Ukrainian Flag 'Is Raised In Rebel Stronghold'

Ukrainian government forces have said they re-gained control of the rebel stronghold of Slavyansk.

The defence minister said Ukrainian soldiers hoisted the national flag over the town after pushing most pro-Russia insurgents out.

"A minute ago the Ukrainian national flag was raised over the Slavyansk city council before a line-up of Ukrainian soldiers," said a statement posted on the Ukrainian administration's website, citing Defence Minister Valeriy Geletey.

The town in eastern Ukraine has been at the centre of the fighting between Kiev's troops and the separatists. 

Andrei Purgin of the separatist Donetsk People's Republic told The AP news agency that rebels were evacuating, but claimed the army's campaign had left the city "in ruins".

Government forces at a checkpoint near Slavyansk on Friday

Ukrainian officials said the offensive was continuing as small groups of rebels were hiding in buildings.

President Petro Poroshenko's website said the separatist fighters had come under mortar fire as they tried to break through government forces' lines.

The website, citing the newly appointed head of the armed forces general staff, said the separatists had lost one tank and other armoured vehicles.

Earlier, a Ukrainian minister had said the rebels and a top commander had fled, though a rebel spokesman said they were relocating to a nearby town.

Slavyansk has been ravaged by heavy fighting

The rebels reportedly fled to nearby town of Kramatorsk, but the Reuters news agency said a convoy of about 20 vehicles and buses filled with armed rebels was seen driving out of the town.

If confirmed, regaining control of the area would represent a major success in the government's three-month offensive against the separatists.

Separatists seized the industrial city of nearly 120,000 people on April 6, and on May 30 rebels there brought down a military helicopter killing 14 servicemen.

Ukraine launched its first major assault nearly three months ago

This week, Ukraine's ceasefire with pro-Russian separatists expired and Mr Poroshenko said his forces would go on the offensive against the rebels.

But, amid increasing violence, Mr Poroshenko on Friday called for immediate crisis talks with rebel commanders and Russia.

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Germany Holds 'Double Agent Who Spied For US'

Germany has arrested a suspected double agent accused of leaking confidential information to the United States.

A 31-year-old German man is being held on suspicion of espionage.

The Federal Prosecutor's office said investigations were still ongoing, but did not reveal his identify or comment on reports that the suspect had handed information to the United States.

However, the German Foreign Ministry said the US ambassador in Berlin had been summoned to assist in the "swift clarification" of the case.

Several German news outlets have cited unnamed government sources who say the suspect was a mid-level agent for Germany's intelligence service, the BND.

The agent reportedly spied on an inquiry into Edward Snowden's revelations

According to the daily Bild newspaper the agent sold 218 sensitive documents to an unspecified US intelligence agency for €25,000 (£19,800).

It said he had worked as a double agent for two years.

The suspect has reportedly admitted the documents included details about a parliamentary committee investigating the US National Security Agency's surveillance operations in Germany.

Germany was shaken last year by information leaked by US intelligence contractor Edward Snowden which revealed that the NSA had spied on German citizens and tapped Chancellor Angela Merkel's mobile phone.

Reports the NSA tapped Mrs Merkel's phone have strained US-German relations

Mrs Merkel has not yet commented on the latest allegations, but a spokesman said: "We don't take the matter of spying for foreign intelligence agencies lightly."

Germany's Sueddeutsche Zeitung newspaper and the broadcasters WDR and NDR say the agent was initially detained on suspicion of contacting Russian intelligence agencies.

But during questioning he admitted that he had worked with the Americans.

Mrs Merkel spoke to US President Barack Obama on Friday evening, although it is not clear whether she discussed the case.

The US embassy in Berlin, the US State Department and the White House have all declined to comment.

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Funeral Held For Murdered Palestinian Teenager

A funeral has been held for an Arab teenager who many Palestinians believe was killed by Israeli extremists in a revenge attack.

The death of 16-year-old Mohammed Abu Khadair has caused outrage after his burned body was found in Jerusalem Forest early on Wednesday morning.

Thousands of mourners, some firing weapons into the air, took to the streets in the East Jerusalem neighbourhood of Shuafat as the funeral procession made its way to a local cemetery.

Mohammed Abu Khadair's mother is helped through the crowds

His body was wrapped in a Palestinian flag and headscarf and taken to a mosque, before mourners carried the open casket to a cemetery.

Crowds chanted "intifada, intifada" - calling for a new uprising - and "with our blood and our spirit we shall sacrifice for the martyr".

Protesters attacked security forces ahead of the funeral

Palestinian protesters clashed with police, with rocks thrown at security forces who fought back with tear gas and stun grenades.

Sky News Middle East Correspondent Sherine Tadros, in Shuafat, said there were reports of "dozens" of injured Palestinians, according to the Red Crescent.

"They're treating them for tear gas inhalation but also wounds from rubber bullets," said Tadros.

Abu Khadair's burnt body was found on Wednesday

"The Israeli forces have essentially surrounded the entire neighbourhood - it's very difficult to get in and out.

"It was very difficult for the funeral procession to weave through the streets - that's when the clashes started."

CCTV footage has emerged which purports to show the moment when the teenager was bundled into a car and kidnapped.

Security was tight at prayers ahead of the funeral

Although the CCTV footage cannot be verified, the family says it has been taken by Israeli police and is being examined as part of the investigation into the murder.

Many Palestinians believe the teenager's death was a revenge attack for the abduction and killing of Israeli teenagers Gilad Shaar, 16, Eyal Yifrach, 19, and Naftali Frenkel, 16.

The three went missing while hitchhiking home from the Jewish seminaries where they studied near Hebron.

Police fired tear gas and stun grenades

Many Israelis, including Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, believe militants from Palestinian group Hamas were responsible.

Israeli police have stressed they are yet to establish a clear motive for Mohammed's murder and say they cannot yet rule out a criminal, rather than nationalistic revenge motive.

Mr Netanyahu has promised to track down those responsible.

Many believe the killing was revenge for the deaths of three young Israelis

Speaking on Thursday, he said: "We don't know yet the motives or the identities of the perpetrators, but we will.

"We will bring to justice the criminals responsible for this despicable crime whoever they may be.

"Murder, riots, incitement, vigilantism, they have no place in our democracy."

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Fifa VP's Son In World Cup Ticket Scandal

The son of Fifa vice president Julio Grondona has become embroiled in a scandal implicating officials from the football governing body in the illegal re-sale of World Cup tickets.

Tickets reported to be in Humberto Grondona's name were among hundreds seized by Brazilian police as part of the ongoing investigation into ticket touting.

A picture of one ticket bearing his name has been widely circulated on social media. 

In an interview with Argentinian television station TYC, Grondona Jnr admitted giving tickets to a friend, but denied re-selling them at an inflated price. 

Humberto Grondona denies selling the tickets for more than their face value

He said: "You think with how much I care about my family name I would do such a stupid thing?"

He added that he was unsure what his friend had then done with the tickets.

Re-selling tickets for more than their face value is illegal in Brazil. 

Ahead of the tournament's kick off, all Fifa employees and World Cup delegates were warned against selling tickets, all of which have an electronic chip which makes them traceable back to their original purchaser.

Fifa spokeswoman Delia Fischer would not comment on the investigation, but said anyone found breaching the governing body's regulations would be sanctioned.

Julio Grondona is the second most powerful man in world football

Sky News Sports Correspondent Paul Kelso says that with tickets for matches so hard to come by, the news that the son of a top Fifa executive has allowed tickets to end up on the black market has caused a real stir.

He said the scandal is "acutely embarrassing" for Julio Grondona, who is also president of the Argentina Football Federation, where his son is an official.

The revelation comes days after police in Rio de Janeiro arrested 11 people suspected of running a multimillion pound ticket touting operation.

Police said the source of the tickets is believed to have stayed at the Copacabana Palace Hotel, used by top Fifa officials.

Some of the tickets are thought to have been sold for up to eight times their face value.

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Teacher Stabbed To Death 'By Mother Of Pupil'

A primary school teacher has been stabbed to death by a pupil's mother as children looked on, French prosecutors have said.

The incident happened on Friday morning at a school in Albi, near Toulouse, in the south of France.

The mother has been arrested.

Prosecutor Claude Derens described what had happened.

"This morning, a mother showed up with a knife and stabbed a 34-year-old teacher in front of her students, for reasons that will be determined by the investigation," Mr Derens said.

"When I arrived at the scene they were trying to revive her. She was in cardiac arrest in her classroom."    

President Francois Hollande has sent education minister Benoit Hamon to the Edouard Herriot school which teaches 284 pupils between the ages of three and 11.

"All state services will be mobilised to take care of these children and the staff who witnessed this awful tragedy," Mr Hollande said in a statement.   

Mr Hamon was described as "deeply shocked by this crime", which plunges the end of the school year into mourning.

A spokesman for the minister continued: "This tragedy confirms there is a need to fight against violence in and around schools, to protect schools, teachers and students."

A news conference is due to be held later.

France has become increasingly concerned about pupils' parents assaulting teachers, with a study released in April revealing that nearly half of primary school head teachers said they had been verbally or physically assaulted by parents.

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Video Of Horrifying Moment Flyover Collapses

A graphic video has shown the aftermath of the collapse of a motorway flyover in Brazil, which left at least two dead and many injured.

It shows injured bus passengers walking away from the crushed vehicle in Belo Horizonte covered in blood.

The camera then approaches the front of the bus, where a barely conscious woman can be seen trapped in the wreckage.

The driver of the bus was killed in the collapse

CCTV footage has also been released showing the moment the entire unfinished section of road dropped onto the motorway below in a split-second.

Alexandra Pereira, a teacher who was in an apartment building just 20 yards from the overpass, said it sounded like an "earthquake or bomb".

"I looked out my window and panicked," she said.

One person said it was like an "earthquake or bomb"

"I couldn't see anything but a huge cloud of dust."

The accident happened in the north of the city, where teams have been based throughout their World Cup campaigns.

The bridge was supposed to be built in time for the tournament.

The car that was crushed in the collapse

The nearby Mineirao Stadium has hosted four World Cup matches and is due to host a semi-final next Tuesday.

Fire services sent more than a dozen engines and a helicopter to the scene to aid those trapped in the wreckage.

A fire department spokesman told the AFP news agency that scaffolding was being taken down at the time of the collapse and the flyover was in the final stages of construction.

It is not known at this stage why the flyover collapsed

Live TV images showed what appeared to be a school bus and other vehicles trapped under the rubble.

The female driver of the bus was killed, with 13 people rescued from the vehicle.

Two trucks belonging to the construction company and one car were crushed along with the bus.

Two construction trucks were also crushed

City firefighters said on their official Twitter account that at least one person was dead but other sources said the death toll was two, with at least 22 injured.

Officials say they do not expect the casualty toll to rise too sharply, although they have not yet reached a small car that was flattened.

It is not known if anyone inside the car escaped or remained inside.

More than a dozen fire engines were called to the scene

It is not yet known why the flyover collapsed. Cowan, the construction company responsible for building it, said investigators are on site.

Groups of people gathered near the scene of the accident, with some of them shouting.

A man holds a banner that reads 'Cup dirty with blood' close to the scene

Bank worker Leandro Brito said: "Because of the World Cup they sped everything up to finish faster.

"That's why this tragedy has happened. They are not making things properly. Everyone is very angry."

Mineirao Stadium in Belo Horizonte

Ms Pereira said that, along with her neighbours, she complained to the mayor that they feared for their safety from the construction and asked authorities for compensation so they could move.

She said the request was rejected and the mayor's office assured them the project was safe.

Fire department spokesman Lieutenant Colonel Edgar Estevo da Silva said officials had inspected the apartment buildings and did not find any sign they were at risk because of the overpass collapse.

The World Cup has been dogged by delays to stadiums and infrastructure, and there were several accidents during construction of the stadiums.

Just three days before the tournament began on June 12, an accident in Sao Paulo killed one worker and injured two others when an unfinished monorail collapsed.

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CCTV 'Shows Palestinian Teen Being Abducted'

By Tom Rayner, Middle East Reporter, in Jerusalem

CCTV footage which purports to show the moment a Palestinian teenager was kidnapped before being killed has been obtained by Sky News.

The video allegedly shows men bundling Mohammed Abu Khadair into a car in East Jerusalem, shortly before his burned body was found in a forest.

Blurry figures can be seen apparently bundling someone into a car

The footage emerged as tensions heightened in the region with Israel's military sending troop reinforcements to its border with the Gaza Strip.

In another development, the official Twitter feed of the Israel Defense Forces was hacked, stating that rockets had hit a major nuclear facility, causing a leak.

The top tweet claims a nuclear facility was hit in the Negev desert The tweet was quickly removed and a correction issued

The tweet, which was quickly removed read: "#WARNING: Possible nuclear leak in the region after 2 rockets hit Dimona nuclear facility."

The IDF later confirmed the tweet was a hoax, vowing to "combat terror on all fronts including the cyber dimension".

The boy's father Hussein Abu Khadair has called for a full police inquiry

The Khadair family say their 17-year-old was on his way to the local mosque to attend the morning prayer when he was taken.

His body was found around 5am by police in a forest in West Jerusalem.

Although the CCTV footage cannot be verified, the family says it has been taken by Israeli police and is being examined as part of the investigation into the murder.

Israeli police have been keen to stress that they are yet to establish a clear motive for the murder and say they cannot yet rule out a criminal, rather than nationalistic revenge motive.

The incident took place hours after large crowds of Israelis demonstrated in Jerusalem.

They called for tougher action to be taken by the government in response to the kidnap and murder of three Israeli teenagers, whose bodies were discovered on Monday afternoon.

Palestinians stand next to a crater they say was caused by Israeli rockets

Crowds chanting "death to Arabs" gathered in the centre of the city and many Arab residents were protected from would-be lynch mobs by police.

Israeli police confirmed that 47 Israelis involved were arrested the night before Mohammed was killed.

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All F-35 Fighter Jets Grounded Amid Fire Probe

US military officials have grounded all F-35s while continuing to investigate a runway fire involving one of the fighter jets.

The Pentagon, Air Force and Navy issued directives ordering the suspension of all F-35 flights after the June 23 fire on an Air Force F-35A jet at Eglin Air Force Base in Florida.

US and industry officials have not yet pinpointed the cause of the fire, which happened as a pilot was preparing for take-off.

The pilot was not injured.

The Pentagon says additional inspections of F-35 engines have been ordered. The return to flight of the F-35 fleet will be determined based on inspection results and analysis of engineering data, it added.

The incident was the latest to hit the Pentagon's costliest weapons programme, the $398.6bn (£232bn) F-35 Joint Strike Fighter.

It followed an in-flight oil leak that triggered mandatory fleet-wide inspections of the jets last month.

Japan has ordered 42 of the single-engine stealth jets that will be assembled locally by Mitsubishi Heavy Industries.

But Japanese Defence Minister Itsunori Onodera said he wants to discuss the F-35 problem when he visits the US next week to tour American bases and meet with his counterpart, Chuck Hagel.

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Parents Kept Autistic Son Locked In Cage

The parents of a severely autistic boy have been arrested after California police determined the 11-year-old had been kept in a cage.

Authorities said the metal cage - similar to an extra-large dog kennel - was found in the couple's home in Anaheim with a mattress and other bedding inside.

It was roughly 6ft (1.8m) tall, 5ft (1.5m) long and about 4ft (1.2m) wide with room to stand.

Loi Vu, 40 (L), and Tracy Le, 35.

The boy was not inside when police went to the house.

But family members gave investigators varying accounts of how long he had been kept in it, ranging from hours to days, police Lieutenant Bob Dunn said.

He said early indications were that the family might have been having difficulty coping with the boy.

"It appeared that as he grew older his episodes of violence and outbursts were increasing and perhaps the parents utilised the cage as a tool to modify that and to contain him when that was happening," he said.

The boy's parents, identified by police as Loi Vu, 40, and Tracy Le, 35, were held on suspicion of felony child endangerment and false imprisonment.

A mattress was found inside the cage

Officers went to the Anaheim home and arrested the parents after an anonymous tipster called Orange County Child Protective Services.

The child was well-nourished and appeared otherwise healthy and his two siblings, ages eight and 10, were also unharmed.

They were all placed in protective custody.

The parents, of Vietnamese origin, speak limited English, and investigators were using translators to sort out details in the case.

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Saudi Arabia 'Deploys Troops To Iraq Border'

Red-Bearded Chechen Fighter Is Face Of ISIS

Updated: 10:15am UK, Thursday 03 July 2014

A red-bearded Chechen fighter with a deep hatred of Americans has emerged as the public face of al Qaeda splinter group ISIS.

Omar al Shishani - which means Omar the Chechen - has appeared on the group's recent propaganda videos and may have been promoted to overall military chief.

He is among hundreds of Chechens who are considered some of the toughest and most ruthless jihadi fighters in Syria and Iraq.

In a video released by the group over the weekend, al Shishani is shown standing in front of black masked militants declaring the elimination of the Iraq-Syria border.

Up until recently, the 28-year-old has been considered the group's military commander in Syria, leading an offensive towards the Iraq border.

But he may now have risen to become overall military chief, a post left vacant after the death of Iraqi militant Abu Abdul Rahman al Bilawi al Anbari.

Al Shishani, whose real name is Tarkhan Batirashvili, is an ethnic Chechen from the Caucasus nation of Georgia, specifically from the Pankisi Valley.

The area is a centre of Georgia's Chechen community and once a stronghold for militants.

Former comrades say he was raised by a Christian father and Muslim mother, who died of cancer. 

With a deep hatred for the Kremlin, he played a role in the 2008 Russia-Georgia War, spying on Russian tanks and relaying their positions back to Georgian artillery.

He is described by those who knew him before ISIS as a sober and respected person who did not show signs of religious extremism.

Reports suggest he rose to the rank of sergeant in the Georgian army, but was discharged after contracting tuberculosis in 2010.

He later spent 16 months in a Georgian prison after being charged for possessing illegal weapons.

It was during his time in jail that al Shishani apparently developed a deep hatred of Americans as "the enemies of Allah and the enemies of Islam".

"I promised God that if I come out of prison alive, I'll go fight jihad for the sake of God," he told a jihadist website.

As soon as he was released in 2010, al Shishani  left for Turkey and later surfaced in Syria in 2013.

There, he led the al Qaeda-inspired "Army of Emigrants and Partisans", a group including many fighters from the former Soviet Union.

A meeting was soon organised with ISIS overall chief Abu Bakr al Baghdadi, an Iraqi, in which al Shishani pledged loyalty to him, say reports.

He first showed his battlefield prowess in August 2013, when his fighters proved pivotal in taking the Syrian military's Managh air base in the north of the country.

His high profile contrasts sharply with al Baghdadi, who remains deep in hiding and has hardly ever been photographed. 

Al Shishani's father described his son as "a man with no job, no prospects - so he took the wrong path".

That path appears to have taken him to the upper echelons of the most formidable jihadist organisation in the world.

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Red-Bearded Chechen Fighter Is Face Of ISIS

A red-bearded Chechen fighter with a deep hatred of Americans has emerged as the public face of al Qaeda splinter group ISIS.

Omar al Shishani - which means Omar the Chechen - has appeared on the group's recent propaganda videos and may have been promoted to overall military chief.

He is among hundreds of Chechens who are considered some of the toughest and most ruthless jihadi fighters in Syria and Iraq.

In a video released by the group over the weekend, al Shishani is shown standing in front of black masked militants declaring the elimination of the Iraq-Syria border.

Omar al Shishani embraces another militant on a propaganda video

Up until recently, the 28-year-old has been considered the group's military commander in Syria, leading an offensive towards the Iraq border.

But he may now have risen to become overall military chief, a post left vacant after the death of Iraqi militant Abu Abdul Rahman al Bilawi al Anbari.

Al Shishani, whose real name is Tarkhan Batirashvili, is an ethnic Chechen from the Caucasus nation of Georgia, specifically from the Pankisi Valley.

The area is a centre of Georgia's Chechen community and once a stronghold for militants.

Former comrades say he was raised by a Christian father and Muslim mother, who died of cancer. 

In another video extract, he is seen driving a digger

With a deep hatred for the Kremlin, he played a role in the 2008 Russia-Georgia War, spying on Russian tanks and relaying their positions back to Georgian artillery.

He is described by those who knew him before ISIS as a sober and respected person who did not show signs of religious extremism.

Reports suggest he rose to the rank of sergeant in the Georgian army, but was discharged after contracting tuberculosis in 2010.

He later spent 16 months in a Georgian prison after being charged for possessing illegal weapons.

It was during his time in jail that al Shishani apparently developed a deep hatred of Americans as "the enemies of Allah and the enemies of Islam".

ISIS fighters have been battling rival factions in Syria

"I promised God that if I come out of prison alive, I'll go fight jihad for the sake of God," he told a jihadist website.

As soon as he was released in 2010, al Shishani  left for Turkey and later surfaced in Syria in 2013.

There, he led the al Qaeda-inspired "Army of Emigrants and Partisans", a group including many fighters from the former Soviet Union.

A meeting was soon organised with ISIS overall chief Abu Bakr al Baghdadi, an Iraqi, in which al Shishani pledged loyalty to him, say reports.

He first showed his battlefield prowess in August 2013, when his fighters proved pivotal in taking the Syrian military's Managh air base in the north of the country.

His high profile contrasts sharply with al Baghdadi, who remains deep in hiding and has hardly ever been photographed. 

Al Shishani declared an elimination of the Iraq-Syria border

Al Shishani's father described his son as "a man with no job, no prospects - so he took the wrong path".

That path appears to have taken him to the upper echelons of the most formidable jihadist organisation in the world.

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Oscar Pistorius 'Fleeing Was Not An Option'

The final defence witness in the Oscar Pistorius trial has told a court why the athlete did not flee from his house on the night he shot dead his girlfriend.

The Paralympian and Olympian denies murdering 29-year-old model Reeva Steenkamp, claiming he shot her after mistaking her for an intruder at the Pretoria property.

On the 37th day of the trial, the defence read from Pistorius' evidence - the part where he was questioned about why he went towards danger.

Professor Wayne Derman, who worked with the South African Paralympic team, was asked to explain why the defendant would have headed in that direction after allegedly being startled by a noise.

The physician said it was consistent with the 'flight or fight' reflex and he said there was less ability to "think" after such a response kicked in.

Mr Derman said fleeing was not an option as the athlete has no lower legs - the other option was to fight and approach danger.

The defendant, who had fired his pistol through a closed toilet door in his home, was hyper-sensitive to sound and has a heightened fight or flight response, he also said.

South African Pistorius, 27, is vulnerable and his fear of crime is exacerbated by his physical disability, Mr Derman told the court.

His lower legs were amputated as a baby because he was born without fibula bones.

Mr Derman, a professor of sport and exercise medicine at the University of Cape Town, also described the athlete as a "paradox".

He said there were two Oscars - one winning races with his hands up and tall on his prosthetic legs - the other disabled on stumps.

"It is different each day" he said, adding the contrast causes stress and anxiety for the double-amputee runner.

Pistorius has admitted killing girlfriend Reeva Steenkamp

The defence wants to show Pistorius' alleged sense of vulnerability was a factor in the night-time shooting on Valentine's Day last year.

Under cross-examination, the prosecution claimed Mr Derman could not give objective evidence as an "expert" as it might harm his patient.

But Mr Derman rejected this and said he had backed up his points with science.

On Wednesday, the court heard the defendant has been suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) since shooting her and needs to continue being treated to avoid the risk of suicide.

A psychiatric report found Pistorius is not mentally ill, but has been "severely traumatised" by the events of last year.

The athlete, who is on bail, faces 25 years to life in prison if found guilty of premeditated murder.

But he could also be sentenced to a shorter prison term if convicted of murder without premeditation or negligent killing.

The trial has been adjourned until Monday.

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Iraq: First Images Show Battle To Retake Tikrit

Who's In Line To Become Iraq Prime Minister?

Updated: 3:24pm UK, Tuesday 01 July 2014

By Michelle Clifford, Senior News Correspondent

Iraq's parliament has convened for the first time since April's election, with current Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki fighting to hold onto his post.

Although his Shia State of Law coalition pulled in most of the votes, his personal currency has waned during the current crisis. 

Regarded by many as a divisive figure, his failure to halt the Sunni insurgency has left Mr al-Maliki struggling for support even within Shia ranks.

Some former political allies have turned foe and are battling to deny him a third term.

Under a de facto agreement in the years since Saddam Hussein was ousted, Iraq's prime minister is a Shia, the president a Kurd and the speaker of parliament is a Sunni.

The political factions are vying for positions and power and, in the past, the process of forming the government has taken months.

But, amid the violence, there is pressure internally and internationally to form a "unity government" as soon as possible.

Shia politicians have been in secret talks for days and, while Mr al-Maliki is a contentious choice, he is still on the list to go forward for prime minister.

But other names have leaked out.

Mr al-Maliki's current Chief of Staff, Tariq Najm, is being tipped as a favourite. He has a low profile but wields considerable power behind the scenes and knows the mechanics of government and international diplomacy like few others.

But, as a member of Mr al-Maliki's Dawa party, the close association with the PM, vilified by Sunnis and Kurds, may make him a difficult choice.

Former Iraqi Vice President Adel Abdul-Mahdi is a leading figure in the Citizen's bloc (formerly known as the Supreme Iraqi Islamic Council) - a political party seen as close to Iran.

The French-speaking economist has long been touted as a potential prime minister. He has given Mr al-Maliki a close run for his money before.

Ibrahim al-Jaafari was actually Mr al-Maliki's predecessor as prime minister and is head of the National Alliance - a Shia coalition which includes the premier's party and rival parties.

He was ousted in favour of Mr al-Maliki in 2006, when Iraq was embroiled in brutal civil conflict, because he was seen as too sectarian by a minority Sunni Arabs and Kurds.

Former deputy prime minister Ahmed Chalabi is probably the one name familiar to many outside of Iraq.

It was his faulty intelligence information which encouraged the US to invade Iraq in 2003.

He is now seen as closer to Iran, with the US military even accusing him of being "influenced" by Tehran. A seasoned politician, he has never managed to attract wide support in Iraq.

The challenge for parliament will be to choose a Shia politician who can establish a working relationship with Sunni Arabs and Kurds because their support will be needed in tackling the insurgency in the north and west of Iraq.

Mr al-Maliki was resistant to making compromises with Sunnis on the formation of federal territory.

He cut the monthly budget to the Kurdish region and reportedly even refused military help offered by the Kurds to tackle the ISIS militants.

ISIS was flaunting its military success as parliament met. In the Syrian town of Raqqa, it held a parade that included a display of military hardware. Tanks, rockets and militiamen celebrating the establishment of an Islamic state which straddles Iraq and Syria.

Fears about ISIS' high profile drawing in young radicalised recruits focused the minds of Iraqi parliamentarians today. They agreed that quelling the violence was the priority.

But, in a sign of how difficult establishing a government to do that may be, the session broke up prematurely due to lack of agreement. They will be back in parliament next week.

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'Guns Everywhere' Law Allows Firearms In Church

By Amanda Walker, US Correspondent

Sweeping new laws have come into effect in the US state of Georgia which allow guns in bars, nightclubs, libraries and even churches.

Critics have slammed the so-called "guns everywhere" legislation as the most extreme in the United States.

At a shooting range just outside Atlanta, pro-gun activists have been gathering to celebrate one of the most radical pro-gun measures in the country.

Most are white males in their 50s and for them, the new law is a triumph.

One said: "It's a victory for the second amendment rights ... the right to keep and bear arms."

"Those rights are protected by the constitution and are given to us by God," another added.

The controversial laws are welcomed by some people in Georgia

Not everyone in the state is so happy about the law.

According to the Centre for American Progress, between 2001 and 2010, Georgia saw over twice as many people killed by guns than in combat in the Iraq and Afghanistan wars.

Athens, a pretty town with a strong literary heritage, is a liberal oasis in what has become one of the most gun-friendly states in America.

The library is a community hub popular with young families.

Before, guns would not be allowed anywhere near it.

Now, because it is classed as an unsecured government building, people can walk in with their weapon on display.

Lawyer John Timmons is worried about the impact of the new measures

John Timmons, a lawyer who sits on the library's board, said: "This is a place of learning - it's a place for peace, not a place for firearms.

"If someone were to walk in right now with a shotgun, we'd really have to ask ourselves - why? How is that reasonable?"

In the storytelling class, parents with their toddlers said firearms and nursery rhymes do not mix.

"It would make me nervous," one woman said. "If someone comes in with a gun, I'm leaving."

Another mother added: "You come to feel safe here ... now everybody you look at, you're concerned about what they could possibly be carrying with them."

However, local activist Bob Thornton welcomed the bill - unsurprising when you learn his motto: "If you see me with pants on, my pistol's in my pants."

Sky's Amanda Walker speaks to concerned parents at a library in Athens

"If the library doesn't want people to come into the building armed, all they have to do is get the city council to put in (metal detectors) and have someone stationed there to prevent armed people from entering," he said.

The worry for many Georgians is that things will go the way of Texas, where activists have been brazenly flexing their open carry rights by parading their assault rifles.

Opposition to gun-friendly laws is simmering but people are not taking to the streets to protest.

Public disdain has not reached the political sphere - even the democratic candidate for Georgia governor voted for the new law.

They know blocking it is a sure-fire way to lose votes.

In the face of continued mass shootings, the so-called Safe Carry Protection Act is proof that the all-powerful gun lobby's influence is as strong as ever.

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Clashes Erupt As Teen Found Dead In Jerusalem

Palestinian protesters have clashed with police in Israel after the discovery of the body of an Arab teenager who is suspected to have been killed in retribution for the deaths of three Israeli youths.

Sky News' Middle East Correspondent Sherine Tadros said violence erupted in the Arab suburb of Shuafat in Jerusalem after news of the discovery spread.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu called for calm on all sides as video footage showed protesters throwing rocks at police who responded with tear gas and rubber bullets.

Special forces have been sent in and all roads in the area have been closed.

The body is believed to be that of Palestinian teenager Mohammed Abu Khudair, 16, who was reported missing in the early hours of the morning.

Violence started after reports a Palestinian youth was abducted

Witnesses said they saw him being forced into a vehicle outside a supermarket in the Shuafat area.

Israeli police are yet to formally the identity of the body, which was found in the Jerusalem Forest in West Jerusalem.

Israel's Ynet website reported that it was charred and showed signs of violence.

Palestinian news reports have blamed Israeli settlers for the abduction.

One Israeli security source, speaking on condition of anonymity, said officials suspect the youth was killed in retribution for the deaths of three Israeli teenagers whose bodies were found in the West Bank on Monday.

Police are investigating whether the body was that of the missing teen

Israel has accused the Palestinian militant group Hamas of abducting and killing Gilad Shaar, 16, Eyal Yifrach, 19, and Naftali Frenkel, 16.

They went missing while hitchhiking home from the Jewish seminaries where they studied near Hebron.

Naftali Frenkel's family has spoken out against acts of retribution.

His uncle, Yisahi Frenkel, said: "If the Arab youth was murdered because of nationalistic motives then this is a horrible and horrendous act.

The three Israeli teens were buried on Tuesday

"There is no difference between (Arab) blood and (Jewish) blood. Murder is murder. There is no forgiveness or justification for any murder."

Prime Minister Netanyahu has issued a statement urging all sides "not to take the law into their own hands".

Overnight police in Jerusalem arrested 47 Israelis overnight who attended a hardline "anti-Arab" protest in the city. Chants of "death to Arabs" were heard among the several hundred protesters.

Mr Netanyahu had earlier pledged to find those responsible for the Israeli youths' deaths.

Speaking to reporters, he said: "Whoever was involved in the kidnapping and the murder will bear the consequences. We will neither rest nor slow down until we reach the last of them and it does not matter where they will try to hide."

Jewish youths mourn next to the graves of the three boys

Mr Netanyahu also warned Israel's response would include stepping up military activity in Hamas-controlled Gaza if rocket fire from the territory continues.

"The Israeli Defence Force has been active in recent days against Hamas targets in the Gaza Strip, and here as well we are still active," he said.

"If need be, we will expand the operation as much as is needed."

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Kenya: Four Killed In Drugs Plane Crash

Four people were killed when a cargo plane crashed moments after taking off at the main airport in the Kenyan capital Nairobi.

Soldiers at the scene of the crash

The Fokker 50 aircraft, which was loaded with the stimulant Khat, plunged into a residential building.

The pilot, flight engineer and two passengers were killed but police say no-one on the ground was hurt.

It's thought the plane may have hit an electrical pole

The plane took off from Joshua Nkomo International Airport at 4.15am and two minutes later radioed the control tower to say it was struggling to gain height.

Preliminary investigations found it may have hit an electrical pole before coming down in the Embakasi area.

Police and firefighters sift through the wreckage

No other details were immediately available on the possible cause of the crash.

The plane was transporting the Khat to Mogadishu, the capital of Somalia.

An inquiry has begun to find out the cause of the crash

Khat is popular in parts of the Middle East and Africa but is banned in the UK and most other EU countries.

In the US it is classified as a dangerous narcotic. Users chew the leaf to produce a mild high.

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World Cup: Cameroon Hit By Match-Fixing Claims

Cameroon is to investigate claims that seven of its players were involved in match-fixing at the World Cup in Brazil.

A statement by the Cameroon Football Federation (FECAFOOT) said the probe would be conducted by its Ethics Committee.

The investigation comes after a convicted Singaporean match-fixer Wilson Raj Perumal accurately predicted the score before Cameroon's 4-0 defeat by Croatia on June 18, according to German magazine Der Spiegel.

Song gets his marching orders

The report said he also predicted a Cameroon player would be sent off in the first half of the game.

Midfielder Alex Song, who plays for Barcelona, was subsequently dismissed during the opening 45 minutes for elbowing Mario Mandzukic.

Cameroon also lost their two other Group A matches - beaten 1-0 by Mexico and 4-1 by Brazil.

"Recent allegations of fraud around Cameroon's three 2014 World Cup games, especially Cameroon v Croatia, as well as the existence of seven bad apples (in our national team), do not reflect the values and principles promoted by our administration," FECAFOOT said. 

"We wish to inform the general public that, though not yet contacted by Fifa in regards to this affair, our administration has already instructed its Ethics Committee to further investigate these accusations.

"We are strongly committed to employ all means necessary to resolve this disruptive matter in the shortest delays."

The statement added that Cameroon football has never been sanctioned for fraud.

Cameroon line up for the Coatia game

"We wish to reinstate that in fifty-five (55) years of existence, FECAFOOT has never been sanctioned for, involved in, or even linked to match-fixing or any fraud of any kind," it said.

Cameroon's match against Croatia was also marred by an incident in the second half when defender Benoit Assou-Ekotto appeared to headbutt team-mate Benjamin Moukandjo.

FECAFOOT subsequently launched an investigation into the incident but have yet to report the outcome.

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