US Armed Drones Take To The Skies Over Iraq

US And Iranian Drones Flying Over Iraq

Updated: 5:16am UK, Saturday 28 June 2014

By Dominic Waghorn, US Correspondent, Washington

US officials have confirmed that armed drones are now flying in the skies above Baghdad. Previously, US drones operating there were thought to be unarmed.

All unmanned aerial missions will remain tasked with surveillance but the armed drones could be called on to protect the hundreds of US troops who've been sent to act as military advisers.

President Obama has for now ruled out offensive military action in Iraq, but this will give him the ability to respond quickly with force should US assets become threatened.

It also means that US and Iranian drones are almost certainly for the first time flying in the same theatre of war, on the same side. 

US press reports claim Iran is also operating drones from an airfield in Baghdad. 

American and Iranian objectives in Iran overlap. 

Both countries are determined to reverse the fortunes of ISIS - for different reasons. 

Iran is concerned about the threat to its ally, the Shiite-dominated government of Iraq, fellow Shia Iraqis, and Shia holy places. 

The US is concerned by the success of an Islamist movement so extreme it's been condemned by al Qaeda.

American officials have been at pains to rule out coordinating military activity in Iraq with Iran. 

But they have said they are willing to explore a dialogue to explore mutual interests in the country.

Iranian commanders are reported to be operating in Baghdad. Qassem al Suleimani, commander of the elite Iranian Quds Brigade, is said to be among them.  

He is thought to have helped organise Iranian support for Iraqi militia attacks on both US and British troops over the last decade, not least with the use of roadside bombs.

He is now thought to be advising the Iraqi military on defending Baghdad and taking on ISIS after its blitzkrieg advance through the west of the country. 

At the same time and in the same city, as many as 300 US military advisers are working with other elements of the Iraqi forces with the same purpose.

The US government has said it is concerned the Iranians' involvement could increase the risk of sectarian conflict in Iraq. 

Iran is interested in protecting Shia Iraqis in what is spiralling towards civil war.

For its part, Iran has voiced concerns America is trying to stage-manage events in Iraq with only its interests in mind and orchestrate the removal of the Shia prime minister Nouri al Maliki.

But both countries are prepared to overcome such friction in the interest of defeating a common enemy and maintaining influence in Iraq. 

The Iranians are reportedly making a bigger investment to that end, operating a round-the-clock air bridge into Baghdad funnelling tons of materiel into Iraq.

America may look on with alarm at the burgeoning Iranian presence in Iraq and what Teheran may expect in return. 

But for now the rise of ISIS remains a bigger worry and Washington has little choice but to work alongside its enemies to vanquish a bigger foe.

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Suarez Coach Blames Media For Bite Ban

The Uruguay football coach has blamed the English media for Luis Suarez's lengthy ban for biting an opponent.

Oscar Tabarez read out a 14-minute tirade, accusing the media of a conspiracy to get the controversial player kicked out of the World Cup.   

The coach refused to answer questions from reporters at a packed news conference and announced he was quitting from his role at Fifa in protest.

Luis Suarez with one of his children at his home in Montevideo

His comments came as it emerged that Suarez would be banned from Liverpool's team photograph if it was taken at Anfield.

He will also be excluded from the club's new merchandising campaigns.

A top Fifa official urged Suarez to get "treatment" for his biting problem - defending the four month ban from all football-related activity.

Uruguay fans hoped to give Suarez a hero's welcome when he returned home

Secretary general Jerome Valcke told a news conference in Rio: "He should find something, it is definitely wrong."

Meanwhile Fifa president Sepp Blatter refused to comment on the length of the ban but said: "It is not fair what he has done."   

Suarez returned to Montevideo yesterday, arriving too late to see the president of Uruguay and hundreds of fans who had gathered to give him a hero's welcome.

Bite victim Giorgio Chiellini says the punishment was too severe

Mr Tabarez appeared at a press conference ahead of his team's last-16 World Cup match against Colombia at the Maracana.

He said: "The reporters that only care about that thing (Suarez) I don't know what nationality they were, but all of them speak in English.

"That media pressure which is so close and yet so far from the objective fact that the pictures of the action show in that match.

Brtain's media did not pull any punches after the bite attack

"All the media was only focusing on Luis' previous incidents, the things that happened to him before, where all of us know that he was sanctioned for, and served his punishment."

Before leaving, Mr Tabarez said he would be resigning from his positions with Fifa where he has sat on both the Strategy Committee and the Technical Study Group.

He left the conference to loud applause from Uruguayan reporters.

Earlier Giorgio Chiellini, the Italian footballer bitten by Suarez during their Group D match on Tuesday, said he regarded his punishment as "excessive" and that he had "no feelings of revenge or anger".

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'Euro Leaders Are Cowards' Over Juncker Vote

Health Secretary Jeremy Hunt has labelled Europe's leaders "cowards" for electing arch-federalist Jean-Claude Juncker as president of the European Commission.

Prime Minister David Cameron's only ally was Hungary as he attempted to block Mr Juncker, who he claims is not the right man to force through EU reform.

The Tories have promised a referendum on EU membership should they win the next election - and Mr Hunt believes "cowardice" from Europe's leaders can only make a vote to quit more likely.

"As a result of cowardice yesterday from other European leaders who weren't prepared to say in public what they said in private, they're going to have to work a lot harder to persuade the British people that Europe has a reform agenda," he said.

Mr Hunt claimed the British people would be "proud" of the Prime Minister - and that his position would ultimately help the UK renegotiate its relationship with Europe.

The PM argued Mr Juncker was not the "right person" for the post

"You're getting European leaders queuing up to say how much they want Britain to stay in the EU, how they'll make compromises," he said.

"We want to be a country in control of our own destiny, we want to stop abuses of the welfare system and NHS.

"We're not going to take part in some grubby face-saving deal where we pretend we've got a deal - a feature of the last government. We want substantive reform in Europe."

The Prime Minister said his fellow EU leaders had made a "serious mistake" but vowed to keep fighting for reform in Europe.

"This is going to be a long, tough fight and frankly sometimes you have to be prepared to lose a battle in order to win a war," he added. "It has only stiffened my resolve to fight for reform in the EU, because it is crying out for it."

Mr Cameron claimed Britain had "made some small steps forward" during the vote discussions.

This included an agreement that ever-closer union allows for different paths of integration and respects the wishes of countries such as Britain that do not want a closer relationship.

Former Luxembourg premier Mr Juncker was backed by Germany's Angela Merkel

German Chancellor Angela Merkel was an advocate of Mr Juncker, but amid the vote she urged EU colleagues to "compromise" with Britain.

"I think we can find compromises here and make a step towards Great Britain," she said.

Labour leader Ed Miliband told Sky News: "The last 48 hours doesn't show Europe is unreformable, it shows David Cameron is not the man to reform it because he has become toxic.

"Because people doubt his motivations, because people doubt the way he operates, it's made people say 'We're not going to ally with Britain'."

UKIP leader Nigel Farage said: "I think what's clear is that any cards that Mr Cameron may have had to play have been spent, and have been lost over a futile battle that he was bound to lose from the beginning.

"(Any) renegotiation now doesn't look very likely. He has been humiliated today but worse than that, he actually looks very isolated."

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Chiellini Says Suarez Bite Ban Is 'Excessive'

Luis Suarez: A Huge Talent But Trouble

Updated: 6:06am UK, Friday 27 June 2014

By Paul Kelso, Sports Correspondent, in Rio de Janeiro

To his countrymen, Luis Suarez is an unambiguous character.

He is the boy from an impoverished quarter of Salto who became a hero; a natural who plays with the ferocious pride and raw spirit that embodies the national self-image.

You do not have to be Uruguayan to admire his luminous talent. Watching him score the goals that eliminated England in Sao Paulo last week it was impossible not to admire the certainty of his play, the single-minded ability not just to try but to deliver.

But it is equally hard to ignore his recidivist, violent streak, and nor should we try.

Uruguay has rushed to his defence this week, but none of the conspiracies or indulgences offered by his countrymen can sweeten Suarez's offences.

Three times on a professional football field he has bitten an opponent. It is conduct we train out of pets and children, assuming that adult humans do not need to be reminded.

Who knows where it comes from. An army of experts have had their say in the last few days, offering explanations ranging from the Freudian to the footballing.

For everyone, save Suarez, the answer is largely irrelevant. What matters for his club and country is what happens next.

For Liverpool it is a pressing question. The club and its fans love Suarez but they have good reason to feel let down.

They backed him ham-fistedly through the Patrice Evra racism storm, and then with far more assurance and self-awareness following his assault on Branislav Ivanovic.

Last season they seemed to get a return on that pastoral care. Suarez was focused and fabulous, his goals fully deserving a clean sweep of player of the year awards from his fellow pros and the journalists his teammates now accuse of conspiring, and supporters groups.

Anfield fully expected to return to the barricades for Suarez this summer, but they anticipated the attack would come from Real Madrid and Barcelona, once more hunting his signature.

Instead, they will welcome back a player who will not be available until November and will attract only negative vibes in the meantime. Restoring trust on both sides will be a major challenge for manager Brendan Rogers.

There is perhaps only one group for whom Suarez's inexplicable conduct is good news.

It is not often that Fifa has been able to scale the moral high-ground in recent times but the swift, decisive judgment against Suarez offered them a chance they were not going to miss.

Fifa president Sepp Blatter resisted repeated invitations from Sky News to offer a word on Suarez's ban but the message of his silence was clear. The World Cup show has been a wow. Presented with a pantomime villain Fifa banished him to the wings.

For once, few will argue it was the right move.

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Hunt Over Firearms Alert That Closed School

Police are warning people not to approach an Elvis impersonator wanted in connection with a firearms alert that closed a Cornish school.

Armed officers were called to a "domestic situation" close to Trenode Church of England Primary School near Looe at 9.30pm last night.

The school was closed as a precaution and police are urgently trying to trace 60-year-old Derrel Weaver amid fears he may have a gun.

Devon and Cornwall Police tweeted a photo of Mr Weaver, of Higher Widlake Farm in Widegates.

Police tweeted a version of this photo of Derrel Weaver

The caption read: "Have you seen this man, Derrel Weaver, 60, #widegates Looe, if you see him please ring 999 and do not approach."

The authorities have asked air traffic to stay clear of the area so the search is not hampered.

Superintendent Jim Pearce said: "We would ask the public to be vigilant at what is obviously a disturbing time for local communities.

"There is currently significant enquiries ongoing to locate Mr Weaver and this includes the chance he may be in possession of a firearm.

Authorities have asked air traffic to stay clear of the area

"There is currently no suggestion that Mr Weaver is any risk to members of the public, but we need to locate him as soon as possible."

Firearms officers are on patrol in the area.

Mr Weaver's Google+ page says he owns a tree surgery business and is also a "rock n roll singer".

The decision to close the school was made by its headteacher in consultation with police.

Trenode Church of England Primary School has been closed

A police spokesman said: "This unusual decision has been taken as a precautionary measure for safety reasons and because of the ongoing police activity in that area.

"We do understand that this will cause some significant inconvenience for some parents and local residents and this decision was not taken lightly, but public safety is the most important concern of the school and police."

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ISIS Massacre: Tikrit Satellite Images Emerge

Timeline: How The Iraq Crisis Unfolded

Updated: 9:29am UK, Tuesday 24 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".

June 17: Britain announces it is reopening its Iranian embassy, with William Hague saying the "circumstances are right" as the West looks to improve relations to help tackle the crisis in Iraq.

Iraq's Shia leaders accuse Saudi Arabia of promoting "genocide" by backing Sunni militants.

June 18: Iraq's foreign minister asks the US to carry out airstrikes to help reverse the sweeping gains of Islamist militants in the country.

David Cameron warns that if Britain does not intervene in the Middle East crisis then terrorists will "hit the UK at home".

Insurgents are seen parading through the city of Baiji with captured vehicles after reports they have taken over three-quarters of Iraq's biggest oil refinery.

ISIS charts its brutality and tactics in annual reports called al-Naba - The Report, it emerges.

June 19: Iraqi authorities say government forces have retaken the Baiji oil refinery after fierce fighting.

Barck Obama says US troops will not return to combat in Iraq, but he would be prepared to take "targeted action".

The president also announces additional equipment and up to 300 additional military advisers could be provided to help fight the ISIS insurgency.

June 20: Iraq's senior Shia religious authority Grand Ayatollah Ali al-Sistani calls for a new government for the country as it struggles to stop Sunni militants.

Barack Obama piles further pressure on Iraq's PM Nouri al Maliki, saying he needs to take urgent steps to heal the sectarian rift in the country, but stopping short of demanding he quit.

A video of British jihadists urging Western Muslims to join ISIS in Iraq and Syria emerges on social media.

June 21: The family of Naseer Muthana, 20, who appears in the ISIS recruitment video and younger brother Aseel, 17, who followed him to fight in the region say they are "devastated". 

The men's father Ahmed Muthana tells Sky News he believes his son Nasser was radicalised in a mosque in the United Kingdom.

In Iraq, dozens of Iraqi troops are killed as ISIS militants seize the crucial Qaim crossing into Syria.

A Shia preacher loyal to anti-US cleric Moqtada al Sadr warns that the 300 US military advisers en route to Iraq will be attacked.

June 22: Iran's supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei comes out in opposition of US intervention in neighbouring Iraq.

President Barack Obama warns ISIS could grow in power, destabilise the region and pose a threat to the US.

The mother of one of two Britons filmed in a militants' video calling for Western Muslims to fight in Syria and Iraq, Reyaad Khan, pleads for him to come home in an emotional Sky News interview.

A former head of counter-terrorism at MI6 tells Sky's Murnaghan programme up to 300 Islamist fighters from Iraq and Syria may have returned to the UK and it would be "impossible" to keep track of all of them.

June 23: Barack Obama warns ISIS could pose a threat to the US, hours after the Islamist militants make dramatic gains by capturing four towns in western Iraq.

US Secretary of State John Kerry arrives in Baghdad for talks with Prime Minister Nouri al Maliki.

June 24: John Kerry arrives in Irbil for talks with Kurdistan's regional government President Massoud Barzani.

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Missing Malaysia Airlines Jet 'On Autopilot'

Australian officials have said they are confident missing flight MH370 was flying on autopilot when it disappeared.

The Malaysia Airlines plane vanished on March 8 carrying 239 passengers while travelling from Kuala Lumpur to Beijing.

The search area in the hunt for the missing jet has shifted several hundred miles south from the intensely examined site in a remote stretch of Indian Ocean, where a remote underwater drone had been scouring 330 square miles of seabed.

Australian Deputy Prime Minister Warren Truss said the new search area, about 1,100 miles off Australia's west coast, is based on fresh analysis of existing satellite data.

He said: "The new priority area is still focused on the seventh arc, where the aircraft last communicated with satellite.

"We are now shifting our attention to an area further south along the arc based on these calculations."

A huge search of an area in the Indian Ocean has failed to find the plane

Martin Dolan, chief commissioner of the Australian Transport Safety Bureau, said: "Certainly for its path across the Indian Ocean, we are confident that the aircraft was operating on autopilot until it ran out of fuel."

However, why the autopilot would have been set on a flight path so far off course, and when exactly it was switched on remains unknown.

The new search zone of up to 24,000 square miles (60,000 sq km) is in the southern corridor and is based on where the aircraft last communicated with an Inmarsat satellite.

A survey will be carried out by two surface vessels to map the ocean floor of the area, which will take three months.

A comprehensive underwater search, using powerful side-scan sonar capable of probing depths of more than four miles, will start in August and take up to 12 months to complete.

Mr Truss said he was optimistic the latest search zone is the most likely crash site, but warned finding the plane remains a huge task.

He said: "The search will still be painstaking. Of course, we could be fortunate and find it in the first hour or the first day - but it could take another 12 months."

Families of the missing have been left increasingly angry and frustrated

The switch in the hunt comes after it emerged acoustic pings thought to have come from the plane's two flight recorders were not from the aircraft after all, leaving search teams scouring the wrong area.

It is thought the sounds came from a search boat or the ping detector itself, ruling out the area originally thought to be where the plane had come down.

Earlier this month, the relatives of missing passengers announced they were seeking to raise $5m (£3m) to offer as a reward to any "whistleblower" who can offer information leading to the discovery of the lost plane.

Many of the families believe there has been a cover-up and are hoping the money will tempt an insider to come forward.

The Boeing 777 is believed to have crashed in the southern Indian Ocean, but an extensive search has turned up no sign of wreckage so far, leaving families increasingly frustrated.

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Suarez: 'Not Enough Evidence' For Bite Sanctions

The head of Uruguay's football association has said there is not enough evidence for Fifa to "truly sanction" Luis Suarez after he appeared to bite an Italian defender.

The Liverpool striker was charged after television footage and photographs appeared to show him chewing on Giorgio Chiellini's shoulder in Tuesday night's Group D match.

Fifa's independent disciplinary committee met late into the evening on Wednesday without coming to a verdict and will meet again on Thursday.

But Wilmar Valdez told Uruguay's Channel 10 television that video evidence shown at the hearing was "not clear".

"We understand that there is not sufficient evidence to truly sanction Luis," he said.

A Fifa official has told Sky News Suarez "must face a severe sanction" if found guilty of biting Chiellini.

"If we allow this where will it stop?" he said.

Suarez was banned for biting Branislav Ivanovic

But his country's President, Jose Mujica, has insisted: "I didn't see him bite anyone.

"We didn't choose him to be a philosopher or a mechanic or to have good manners. He's a great player.

"If we're going to take decisions in football based on what TV says, then there are loads of penalties and handballs you have to give that weren't given. So bad luck."

Suarez's  team-mates have also rallied to his defence.

Skipper Diego Lugano even suggested there was a media vendetta against the player.

"The British media has a vendetta against Suarez, and everyone knows that.

"It's obvious the vendetta sells newspapers in England, otherwise you wouldn't be here. Uruguay and Italy played yesterday (Tuesday). On Saturday Uruguay plays Colombia, I don't know why there's a British journalist asking about Suarez."

However Suarez was criticised by Uruguay football legend Alcides Ghiggia - the last survivor of the team which defeated Brazil to win the 1950 World Cup.

"Suarez plays well but he has done things that are not normal for a player nor for a soccer game," he said. "I think Fifa can sanction him."

The 27-year-old, banned twice before for biting opposing players, could be expelled from the tournament if found guilty.

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Savile 'Abused Dead Bodies At NHS Hospital'

Leeds Hospital Issues 'Sincere Apology'

Updated: 10:55am UK, Thursday 26 June 2014

Reacting to the report into Jimmy Savile's behaviour at Leeds Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust, Julian Hartley, Chief Executive of the Trust said:

This is a profoundly shocking report in which for the first time we are able to gain a clear picture of the abuse perpetrated by Jimmy Savile during his involvement with our hospitals in Leeds, in particular the Leeds General Infirmary, which started in 1962 and continued through to the late 2000s.

As Chief Executive of the Leeds Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust I firstly want to offer a sincere apology to each and every one of Savile's victims, and thank them for being courageous enough to tell their stories.  I recognise how difficult this must have been and I respect and thank them for coming forward.

My first reaction when reading this report is one of tremendous sadness that this was allowed to happen, huge sympathy for the victims, as well as anger that this individual used the NHS and his celebrity status to exploit and abuse our patients, staff and public.

I want to take this opportunity to emphasise to our patients, their families and members of the public that the way hospitals in Leeds operate today is very different from the accounts included in the report, with a much greater focus now on security, safeguarding and raising concerns.  The Board at Leeds Teaching Hospitals is committed to learning from the findings of this report and ensuring we have the highest standards of safeguarding and security in place.

The Trust commissioned this report so that we could fully understand the actions of Savile and identify the areas where we can improve and learn from these dreadful events.  I would like to thank Dr Sue Proctor and the investigation team for their diligence, single-mindedness and commitment to paint as full a picture as possible of what went on in our hospitals during those years. This is a report we need to study in greater detail and ensure we and others learn from its findings.

As a Leeds citizen and a well-known celebrity for more than six decades it is perhaps understandable that Savile would have had some involvement with hospitals in the city. This report, however, paints a grim picture of an individual with a very dark side who used his role as volunteer and fundraiser, combined with his national fame, to mask a range of dreadful acts he perpetrated on children and adults alike over a prolonged period of time.

As an individual, Savile's activities, as we know, were not confined to the hospitals in Leeds, and it is fair to say that we were by no means the only institution he deceived.

Although I was not in post here in Leeds during Savile's lifetime, I grew up in West Yorkshire in the 1970s and share the collective reaction among our staff of shock, revulsion and horror.  Many of my colleagues have been bewildered by what happened and feel personally betrayed by him - a  famous man they took too much on trust.

Of course, hindsight is a gift we are now blessed with, and looking through this report it is clear to see that through the years there were individuals very discomfited by Savile's behaviour. What was lacking at the time was the escalation of these concerns to senior figures in the Trust to act upon.  

The report is clear that there is no one person at the hospital who is to blame for what happened, other than Jimmy Savile.

However, it is also absolutely clear that there should have been far more scrutiny of him and what he was doing at our hospitals over the years and more robust safeguards and internal controls in place to protect our staff and patients in our care. The lack of visibility of senior managers across the Trust during this time and the lack of questioning and curiosity about Savile's role and presence in our hospitals over the years is certainly a lesson for all NHS Boards and one that we are addressing in Leeds.

We are deeply upset by the findings of the report and our first thoughts must be with the victims who suffered in silence over so many years, and continue to do so. The important thing for us now is to learn from this report, and ensure arrangements are in place for any patient, member of staff or the public to report any issues of concern without embarrassment or fear.

The Leeds report makes 31 important recommendations, all of which we are dealing with.  Since the revelations first came to light we have been taking a long and hard look at how we manage our organisation to ensure there are no weaknesses which a determined and resourceful criminal like Savile could exploit.  The Board is committed to ensuring each and every recommendation made in today's report is delivered in full.

Hospitals in Leeds are very different places today.

We have much improved security in and around our patient areas including locks on wards, card access systems and a large network of CCTV cameras in place and we encourage staff to actively challenge unusual activity and visits.

We promote a culture of openness and patient safety and have strengthened our arrangements to encourage staff at all levels of the organisation to speak out and raise concerns, however small they may seem at the time.  Myself and the senior team spend much of our time on wards and in departments across all our hospitals including the Leeds General Infirmary, speaking to patients, staff and visitors.

VIPs and celebrities do not have open access in and around the hospitals and instead are registered at every visit and accompanied at all times.

We have significantly strengthened our internal controls to minimise risks to patient safety including much improved arrangements to protect adults and children in our care, enhanced employment checks for frontline staff and volunteers and a more robust approach to how we manage risk.

In short, over the years we were badly taken in by a clever and manipulative individual, we let our guard down, and people came to harm as a result of this.  For this we are truly sorry.

This report would not have been possible without the courage of the victims to come forward and share their experiences. I would encourage anyone with further information that they would like to share with us about this investigation to contact the Trust confidentially and I can assure you, you will be treated with the upmost respect and sympathy.  

I think I speak for the whole of Leeds Teaching Hospitals in saying that we are determined to ensure we protect our patients, staff and public from harm and that we will derive every ounce of learning from this report. In doing so we will honour Savile's victims who were brave enough to expose the truth.

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Former Inmates Show Queen Around 'The Crum'

By David Blevins, Ireland Correspondent

The Queen has been shown around Belfast's Crumlin Road Gaol by tour guides with first-hand experience - Northern Ireland's First Minister and Deputy First Minister.

Peter Robinson and Martin McGuinness had both previously been detained at the former prison, known locally as the Crum.

They now share power in devolved government and accompanied Her Majesty and the Duke of Edinburgh on a tour of C wing.

The Queen pictured speaking to Peter Robinson and Martin McGuinness

Democratic Unionist Party leader Mr Robinson was locked up four times during the 1980s for protesting against the Anglo-Irish Agreement.

Sinn Fein's Mr McGuinness was remanded there for six weeks in 1976 when accused of IRA membership.

Among the cells the royal couple passed in C wing was the room where condemned prisoners were hanged.

In 1996, the Governor emerged through the air-locked doors and slammed the gates shut for the last time.

Since then, the Victorian penal architecture has been restored.

Her Majesty visits the set of Game Of Thrones in Belfast

The 19th century building is now a popular visitor attraction and is symbolic of Northern Ireland's journey toward peace.

Among the people the Queen was introduced to was lottery millionaire from Belfast, Peter Lavery, who is turning A wing into a boutique whiskey distillery.

The Crum evokes memories of conflict, daring escape and in the case of 17 prisoners, execution.

Some 25,000 people were imprisoned there, many interned without trial, during the jail's 160-year history.

Former inmates include Eamon de Valera, one of the leaders of Ireland's fight for independence, Sinn Fein leader Gerry Adams and the prominent Unionist, Reverend Ian Paisley.

During their visit to Belfast, the royal couple also toured the set of the television drama Game of Thrones in the Titanic Quarter.

They met members of the cast and production crew, and viewed costumes and props used in the hugely successful first four series.

Other engagements include a trip to St George's Market, a civic lunch in Belfast City Hall and a garden party at Hillsborough Castle.

On Wednesday, the Queen will honour First World War soldiers from Northern Ireland and the Republic during an act of remembrance in Coleraine, County Londonderry.

It is Her Majesty's 21st visit to Northern Ireland, but never before have so many details been released in advance.

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Queen Visits Game Of Thrones Set In Belfast

Safe in the knowledge that there is no dispute over her place on the throne - the Queen has paid a visit to the Game Of Thrones set in Belfast.

Her Majesty was joined by the Duke of Edinburgh for the visit to the Painthall studios in the city's regenerated docklands where much of the popular Sky Atlantic series is filmed.

The Royals met members of the cast including Maisie Williams who plays Arya Stark, Kit Harington who stars at Jon Snow and Lena Headey who plays Queen Cersei Lannister.

The Iron Throne was on display for the Queen but she did not take the opportunity to test it out for comfort.

Cast members were on hand to greet Her Majesty

Instead she was given her own miniature throne to take back to the palace with her.

It is not known if the Queen and Duke are fans of the show which is known for its violence and nudity.

Northern Ireland is fast developing an international reputation as a leading filming destination, with the powersharing administration at Stormont offering attractive incentives to producers to film in the region.

Kit Harington plays Jon Snow in the series

Game Of Thrones is estimated to be the biggest TV production in Europe and its first four seasons have been credited with bringing a direct economic benefit of £82m to Northern Ireland, creating the equivalent of more than 900 full-time and 5,700 part-time jobs.

Series 4 of Game Of Thrones finished last week.

Earlier Stormont's first and deputy first minister accompanied the Queen on a tour of a notorious Belfast prison where both politicians were held during the Troubles.

Once a forbidding facility synonymous with the dark years of the conflict, the transformation of the old Crumlin Road Gaol into a popular visitor attraction is symbolic of Northern Ireland's journey toward peace.

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Hacking: Brooks Cleared But Coulson Guilty

Rebekah Brooks has been cleared of all charges in the phone-hacking trial, while Andy Coulson has been found guilty of phone hacking.

Jurors at the Old Bailey found former News of the World editor Coulson guilty of conspiring to hack phones with others between 2000 and 2006.

The 46-year-old ex-Number 10 spin doctor, who was forced to quit as Prime Minister David Cameron's communications director over the scandal, now faces the possibility of a prison sentence.

An emotional Mrs Brooks, former chief executive of News International, who was found not guilty of all the charges she faced by the jury of eight women and three men, was led out of the courtroom upon learning the verdicts.

Ex-News of the World managing editor was also cleared of being part of a conspiracy to hack phones dating back to 2000 and spanning six years.

And jurors cleared Cheryl Carter, Mrs Brooks' former personal assistant, of conspiring to pervert the course of justice.

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John Kerry In Iraq As ISIS Tightens Grip

Timeline: How The Iraq Crisis Unfolded

Updated: 10:23am UK, Monday 23 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".

June 17: Britain announces it is reopening its Iranian embassy, with William Hague saying the "circumstances are right" as the West looks to improve relations to help tackle the crisis in Iraq.

Iraq's Shia leaders accuse Saudi Arabia of promoting "genocide" by backing Sunni militants.

June 18: Iraq's foreign minister asks the US to carry out airstrikes to help reverse the sweeping gains of Islamist militants in the country.

David Cameron warns that if Britain does not intervene in the Middle East crisis then terrorists will "hit the UK at home".

Insurgents are seen parading through the city of Baiji with captured vehicles after reports they have taken over three-quarters of Iraq's biggest oil refinery.

ISIS charts its brutality and tactics in annual reports called al-Naba - The Report, it emerges.

June 19: Iraqi authorities say government forces have retaken the Baiji oil refinery after fierce fighting.

Barck Obama says US troops will not return to combat in Iraq, but he would be prepared to take "targeted action".

The president also announces additional equipment and up to 300 additional military advisers could be provided to help fight the ISIS insurgency.

June 20: Iraq's senior Shia religious authority Grand Ayatollah Ali al-Sistani calls for a new government for the country as it struggles to stop Sunni militants.

Barack Obama piles further pressure on Iraq's PM Nouri al Maliki, saying he needs to take urgent steps to heal the sectarian rift in the country, but stopping short of demanding he quit.

A video of British jihadists urging Western Muslims to join ISIS in Iraq and Syria emerges on social media.

June 21: The family of Naseer Muthana, 20, who appears in the ISIS recruitment video and younger brother Aseel, 17, who followed him to fight in the region say they are "devastated". 

The men's father Ahmed Muthana tells Sky News he believes his son Nasser was radicalised in a mosque in the United Kingdom.

In Iraq, dozens of Iraqi troops are killed as ISIS militants seize the crucial Qaim crossing into Syria.

A Shia preacher loyal to anti-US cleric Moqtada al Sadr warns that the 300 US military advisers en route to Iraq will be attacked.

June 22: Iran's supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei comes out in opposition of US intervention in neighbouring Iraq.

President Barack Obama warns ISIS could grow in power, destabilise the region and pose a threat to the US.

The mother of one of two Britons filmed in a militants' video calling for Western Muslims to fight in Syria and Iraq, Reyaad Khan, pleads for him to come home in an emotional Sky News interview.

A former head of counter-terrorism at MI6 tells Sky's Murnaghan programme up to 300 Islamist fighters from Iraq and Syria may have returned to the UK and it would be "impossible" to keep track of all of them.

June 23: Barack Obama warns ISIS could pose a threat to the US, hours after the Islamist militants make dramatic gains by capturing four towns in western Iraq.

US Secretary of State John Kerry arrives in Baghdad for talks with Prime Minister Nouri al Maliki.

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Al Jazeera Journalists Jailed For Seven Years

Three Al Jazeera journalists have each been jailed for seven years in Egypt after being found guilty of aiding terrorism.

Australian Peter Greste, Canadian-Egyptian national Mohammed Fahmy and Egyptian Baher Mohamed watched from cages as they were convicted of spreading false news and supporting the Muslim Brotherhood.

Mr Mohamed received an additional three years on a separate charge involving possession of weapons.

The case has provoked outrage from freedom of speech activists who say it was politicised - and David Cameron was said by Downing Street to be "completely appalled" by the verdict.

Peter Greste was one of 14 defendants sentenced

The families of the men - who had denied all the allegations against them in Cairo - collapsed in tears as the sentences were read out.

Greste, a former BBC correspondent, had been in Egypt on a relief posting for just two weeks when the group was detained in December.

His brother Andrew, who will visit him tomorrow, told Australia's ABC 730 show he was "gutted" but that "we're not going to give up the fight".

Fahmy's brother Adel reacted: "This is not a system. This is not a country. They've ruined our lives. It shows everything that's wrong with the system: it's corrupt. This country is corrupt through and through."

Mohammed Fahmy gives evidence in court in May

Australian Foreign Minister Julie Bishop said she was "shocked and deeply dismayed" by the outcome and would ask the Egyptian government to intervene. 

Her UK counterpart, William Hague, said he would also ask Cairo to review the case "as a matter of urgency".

Sky News and the BBC were among the media organisations to call for the trio's release prior to the verdict.

Sky's Middle East Correspondent Sherine Tadros, who was in court, said: "Anyone who watched this trial has seen a complete farce. There was no evidence presented linking these journalists to a "terrorist organisation" or the Muslim Brotherhood.

A protest in Lebanon against the detention of journalists in Egypt

"What we've seen time and time again these past few months is a judiciary that is less interested in justice than in exacting revenge."

Another 11 defendants were sentenced in absentia to 10 years, including Al Jazeera's British journalist Sue Turton.

She said: "We really believed the judge would recognise these were politically motivated charges.

"We don't understand what it is they're accusing us of. They're trying to stop anyone having an opinion that doesn't tally with the government's narrative."

Peter Greste had been in Egypt for just two weeks

She added: "I don't want to think about, now they're back in their prison cells, how they're coping with what happened today."

The Muslim Brotherhood has been protesting against the government since the army toppled Islamist president Mohamed Mursi in July. The Egyptians labelled it a "terrorist organisation" in December.

The Gulf state of Qatar, which funds Al Jazeera, backs the Muslim Brotherhood.

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ISIS 'May Have Recruited 1,500 Britons'

Timeline: How The Iraq Crisis Unfolded

Updated: 10:23am UK, Monday 23 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".

June 17: Britain announces it is reopening its Iranian embassy, with William Hague saying the "circumstances are right" as the West looks to improve relations to help tackle the crisis in Iraq.

Iraq's Shia leaders accuse Saudi Arabia of promoting "genocide" by backing Sunni militants.

June 18: Iraq's foreign minister asks the US to carry out airstrikes to help reverse the sweeping gains of Islamist militants in the country.

David Cameron warns that if Britain does not intervene in the Middle East crisis then terrorists will "hit the UK at home".

Insurgents are seen parading through the city of Baiji with captured vehicles after reports they have taken over three-quarters of Iraq's biggest oil refinery.

ISIS charts its brutality and tactics in annual reports called al-Naba - The Report, it emerges.

June 19: Iraqi authorities say government forces have retaken the Baiji oil refinery after fierce fighting.

Barck Obama says US troops will not return to combat in Iraq, but he would be prepared to take "targeted action".

The president also announces additional equipment and up to 300 additional military advisers could be provided to help fight the ISIS insurgency.

June 20: Iraq's senior Shia religious authority Grand Ayatollah Ali al-Sistani calls for a new government for the country as it struggles to stop Sunni militants.

Barack Obama piles further pressure on Iraq's PM Nouri al Maliki, saying he needs to take urgent steps to heal the sectarian rift in the country, but stopping short of demanding he quit.

A video of British jihadists urging Western Muslims to join ISIS in Iraq and Syria emerges on social media.

June 21: The family of Naseer Muthana, 20, who appears in the ISIS recruitment video and younger brother Aseel, 17, who followed him to fight in the region say they are "devastated". 

The men's father Ahmed Muthana tells Sky News he believes his son Nasser was radicalised in a mosque in the United Kingdom.

In Iraq, dozens of Iraqi troops are killed as ISIS militants seize the crucial Qaim crossing into Syria.

A Shia preacher loyal to anti-US cleric Moqtada al Sadr warns that the 300 US military advisers en route to Iraq will be attacked.

June 22: Iran's supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei comes out in opposition of US intervention in neighbouring Iraq.

President Barack Obama warns ISIS could grow in power, destabilise the region and pose a threat to the US.

The mother of one of two Britons filmed in a militants' video calling for Western Muslims to fight in Syria and Iraq, Reyaad Khan, pleads for him to come home in an emotional Sky News interview.

A former head of counter-terrorism at MI6 tells Sky's Murnaghan programme up to 300 Islamist fighters from Iraq and Syria may have returned to the UK and it would be "impossible" to keep track of all of them.

June 23: Barack Obama warns ISIS could pose a threat to the US, hours after the Islamist militants make dramatic gains by capturing four towns in western Iraq.

US Secretary of State John Kerry arrives in Baghdad for talks with Prime Minister Nouri al Maliki.

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Colchester Police Drain Pond In Murder Hunt

Essex Police say they have made a significant development in the search for the killer of a Saudi Arabian student.

This morning officers drained a local pond as part of investigations into the murder of Nahid Almanea and are preparing to reveal more details about a suspect seen running near where her body was found on Tuesday.

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.

Officers are continuing to carry out door-to-door inquiries in their search for the suspect.

Reporting from Colchester, Sky's Joe Tidy said that police are describing it as a significant development rather than a major one, and that the police investigation is running in parallel with that looking into the murder of James Atwood in March.

"We believe police have more details of the suspect and that these details are linked to the draining of this pond," he said.

"Police say there are obvious similarities with the murder of James Atfield that are too significant to ignore. Jim was stabbed more than a hundred times in March, so police are looking to work alongside each other in both cases."

Mr Atfield's mother, Julie Finch, told Sky News she was concerned the killer or killers have not yet been found.

"You turn on the news and every story is a murder or someone is in court for murder. Until you're in a situation where you've lost someone you don't notice it.

"But now I'm terrified for my girls. I won't go out on my own and it proves with this latest murder that it doesn't matter what time you go out or where you are. Everyone has to be so much more vigilant."

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

The student from Saudi Arabia 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.

:: 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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MI6 Fears 300 Islamist Fighters Back In UK

Faith Lost In Iraq PM Amid Political Limbo

Updated: 5:46pm UK, Friday 20 June 2014

By Sam Kiley, Foreign Affairs Editor, in Baghdad

The US President, Shia politicians, Sunni chieftans and none other than the Grand Ayatollah Ali al Sistani has joined the clamour for Iraq's Prime Minister to move fast and form a government.

The nation has languished since elections on April 30 in a political limbo that arguably undermined faith in the central government, even among the Shia-dominated armed forces.

That might, partly, explain their rapid collapse in the face of far fewer forces from the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS) plus their allies.

But now that Iraq's supreme court has ratified the results of the elections what possible reason could Nouri al Maliki have for delay?

One explanation may simply be political.

His stewardship over previous years has entrenched sectarian divisions and seen an explosion in corruption.

His party bloc won 92 of the 328 seats in Iraq's parliament and he'll need 165 to form a coalition administration.

He, therefore, has to get involved in some serious horse trading with other Shia parties to build his coalition.

But they are now losing faith in him. Particularly in his apparent refusal to reach out to Sunni parties and offer them stakes in the central government - such as a security portfolio and a ministry which would give them access to patronage systems such as an education or public works - so that they feel both secure and that they have an investment in the future political structures.

A more conspiratorial thesis, fuelled by the conspiratorial utterances of lame duck ministers left over from the previous administration, is that Iraq's latest travails are the fault of external forces.

Jordan, Saudi Arabia (both Sunni countries), the US and others are being blamed for manipulating the Middle East and somehow creating ISIS.

There is evidence of Saudi individual, and possible state funding, for extremist militant groups in Syria, which may include ISIS.

And Jordan has played a significant role in trying to boost the fortunes of the non-extremist Free Syrian Army.

But Mr al Maliki may have calculated that he can either weather the latest storm - or let ISIS form an impoverished caliphate in the desert north of his country which would leave the Shia with Baghdad and the south.

It's the south, after all, that holds the lion's share of the world's second largest oil reserves.

It can ship its oil out through the Gulf, via Kuwait, or via Iran.

A Shia state or semi-state would not only be self-sufficient - it would be spared the burden of sharing Iraq's spoils with other sectarian groups like the Sunni and the Kurds (who already have their own autonomy and oil industry).

Such a move, or allowing events to drift to this reality, would place the south of Iraq firmly inside Iran's imperial embrace.

That is not something that Saudi Arabia would be able to tolerate in the long term as it vies with Iran for influence in the Middle East.

Nor is it anything that a rump Sunni 'caliphate' would be able to live with - the extremists within it would forever plot how to steal it back by force.

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Iraqi Troops 'Withdraw' In Face Of ISIS Offensive

Faith Lost In Iraq PM Amid Political Limbo

Updated: 5:46pm UK, Friday 20 June 2014

By Sam Kiley, Foreign Affairs Editor, in Baghdad

The US President, Shia politicians, Sunni chieftans and none other than the Grand Ayatollah Ali al Sistani has joined the clamour for Iraq's Prime Minister to move fast and form a government.

The nation has languished since elections on April 30 in a political limbo that arguably undermined faith in the central government, even among the Shia-dominated armed forces.

That might, partly, explain their rapid collapse in the face of far fewer forces from the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS) plus their allies.

But now that Iraq's supreme court has ratified the results of the elections what possible reason could Nouri al Maliki have for delay?

One explanation may simply be political.

His stewardship over previous years has entrenched sectarian divisions and seen an explosion in corruption.

His party bloc won 92 of the 328 seats in Iraq's parliament and he'll need 165 to form a coalition administration.

He, therefore, has to get involved in some serious horse trading with other Shia parties to build his coalition.

But they are now losing faith in him. Particularly in his apparent refusal to reach out to Sunni parties and offer them stakes in the central government - such as a security portfolio and a ministry which would give them access to patronage systems such as an education or public works - so that they feel both secure and that they have an investment in the future political structures.

A more conspiratorial thesis, fuelled by the conspiratorial utterances of lame duck ministers left over from the previous administration, is that Iraq's latest travails are the fault of external forces.

Jordan, Saudi Arabia (both Sunni countries), the US and others are being blamed for manipulating the Middle East and somehow creating ISIS.

There is evidence of Saudi individual, and possible state funding, for extremist militant groups in Syria, which may include ISIS.

And Jordan has played a significant role in trying to boost the fortunes of the non-extremist Free Syrian Army.

But Mr al Maliki may have calculated that he can either weather the latest storm - or let ISIS form an impoverished caliphate in the desert north of his country which would leave the Shia with Baghdad and the south.

It's the south, after all, that holds the lion's share of the world's second largest oil reserves.

It can ship its oil out through the Gulf, via Kuwait, or via Iran.

A Shia state or semi-state would not only be self-sufficient - it would be spared the burden of sharing Iraq's spoils with other sectarian groups like the Sunni and the Kurds (who already have their own autonomy and oil industry).

Such a move, or allowing events to drift to this reality, would place the south of Iraq firmly inside Iran's imperial embrace.

That is not something that Saudi Arabia would be able to tolerate in the long term as it vies with Iran for influence in the Middle East.

Nor is it anything that a rump Sunni 'caliphate' would be able to live with - the extremists within it would forever plot how to steal it back by force.

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