Queen shook hands with the former IRA commander Martin McGuinness as a reminder "that even the most intractable conflicts can be resolved".

Former Lib Dem leader Paddy Ashdown said any arms sales contributing to this conflict should be stopped.

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'Kidnapped' Israeli Soldier Declared Dead

Miliband Slams Cameron's Handling Of Gaza Crisis

Updated: 7:24am UK, Sunday 03 August 2014

By Anushka Asthana, Political Correspondent

Labour leader Ed Miliband has accused David Cameron of failing to speak out about an Israeli military operation that he describes as "wrong and unjustifiable".

In a strongly worded statement, he said Mr Cameron had been right to call Hamas an appalling, terrorist organisation.

"But the Prime Minister is wrong not to have opposed Israel's incursion into Gaza," said Mr Miliband.

The Opposition leader added: "And his silence on the killing of hundreds of innocent Palestinian civilians caused by Israeli's military action will be inexplicable to people across Britain and internationally."

Downing Street reacted angrily to the statement, insisting the Prime Minister had been clear that both sides in the conflict need to observe a ceasefire.

"We are shocked that Ed Miliband would seek to misrepresent that position and play politics with such a serious issue."

A Labour source said the situation on the ground in Gaza had led Mr Miliband to speak out.

He said he supported Israel and believed it had the right to defend itself.

"But its military actions in the past two weeks have been wrong and unjustifiable.

"The escalation of violence engulfing Gaza has led, and is leading, to suffering and destruction on an appalling scale, and is losing Israel friends in the international community day by day."

It came amid claims that Britain is selling arms to Israel that could be being used against Palestinian citizens.

Katy Clark, a Labour MP on the Committee on Arms Export Controls, told Sky News arms had been sold since 2010 under hundreds of licences that were still in place.

Her committee found the UK can sell 22 different types of equipment to Israel including components for military combat vehicles, communications equipment, sniper rifles and water cannon.

The Government said it had started a review into all the licences, with the ultimate decision to suspend any lying with the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills.

It is led by Lib Dem minister Vince Cable, who will be under pressure to act given the outspoken interventions from senior figures in his party.

Deputy Prime Minister and Lib Dem leader Nick Clegg has called on Israel to open direct talks with the political arm of Hamas.

Writing in The Guardian, he said the "daily images of human torment in Gaza have been harrowing and heartbreaking".

And he insisted Israel's "disproportionate" military response was only worsening the long-term situation.

Mr Clegg pointed to how the Queen shook hands with the former IRA commander Martin McGuinness as a reminder "that even the most intractable conflicts can be resolved".

Former Lib Dem leader Paddy Ashdown said any arms sales contributing to this conflict should be stopped.

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