Yahoo! News: Iraq

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• Maliki, Iraq's rebel-turned-PM who fought to the end
• Iraq's Maliki finally steps aside, paving way for new government
• Secret Service 'Aware' of Apparent ISIS Flag Photo in Front of the White House
• Officials: Iraq's al-Maliki to back new PM
• Germany, France to send aid to Iraqi Kurds
• OF STUPID STUFF AND PRINCIPLES
• White House hails Maliki departure as 'major step forward'
• A nation of Fergusons: Why America's police forces look like invading armies
• Obama says Sinjar siege broken, some personnel to leave Iraq
• Yemen's AQAP calls on Islamists to target America after Iraq air strikes
• Missouri protests call attention to police 'militarization'
• GATHERING HONEY FROM A HORNET'S NEST
• Exclusive: Emergency food drops eyed for quarantined Ebola region of West Africa
• White House commends al-Maliki for stepping aside
• An Iraqi Kurd on the citizens of Ferguson, MO: 'I feel very bad for them'
• Obama: No Iraq rescue; further airdrops unlikely
• Iraq's Maliki concedes defeat, backs PM designate
• US jets strike IS armored vehicles in Iraq
• Iraq's Maliki steps aside as PM, backs replacement
• White House commends Maliki for stepping aside as Iraqi prime minister
• Britain would 'favourably consider' arming Iraqi Kurds
• UN to vote on measure to combat al-Qaida fighters
• Exclusive: Governor of Iraq's Sunni heartland secures U.S. support against militants
• UN vote Friday on measure to weaken Iraq Islamists
• Iraq humanitarian crisis eases, and US doves line up against 'new Iraq war'
• New Jersey Man Taken Aback by ISIS Flag Flap, Says He Was 'Expressing My Religion'
• Iraq's Maliki drops third term bid in televised address
• Still 4,000-5,000 Yazidis on Iraq mountain: Pentagon
• EU hopes to build support group for Iraq against Islamic State
• Obama could be mired in Iraq for the duration
• Women Take Up Arms Against The Islamic State
• Candidates clash in Colorado congressional debate
• As ethnic refugees flood Iraqi Kurdistan, a strain on hospitality
• Iraq's al-Maliki says he will not stand for prime minister; supports candidacy of al-Abadi
• Charge Your Phone With Sound Waves
• Iraq's Maliki drops bid for third term as prime minister: TV
• Iraqi Prime Minister Finally Sees the Writing on Wall, Resigns
• 'They look like guys playing army': an expert on policing in conflict zones talks Ferguson
• Iraq set for more US strikes as Obama says US broke IS siege
• UN LEVEL 3 EMERGENCIES

Maliki, Iraq's rebel-turned-PM who fought to the end Posted: 14 Aug 2014 05:07 PM PDT Iraq's Nuri al-Maliki, a rebel-turned-leader who rose from anonymous exile to powerful premier widely criticised as authoritarian, fought to the end for another term but lost support and ultimately his office as security collapsed. After a strong showing in April polls, the two-term premier insisted the top job should again be his, but President Fuad Masum tasked Haidar al-Abadi, a member of Maliki's Dawa party, with forming a new government instead. Maliki, a 64-year-old Shiite Arab, vowed to sue Masum, a Kurd, railed against him for allegedly violating the constitution, and ordered a massive security deployment in Baghdad. "I announce before you today... the withdrawal of my candidacy in favour of the brother Doctor Haidar al-Abadi," Maliki said in a televised address on Thursday, with his successor at his side.

Iraq's Maliki finally steps aside, paving way for new government Posted: 14 Aug 2014 04:59 PM PDT By Raheem Salman and Michael Georgy BAGHDAD (Reuters) - Nuri al-Maliki finally bowed to pressure within Iraq and beyond on Thursday and stepped down as prime minister, paving the way for a new coalition that world and regional powers hope can quash a Sunni Islamist insurgency that threatens Baghdad. Maliki ended eight years of often divisive, sectarian rule and endorsed fellow Shi'ite Haider al-Abadi in a televised speech during which he stood next to his successor and spoke of the grave threat from Sunni Islamic State militants who have taken over large areas of northern Iraq. "I announce before you today, to ease the movement of the political process and the formation of the new government, the withdrawal of my candidacy in favour of brother Dr. Haider al-Abadi," Maliki said. Maliki's decision was likely to please Iraq's Sunni minority, which dominated Iraq under Saddam Hussein's iron rule but was sidelined by Maliki, a relative unknown when he came to power in 2006 with U.S. backing.

Secret Service 'Aware' of Apparent ISIS Flag Photo in Front of the White House Posted: 14 Aug 2014 04:39 PM PDT On a Smartphone, a Hand Holds Up a Black Flag on Pennsylvania Ave.

Officials: Iraq's al-Maliki to back new PM Posted: 14 Aug 2014 04:16 PM PDT Embattled Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki has agreed to step aside and support his nominated replacement in the post, Shiite lawmakers told The Associated Press on Thursday. If al-Maliki follows through, the move would end a political deadlock that plunged Baghdad into uncertainty as the country fights a Sunni militant insurgency.

Germany, France to send aid to Iraqi Kurds Posted: 14 Aug 2014 04:07 PM PDT Germany will send four planes with humanitarian aid to Kurds in northern Iraq on Friday, the Ministry of Defence said, while France said it would boost support to Kurdish fighters battling Islamic State militants. "The federal government has decided to provide rapid and effective humanitarian aid to people in need in the north of Iraq," it said. Defence Minister Ursula von der Leyen said this week that Germany may also send non-lethal military hardware such as armoured vehicles, helmets, security vests and night-vision gear.

OF STUPID STUFF AND PRINCIPLES Posted: 14 Aug 2014 04:01 PM PDT Barack Obama's current catchy phrase is not exactly on a par with Winston Churchill's World War II "Stay calm and carry on." And so, when Hillary Clinton -- that "other candidate," whom the president himself had graciously given the world stage as secretary of state -- decided to pick on his four words, it was perhaps not surprising. Hillary's husband, President Bill Clinton, came to power with an inimitable gift awaiting him in the Oval Office: the end of the Cold War, brought so wisely to fruition by President George H.W. Bush and Secretary of State Jim Baker. Then we had George W. Bush as president.

White House hails Maliki departure as 'major step forward' Posted: 14 Aug 2014 04:00 PM PDT The White House welcomed Nuri al-Maliki's decision Thursday to drop his bid to remain prime minister in Iraq, calling it "another major step forward in uniting" a country which threatens to be torn apart by a jihadist offensive and political infighting. "We commend Prime Minister Maliki for his decision to support Prime Minister-designate Haidar al-Abadi in his efforts to form a new government in line with the Iraqi constitution," National Security Advisor Susan Rice said in a statement. In abandoning his bid to stay in power, the divisive Maliki has bowed to huge domestic and international pressure, two months into a brutal offensive by so-called Islamic State (IS) jihadists. Quelling fears a desperate power struggle could worsen what is already Iraq's biggest crisis in years, Maliki said he was stepping aside to "facilitate the progress of the political process and the formation of the new government."

A nation of Fergusons: Why America's police forces look like invading armies Posted: 14 Aug 2014 04:00 PM PDT Americans have been watching in shock as images come out of Ferguson, Missouri that look more like the streets of a conflict zone in Iraq or a crackdown in China than a quiet suburb of Saint Louis. Protesters began to gather in the town of 21,000 after Michael Brown, an unarmed black teenager, was shot and killed by a police officer on the afternoon of Saturday, August 9th.  The gatherings on Saturday were reportedly quiet and non-violent, but the police immediately responded with overwhelming force, sending 100 officers to the vigil being held at the apartment complex where Brown was killed. Images from Ferguson have prompted several observers to note that the response was as heavily armed as actual military operations in Iraq and Afghanistan.

Obama says Sinjar siege broken, some personnel to leave Iraq Posted: 14 Aug 2014 03:44 PM PDT U.S. President Barack Obama said on Thursday the Islamist militant siege of Iraq's Mount Sinjar had been broken and most U.S. military personnel sent to assess the situation would be pulled out of Iraq in coming days. "We broke the ISIL (Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant) siege of Mount Sinjar," Obama said. Improved security had allowed large numbers of Yazidis to escape Mount Sinjar, he said, but "some thousands" still needed help. THOUSANDS REMAIN Obama said the majority of military personnel who conducted the assessment of Mount Sinjar would leave Iraq in coming days.

Yemen's AQAP calls on Islamists to target America after Iraq air strikes Posted: 14 Aug 2014 03:43 PM PDT Al Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula, one of the group's deadliest franchises, called on Islamists to target the United States, after Washington launched air strikes in Iraq against Islamist militants who operate as the Islamic State. In a statement published on a Twitter account affiliated with the franchise's local affiliate, Ansar al-Shariah, AQAP said on Thursday: "... We declare our solidarity with our Muslim brothers in Iraq." "We call on all Islamist groups ... to go after America as part of its plan for jihad, militarily, economically, or through the media." "And we call on every Muslim, especially anyone who can enter America, to champion his brothers by going to war against America with everything he can." Reuters could not immediately verify the authenticity of the Twitter account.

Missouri protests call attention to police 'militarization' Posted: 14 Aug 2014 03:41 PM PDT By Nick Carey FERGUSON Mo. (Reuters) - A U.S. military program that sends armored cars, camouflage and other battlefield equipment to police departments is under fresh scrutiny as demonstrators in Ferguson, Missouri, get ready for a fifth straight night of protests over the death of an unarmed black teenager. The hundreds of people who have gathered each night since 18-year-old Michael Brown was shot and killed by an unnamed police officer last Saturday have been met with police clad in body armor and using tear gas, smoke bombs and stun grenades. On Thursday, U.S. Attorney General Eric Holder said it was clear the scenes playing out in the St. Louis suburb "cannot continue." And while he condemned acts of violence and looting by some protesters, he said it was the role of law enforcement to reduce tensions in the city, rather than exacerbate them. "At a time when we must seek to rebuild trust between law enforcement and the local community, I am deeply concerned that the deployment of military equipment and vehicles sends a conflicting message," Holder said.

GATHERING HONEY FROM A HORNET'S NEST Posted: 14 Aug 2014 03:36 PM PDT When U.S. President George W. Bush visited Iraq at the end of his term, his thanks was a popular Middle East insult -- a shoe hurled at him. Iraq President Nouri al-Maliki -- whose job was made possible by the United States and who once pretended to sign an agreement Bush had just signed, but instead moved his pen in the air -- demanded a U.S. withdrawal. American military commanders had told Bush that a military solution to Iraq's continuing violence was not possible -- a political solution was a necessity. Next, Barack Obama took office.

Exclusive: Emergency food drops eyed for quarantined Ebola region of West Africa Posted: 14 Aug 2014 03:34 PM PDT By Stella Dawson WASHINGTON (Thomson Reuters Foundation) - International agencies are looking into emergency food drops and truck convoys to reach extremely hungry people in Liberia and Sierra Leone, who are cordoned off from the outside world to halt the spread of the Ebola virus, a top World Bank official said on Thursday. Truckers scared of the highly infectious disease halt deliveries. The Mano River region, home to about 1 million people and an epicenter for the deadly disease, is a major concern and the issue was raised on Wednesday with U.N. Secretary General Ban Ki Moon, said Tim Evans, senior director for health at the World Bank. "There has been a lot of inflation in food prices and a lot of difficulty in getting food to the quarantined population," he said in an interview.

White House commends al-Maliki for stepping aside Posted: 14 Aug 2014 03:30 PM PDT EDGARTOWN, Massachusetts (AP) — The White House is commending Iraq's incumbent prime minister for stepping aside.

An Iraqi Kurd on the citizens of Ferguson, MO: 'I feel very bad for them' Posted: 14 Aug 2014 03:29 PM PDT Sheera Frenkel, BuzzFeed's excellent Middle East correspondent, is in Iraqi Kurdistan, where the United States is launching airstrikes to help Kurdish peshmerga fighters in their life-or-death struggle to expel the Islamic State (ISIS) jihadists who have been pushing into their territory, the latest crisis for Iraqi Kurds in decades of war and genocide. One of them asked Frenkel about it. Today, an Iraqi Kurd asked me what the people of Furguson had done wrong & why the police were so angry at them.

Obama: No Iraq rescue; further airdrops unlikely Posted: 14 Aug 2014 03:23 PM PDT WASHINGTON (AP) — President Barack Obama on Thursday promised to expand U.S. humanitarian relief to Iraqis threatened by the advancing army of the Islamic State militants. He took credit for alleviating the genocide threat to thousands trapped on a mountaintop but said the situation "remains dire" throughout the country.

Iraq's Maliki concedes defeat, backs PM designate Posted: 14 Aug 2014 03:23 PM PDT Iraq's divisive premier Nuri al-Maliki dropped his bid to stay in power Thursday, bowing to huge domestic and international pressure two months into a jihadist-led offensive threatening to tear the country apart. The two-term premier threw in the towel after an acrimonious political battle and backed his designated successor Haidar al-Abadi, a fellow member of the Shiite party Dawa. "I announce before you today... the withdrawal of my candidacy in favour of the brother Doctor Haidar al-Abadi," he said in a televised address, with Abadi standing next to him. Quelling fears a desperate bid to cling to power could worsen what is already Iraq's worst crisis in years, Maliki said he was stepping aside to "facilitate the progress of the political process and the formation of the new government."

US jets strike IS armored vehicles in Iraq Posted: 14 Aug 2014 03:13 PM PDT US jets and drones launched more air strikes in northern Iraq on Thursday to destroy vehicles operated by extremist fighters from the so-called Islamic State, the military said. The latest operations came after President Barack Obama said the air campaign had achieved its initial objectives but warned of more strikes to protect US personnel in the Kurdish city of Arbil. US Central Command said drones and fighter jets took part in the latest strikes, the first at 1505 GMT to take out two armed trucks that had been firing on Kurdish forces. The second strike took place just over 30 minutes later, targeting an MRAP -- a heavy armored truck of the type supplied by Washington to Iraqi forces and presumably captured by IS forces in recent months.

Iraq's Maliki steps aside as PM, backs replacement Posted: 14 Aug 2014 03:12 PM PDT By Alexander Dziadosz and Raheem Salman BAGHDAD (Reuters) - Caving in to relentless pressure at home and abroad to step aside, Nuri al-Maliki dropped his bid for a third term as prime minister of Iraq on Thursday and pledged support for his replacement, moderate Shi'ite Haider al-Abadi. Appearing on state television flanked by Abadi and other Shi'ite politicians, a grim-faced Maliki spoke of the grave "terrorist" threat from Sunni Islamic State militants before giving up his fight to stay on. "I announce before you today, to ease the movement of the political process and the formation of the new government, the withdrawal of my candidacy in favour of brother Dr. Haider al-Abadi," said Maliki. Abadi is seen as a far less polarising figure who has a chance of uniting Iraqis against Sunni insurgents who have captured large parts of the country in the north and west - including Iraq's largest dam and five oil fields.

White House commends Maliki for stepping aside as Iraqi prime minister Posted: 14 Aug 2014 03:11 PM PDT The White House on Thursday praised Iraqi Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki for dropping his bid for a third term and throwing his support behind a designated replacement, Haider al-Abadi. "Today, Iraqis took another major step forward in uniting their country," U.S. national security adviser Susan Rice said in a statement. "We commend Prime Minister Maliki for his decision to support Prime Minister-designate Haider al-Abadi in his efforts to form a new government in line with the Iraqi constitution." Rice said the U.S. government, which had long lost patience with Maliki, had heard from a number of leaders in Iraq who had pledged their support to Abadi.

Britain would 'favourably consider' arming Iraqi Kurds Posted: 14 Aug 2014 03:00 PM PDT Britain would "favourably consider" arming Kurdish forces in their battle against Islamic State (IS) militants in Iraq, a spokesman for the prime minister's office said on Thursday. "If a request from the Kurds did come in that would be something we'd favourably consider, we'd be open to that eventuality," a Downing Street spokesman said. Until now, Britain has helped to transport military supplies donated by other states to the Kurdish forces but has resisted a more direct role. US President Barack Obama declared on Thursday that US air strikes had broken the siege of Mount Sinjar, but said they would continue against IS extremists if they threaten US personnel and facilities in the region.

UN to vote on measure to combat al-Qaida fighters Posted: 14 Aug 2014 02:58 PM PDT UNITED NATIONS (AP) — U.N. Security Council members have reached agreement on a draft resolution that would punish the recruitment and financing of foreign fighters in Iraq and Syria and demand that all al-Qaida-linked groups disarm and disband immediately, diplomats said Thursday.

Exclusive: Governor of Iraq's Sunni heartland secures U.S. support against militants Posted: 14 Aug 2014 02:54 PM PDT By Raheem Salman BAGHDAD (Reuters) - The governor of Iraq's Anbar province in the Sunni heartland said he has asked for and secured U.S. support in the battle against Islamic State militants because opponents of the group may not have the stamina for a long fight. Ahmed Khalaf al-Dulaimi told Reuters that his request, made during meetings with U.S. diplomats and a senior military officer, included air support for battling the militants who have a tight grip on large parts of Anbar and the north. Dulaimi said the Americans had promised to help.

UN vote Friday on measure to weaken Iraq Islamists Posted: 14 Aug 2014 02:51 PM PDT The UN Security Council is set to vote on Friday on a resolution aimed at weakening Islamists in Iraq and Syria by choking off funding and the flow of foreign fighters. The measure proposed by Britain would be the council's toughest response yet to the jihadists who now control large swaths of Iraq and Syria, and have been accused of carrying out atrocities in their campaign. The final text, seen by AFP, demands that Islamist State (IS) fighters in Iraq and Syria, rebels from the Al-Nusrah front in Syria and other al-Qaeda-linked groups "disarm and disband with immediate effect."

Iraq humanitarian crisis eases, and US doves line up against 'new Iraq war' Posted: 14 Aug 2014 02:48 PM PDT When President Obama announced "limited" air strikes in Iraq last week aimed at heading off a "potential genocide" and safeguarding US personnel and diplomatic facilities in the region, the decision garnered support from many hawks and doves alike. The findings of a US assessment team that went to Mount Sinjar means that a rescue mission that had been in the planning stages for evacuating to safety what was thought to be thousands of Yazidis still on the mountain will no longer be necessary, Obama said.

New Jersey Man Taken Aback by ISIS Flag Flap, Says He Was 'Expressing My Religion' Posted: 14 Aug 2014 02:43 PM PDT Mark Dunaway Says He Flew the Flag for 10 Years Before Complaints on Twitter

Iraq's Maliki drops third term bid in televised address Posted: 14 Aug 2014 02:35 PM PDT Nuri al-Maliki dropped his acrimonious bid to remain prime minister of Iraq for a third term in a televised appearance alongside his designated successor on Thursday. "I announce before you today... to facilitate the progress of the political process and the formation of the new government, to withdraw my candidacy in favour of the brother Doctor Haidar al-Abadi," Maliki said. President Fuad Masum on Monday tasked Abadi, a member of Maliki's Dawa party, with forming a new government, a move the two-term premier said was a violation of the constitution. Tehran and Washington, the two main foreign power brokers in Iraq, came out in support of Abadi, and Maliki was dealt another major blow when the office of Iraq's top Shiite cleric released a letter in which he called for the incumbent premier to go.

Still 4,000-5,000 Yazidis on Iraq mountain: Pentagon Posted: 14 Aug 2014 02:15 PM PDT There are still 4,000 to 5,000 Yazidi refugees sheltering on Mount Sinjar in northern Iraq, the Pentagon said Thursday, after President Barack Obama said the siege of the range had been broken. Pentagon spokesman Rear Admiral John Kirby said US special forces had found that not all of the Yazidis, a religious minority under attack from Islamist extremists, planned to flee. Earlier, Obama said the United States was withdrawing the special forces units that conducted the assessment mission to Sinjar after concluding that the Yazidis were no longer in mortal danger. "We believe that the threat to the mass violence on Mount Sinjar has passed, largely passed," Kirby said.

EU hopes to build support group for Iraq against Islamic State Posted: 14 Aug 2014 02:14 PM PDT By Adrian Croft BRUSSELS (Reuters) - The European Union hopes to build a "support group" with Middle Eastern countries, including Iran, to help Iraq stave off the threat from Islamic State fighters, a senior EU official said on Thursday. EU foreign ministers, who will hold emergency talks on the Iraq crisis in Brussels on Friday, will discuss how "with all the ... countries in the region we could form some sort of supporting group toward Iraq," said the official, speaking on condition of anonymity. He suggested the group could include Saudi Arabia and other Gulf countries, Jordan, Lebanon, Turkey, Egypt, Iran and others.

Obama could be mired in Iraq for the duration Posted: 14 Aug 2014 02:11 PM PDT With no set timescale for military engagement and few certainties in Baghdad's political crisis, US President Barack Obama's week-old Iraq intervention threatens to monopolize the rest of his presidency. Two-and-a-half years after he oversaw the withdrawal of US troops from Iraq, Obama has ordered airstrikes against a jihadist group but has vowed that America will not be drawn into ground combat. "President Obama seems to have adopted a strategy of making a long-term military commitment to Iraq," wrote Anthony Cordesman, of the Center for Strategic and International Studies, who suggested it might be the "best option" or the "least bad and filled with risks." Some of Obama's Republican rivals have denounced the approach, judging it imperative to hit harder and faster against the rapid advance of the Sunni jihadists from the so-called Islamic State.

Women Take Up Arms Against The Islamic State Posted: 14 Aug 2014 02:04 PM PDT Hundreds of women stand armed and ready to bring the fight to the Islamic State on behalf of Iraq's Kurdish population.

Candidates clash in Colorado congressional debate Posted: 14 Aug 2014 01:53 PM PDT HIGHLANDS RANCH, Colorado (AP) — Republican Rep. Mike Coffman and his Democratic challenger, Andrew Romanoff, clashed over immigration, campaign finance and the budget on Thursday, in the first debate in one of the most competitive, expensive and closely watched House contests in the nation.

As ethnic refugees flood Iraqi Kurdistan, a strain on hospitality Posted: 14 Aug 2014 01:39 PM PDT Watched by the world's media, refugees have flooded Iraqi Kurdistan, a relatively safe zone in a country disintegrating along sectarian lines. In recent weeks, more than 100,000 people have fled to the Kurdish-controlled city of Dohuk from villages in Sinjar, mostly ethnic Yazidis fleeing the Islamic State (IS), a Sunni extremist group. Before the crisis erupted, Dohuk Province had an estimated one million residents. The head of the local council in Dohuk City says the population has now almost doubled with the influx of minorities like the Christians, Yazidis, and Shabak.

Iraq's al-Maliki says he will not stand for prime minister; supports candidacy of al-Abadi Posted: 14 Aug 2014 01:35 PM PDT BAGHDAD (AP) — Iraq's al-Maliki says he will not stand for prime minister; supports candidacy of al-Abadi.

Charge Your Phone With Sound Waves Posted: 14 Aug 2014 01:34 PM PDT London researchers are working on a way to charge your phone with sound waves, so you won't ever have to be one of those wall-huggers again. According to Science Alert, when zinc oxide nanowires are subjected to stress, they produce an electric current. This "piezoelectric effect" was first discovered by Korean researchers, who found that the nanowires respond to sound waves.

Iraq's Maliki drops bid for third term as prime minister: TV Posted: 14 Aug 2014 01:33 PM PDT BAGHDAD (Reuters) - Nuri al-Maliki has given up his fight to remain prime minister of Iraq and now supports his replacement, Haider al-Abadi, state television reported on Thursday. Maliki faced immense pressure to step aside for a less polarizing figure capable of countering Islamic State militants who are posing the biggest security threat to Iraq since the fall of Saddam Hussein in 2003. (Writing by Michael Georgy; Editing by Robin Pomeroy)

Iraqi Prime Minister Finally Sees the Writing on Wall, Resigns Posted: 14 Aug 2014 01:05 PM PDT After pitching a defiant fit, the beleaguered Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki will concede his post in favor of Haider al-Abadi, his nominated successor.

'They look like guys playing army': an expert on policing in conflict zones talks Ferguson Posted: 14 Aug 2014 01:04 PM PDT In Ferguson, Missouri, local law enforcement has been using tear gas and rubber bullets to disperse largely nonviolent protesters, who have taken to the streets every night since Saturday, August 9, to protest unfair treatment by police. At least four different police departments have been involved. Jason Fritz, an Iraq war veteran who's now an analyst focusing on policing in conflict zones, was appalled by what he saw in Ferguson, where the shooting of an unarmed black teen, Michael Brown, has sparked days of protests. "They are taking steps that are going to do nothing but exacerbate the situation," Fritz told me over the phone.

Iraq set for more US strikes as Obama says US broke IS siege Posted: 14 Aug 2014 12:45 PM PDT President Barack Obama declared Thursday that America broke the jihadist siege of Iraq's Mount Sinjar, where thousands of civilians were trapped, but said air strikes against the militants will go on. The UN refugee agency had said tens of thousands of civilians, many of them from the Yazidi religious minority, were at one point trapped on Mount Sinjar by jihadists of the Islamic State (IS) militant group, which has overrun swathes of Iraq and Syria. "The situation on the mountain has greatly improved and Americans should be very proud of our efforts because the skill and professionalism of our military and the generosity of our people, we broke the (IS) siege of Mount Sinjar," Obama said in a statement to reporters.

UN LEVEL 3 EMERGENCIES Posted: 14 Aug 2014 12:44 PM PDT Graphic highlights countries with level 3 emergencies declared by the U.N including, Iraq, Syria, Central African Republic (CAR) and South Sudan; 2c x 3 inches; 96.3 mm x 76 mm;

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