Iraq Crisis: US Launches Second Wave of Airstrikes on IS Militants

The Pentagon confirmed a second round of airstrikes on militant targets.Reuters

The US has launched a second round of airstrikes upon Islamic State (IS) targets in northern Iraq, the Pentagon has confirmed.

Rear Admiral John Kirby said US drones and unmanned fighter jets attacked targets near the city of Irbil.

U.S. F/A-18 jet fighters first used 500-pound laser guided bombs to hit a mobile artillery unit in the capital of the Kurdish region.

A second strike took place when the fighter jets struck a stationary convoy of seven vehicles and a mortar position.

"On both runs, each aircraft dropped one laser guided bomb making a total of eight bombs dropped on target neutralising the mortar and convoy," said Kirby in a statement.

“The enemy gets a vote. If they stop, we stop. If they attack we bring down the hammer.”

- Senior US defence official

President Obama authorized the targeted airstrikes and emergency-assistance missions on Thursday (7 August) in an effort to halt the advance of the Islamic State militants, who have seized control of large parts of Iraq and Syria in recent months.

The objective of the air strikes is to stop militants from closing in on Erbil, a Kurdish stronghold, and to allow local forces to provide aid to the Yazidis, a religious minority forced out of the town of Sinjar by militants and into nearby mountains.

Mr. Obama acknowledged concerns about renewed military involvement in Iraq, where America fought an eight-year war.

"American combat troops will not be returning to fight in Iraq because there is no American military solution to the crisis in Iraq," he said.

U.S. officials have urged for the formation of a new Iraqi government as a first step towards achieving stability in the country.

Speaking in Kabul, Secretary of State John Kerry said that the solution for Iraq lies in effective self-government, but added that the US will take decisive action against the militants as necessary.

"President Obama has been unequivocal that he will do what is necessary when it's in our interest to confront ISIL and its threat to the security of the region and to our own security in the long run," Mr. Kerry said.

Officials said it was too early to tell if the current campaign would last weeks or days, but said they expect more strikes by U.S. fighter jets this weekend.

"The enemy gets a vote," said a senior US defence official. "If they stop, we stop. If they attack we bring down the hammer."

Meanwhile, IS, formerly known as Isis, has also seized Iraq's largest dam. According to US officials, the dam is a vital part of Iraq's infrastructure as it controls the level of the Tigris River and is a key source of water and electricity generation for the Iraqi people.

Tens of thousands of people from minority groups have fled their homes due to the militants' advance.

Pictures of the Week: Best Photos of Past Seven Days

A team of acrobats form the shape of a racehorse crossing the winning post, ridden by Stefanie Hofer, to celebrate the Dubai Duty Free Shergar Cup, which takes place on 9 August at Ascot Racecourse(Getty)

A beluga whale sprays water onto children at the Hakkeijima Sea Paradise aquarium in Yokohama, Japan(AFP)

A fisherman transports a dead whale shark that was caught in fishermen's net, in Yangzhi county, Fujian province, China(Reuters)

A 5.5 metre long crocodile attacks a bull shark in the Adelaide River in Kakadu, Australia. The crocodile forced the bull shark into the mangroves and devoured it(Andrew Paice/Getty Images)

Jesus Christ and his reindeer: The designers of this float at the Tomohon International Flower Festival in Indonesia seem to have got their Christian imagery confused(Getty)

Monks dust the 15-metre-high Great Buddha at the Todaiji Temple in Nara, Japan(Getty)

North Korean leader Kim Jong-un smiles during a visit to the Chonji Lubricant Factory(Reuters)

An Afghan woman buys silk yarn for weaving from a shop in Herat, once a stop along the Silk Road trade route(AFP)

A reveller dances during the Gay Pride Parade in Stockholm(AFP)

Jennifer Abel of Canada dives during the women's 3m springboard final at the Commonwealth Games(Reuters)

Matthew Mitcham of Australia plunges into the pool during the men's 10m platform final at the Commonwealth Games(Getty)

Wales' Nathan Thorley loses his mouthguard as he is punched by Kennedy St Pierre of Mauritius during their men's light heavyweight boxing match at the Commonwealth Games in Glasgow(Reuters)

Australian steeplechase runner Genevieve Lacaze invades the stage during the Commonwealth Games closing ceremony(Getty)

Young wrestlers gather during a traditional fair in Xilingol League, in China's Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region(Reuters)

Lederhosen-clad men compete in the 55th German Finger Wrestling Championships in Garmisch-Partenkirchen, southern Germany(Philipp Guelland/Getty)

An art installation called Spectra, by Japanese artist Ryoji Ikeda, lights up the London night sky to commemorate the centenary of Britain's involvement in the First World War(Getty)

Kate Middleton and Prince William pay their respects at the St Symphorien Military Cemetery in Mons, Belgium, to commemorate the 100th anniversary of the outbreak of World War One(Reuters)

Kate Middleton, Prince William and Prince Harry visit the Tower of London's "Blood Swept Lands and Seas of Red" ceramic poppy installation, commemorating the 100th anniversary of the outbreak of World War One(Getty)

Comet 67P/Churyumov-Gerasimenko is seen in a photo taken by the Rosetta spacecraft . The European Space Agency's Rosetta spacecraft became the first to rendezvous with a comet and will follow it on the journey around the sunESA

Reid Wiseman, an astronaut on the International Space Station, photographed Typhoon Halong blanketing the Earth as it moves towards JapanNasa

An F-15C fighter jet flies past a developing pyrocumulus cloud above the Oregon Gulch fire, part of the Beaver Complex fire. Pyrocumulus clouds – sometimes called "fire clouds" – are similar to cumulus clouds, but the heat that forces the air to rise comes from fire instead of sun-warmed ground. Under certain circumstances, pyrocumulus clouds can produce full-fledged thunderstorms, making them pyrocumulonimbus clouds(Nasa Earth Obersvatory / James Haseltine and the Oregon Air National Guard 173rd Fighter Wing)

The annual Bristol balloon fiesta(Getty)

A rainbow spans over a valley between the Hohes Goell and Schneibstein mountains near the Carl-von-Stahl-Haus Alpine Club hut in the Berchtesgaden, Bavaria(Reuters)

Dark storm clouds gather over the Suleymaniye Mosque in Istanbul(AFP)

An overturned bus lies on a road in Jerusalem. A construction vehicle hit and killed a pedestrian and overturned the bus in an attack that ended when policemen shot dead the Palestinian driver of the digger(Reuters)

A Palestinian boy writes on a shrapnel-riddled backboard at the heavily damaged Sobhi Abu Karsh school in Gaza City's al-Shejaia neighbourhood(AFP)

Palestinian men ride a donkey cart past destroyed buildings in the northern Gaza Strip, as a 72-hour humanitarian truce went into effect(AFP)

Protesters light a petrol bomb during clashes with pro-government forces at Independence Square in Kiev(Reuters)

Smoke billows from the flaming debris of a Ukrainian fighter jet that was blasted out of the air while flying low over rebel-held territory near the village of Zhdanivka, 40 kilometres northeast of Donetsk, eastern Ukraine(AFP)

Xiong Zhengfen, 88, is rescued after being buried underneath earthquake debris for more than 50 hours in the Village of Babao, southern Yunnan province, China(Getty)

Mao Changxue changes his son's clothes after the boy's body was dug out from the debris of their home after an earthquake in Longtoushan town, Ludian county, Yunnan province, China(Reuters)

'Despairing' Chinese Couple Take Son to Court to Force Him to Get a Job

Court hammerhttp://ift.tt/X6OhD5

Some mothers do have them - as one Chinese woman proved when she had to turn to the courts to force her son to get a job.

Xu Hsing, 29, who lives with his parents in Beijing, has refused to work ever since he left university because he claims it is too boring.

Instead he expects to be fed and waited on hand and foot at home.

Once his father Ku arranged for him to have a job at a friend's company - but he quit after just three months complaining it was too dull.

Xu's parents finally gave up when he moved in his girlfriend a month after meeting her online. Suffice to say she is also unemployed.

They gave him an ultimatum to find work or move out, which he refused, leaving Qing's parents no choice other than to take him to court.

The court ruled in the couple's favour saying they did not have to legally support him at the age of 29, as it was their house.

Xu and his girlfriend, however, refused to move out after being given a 60 day deadline – forcing his parents back to court to get their son and his girlfriend evicted from their home.

The case has been highlighted as an example of China's obsession with single children caused by the one-child policy, which has created a generation of "little princes" who never want to work or fend for themselves.

The case caused a reaction on the internet, with one user saying: "Having this kind of son is really pathetic. Just keep it in mind: Don't spoil kids."

British Investigator Peter Humphrey and American Wife Sentenced to Prison Over GSK-related Work

An internal court video shows British investigator Peter Humphrey arriving at a courtroom after a lunch break, during his trial at Shanghai No.1 Intermediate People's Court, on 8 August.Reuters

A Chinese court has given British investigator Peter Humphrey and his American wife Yu Yingzeng a prison sentence of two and a half years and two years, respectively, for illegally obtaining private citizens' information, for work related to GlaxoSmithKline.

Last month, Humphrey and Yu were formally charged by Chinese authorities after initially being detained in China, as part of a corruption probe into foreign companies in the country's pharmaceutical sector, in August last year.

Two weeks after their arrest the pair had confessed to their illegal acts, via their company ChinaWhys, and apologised to China's government.

Chinese state television aired a public confession from British fraud investigator Peter Humphrey, who was detained along with his wife and US citizen Yu Yingzeng, though he made no mention of his former client GSK.

"The way we acquired information was sometimes illegal. I feel very regretful about it and want to apologise to the Chinese government," Humphrey said on the state television.

The couple were charged with illegally buying and selling private information by operating illegal research companies and trafficking personal info on Chinese citizens.

The court found ChinaWhys sold China citizens' information to multinational companies, financial institutions, and law firms, for more than 100,000 yuan (€12,000, £10,000, $16,000) each.

However, authorities have not made a link between GSK and the case against ChinaWhys.

Iraq: Oil Firms Evacuate Staff from Kurdistan as US Launches Airstrikes

Islamic State militants stand guard after controlling a headquarters of the Kurdistan Democratic Party (KDP) in the Christian town of Bartella(Reuters)

London-listed oil companies have pulled workers from Iraqi Kurdistan as security forces battle with militants from the Islamic State in the semi-autonomous region.

Genel Energy said it was withdrawing staff from fields that had not started production, but insisted its fields at Taq Taq and Tawke were secure.

"We remain confident in the Kurdistan regional government's ability to maintain the territorial integrity of both the KRI and oil infrastructure," it said in a statement.

"In line with moves by other operators, we are taking the prudent and precautionary step of withdrawing non-essential personnel from our non-producing assets in the region," it added.

Meanwhile, Afren said it had suspended operations at the Barda Rash field.

"Working with our local security advisers, Afren is implementing a phased withdrawal of non-essential field personnel from the Barda Rash field," it said in a statement. "It is expected that we will return to field operations as soon as it is prudent to do so."

Iraqi Kurdistan had long been perceived as a bastion of stability in the country that has struggled to emerge from a security crisis following the withdrawal of US troops in 2011. The bombs and shootouts that had become an almost-daily occurrence in the capital Baghdad did not afflict the Kurdish city of Arbil.

That changed with the stunning advance of the Islamic State in northern Iraq. The ultra-violent militants seized the northern city of Mosul in June, after central government security forces fled the city.

While the ultra-violent jihadists refrained from attacking Kurdish forces in July, the group launched attacks against Kurdish peshmerga forces positions in early August.

The companies acted on the same day the US launched airstrikes against the Islamic State militants, saying it was acting to protect the vulnerable from slaughter, as well as US interests.

Tens of thousands of Iraqis from the Yazidi sect fled up the Sinjar Mountain following the Islamic State's capture of Sinjar city in early August.

Both the companies said there was no imminent threat to cash flow.

North Korea: Kim Jong-un, What is he Really Thinking?

Every few days, the North Korean news agency releases pictures of Kim Jong-un looking at everyday things like shoes or a wall. Uniformed men with notepads are always on hand to record his thoughts. We wondered what those thoughts might be...

"What do you mean, my card hasn't been accepted? Don't you know who I am?"(Reuters)

"You have got to be kidding me. I saw chalk dust."(Reuters)

"...And now I mix in the other track..."(Reuters)

"So, what are those two girls going to do with that cup...?"(Reuters)

"So, I guess he really couldn't swim."(Reuters)

"I guess he really is terrified of heights."(Reuters)

"Hmmm... I wonder how they twist these things? And why am I wearing my coat like an old lady? And who are these people who keep writing down my every thought?"(Reuters)

"Four point five per cent? Have you got anything stronger?"(Reuters)

"I'm sorry gentlemen. Uniforms get me aroused sometimes."(Reuters)

"Try this on every maid in my kingdom, and if the shoe fits, bring her in. For questioning..."(Reuters)

"It does! It looks like poo. It's not just me, is it?"(Reuters)

"Why, this car is automatic. It's systematic. It's hyyyydromatic..."(Reuters)

"Let them eat... that green stuff."(Reuters)

"Ok, guys, I think I'm stuck here. Help. Help! Guys...?"(Reuters)

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US Launches Air Strike Campaign on Islamic State Militants in Northern Iraq

US President Barack Obama talks about the humanitarian relief situation in Iraq, at the State Dining Room of the White House in Washington.(Reuters)

The US military has launched air strikes against militants of the Islamic State in northern Iraq, according to the Pentagon.

Pentagon Press Secretary Rear Admiral John Kirby tweeted: "US military aircraft conduct strike on Isil artillery. Artillery was used against Kurdish forces defending Erbil, near US personnel."

Rudaw, the leading news source on Kurdish affairs, said that US fighter jets had struck positions in the districts of Gwer and Makhmur in coordination with Kurdish peshmerga fighters.

According to the news outlet, the strikes killed hundreds of Islamic State fighters and wounded more. However, this could not be independently verified.

US military aircraft conduct strike on ISIL artillery. Artillery was used against Kurdish forces defending Erbil, near US personnel.

— Rear Adm. John Kirby (@PentagonPresSec) August 8, 2014

US President Barack Obama yesterday authorised airstrikes against the Islamic militants to prevent the slaughter of religious minorities and to protect US interests in the region. Approximately 150 US advisers are situated in the Kurdish capital of Erbil.

"To stop the advance on Erbil, I've directed our military to take targeted strikes against Isis [IS] terrorist convoys should they move toward the city," he said in a speech at the White House.

"The only lasting solution is reconciliation among Iraqi communities and stronger Iraqi security forces."

BREAKING: Rudaw reporter: Hundreds of #IS fighters killed and wounded in US airstrikes in #Gwer.

— Rudaw English (@RudawEnglish) August 8, 2014

The group have grand ambitions of extending their caliphate across the Middle East and forcing their radical ideology onto those of other faiths. Those who do not convert to their form of radical Islam have been summarily executed, imprisoned and chased out of their homes.

Nearly 100,000 Christians have been forced out of Qaraqosh - Iraq's biggest Christian town - by the group while the Yazidi Kurds face a humanitarian crisis after 200,000 fleed the town of Sinjar, 50,000 into the barren Sinjar mountains at risk of starvation and dehydration.

In June, IS captured large swathes of northern Iraq such as the cities of Mosul and Tikrit and now have their sights set on Erbil, the capital of the autonomous Kurdistan region.