'Children So Thirsty They're Drinking Blood'

PM: UK To Help In Major Iraq Rescue Mission

Updated: 5:17pm UK, Wednesday 13 August 2014

David Cameron has said "detailed plans" are being made for an international mission to rescue the Yazidis stranded in the mountains of northern Iraq.

The Prime Minister said Britain would "play a role in delivering" the rescue of thousands of ethnic minority Kurds who have been driven into Mount Sinjar by the Islamic State (IS) fighters.

Mr Cameron stressed it would be a "humanitarian operation" and said there was no need to recall Parliament to discuss it. He was speaking after chairing a Cobra meeting following his return from the family holiday in Portugal.

He has come under increasing pressure to commit to military action in Iraq. A growing number of MPs have told Sky News it is time for the UK to join US airstrikes to stop the advance of the extremists.

The UK has stepped up its aid drops in northern Iraq and is sending a "small number" of RAF Chinook helicopters to the region. It has already sent RAF Tornado jets equipped with sophisticated surveillance equipment to gather intelligence.

Mr Cameron would not confirm whether the Chinooks would be used to airlift people off the mountains. He added that Britain would continue transporting weapons for the Kurdish forces, who have been outgunned by the jihadists.

Downing Street has consistently resisted calls for UK forces to join the US in taking military action against IS. It has also rejected demands for Parliament to be recalled to debate the crisis.

Thousands of Kurdish ethnic minority Yazidis have been driven into the Sinjar mountains to escape the onslaught of the militants, who have butchered their way through the north of Iraq leaving mass graves of victims in their wake.

The United Nations estimates that between 20,000 and 30,000 people from the ancient Yazidi community remain stranded, others have perished, unable to get food or water to survive, while some have been rescued by Kurdish forces.

Sky's Political Correspondent Sophy Ridge said of the 23 MPs she had spoken to, 18 would support military intervention and many urged Mr Cameron to recall Parliament.

Significantly, seven of those MPs who supported action voted against using military force in Syria to end the humanitarian crisis there.

Conservative MP Nick de Bois said: "Whether you support airstrikes or not, and they should be on the table for urgent consideration, Parliament has both the moral obligation and a duty to our constituents to examine and advise the Government on whether we should take that step.

"Every day matters in this humanitarian crisis and that's why we should be recalled."

It comes as British commanders with experience in Iraq have urged the Prime Minister to consider taking military action, with Colonel Tim Collins warning the ancient civilisations in Iraq could be "extinguished".

Col Collins claimed the Government had "left for lunch" on the issue, and accused politicians of refusing to accept the "moral responsibility" to act.

Writing in the Daily Telegraph, he said: "Britain helped create Iraq in 1920 and we have a moral responsibility to help."

A YouGov poll carried out for The Times suggests support for the British bombing of militants in Iraq is now at 40%. Some 36% of those asked were opposed to the UK taking action.

After talks with Foreign Secretary Philip Hammond in London on Tuesday, Australian Prime Minister Tony Abbott indicated his country's combat forces could return to Iraq but stressed it would be to "prevent genocide" on a "fundamentally humanitarian mission".

Germany has pledged to deliver "non lethal" military aid, including armoured vehicles, helmets and night vision goggles, to the Iraqi army. France was expected to deliver arms to Kurdish forces later on Wednesday.

Former Conservative Defence Secretary Liam Fox also said it was time RAF jets were sent in to join US airstrikes.

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

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Robin Williams Death: Spotlight On Depression

Robin Williams may have had a sparkling public persona but behind the jokes and impressions was a man who was struggling to cope with a serious disease.

The actor's representative confirmed the 63-year-old had been in rehab in recent weeks to try to "fine-tune" his sobriety.

But it was depression, which often goes hand-in-hand with substance abuse, that appears to have led him to take his own life.

Williams' death has prompted a broad conversation about the disease and prevalence of mental illness.

The Dead Poets Society star was often candid about his struggles with sobriety and depression and while outwardly appearing to have it all, he admitted he felt "alone and afraid" while working and would turn to the bottle for solace.

Williams was known for his manic personality

The fact he was so open about his demons may have led the public to think he had them under control.

But Dr Josh Klapow, clinical psychologist at the University of Alabama, told Sky News addiction takes its toll on the body.

"As the individual's life becomes increasingly focused on the substance of choice, the remainder of their life (friends, family, job, recreation) goes away," he said.

"Social isolation, poor physical health, emotional highs and lows from addiction are also triggers for depression."

Williams' death shocked the world and it is not known if his closest friends and family were aware of a deterioration in his mental health.

The star's daughter, Zelda, said: "While I'll never, ever understand how he could be loved so deeply and not find it in his heart to stay, there's minor comfort in knowing our grief and loss, in some small way, is shared with millions."

Williams had been attending weekly AA meetings

But she hit out at those who have criticised his suicide: "As for those who are sending negativity, know that some small, giggling part of him is sending a flock of pigeons to your house to poop on your car."

The 25-year-old also deleted her Twitter and Instagram accounts after allegedly receiving offensive messages from users. She said she was taking time out to "heal".

Dr Klapow said it is important people do not see suicide as a selfish act: "You have to think about the person with depression from their perspective and not yours. They want to die to alleviate their pain and the pain they believe they are causing others."

In January, researchers from the University of Oxford found that comedians show high levels of psychotic personality traits.

Professor Gordon Claridge, of the University of Oxford's Department of Experimental Psychology, said: "The creative elements needed to produce humour are strikingly similar to those characterising the cognitive style of people with psychosis - both schizophrenia and bipolar disorder."

Williams tweeted this photo of him and his daughter Zelda before his death

Comedians Kenneth Williams, Lenny Bruce and Stephen Fry are just a few of the other names who have spoken about their personal demons.

Dr Klapow said there are some reasons why high-profile figures might be susceptible to depression but it is important to remember that it can affect anyone.

"While there are lifestyle factors that can put them at risk, such as uncertainty about the future, pressure and stress from constant scrutiny, highs and lows from an unstable job environment etc, for every star we see who struggles with depression, we need to think about them as representing a larger segment of the population who is also struggling, " he said.

Secret Cinema has announced it will screen Dead Poets Society at the Troxy in east London on Friday night. All proceeds will go to the mental health charity Mind.

Anyone feeling emotionally distressed or suicidal can call Samaritans for help on 08457 90 90 90 or email jo@samaritans.org

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Burglary Victim Suffers 'Life-Changing' Injuries

A picture showing the horrific injuries inflicted on a burglary victim has been released by police trying to catch a suspect who remains on the run.

The 55-year-old victim suffered what doctors have described as "life-changing" facial injuries, as well as bruises all over his body, after answering his door to three men on Monday.

While one of the gang attacked him, the other two threatened a 50-year-old woman at the house in Wimbledon, southwest London, and attempted to tape her down to a chair.

Officers from the Metropolitan Police arrested two men at the scene shortly after 10pm but a third suspect - a man in his 20s - ran off towards the town centre.

CCTV showed him running across a road, narrowly avoiding a passing car.

Detective Inspector Dan O'Sullivan, of the Met's burglary squad, said: "The level of violence used was extreme and has left a victim seriously injured and traumatised.

"I must stress this appears to be an isolated incident and such cases are thankfully rare.

"However, this serious attack is now subject of a meticulous inquiry whilst we work to support individuals affected by the events and the local community.

"Officers are currently conducting high visibility patrols and speaking to residents to answer their concerns."

The two men arrested at the scene remain in custody.

As well as witnesses to the attack, police would like to speak to people who saw a silver Volkswagen two-door cabriolet which is believed to have been used by the suspects.

Anyone with information is asked to call the Met on 020 8649 3159. Alternatively, contact Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.

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Teen Held After Mum's Body Found In Suitcase

The half-naked body of an American tourist has been discovered in a suitcase on the Indonesian holiday island of Bali - prompting the arrest of her daughter and daughter's boyfriend.

The body of Sheila von Wiese Mack was found stuffed into the blood-smeared suitcase in the boot of a taxi in front of the five-star St Regis hotel in Nusa Dua.

The 62-year-old was found with several wounds to her head and a doctor who examined her said it appeared as if she had put up a struggle.

The boyfriend of Ms Mack's daughter, Tommy Schaefer, is led away by police

Police said the suitcase had been wrapped in a bed sheet and sealed up with tape.

Local police chief Djoko Hari Utomo told reporters that Ms Mack had been staying in the hotel with her daughter, Heather, 19, and her daughter's boyfriend, Tommy Schaefer, 21.

Both have been arrested on suspicion of murder.

Police investigations have found that Ms Mack was recorded on CCTV arguing with Mr Schaefer in the lobby of the hotel.

The argument was filmed on Monday night, the day Mr Schaefer joined his girlfriend and her mother, who had arrived together several days before.

Police examine the suitcase

Mr Utomo said that the next day the couple booked a taxi and loaded all the bags into the boot, asking the taxi driver to wait while they checked out.

When they hadn't returned after a two-hour wait, he alerted hotel security staff who found spots of blood on the suitcase and suggested the taxi driver head to a police station.

It was at the station that he suitcase was opened and the body discovered.

They were later arrested on Wednesday morning at a hotel in Bali's Kuta area, about 10km (six miles) away

Mr Utomo told AFP: "This is murder, and we will decide from our investigation whether it is premeditated or spontaneous."

Ms Mack's daughter Heather, 19, is escorted from the premises

The victim's body has been taken to the main hospital in Denpasar, the capital of Bali.

A doctor said she had several wounds to the head which appeared to have been caused by "blunt tools".

A spokesman for the US embassy in Jakarta said they were "aware of the death of an American citizen that took place in Bali and we understand that two individuals have been arrested in connection with the case". 

The St Regis Hotel is one of the most exclusive in Bali with rooms starting at $470 (£250) a night. According to its website it offers a 24-hour butler service.

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Derailed Train Carriages Plunge Into Ravine

A train carrying 200 passengers has been derailed by a landslide, causing several carriages to plunge into a ravine.

One of the carriages hanging off a steep ravine. Pic: Blick.ch

Pictures from the scene show at least one carriage in a ravine and another hanging precariously from the tracks winding through mountains in the east of Switzerland.

Rescue helicopters could also be seen hovering over the eight-carriage regional train in the heavily forested region of Graubuenden.

Scores of passengers on the carriages that managed to remain upright were evacuated to safety and could be seen at the side of the tracks, walking to the nearby town of Tiefencastel.

A number of injured passengers were airlifted to hospital, while several others were treated for shock by paramedics.

Some passengers were rescued by helicopter. Pic: Blick.ch

"Part of the train was derailed by a landslide," a spokesman for Rhaetische Bahn said, adding that he was unable to give further details immediately.

The train was travelling from the mountain resort of St Moritz to Chur when it was caught in the landslide between Tiefencastel and Solis, southeast of Zurich, at around 11.45am UK time.

Three carriages came off the tracks and plunged down the slope of the mountainous region following hours of rainfall earlier in the area.

Terrified passengers described moving to the rear of a carriage to stop it crashing over the edge.

Passengers were evacuated and walked to the nearest town. Pic: Blick.ch

One told news website 20 Minuten: "We all rushed to the back of the carriage to put all of our weight there, so that it didn't tip into the abyss."

Another eyewitness, who was travelling with his wife and granddaughter to Basel, told Swiss website Blick.ch they were sitting behind one of the carriages that plunged into the ravine.

"There was an announcement that we should move into the rear car," he said.

Afterwards, all of those on board the train were told to get off it.

"We had to walk about a kilometre ... through a tunnel. The luggage is still on the train," he added.

Reports suggested there were no fatalities, but police said several passengers were injured.

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Ukraine: Red Cross Urged To Reject Russia Convoy

By Sam Kiley, Foreign Affairs Editor

Western diplomats have made "strong representations" to the International Committee of the Red Cross to avoid getting involved in Russia's 2,000-ton humanitarian aid convoy heading for Ukraine.

According to Sky sources, the UK, US, France and others have told the ICRC that they fear the convoy will be a "Trojan Horse"  and serve as a pretext for deepening Russian involvement in eastern Ukraine.

The death toll from fighting this year has now climbed above 2,000 - with 1,000 added during the past four weeks.

Another 285,000 people have been displaced.

Russia has sent a 280-truck convoy carrying sleeping bags, grain, generators and other essential items for survival for the tens of thousands of people cut off from safe supplies by heavy fighting, especially around Lugansk and Donetsk, the two largest cities in the region.

But "humanitarian aid and intervention" served as a covering excuse for Russia's invasion of Georgia in 2008 and earlier incursions which carved South Ossetia and Abkhazia away from Georgia.

As a consequence, Ukraine said that the convoy would not be allowed to cross from Russia in Russian vehicles.

These are believed to have come from the Russian Tamaz Rifle Brigade and have been re-painted white.

If the convoy turns left, it may be heading for rebel-controlled areas

Russian troops have been accused by Nato and the Ukrainians of having fired artillery and other heavy weapons from Russian territory onto Ukrainian troops in support of pro-Russian separatist rebels.

Moscow is also known to have significant numbers of its foreign spy agency - the GRU - on the ground marshalling volunteers from Ukraine, Chechnya and even Serbia, who came into Ukraine via Russia.

"There is a strong feeling that, if the aid comes in under any organisation's flag, even the ICRC, it may get attacked by gunmen or held up and that this sort of an incident could be used by Russia to send troops into the country under the guise of humanitarian intervention," said a senior European diplomat.

A Ukrainian soldier stands guard at a border crossing

The ICRC has said there is a dire need for humanitarian assistance to tens of thousands of people.

"There are significant and immediate needs for medicine, food and clean drinking water," an ICRC official told Sky News.

"On top of that, power, fuel and, of course, human safety is in extremely short supply."

The convoy officially set off for the border crossing at Shebekino, north of Kharkiv.

It stopped on Wednesday at Voronezh, a junction town where the convoy could head on its declared track - or turn left and head due south.

If it takes that route, the West and Kiev will sound loud alarm bells and suggest that the convoy is heading for rebel-controlled border crossings into Russia and accuse Moscow of a barely disguised invasion.

The ICRC is under pressure from Moscow, and from the desperate humanitarian reality, to take control of the contents of the convoy at least at the Ukrainian border.

It has asked for more details from the Russians, who have not yet supplied them.

Meanwhile, the Ukrainian prime minister reacted with undisguised rage at the Moscow convoy.

"The level of Russian cynicism knows no bounds," said Arseny Yatseniuk at a government meeting.

"First  they send tanks, Grad missiles and bandits who fire on Ukrainians and then they send water and salt."

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Journalist Killed In Gaza Missile Blast

An Italian journalist was among five people killed when an unexploded missile detonated in northern Gaza.

The blast, in Beit Lahiya, happened as bomb squad officers attempted to dismantle the device on Wednesday.

Simone Camilli, 35, was killed along with a colleague and another three Palestinians.

At least six people were also wounded in the explosion - three of them critically.

Gaza's police force said the head of the bomb squad, his deputy and another officer were killed.

The deaths came as Egyptian negotiators aim to secure a further ceasefire from both sides to extend a three-day truce which is due to expire at 10pm.

No breaches of the ceasefire have been reported, but Israel said its navy had fired warning shots at a boat near Rafah as it approached the Gaza border.

More than 1,950 Palestinian people have been killed in five weeks of fighting in Gaza.

Sixty four Israeli soldiers and three civilians in Israel have also died.

Hamas has said it will not halt rocket attacks on Israel until the blockade it imposed on Gaza in 2006 is lifted.

But Israel has said it will allow the reconstruction of Gaza only if Hamas fully disarms.

Both sides have said they will resume hostilities if the talks fail.

The latest conflict is the third between Israel and Palestinian militants since Hamas took control of Gaza in 2007.

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Student Cleared Of Knickers Plot For Jihadists

A 27-year-old woman who tried to smuggle cash in her knickers on a flight to Turkey has been cleared of funding jihadists in Syria.

Nawal Msaad tried to take €20,000 (£15,830) in rolled-up notes on a flight from Heathrow to Istanbul in January, the Old Bailey heard.

She did it for her friend Amal El-Wahabi, 27, whose husband Aine Davis, 30, asked for the money, after leaving Britain to join jihadists in Syria last year.

The plot failed when she was stopped at the departure gate and produced the cash, which had been hidden in a condom, from her underwear.

Ms Msaad, from Holloway, north London, and El-Wahabi, from northwest London, both denied making money available with "reasonable cause to suspect that it would or may be used for the purposes of terrorism".

The jury cleared Ms Msaad but convicted mother-of-two El-Wahabi after deliberating for five days.

El-Wahabi will be sentenced on September 12

El-Wahabi is the first Briton to be convicted under terror laws of funding jihadi fighters in Syria.

She wept in the dock as the jury returned its guilty verdict, saying: "I can't breathe, no, I cant breathe."

The pair are London-born of Moroccan descent and had been close friends for years, the court heard.

Ms Msaad, who had been studying human resources at London Metropolitan University, agreed to take the money in return for €1,000 in expenses, jurors were told.

When she was stopped at the departure gate, she said the three-day trip to Istanbul was a "short break" to buy gold for her mother.

Ms Msaad, left, said she never meant to smuggle cash to bankroll terrorism

She was taken into a private room and produced the cash from her underwear.

The smuggling arrangements were made days before in phone calls and WhatsApp messages between El-Wahabi and her husband and Ms Msaad.

The same day Ms Msaad was arrested, police seized mobile phones and computer equipment from El-Wahabi's home.

Davis, who used the Muslim name Hamza, kept in regular contact with El-Wahabi after leaving London to pursue a jihadist cause.

After six months, El-Wahabi, who was living on benefits, was coming round to the idea of joining him wherever he was, the court heard.

The jury was shown a "selfie" Davis sent her, as well as videos containing jihadist propaganda.

El-Wahabi denied knowledge of any terrorist activities or their funding.

When Ms Msaad went into the witness box, she accused El-Wahabi of "stitching" her up by not telling her where the money came from.

She insisted she had never meant to smuggle cash abroad to bankroll terrorism.

Davis, who was born in London with roots in Gambia, met El-Wahabi at a local mosque and became increasingly interested in Islam six or seven years ago, the court heard.

His current whereabouts are unknown. El-Wahabi will be sentenced on September 12.

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PM: UK To Help In Major Iraq Rescue Mission

David Cameron has said "detailed plans" are being made for an international mission to rescue the Yazidis stranded in the mountains of northern Iraq.

The Prime Minister said Britain would "play a role in delivering" the rescue of thousands of ethnic minority Kurds who have been driven into Mount Sinjar by the Islamic State (IS) fighters.

Mr Cameron stressed it would be a "humanitarian operation" and said there was no need to recall Parliament to discuss it. He was speaking after chairing a Cobra meeting following his return from the family holiday in Portugal.

RAF Tornado jets will carry out surveillance mission in Iraq

He has come under increasing pressure to commit to military action in Iraq. A growing number of MPs have told Sky News it is time for the UK to join US airstrikes to stop the advance of the extremists.

The UK has stepped up its aid drops in northern Iraq and is sending a "small number" of RAF Chinook helicopters to the region. It has already sent RAF Tornado jets equipped with sophisticated surveillance equipment to gather intelligence.

Mr Cameron would not confirm whether the Chinooks would be used to airlift people off the mountains. He added that Britain would continue transporting weapons for the Kurdish forces, who have been outgunned by the jihadists.

Downing Street has consistently resisted calls for UK forces to join the US in taking military action against IS. It has also rejected demands for Parliament to be recalled to debate the crisis.

The Prime Minister has been on a 10-day holiday in Portugal

Thousands of Kurdish ethnic minority Yazidis have been driven into the Sinjar mountains to escape the onslaught of the militants, who have butchered their way through the north of Iraq leaving mass graves of victims in their wake.

The United Nations estimates that between 20,000 and 30,000 people from the ancient Yazidi community remain stranded, others have perished, unable to get food or water to survive, while some have been rescued by Kurdish forces.

Sky's Political Correspondent Sophy Ridge said of the 23 MPs she had spoken to, 18 would support military intervention and many urged Mr Cameron to recall Parliament.

Significantly, seven of those MPs who supported action voted against using military force in Syria to end the humanitarian crisis there.

Conservative MP Nick de Bois said: "Whether you support airstrikes or not, and they should be on the table for urgent consideration, Parliament has both the moral obligation and a duty to our constituents to examine and advise the Government on whether we should take that step.

The Yazidi community has fled into the Sinjar mountains

"Every day matters in this humanitarian crisis and that's why we should be recalled."

It comes as British commanders with experience in Iraq have urged the Prime Minister to consider taking military action, with Colonel Tim Collins warning the ancient civilisations in Iraq could be "extinguished".

Col Collins claimed the Government had "left for lunch" on the issue, and accused politicians of refusing to accept the "moral responsibility" to act.

Tony Abbott, in London on Tuesday, hinted forces could return to Iraq

Writing in the Daily Telegraph, he said: "Britain helped create Iraq in 1920 and we have a moral responsibility to help."

A YouGov poll carried out for The Times suggests support for the British bombing of militants in Iraq is now at 40%. Some 36% of those asked were opposed to the UK taking action.

After talks with Foreign Secretary Philip Hammond in London on Tuesday, Australian Prime Minister Tony Abbott indicated his country's combat forces could return to Iraq but stressed it would be to "prevent genocide" on a "fundamentally humanitarian mission".

US service members prepare humanitarian aid for the Yazidis in Iraq

Germany has pledged to deliver "non lethal" military aid, including armoured vehicles, helmets and night vision goggles, to the Iraqi army. France was expected to deliver arms to Kurdish forces later on Wednesday.

Former Conservative Defence Secretary Liam Fox also said it was time RAF jets were sent in to join US airstrikes.

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

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Ebola Outbreak: 56 People Dead In Two Days

There have been 56 more deaths in a 48-hour period in West Africa's ebola outbreak, bringing the total number of fatalities to 1,069.

Guinea, Liberia, Sierra Leone and Nigeria have all been hit the worst-ever outbreak, which began in March.

In the two days to August 11, there were 128 new cases, meaning a total of 1,975, according to the World Health Organisation.

More follows...

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