Pope Excommunicates Mafia Members

Pope Francis has described an Italian crime syndicate as "the adoration of evil", adding Mafiosi "are excommunicated".

He was speaking about the 'ndrangheta group during a Mass in southern Italy.

It was the strongest attack on organised crime since the late Pope John Paul hit out at the Sicilian Mafia in 1993.

Francis made the comments after comforting the father of a murdered youngster during a visit to Calabria.

He also met the two grandmothers of Coco' Campolongo in the courtyard of a prison in the town of Castrovillari.

The three-year-old boy was shot, along with one of his grandfathers and the grandfather's companion, in January in an attack blamed on drug turf wars in the nearby town of Cassano all'Jonio.

The father was in prison at the time.

The gunmen also torched the car with the three victims inside.

The Pope publicly expressed his horror at the attack and promised to visit the town.

Francis embraced the father, who asked him to pray for the boy's mother, who was said to be under house arrest.

According to a Vatican spokesman, he told the father: "May children never again have to suffer in this way."

"The two grandmothers were weeping like fountains," the spokesman added.

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Guildford Four's Gerry Conlon Dies, Aged 60

Guildford Four: A Long Wait For Justice

Updated: 4:30pm UK, Saturday 21 June 2014

Gerry Conlon and the other members of Guildford Four were convicted at the height of Northern Ireland's Troubles, after the IRA carried out a bombing campaign targeting pubs in the mainland UK.

But the deadly attacks in Guildford, Woolwich and Birmingham in 1974 became better known for the huge miscarriages of justices that followed, with the police under huge pressure to catch those responsible.

The plight of the Guildford Four was also highlighted by the 1993 film In The Name Of The Father, in which Conlon and his father Giuseppe were played by Daniel Day-Lewis and Pete Postlethwaite respectively.

Gerry Conlon, Paddy Armstrong, Paul Hill and Carole Richardson were jailed in 1975 for the attack on the Horse and Groom pub in Guildford which killed four soldiers and a civilian and injured scores more.

Mr Hill and Mr Armstrong were also jailed for the Woolwich bombing in which two people died.

In a separate trial, The Birmingham Six - Paddy Joe Hill, Hugh Callaghan, Richard McIlkenny, Gerry Hunter, Billy Power and Johnny Walker - were convicted of the Midlands bombings.

Later Giuseppe, and members of the Maguire family - who became known as the Maguire Seven - were arrested and jailed for possessing and supplying the IRA with explosives.

All those involved protested their innocence and after years of campaigning their convictions were overturned.

In October 1989 the Court of Appeal quashed the sentences of the Guildford Four after they had served 14 years behind bars, amid doubts about the police evidence against them.

An investigation into the case by Avon and Somerset Police found serious flaws in the way Surrey Police handled the case.

However, Giuseppe Conlon died in prison in 1980, still protesting his innocence, and never saw his son released.

His sentence was posthumously overturned by the Court of Appeal along with those of the Maguires in June 1991. The Birmingham Six had their convictions overturned on appeal in the same year.

In July 2000, Prime Minister Tony Blair became the first senior politician to apologise to the Guildford Four.

In a letter sent to Paul Hill's wife - one of the American Kennedy clan - he wrote: "There were miscarriages of justice in your husband's case, and the cases of those convicted with him. I am very sorry indeed that this should have happened."

In recent years Gerry Conlon took up the cause of a number of dissident republicans jailed in Northern Ireland including Marian Price.

She was found guilty of offences linked to paramilitaries, including providing a phone used by the Real IRA hit squad that murdered two British soldiers at the Massereene barracks in Co Antrim in 2009.

He insisted his approach was not politically-motivated but about the right of people to have a fair trial and the right for justice to be seen to be done in public.

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Colchester Murder Police Seek 'Running Man'

Police have said they want to speak to a man seen running close to where Saudi student Nahid Almanea was killed.

The white man, aged between 18 and 25, of medium build and with dark hair was spotted to coming out of an alleyway which indirectly links to to the Salary Brook Trail, where the 31-year-old was stabbed.

He was wearing a long sleeved, plain hooded top that is described as London bus red and dark trousers.

Ms Almanea was stabbed 16 times while walking along a path on Tuesday morning.

Nadia Almanea was attacked on her way to university

In a statement, Detective Chief Superintendent Steve Worron said police also wanted to hear from anyone who could help identify a man wanted for questioning over an attack on a woman in Peache Road, Colchester, at around 10pm on June 19.

"The location of this attack, and some aspects of it, including reports that a knife was seen and the victim was a woman, mean that this suspect is also of interest to the Almanea investigation," he said.

The attacker was described as white, in his early 20s, and around 5ft 7in to 5ft 8in tall. He was of medium build and had a narrow face, appeared unwell, and possibly had fair hair.

Police have been searching the area where Ms Almanea was stabbed

Ms Almanea had been taking an English language course at the University of Essex as part of her studies for a life sciences PhD.

Police released a CCTV picture of the 31-year-old taken moments before her death and a map of her likely route from the home she shared with her brother to the spot on the Salary Brook trail where her body was found.

Police have previously said the fact that Ms Almanea was stabbed multiple times bore "obvious similarities" to the murder of James Attfield, a vulnerable man with brain damage who was stabbed more than 100 times in a park in Colchester in March.

Police released a map showing Ms Almanea's route

In the statement on Saturday, police said it was still not clear whether the two killings had been carried out by the same person.

"A criminal profiler from the National Crime Agency has carried out a thorough assessment of all the evidence in connection with both murders," Detective Chief Superintendent Worron said.

"A decision has been taken that they remain separate but parallel investigations at this time.

"However the circumstances of both crimes mean that we must consider the possibility that the same killer or killers are responsible."

James Attfield was stabbed more than 100 times in March

Police have urged people to remain vigilant and be careful about going out alone following the attacks.

Superintendent Steve Ditchburn said extra patrols were being carried out across the town.

"Our advice to people is that we have now had two knife murders in Colchester in less than three months where the motive for the attacks remains unknown," he said.

"Both of these attacks were on lone people who were in locations where it appears no one else was nearby at the time.

"For that reason we would remind people to take sensible precautions to stay safe. This includes avoiding any situations in which you could find yourself isolated and alone in a public area."

:: Anyone with information is asked to contact the Major Investigation Team on 01245 282103, Essex Police on 101 or contact Crimestoppers, anonymously, on 0800 555 111.

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South Korean Soldier Kills Comrades And Flees

A South Korean soldier has shot dead five members of his own unit at a guard post near the border with the North, say officials.

The army conscript, who also wounded five others when he opened fire, is on the run after fleeing with his weapon.

An operation is under way to capture him.

The shooting happened at an outpost in Goseong close to the DMZ

The shooting happened at an outpost in Goseong, about 205 miles northeast of the capital Seoul, on Saturday.

It is located just outside the demilitarised zone (DMZ) - a buffer strip that runs the full length of the border, and known as the world's last Cold War frontier.

A spokesman said: "He shot dead five fellow soldiers, wounded five others and then fled the scene with his rifle and ammunition."

The border separating the two Koreas is heavily fortified

There is no indication North Korea was involved, but tensions have been heightened recently, with Pyongyang staging a series of missile and artillery drills.

The rivals have also exchanged fire along their disputed maritime border in the Yellow Sea.

Shootings do happen occasionally on the heavily-fortified border.

Last year, South Korean soldiers shot and killed a man they thought was trying to cross into the North.

In 2011, a 19-year-old marine corporal went on a shooting rampage at a Gwanghwa Island base, just south of the tense maritime border.

And in 2005, a soldier tossed a hand grenade and opened fire at a frontline army unit in a rampage that killed eight colleagues and injured several others.

The Korean Peninsula is still technically in a state of war as the 1950-53 war ended with an armistice, not a peace treaty.

The South Korean military made up of more than 600,000 troops relies heavily on conscription, and military service often involves postings to frontline positions on the border with North Korea.

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Teacher Caught Under Pupil's Bed Sentenced

A married maths teacher has been placed on the sex offenders' register for having sex with a 16-year-old girl.

Andrew Welsh, 36, was also given a 14-month jail term, suspended for two years, and ordered to carry out 200 hours of community service after being caught by the girl's mother, who found him hiding under the bed.

Bolton Crown Court heard he was caught when the the girl's mother returned home unexpectedly one morning last July.

Geoff Whelan, prosecuting, told the jury the girl had ruffled hair and smudged lipstick.

When the mother went upstairs, she noticed a pair of men's boots at the side of the girl's bed, he added.

This "understandably aroused suspicion" in the mother, who asked the girl: "What are you doing? Who is here?"

Mr Whelan continued: "However, as that was said, she looked down and saw movement in the drawer compartment within the girl's single divan bed and the valance sheet folded back.

"She saw movement of material which seemed to match the suit jacket her daughter was holding.

"The girl replied 'Mr Welsh'.

"Her mother ordered the defendant to get out from under the bed and recognised him from the school."

The shocked mother called her husband and the police and Welsh was arrested.

The court heard Welsh, of High Bank, Atherton, near Wigan, had begun a relationship with the "impressionable" girl last summer while she was taking her GCSEs.

The St Andrews University graduate bombarded the girl with obscene texts, including: "Have you heard about my maths lesson? We're going to find out if 35 goes into 16."

Welsh, who is married to a local doctor, tried to have the charges dismissed after telling police the girl was 16, the sex was consensual and all sexual activity took place after she had left school.

However, the judge ruled at an earlier hearing charges against the father-of-one should stand as Welsh had been in a position of trust. The defendant then pleaded guilty to six counts of sexual activity with a child while in a position of trust.

Passing sentence, Judge Knopf told Welsh: "You were nearly 20 years older than this girl.

"It is you who has to bear the responsibility for what happened. She was attracted to you, you should have exercised the judgment which you clearly lacked when you decided to embark on this relationship with her."

Welsh was ordered to sign the sex offenders' register for 10 years.

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Colchester Police Hunt 'Brutal' Murderer

Police have promised to "unrelentingly" pursue all lines of inquiry as they continue to investigate the brutal murder of a Saudi Arabian student who was stabbed 16 times.

Nahid Almanea was walking along a path in Colchester, Essex, on Tuesday morning when she was attacked.

Police are investigating whether the 31-year-old's clothing - an abaya robe and hijab headscarf - was a factor in the stabbing, but stressed they do not yet know for sure.

There are other possible motives, officers say, but they are calling for calm, and have confirmed they are investigating threats of revenge attacks made on social media.

The locations of the two murders

Police have warned people not to go out alone and to be vigilant.

The fact that she was stabbed multiple times bore "obvious similarities" to the murder of James Attfield, a vulnerable man with brain damage, the force said.

He was stabbed more than 100 times in a park in Colchester in March, but Essex Police stressed the cases remain separate investigations.

Sky's Emma Birchley, who is at the scene of Ms Almanea's murder, said: "The police presence is enormous, there are police cars patrolling everywhere, not just here close to the scene."

Salary Brook Trail, where Ms Almanea was attacked

Chief Inspector Richard Phillibrown said: "I see this murder as an attack on the entire community of Colchester and I believe we will all pull together to respond to it.

"I am confident that the vast majority of people in this town will pay no attention to those trying to stir up trouble."

He added: "What we would also ask is for people to look out for each other, for neighbours to keep an eye on the vulnerable and for everyone to remain vigilant."

In a joint statement, Chief Constable Stephen Kavanagh and Essex Police and Crime Commissioner Nick Alston said: "We would urge everyone to work with Essex Police, who will, supported by local communities, do everything possible to find the person or people responsible for both these awful crimes.

The bag Ms Almanea was carrying when she was murdered

"I know that everyone in Colchester will come together, and remain strong and united in ensuring that the town and the district continues to be safe and welcoming to all."

Ms Almanea, who has been described as a "very intelligent" student, had been studying an English language course at the University of Essex as part of her studies for a life sciences PhD.

A 52-year-old man arrested in connection with the incident has been released after police said he had been positively eliminated from their enquiries.

CCTV footage taken from a newsagent, which shows Ms Almanea's last movements as she headed towards the footpath, has been released.

The killing of James Attfield remains unsolved

Police have also released a map of her likely route from nearby Woodrow Way to the Salary Brook trail where she was stabbed, as well as a photograph of the bag she was carrying.

Officers said Ms Almanea would usually walk to the university with her brother, who she also lived with.

But because he had earlier lectures that day she was walking alone.

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Mansfield Bodies In Garden: Couple Guilty

By David Crabtree, Midlands Correspondent

A woman and her husband have been found guilty of murdering her parents and burying them in their own garden.

Susan Edwards, 55, and her husband Christopher, 57, showed no emotion as the verdicts were read out at Nottingham Crown Court.

Her parents, Patricia and William Wycherley, were each shot twice at close range in 1998 and their bodies hid in their own backyard at Blenheim Close, Mansfield, Nottinghamshire.

The couple spent money on memorabilia, such as a signed Gary Cooper photo

But the Edwards had pretended her parents were still alive for 15 years by sending Christmas cards to relatives, forging signatures on official documents and setting up timers in the Wycherleys' home.

One letter written in December 2007 reads: "Actually, my father is remarkably fit for his age - as well as being more adventurous than in younger years, as his Ireland travels would show!"

The Wycherleys' bank accounts were closed and a new one set up which allowed the couple to syphon £245,000 from her dead parents' benefits and pensions, and the eventual selling of the Wycherley home, with the bodies buried in the back garden.

Despite stealing the money, the Edwards were found to be £160,000 in debt. When they were arrested, police found they held only one euro in cash.

The couple forged letters and signatures from the Wycherleys

It was revealed during the two-week trial that Susan Edwards had an obsession with celebrities and had spent thousands of pounds buying letters written by Hollywood star Gary Cooper.

In another bizarre twist, it also emerged that Susan Edwards had faked a decade-long writing relationship with French film star Gerard Depardieu.

The Edwards fled to France after they received a letter from the Department of Work and Pensions and the Centenarian Society asking to speak to Mr Wycherley at the approach of what would have been his 100th birthday.

Police dug up the back garden after Christopher Edwards' stepmother contacted police because he had asked her for money and confessed to helping his wife bury her parents 15 years earlier.

Edwards faked a decade-long writing relationship with Gerard Depardieu

After they were traced to France, the Edwards - who were arrested last October at London's St Pancras station - sent a politely worded email to the officer in charge, Detective Chief Inspector Rob Griffin, saying: "We are going to surrender".

DCI Griffin said: "It was straightforwardly about money."

Susan Edwards, a former librarian, admitted her mother's manslaughter, but both her and her husband had denied murder.

She claimed she had shot her mother after hearing her shoot her father while staying with her parents.

The judge, Mrs Justice Kathryn Thirlwall, told the Edwards they could expect a life term when they are sentenced next week.

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'British Jihadist' Video Calls For Iraq Recruits

A video purporting to show British jihadists urging Western Muslims to join them in Iraq has been released on social media.

The footage - which has not been independently verified - apparently features Britons and Australians fighting for the Islamic State in Iraq and Syria (ISIS).

It is titled "There is no life without Jihad", lasts 13 minutes and appears to have been shot in Syria several weeks ago.

One apparent Briton is heard saying: "We go to Iraq in a few days to fight there. We will even go to Jordan and Lebanon - wherever our sheikh wants to send us."

A Home Office spokesperson said "online terrorism" which "influences people who are vulnerable to radicalisation" would not be tolerated.

"We already work closely with the internet industry to remove terrorist material hosted in the UK or overseas," the spokesperson said.

Militants have posted images purportedly showing the massacre of soldiers

Adam Walker, of the Ahmadiyya Muslim Youth Association, told Sky News that Muslims in the UK were shocked by the video.

"[The people in the video] are focusing on a really small minority if individuals in the UK who have somehow been influenced by hate preachers, and who feel that somehow Islam promotes that they should go to a foreign country and kill people, which is patently wrong.

"They should respect the values that Britain promotes and that Islam also promotes - of tolerance and respect."

The video emerged as ISIS, who have taken control of large swathes of Iraq, launched a global campaign asking Muslims to post messages of support "to support the Islamic State" on social media.

"Today after Friday prayers we will be launching with the help of God the largest media campaign in support of an Islamic state," tweeted @AL_Bttaar, one of the apparent orchestrators.

An image outlining "duties" of those supporting the campaign is also in circulation.

Isis released a video showing captured Iraq military personnel

The duties include talking "about the lies that enemies try to pin on ISIS" and to "tweet the talks of Sheikh Al Baghdadi", an ISIS chief.

Sky's Foreign Affairs Correspondent Lisa Holland said ISIS is proving as capable on the web as on the battlefield.

"We've seen fairly unsophisticated videos released by Al Qaeda but this is quite different," she said. "ISIS knows how to use the media both in terms of publicising their gains but also promoting their propaganda.

"They even seem to have a media hub."

ISIS has used social media to release videos of its fighters parading around towns they have claimed in northern Iraq.

Last week a series of horrific images of Iraqi soldiers being murdered were posted online.

Meanwhile, Twitter user Abu Rashash Britani, who claimed to be a British ISIS fighter and published a stream of vile tweets, has had his account suspended.

One of the co-founders of Twitter has told Sky News the platform remains a "force for good" despite being utilised by groups such as ISIS.

Biz Stone told Digital View, which airs on Saturday at 10.30am: "When you create a large-scale platform where hundreds of millions of people have the freedom of expression you have to take the good with the bad.

"I'd rather this sort of thing be out in the open than hidden in the back waters."

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Rik Mayall Remembered By Friends And Family

Rik Mayall's friends and family have paid their respects to the late comedian at a private funeral service.

Ruby Wax, Jennifer Saunders and Dawn French were among mourners who attended the service at St George's Church in Dittisham, Devon.

Mayall - known for roles in TV hits such as Bottom, The New Statesman and The Young Ones - had a home in the county.

Prior to the service, Mayall's widow Barbara asked fans for their "thoughts and prayers" during the private ceremony.

Mayall died after a morning jog

Around 140 people packed the church to remember the star who died last week aged 56 at his home in Barnes, southwest London after going for a morning jog.

Mrs Mayall said he died of an "acute cardiac event".

Adrian Edmondson, with whom Mayall forged a friendship as a student in Manchester and who was his comedy partner for many of his most memorable series, was among the pall-bearers as the coffin was led from the church.

Others who filed into the church, accompanied by Procol Harum's A Whiter Shade Of Pale on organ, were Alan Rickman and actor and director Peter Richardson, a long-standing friend with whom Mayall had worked repeatedly.

Ben Elton, his old friend from university and one of his co-writers on The Young Ones, was also among the mourners who saw the wicker coffin - adorned with red flowers - carried into the church.

A memorial service for the star is expected to be held in September.

Mayall shot to national fame for his role as poetry-writing anarchist Rick in The Young Ones, going on to star as conniving Conservative MP Alan B'Stard in The New Statesman and Lord Flashheart in Blackadder.

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Ian Wright 'Angry' As Family Burgled At Knifepoint

Former England international Ian Wright is said to be "really upset and angry" after his wife and children were burgled at knifepoint by four armed men.

A blade was held at his wife Nancy's throat, while his children were threatened with having their fingers cut off, during the robbery on Wednesday night at the family's home in St John's Wood, north-west London, The Sun reported.

Both mother and children are thought to have been separated in different rooms during the burglary.

The gang are understood to have made off with cash and jewellery.

The family home in London

Steve Kutner, Wright's manager, told the newspaper: "It was a terrifying ordeal. They marched Ian's wife from room to room."

The 50-year-old former Arsenal striker tweeted last night: "You won't get away with it!"

Wright, who has been working for ITV in Brazil, flew home immediately as soon as he heard the news and arrived back at London's Heathrow Airport on Thursday afternoon.

He emerged briefly from his home earlier and told reporters his wife was "feeling good that I am back".

"All I want to say, really, is that my missus, my girls, everyone's safe," he said.

"The police are trying to get on doing what they are doing."

Wright's spokeswoman said he just wanted to be back with his family

A spokeswoman for Wright said earlier: "Nancy is really shaken up. Their kids are so young that hopefully they aren't going to read into it too much. They are all physically OK - Nancy and the kids."

She added: : "Hopefully, with enough media coverage, this won't happen to any other players or people who are over in the World Cup. Ian is trying to get the message out."

Detective Chief Inspector Mick Gornall, of the Metropolitan Police, who is leading the investigation, said: "We are trying to trace these four men, and I'd ask anyone who may know anything to get in touch with my team and help us.

"Fortunately no one was injured during the burglary, but it is still very frightening to have people force their way into your home and threaten you.

"Last night officers went to the address and started carrying out house-to-house inquiries. We are also seizing and reviewing CCTV."

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Three Nurses Charged With Neglecting Patients

Three nurses have been charged with wilful neglect of patients at the Princess of Wales Hospital in Bridgend.

The charges follow an investigation by South Wales Police into claims of patients' notes being falsified.

They were brought under Section 44 of the Mental Capacity Act 2005. 

The three accused work at the Princess of Wales Hospital and have been suspended since last year.

They have been named as Lauro Bertulano, 44, Clare Cahill, 41 and Rebecca Jones, 29 - all from the Bridgend area.

They are due to appear before Bridgend Magistrates Court on Monday 28th July.

A hospital spokesman said it was aware of the charges.

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Colchester Knife Murders: Public Warned

Police investigating the murder of Muslim woman have revealed she was stabbed 16 times - and are warning people not to go out alone.

Detectives say two of the wounds suffered by student Nahid Almanea during the attack in Colchester would have been fatal on their own.

And officers from Essex Police told a news conference they were investigating whether the 31-year-old's dress - an abbaya and a hijab - may have been a factor in the stabbing, but that they do not yet know for sure.

They are also said they were looking into whether the killing was linked to another fatal stabbing in March.

Chief Insp Richard Phillibrown said: "It's true that we've two knife murders in Colchester in less than three months, where the motive remains unknown.

Police released an image of Ms Almanea's distinctive bag

"I urge everyone in Colchester to be vigilant. The similarities between those two offences will be drawn.

"It's important that people are aware of their own surroundings, that they don't go out alone in isolated places, that they take sensible precautions."

Detective Chief Superintendent Steve Worron, of Essex Police, said: "A post-mortem was carried out on Nahid's body yesterday afternoon.

"We can now confirm that the cause of death was knife wounds.

"She suffered at least two knife wounds which would have proved fatal on their own, but in total she was stabbed 16 times to her body, neck, head and arms."

It comes after the murder of a vulnerable man, who had a brain injury after being hit by a car four years ago, near Castle Park in Colchester in the early hours of the morning on March 29.

A post-mortem examination found 33-year-old James Attfield had been stabbed more than 100 times.

Essex Police also issued an image of the bag Ms Almanea was using at the time she was killed.

They said it was a black and orange shoulder bag with the logo Activ on it.

Anyone who saw a woman walking though the Greenstead estate on Tuesday morning carrying this bag is asked to contact officers on 101.

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PM Warns Iraq Terrorists Will 'Hit UK At Home'

Timeline: How The Iraq Crisis Unfolded

Updated: 2:12pm UK, Tuesday 17 June 2014

A look back at the main events in the Iraq crisis, which has seen Sunni insurgents from the Islamic State in Iraq and Syria (ISIS) terror group move to within 50 miles of the capital Baghdad.

December 2011: US troops complete their withdrawal after the 2003 invasion which led to the removal of Saddam Hussein.

August 2013: More than 70 people are killed in attacks at the end of Ramadan. ISIS claim responsibility.

January 2-4, 2014: ISIS declares itself in control of the western city of Fallujah and parts of Ramadi following clashes sparked by the clearing of a Sunni-Arab protest camp.

February: al Qaeda formally disowns ISIS, which was at one time an affiliate, because of its extreme methods.

April: Prime Minister Nouri al Maliki wins the most seats in a general election.

June 10: ISIS seizes all of Nineveh province in the north, including the capital Mosul - Iraq's second city. Mr Maliki asks parliament to declare a state of emergency.

June 11: The militants launch a wave of attacks further south, taking Tikrit and freeing hundreds of prisoners in Baiji. An assault on Samarra, 70 miles (110km) north of Baghdad, is repelled by security forces.

June 12: Iraq's air force strikes fighters' positions near Mosul and Tikrit.

US President Barack Obama says he is looking at "all the options" to help the government, which fails to secure authorisation for a state of emergency.

The army abandons its bases in Kirkuk, leaving Kurdish Peshmerga troops to take control.

June 13: A top Shia cleric issues a call to arms, telling the population to take up arms and defend their country.

Mr Maliki claims government forces have started to clear cities of "terrorists" and implements an emergency plan to protect Baghdad.

President Obama rules out sending back troops to fight ISIS.

The rebels move into the towns of Saadiyah and Jalawla in eastern province of Diyala.

June 14: Iran offers to work with the US to tackle the crisis, as Britain pledges an initial £3m in emergency aid to help refugees fleeing the violence.

The Iraqi army's fightback continues, with forces retaking the towns of Ishaqi, al-Mutasim and Duluiyah in Salaheddin province.

Troops also regain much of Tikrit, Saddam Hussein's home town.

US aircraft carrier USS George HW Bush is ordered to the Persian Gulf.

June 15: Photos emerge appearing to show an ISIS massacre of 1,700 captured government soldiers. Baghdad says number is exaggerated.

Reports say militants have overrun Tal Afar, the largest town in Nineveh province.

A bombing in central Baghdad leaves 15 people dead and dozens injured.

Former PM Tony Blair tells Sky News that critics who believe the violence is the result of the 2003 invasion are "profoundly mistaken".

June 16: Video footage purporting to show an ISIS fighter questioning and killing unarmed Iraqi soldiers draws condemnation.

ISIS takes control of Tal Afar and the al Adhim area of Diyala province.

US Secretary of State John Kerry says Washington is "open to discussions with Iran".

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Iraq Crisis: PM Vows To 'Face Terrorism'

Iraq's prime minister has said his forces are "striking back" after a "shock" defeat at the hands of Sunni militants in the country's north.

Nouri al Maliki's address came as insurgents were seen parading through the city of Baiji after taking over three-quarters of the oil refinery there.

Smoke was seen billowing from the Baiji complex, Iraq's biggest, as officials confirmed it had been infiltrated by Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS) militants - potentially giving them control of the energy supply in northern Iraq.

A car bomb in a mainly Shi'ite district of Baghdad killed at least seven

Production had already ceased at the refinery, north of Baghdad.

The attack follows the revelation that ISIS charts its brutality and tactics in annual reports called al-Naba - The Report.

The 2013 version claims 10,000 operations in Iraq, including 1,000 assassinations and 4,000 improvised explosive devices planted.

Claims made by ISIS in its 2013 annual report

The US-based Institute for the Study of War has analysed the 2012 and 2013 reports and corroborates much of the information they contain.

Other claims in the 2013 report include the freeing of hundreds of radical prisoners - and hundreds of "apostates" being turned.

As ISIS continued its move towards Baghdad, Iranian President Hassan Rouhani warned "the great Iranian people will do everything to protect" revered Shia shrines in Iraq from Sunni militants - the clearest indication yet that Tehran is prepared to mobilise.

Volunteers to fight the insurgency take a training session in Kerbala

Mr Rouhani's chief of staff, Mohammad Nahavandian, said Iran could work with the US on Iraq if talks about its nuclear programme are successful.

The announcement came as David Cameron warned that if Britain did not intervene, terrorists will "hit the UK at home".

The Prime Minister told MPs: "The people in that regime, as well as trying to take territory, are also planning to attack us here at home in the United Kingdom."

An Iraqi boy joins a Shi'ite tribe preparing to fight the militants

Syrian President Bashar al Assad said terrorism will strike back against the West and other countries that have "supported" attacks in his country and elsewhere in the Middle East.

Mr Maliki's pledge to strike back against ISIS appears set to begin with the "liberation" of the strategic northern Shia town of Tal Afar, which a security spokesman said would be completed in a matter of hours.

Meanwhile, Kurdish forces in the northern towns of Saadiya and Jalula began a counter offensive against ISIS.

Kurdish security forces in training in Irbil

Outside the city of Samarra, home to one of the most important Shia shrines, the bodies of 18 Iraqi security personnel were discovered.

Elsewhere, diplomats in Baghdad were looking into reports of ISIS abducting 100 foreign workers in areas under its control.

Some international oil companies have confirmed the evacuation of foreign workers.

The head of Iraq's southern oil company, Dhiya Jaffar, said Exxon Mobil had carried out a major evacuation, while BP had pulled out 20% of its staff.

Medical charity MSF appealed to the warring factions to spare medical staff after one of its clinics in the northern city of Tikrit was damaged in an offensive by Islamists.

Amid the troubles, photographs emerged of children holding weapons alongside both the jihadists and fighters loyal to the government.

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Fatal Attack Victim Was Wearing Muslim Dress

A woman has died after being attacked in Colchester - and police say her full Muslim dress and veil may have been a factor.

The woman, who has not yet been identified, was walking on the town's Salary Brook Trail at 10.40am on Tuesday when she was violently beaten and attacked with a knife or other bladed weapon.

Paramedics tried to save her but she died at the scene from injuries to her head and body.

Essex Police have said the woman, who was in her 30s, was wearing a dark navy blue full length robe (known as an Abaya) and a patterned multi-coloured Hijab headscarf.

Detective Superintendent Tracy Hawkings said officers were keeping an open mind about the motive of the attack.

But she added: "We are conscious that the dress of the victim will have identified her as likely being a Muslim and this is one of the main lines of the investigation, but again there is no firm evidence at this time that she was targeted because of her religion."

The murder took place in Colchester

A 52-year-old man has been arrested in connection with the incident.

Detectives want to hear from anyone who used the trail between 8.30am and 11am on the day of the killing.

They have also asked residents to check their gardens and rubbish bins for any discarded weapons or blood stained clothing.

A post-mortem examination is due to take place on Wednesday afternoon.

Officers have said they are not ruling out a link between this murder and that of James Attfield, a vulnerable man with brain damage who died after being stabbed more than 100 times at a park in the town in March.

Officers will be carrying out additional patrols in the area.

Anyone with any information should contact the major investigation team on 01245 282103, Essex Police on 101 or Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.

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RAF Fighter Jets Sent To Head Off Russia Planes

RAF Typhoons were scrambled yesterday to intercept "multiple Russian aircraft" over Baltic airspace, it has been revealed.

A Russian SU-25 Flanker (top) with a RAF Typhoon fighter

The fighter jets from 3 (Fighter) Squadron were launched after four separate groups of aircraft were detected by air defences in international airspace near the region.

A statement issued by the Ministry of Defence said the operation was part of Nato's ongoing mission to police Baltic airspace.

Two Russian SU-25 Flankers with a RAF Typhoon fighter (distant) A Russian SU-25 Flanker

"Once airborne, the British jets identified the aircraft as a Russian Tupolev Tu22 'Backfire' bomber, four Sukhoi Su27 'Flanker' fighters, one Beriev A50 'Mainstay' early warning aircraft and an Antonov An26 'Curl' transport aircraft who appeared to be carrying out a variety of routine training," the statement said.

"The Russian aircraft were monitored by the RAF Typhoons and escorted on their way."

Russian Beriev A50 Mainstay early warning aircraft during the mission A Russian Tu22 Backfire bomber during the operation

It added that the Typhoon pilots involved in the operation were Flight Lieutenant Mark Long of 29 (Reserve) Squadron and a French Air Force exchange pilot Commandant Marc-antoine Gerrard, who is currently attached to 1(Fighter) Squadron.

Flt Lt Long said: "The Typhoon is a superb aircraft that makes intercepting other aircraft exceptionally easy, today's interception of the Russian Flankers is all in day's work for an RAF fighter pilot."

An Antonov An26 'Curl' transport aircraft during the intercept

Typhoon Detachment Commander Wing Commander Ian Townsend said: "We regularly intercept Russian and civilian aircraft ... so this type of mission is core business for us and exactly what we were sent to the Baltic region by Nato to do.

"It was a thoroughly successful operation with both my groundcrew and aircrew performing to the exacting professional high standards I have come to expect."

The RAF also released a number of images from the operation.

The Russian Beriev A50 'Mainstay' early warning aircraft A Russian SU-25 Flanker

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Morrisons Plans 2,600 Job Cuts In Shake-Up

Morrisons has confirmed plans for 2,600 job cuts as the loss-making supermarket chain battles falling sales and market share.

A statement detailing the changes said the losses, representing 2% of its workforce, would result from cutting tiers of in-store management.

But the company insisted it could improve customer service at the same time as more staff would be focused on serving shoppers.

The announcement was made as the supermarket combats a flight to discounters with a series of price cuts that will cost it £1bn over three years.

Earlier this month, Morrisons reported a 7.1% slump in quarterly sales on the back of annual losses of £176m - a performance which prompted chief executive Dalton Philips to waive his bonus.

Morrisons now has 117 convenience stores

Morrisons has been the worst performer among the big four chains in terms of sales amid tough competition from the discounters, including Aldi and Lidl, though major rivals including Tesco have also endured falling market share.

The chain was slow to launch an online food offering and also lagged behind its biggest competitors on convenience store numbers.

Former chairman Sir Ken Morrison used the supermarket's annual general meeting to publicly criticise the current management's strategy just a week ago - reportedly describing it as "bull****".

Morrisons said that while the changes would be painful for its workforce, trials of its planned new management structures had proved a hit with customers.

The statement suggested that some stores currently had seven tiers between the shop floor and the store manager and it hoped to relocate some of those managers who will lose their jobs to new store and convenience operations.

Mr Philips said: "This is the right time to modernise the way our stores are managed.

"These changes will improve our focus on customers and lead to simpler, smarter ways of working.

"We know that moving to the new management structure will mean uncertainty for our colleagues and we will be supporting them through the process."

The company's share price - which has lost more than a quarter of its value over the past year - rose 3% in the moments after the announcement was made.

The union Usdaw took a different approach to that of investors.

National officer Joanne McGuinness said: "The next few weeks will be a worrying time for our members in Morrisons and we will do everything possible to support them.

"Today marks the start of a 45-day consultation period, where we will look in detail at the company's business case.

"Our priority will be to safeguard as many  jobs as possible, maximise employment within the business and get the best possible outcome for our members affected by this restructuring."

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Passport Office Has 'Lost Control' Of Backlog

The Passport Office boss has admitted there are 480,000 passport applications "outstanding", as the unions said the agency had "lost control" of the backlog.

Paul Pugh told the Home Affairs Select Committee they had received 3.6m passport applications since January this year, which was significantly higher than usual.

Mr Pugh was reluctant to be drawn on the backlog of applications but when pushed by committee chairman, the Labour MP, Keith Vaz, said the applications considered to be "work-in-progress" was "broadly" 480,000.

Appearing ahead of Mr Pugh, Mike Jones, of the PCS Union, told MPs staff had lost control of the backlog of applications and needed more staff to bring it under control.

A worker leaked pictures of applications waiting to be processed

He said the backlog, which has put the holiday plans of thousands of families in jeopardy, had surged by more than 200,000 since March and that it was now 493,0000.

David Cameron told MPs last week the backlog was just 30,000.

Mr Jones said they had repeatedly asked the Home Office for more staff and said that job cuts had led to the crisis that has unfolded at the start of the summer.

He said: "Staff have been working excessive overtime to try and deal with that. Our members have been working really hard to manage a ship that has been sinking for years."

Theresa May has raised questions over the future of the agency

Mr Jones refused to rule out strike action despite a warning from the Labour MP Ian Austin.

Mr Vaz told Mr Pugh, who earns £104,000 a year, he had to text the Home Secretary to sort out a constituent's passport application problems because he was unable to get through to the Passport Office boss.

Last week, after pictures of the backlog of applications at the Liverpool office were disclosed, the Home Secretary suggested the Passport Office may be brought under the control of Home Office ministers.

She was also forced to announce emergency measures including fast-tracking emergency applications for free and increasing the number of staff processing applications as anger over the situation intensified.

The number of applications received by the UK Passport Office is at a 12-year high, with 300,000 more applications than this time last year.

The increase has in part been blamed on the closure of regional application offices at embassies across the world. Theresa May announced British citizens abroad would automatically get a 12-month extension.

It was also suggested the increase in applications was because the economic recovery meant people now had enough money for holidays abroad.

A report shows the Passport Office estimated a year ago applications would surge by up to 350,000 this summer because of the overseas closures.

Speaking ahead of Mr Pugh's appearance, Mr Vaz said: "The HM Passport Office is in chaos and the Home Secretary's urgent action shows the true scale of the problem."

He added: "We will be asking Mr Pugh for a full explanation of what has happened and specifically how these emergency measures are being put in place.

"It is vital we have the full facts in order to understand whether this government agency is still fit for purpose."

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YouTube To Block Indie Artists 'Within Days'

Music videos by artists such as Adele and Arctic Monkeys could be blocked by YouTube in the next few days after a number of independent record labels refused to sign up for its new subscription service.

Earlier this month trade groups representing thousands of labels and musicians appealed to the European Commission to intervene on their behalf.

They have accused the Google-owned company of offering unfair contractual terms to the independents in comparison to those offered to larger firms like Universal or Sony.

XL Recordings, which represents Adele and The XX, and Domino, the label behind the Arctic Monkeys, are understood to be among the indies holding out for a better deal.

YouTube has been planning a paid streaming service to compete with companies like Spotify, Pandora and Rhapsody for over a year.

The new paid-for service will enable users to watch videos or listen to music without any adverts, on any device, even if it is not connected to the internet.

The Arctic Monkeys are on an independent label

Robert Kyncl, YouTube's head of content and business operations, told the Financial Times record labels representing 90% of the music industry have signed up to their terms.

"While we wish that we had 100% success rate, we understand that is not likely an achievable goal and therefore it is our responsibility to our users and the industry to launch the enhanced music experience," Mr Kyncl said.

A source told Sky News' technology correspondent Tom Cheshire that 95% of labels have now signed up, which he believes suggests some may have given in.

Mr Kyncl said internal testing will begin in the "coming days".

A YouTube spokesperson told Sky News: "Our goal is to continue making YouTube an amazing music experience, both as a global platform for fans and artists to connect, and as a revenue source for the music industry. 

"We're adding subscription-based features for music on YouTube with this in mind - to bring our music partners new revenue streams in addition to the hundreds of millions of dollars YouTube already generates for them each year.

"We are excited that hundreds of major and independent labels are already partnering with us."

In the US, the American Association of Independent Music asked the Federal Trade Commission to prevent YouTube from blocking its member labels' content, saying that this "constitutes abuse of a dominant position with regard to the digital music and video streaming market," according a letter signed by the group's president, Richard Bengloff.

Last week Amazon launched its own music streaming service as part of its Prime subscription package.

In May Apple acquired Beats Music as part of its $3bn purchase of Dr Dre's headphone-maker Beats Electronics.

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Iraq Accuses Saudi Arabia Of Promoting 'Genocide'

Iraq's Shia leaders have accused neighbours Saudi Arabia of promoting "genocide" by backing Sunni militants, as Baghdad battles insurgents who have seized swathes of territory.

Defying calls from the West to reach out and defuse the crisis, a government statement said: "We hold them responsible for supporting these groups financially and morally, and for the outcome of that - which includes crimes that may qualify as genocide: the spilling of Iraqi blood, the destruction of Iraqi state institutions and historic and religious sites."

Riyadh denies backing fighters from the Islamic State in Iraq and Syria (ISIS) and said on Monday that sectarianism in Iraq was fuelling the violence.

Areas of Iraq controlled by ISIS and the locations of the latest fighting

UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon has warned there is a "real risk" of sectarian violence on a "massive scale" as a result of the conflict.

And Prime Minister David Cameron said insurgency by religious extremists in Syria and Iraq is the most serious threat Britain faces today, with the prospect of battle-hardened militants returning to the UK.

Speaking at a joint press conference with Chinese Premier Li Keqiang, Mr Cameron said: "The number of foreign fighters in that area, the number of foreign fighters including those from the UK who could try to return to the UK this is a real threat to our country.

One of the burnt-out vehicles in Mosul (Pic: BFMTV)

"We will do absolutely everything we can to keep our people safe. That means stopping people from going, it means arresting people who are involved in plots, it means focusing our security, our policing, our intelligence effort on to that area of the world, on to those people."

Footage from inside one of the first cities in Iraq to be seized by the insurgents appears to show men queuing to join an offensive that has brought the terror group to within 50 miles of the Iraqi capital, Baghdad.

Shot by the French news channel BFMTV, the video shows burnt-out vehicles littering the streets of Mosul, one of a number of towns and cities they now control in northern Iraq.

The packed central square in Mosul (Pic: BFMTV)

Clashes overnight in Baquba, less than 40 miles from Baghdad, left scores dead.

The Baiji oil refinery north of Baghdad has been shut down and foreign workers evacuated by helicopter, although officials say government troops still hold the compound.

With the refinery shut, Iraq will find it difficult generating electricity and pumping water to sustain its cities this summer.

A comparison between the Iraqi army and ISIS

Queues for fuel have already been reported in the north.

Police said another militant attack, in a northern village called Basher, nine miles south of Kirkuk, has been repelled.

On state television the Iraqi army said it had killed a top militant, Abu Abdul Rahman al Muhajir, in Mosul.

Security in Baghdad has been stepped up

In response to the crisis, US President Barack Obama announced on Monday that up to 275 troops could be sent to Iraq to provide security for US personnel and the US Embassy in Baghdad.

The White House is also considering sending special forces to train and advise Iraqi troops.

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McCanns Angry Over 'Cynical' Libel Trial Delay

The parents of Madeleine McCann have condemned the postponement of a former police officer's libel trial as a "blatant" attempt to wear them down.

Kate and Gerry McCann had been due to speak at the trial of ex-police chief Goncalo Amaral, who has been accused of making defamatory statements about them in a book he wrote.

At the last minute, Mr Goncalo's lawyers submitted a letter to the court asking for a postponement as he had sacked his legal team.

Speaking outside the court, Gerry McCann said: "Today is a blatant and cynical attempt to wear us down.

"The hearing has been cancelled once again at Mr Amaral's request. This is the fourth time that this has happened and we've travelled to Portugal.

"The legal case has been running now for five years and we want to get justice for Madeleine. It's Madeleine who is suffering. We are not going to give up. We are going to keep going."

Kate McCann shows the strain as she is interviewed by Portuguese media

Mrs McCann, her voice cracking with the strain as she was surrounded by the Portuguese media, added: "We need to make it clear to people that we took on this case because of the pain and distress that Mr Amaral has brought to us and our children.

"Every time he postpones the case like this it brings us more pain and distress. Every time we come here we have to make arrangements for our children to be looked after, we have to book flights, we have to book hotels, we have to take time off work.

"Mr Amaral apparently handed that letter in at nine o'clock this morning. That letter could have been handed in before we left the country. As Gerry said, can this be seen as anything but blatant and cynical?

"We just want justice. This is not fair."

Police have been searching sites in Portugal in recent weeks

The couple had been expected to deliver emotional statements about the impact of allegations Mr Amaral's 2008 book The Truth Of The Lie, which they say damaged the search for the missing girl and added to their anguish.

If the court rules against Mr Amaral, the McCanns could receive around £1m in damages.

Madeleine went missing in May 2007 from the couple's holiday apartment in Praia da Luz on the Algarve and despite a worldwide hunt, she has never been found.

British and Portuguese police have been examining patches of ground in Praia da Luz in the last few weeks but have had no success.

Mr McCann saidoutside court that no evidence had been found to show Madeleine had been injured or killed and, as a result they believed that, "as far as we are concerned there's a good chance she's still alive".

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Alaska Family Disappearance Puzzles Police

The disappearance of a woman, her two small daughters and her boyfriend in a small Alaska community is puzzling investigators.

Rebecca Adams, her two daughters Michelle Hundley, five, and Jarraca Hundley, three, and her boyfriend Brandon Jividen disappeared around May 27.

They live in a home in Kenai, a coastal community of about 7,300 residents 65 miles (105 km) southwest of Anchorage.

Brandon Jividen, 37

Cars belonging to Mr Jividen, 37, and Ms Adams 22, remain parked at the home, and their mobile phones have been turned off.

The family apparently left behind clothes, outdoor gear and the car seats for the children.

Their brown and white English springer spaniel named Sparks is also missing.

In the latest twist, police want to question Ms Adams' former mother-in-law to seek information about the family.

Lisa Marie Hundley, grandmother of Ms Adams' daughters, was held in Tennessee on an unrelated drug offence, and is expected to be sent back to Alaska.

Local TV station KTUU and other reports said Hundley, 46, was not believed to be connected with the disappearance. But police hope to gain insightful information about the family.

The father of her two girls, Jaramiah Hundley, died in a motorcycle crash in May 2012.

The family's disappearance sparked a state-wide search.

Pic: facebook.com/SeekingAlaskasMissing

Police and the FBI have searched with a helicopter and all-terrain vehicles in a wooded area near Adams' home.

The family lives in a four-plex near the Wildwood Correction Facility, and they failed to pay the rent this month.

Besides local police and the FBI, fire officials, canine units and wilderness search groups from across Alaska have been brought to Kenai to help search.

Police have also appealed for information on the family's possible whereabouts.

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Schumacher Out Of Coma And Leaves Hospital

Former Formula 1 champion Michael Schumacher is no longer in a coma and has been moved from hospital in Grenoble after a ski accident last December.

The 45-year-old has been in an induced coma since suffering a serious head injury in a skiing accident in the French Alps resort of Meribel in December.

He has now left CHU Grenoble in France and been moved to University Hospital of Lausanne in Switzerland.

His management company said in a statement: "Michael has left the CHU Grenoble to continue his long phase of rehabilitation. He is not in a coma anymore.

"His family would like to explicitly thank all his treating doctors, nurses and therapists in Grenoble as well as the first aiders at the place of the accident, who did an excellent job in those first months.

"The family also wishes to thank all the people who have sent Michael all the many good wishes to Michael. We are sure it helped him."

"For the future we ask for understanding that his further rehabilitation will take place away from the public eye."

Schumacher was skiing at speeds of up to 60mph when he crashed

Schumacher's family was "in a space created especially to ensure their intimacy and to ensure the best possible care" at the Lausanne facility, a hospital spokesman said.

Schumacher, his wife Corinna and two children live in the Swiss town of Gland.

The seven-time F1 champion was reportedly travelling at speeds of up to 60mph when the accident happened, and is thought to have been saved by his skiing helmet, which split on impact.

However, the racing legend's chief doctor said in March that it was unlikely he would ever fully recover from the accident.

Doctor Gary Hartstein wrote on his blog: "As time goes on, it becomes less and less likely that Michael will emerge to any significant extent."

The German, who won a record 91 Grand Prix victories, left motor racing in 2013 after a disappointing three-year comeback.

Mercedes, the team Schumacher raced for during his return, said: "Encouraging news on Michael's condition this morning.

"We couldn't ask for a better start to the week. #KeepFightingMichael."

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Hague: Britons Are Fighting With ISIS

Foreign Secretary William Hague has said a number of Britons are fighting with ISIS which has taken over large parts of Iraq.

He told the Commons that about 400 UK nationals were involved in the conflict in Syria and some of them were fighting for the Islamic State in Iraq and Syria (ISIS). 

Footage has emerged which appears to show an ISIS fighter questioning and killing Iraqi soldiers.

It comes after the insurgents, who have seized large swathes of territory in the past week, released graphic pictures purporting to show some of the 1,700 Shia soldiers they claim have shot dead near Tikrit.

According to a translation of the first clip, militants order their prisoners to chant the ISIS slogan "Baqiya", which is thought to mean "(ISIS) will remain in existence" or "Islamic state will stay".

When asked where the government forces are, a soldier replies they have left.

More follows...

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World Cup: England Defeated By Italy In Brazil

England have suffered a narrow defeat in their opening match of the 2014 World Cup, losing 2-1 to Italy in Manaus.

Italy opened the scoring with a Claudio Marchisio goal in the 35th minute, only for England to strike back when Daniel Sturridge scored from a Wayne Rooney cross.

The winning goal came for Italy in the 51st minute when Mario Balotelli scored with a header shortly after the half-time break.

Roy Hodgson's side had several unsuccessful attacking efforts as they tried to get back into the game, but Italy's Salvatore Sirigu put in a strong performance in goal.

Claudio Marchisio opens the scoring for Italy in the 35th minute

There was an unusual injury for the England squad when the team's physio, Gary Lewin, dislocated his ankle while celebrating Sturridge's goal.

Lewin was carried off the sidelines after suffering the injury in the 37th minute.

The win sees Italy join Costa Rica on three points at the top of Group D.

England physio Gary Lewin receives treatment on the sidelines

A disappointed Steven Gerrard said after the match: "Italy are a good team and we knew how they were going to play it.

"It's disappointing because we put so much into it."

Hodgson selected an attacking line-up for his team's opening clash of the tournament.

The England team prepare to take on Italy at the Arena Amazonia

Liverpool's Raheem Sterling was named alongside Danny Welbeck and Wayne Rooney in the midfield.

Italy confirmed before the match that their captain and goalkeeper Gianluigi Buffon would miss the fixture because of an injury.

Hodgson had expressed his confidence in the team's pre-tournament preparations.

Some 5,000 England fans have travelled up the Amazon to back the team

"I think we are well prepared. I don't think we are concerned about the heat and humidity because we have been training in heat and humidity," he said.

The game at the Arena Amazonia was the first competitive encounter between the teams since Italy beat England in the 2012 European Championship quarter-finals.

Some 5,000 England fans travelled up the Amazon to support the side.

Raheem Sterling takes a shot at goal in the opening minutes

Supporters at home filled the pubs, which were allowed to stay open late for the match after the Home Office announced that licensing laws would be relaxed.

Extra buses were laid on in London to get fans home, however the Tube did not run later than normal.

Police had issued a warning urging people not to drink too much and "wake up in a police cell".

Daniel Sturridge celebrates his goal in the 37th minute

Chief Superintendent Andy Prophet from Essex Police said: "The tournament is a celebration of football and a chance to feel national pride.

"It is however just a game and can never be an excuse for violence or disorder.

"I hope everyone enjoys the World Cup, but experience tells us we need to plan for the minority who spoil things.

Roy Hodgson said his team prepared for the match as well as possible

"My message to anyone planning to go out tonight is have a great time, enjoy the game but please be sensible."

Prime Minister David Cameron sent a good luck message ahead of the match, saying the country is behind the England team "every step of the way".

"On behalf of the whole country I want to wish the England team the very best of luck for the World Cup," Mr Cameron said.

"There is nothing like a World Cup to bring our country together."

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