Robin Williams: Tributes For Actor Dead At 63

Relatives, showbiz personalities and politicians have expressed their sadness at the death of Robin Williams, who has died at the age of 63 in a suspected suicide.

The Oscar-winning actor was found dead at his home in northern California, according to the Marin County Sheriff's Office.

Williams' wife Susan Schneider said in a statement: "This morning, I lost my husband and my best friend, while the world lost one of its most beloved and beautiful human beings. I am utterly heartbroken."

His daughter Zelda Williams posted an excerpt from the French poet and aviator Antoine de Saint-Exupery, which read: "You - you alone will have the stars as no one else has them ... In one of the stars I shall be living."

She added: "I love you. I miss you. I'll try to keep looking up."

Dawber and Williams together in 1995

The star of much-loved films including Mrs Doubtfire and Good Morning, Vietnam had been struggling with severe depression in recent weeks, according to Williams' press agent Mara Buxbaum.

A statement from President Barack Obama described the actor as "one of a kind".

"Robin Williams was an airman, a doctor, a genie, a nanny, a president, a professor, a bangarang Peter Pan, and everything in between. But he was one of a kind," he said.

"He arrived in our lives as an alien - but he ended up touching every element of the human spirit. He made us laugh. He made us cry.

Matt Damon, Williams and Ben Affleck celebrate their Oscar wins in 1998

"He gave his immeasurable talent freely and generously to those who needed it most - from our troops stationed abroad to the marginalised on our own streets.

"The Obama family offers our condolences to Robin's family, his friends, and everyone who found their voice and their verse thanks to Robin Williams."

Many celebrity colleagues and admirers took to Twitter to express their shock at the actor's death, and to pay tribute to Williams' large and well-respected body of work.

Billy Connolly and Williams in 2000

Pam Dawber, his co-star in Mork and Mindy, said: "I am completely and totally devastated. What more can be said?"

Film director Ron Howard recalled that he saw Mork's genesis as they worked together on the US series Happy Days.

In a message posted online, he said: "We lost Robin - first witnessed his genius as he created Mork before our eyes in two hours on set. A Force. A Sweet Soul. A Brilliant Artist."

Comedian and actor Billy Connolly, a close friend of Williams, said: "Robin was both my friend and my hero, a unique talent and a kind and generous man; the world will be a much poorer place without him."

Williams receives an award in New York in 2012

Billy Crystal, who starred in a number of films with  Williams and joined him for a cameo in the sitcom Friends, said: "No words."

Steven Spielberg, who worked with Williams on Hook, said: "Robin was a lightning storm of comic genius and our laughter was the thunder that sustained him.  He was a pal and I can't believe he's gone."

Spielberg famously regularly phoned Williams to cheer himself up during filming of his harrowing 1994 Holocaust drama Schindler's List.

Ellen DeGeneres expresses her sadness at the death of Robin Williams

Actor and comedian Steve Martin, his co-star in Waiting For Godot, said: "I could not be more stunned by the loss of Robin Williams, mensch, great talent, acting partner, genuine soul."

Williams' Mrs Doubtfire co-star Sally Field said: "He always lit up when he was able to make people laugh, and he made them laugh his whole life long - tirelessly. He was one of a kind. There will not be another."

The Birdcage co-star Nathan Lane said: "What I will always remember about Robin, perhaps even more than his comic genius, extraordinary talent and astounding intellect, was his huge heart - his tremendous kindness, generosity, and compassion as an acting partner, colleague and fellow traveler in a difficult world."

His Good Will Hunting co-star Minnie Driver said: "My heart's broken. Robin was a beautiful, kind soul. Can't bear that he's gone. So incredibly sorry for his family."

Ben Stiller, who starred in the Night At The Museum films with Williams, said: "A tweet cannot begin to describe the hugeness of Robin Williams heart and soul and talent. This is so sad."

The third installment of the franchise is due for release at Christmas.

Comedian Eddie Izzard pays tribute to Williams on Twitter

Ricky Gervais, who also stars in the films, said: "I am deeply saddened. He was a lovely man who would keep everyone laughing even if he wasn't feeling good himself. RIP Robin Williams."

Johnny Depp said: "The world lost a legend of an actor and an extraordinary man today. Rest In Peace Robin Williams."

The US actor and director Henry Winkler wrote on Twitter: "Robin Williams was like no other .. To watch him create on the spot was a privilege to behold.

"Robin you are an angel now!!! REST IN PEACE," he added.

The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, in reference to his performance as the Genie in Aladdin, said: "Genie, you're free."

Comedian Eddie Izzard said: "Robin Williams has died and I am very sad. From every comedian here at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival, we salute him & we say goodbye."

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Robin Williams: 10 Of His Best Career Roles

Robin Williams has been described as a "shapeshifter" who took on many forms during a long and varied career.

Williams with his Mrs Doubtfire co-star Sally Field

His fast-talking, funnyman roles were just as memorable as his more serious, creepy ones.

The list of Williams' achievements is long but here are 10 of his most famous roles:

1. Mork And Mindy (1978-1982)

This TV series, a spinoff of Happy Days, is how many of us first learned of Williams' nuttiness. He played Mork, an alien who comes to Earth from Ork. Pam Dawber co-starred as Mindy McConnell, his human friend and roommate. Mork's greeting "Nanu, nanu" became a popular catchphrase at the time.

2. Good Morning, Vietnam (1987)

Williams' fast-talking style was perfect for the role of a DJ on Armed Forces Radio during the Vietnam War. Most of Williams' radio broadcasts were improvised and he received his first Oscar nomination for the role.

3. Dead Poets Society (1989)

Williams played an unconventional poetry teacher who taught his Vermont boarding school students to stand on their desks, think on their own and "seize the day". He was also nominated for an Oscar for this role.  

4. Mrs Doubtfire (1993)

The tale of a bumbling dad who dressed up as a portly nanny - with a latex mask, a wig and a Scottish accent - in order to spend time with his young kids as his wife, played by Sally Field, divorces him. A sequel to this film is believed to have been in the works.

5. The Fisher King (1991)

Williams' role as a half-mad homeless man, convinced that the Holy Grail was sitting in the Fifth Avenue abode of a billionaire, won him his third Oscar nomination.

6. Hook (1991)

Another of Williams' classic 1990s kids films, in which he played an adult Peter Pan who was forced to return to Neverland to do battle with Captain Hook after the evil pirate kidnaps his children. For many it is the role they remember Williams for from their childhood.

7. Aladdin (1992)

Will it ever be possible to see a cartoon genie and not think of Williams? Remember him shooting out of that bottle: "Ten thousand years will give you SUCH a crick in the neck!"

8. Good Will Hunting (1997)

A rare but welcome serious role for Williams, who played the stubborn yet empathetic therapist who was somehow able to help maths prodigy Will Hunting (Matt Damon) figure out how to handle his life. Williams won a best supporting actor Oscar for this role.

9. One Hour Photo (2002)

This was another serious role, and it was a creepy one: Williams played a photo counter worker at a huge suburban store who got a little too involved in the lives of his customers when he realised one of them was having an affair.

10. Insomnia (2002)

Williams played a murderous and manipulative crime novelist on the run from a sleep-deprived Los Angeles policeman, played by Al Pacino, in rural Alaska.

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Robin Williams Dies In Suspected Suicide

Robin Williams: Tributes For Actor Dead At 63

Updated: 12:08pm UK, Tuesday 12 August 2014

Relatives, showbiz personalities and politicians have expressed their sadness at the death of Robin Williams, who has died at the age of 63 in a suspected suicide.

The Oscar-winning actor was found dead at his home in northern California, according to the Marin County Sheriff's Office.

Williams' wife Susan Schneider said in a statement: "This morning, I lost my husband and my best friend, while the world lost one of its most beloved and beautiful human beings. I am utterly heartbroken."

His daughter Zelda Williams posted an excerpt from the French poet and aviator Antoine de Saint-Exupery, which read: "You - you alone will have the stars as no one else has them ... In one of the stars I shall be living."

She added: "I love you. I miss you. I'll try to keep looking up."

The star of much-loved films including Mrs Doubtfire and Good Morning, Vietnam had been struggling with severe depression in recent weeks, according to Williams' press agent Mara Buxbaum.

A statement from President Barack Obama described the actor as "one of a kind".

"Robin Williams was an airman, a doctor, a genie, a nanny, a president, a professor, a bangarang Peter Pan, and everything in between. But he was one of a kind," he said.

"He arrived in our lives as an alien - but he ended up touching every element of the human spirit. He made us laugh. He made us cry.

"He gave his immeasurable talent freely and generously to those who needed it most - from our troops stationed abroad to the marginalised on our own streets.

"The Obama family offers our condolences to Robin's family, his friends, and everyone who found their voice and their verse thanks to Robin Williams."

Many celebrity colleagues and admirers took to Twitter to express their shock at the actor's death, and to pay tribute to Williams' large and well-respected body of work.

Pam Dawber, his co-star in Mork and Mindy, said: "I am completely and totally devastated. What more can be said?"

Film director Ron Howard recalled that he saw Mork's genesis as they worked together on the US series Happy Days.

In a message posted online, he said: "We lost Robin - first witnessed his genius as he created Mork before our eyes in two hours on set. A Force. A Sweet Soul. A Brilliant Artist."

Comedian and actor Billy Connolly, a close friend of Williams, said: "Robin was both my friend and my hero, a unique talent and a kind and generous man; the world will be a much poorer place without him."

Billy Crystal, who starred in a number of films with  Williams and joined him for a cameo in the sitcom Friends, said: "No words."

Steven Spielberg, who worked with Williams on Hook, said: "Robin was a lightning storm of comic genius and our laughter was the thunder that sustained him.  He was a pal and I can't believe he's gone."

Spielberg famously regularly phoned Williams to cheer himself up during filming of his harrowing 1994 Holocaust drama Schindler's List.

Actor and comedian Steve Martin, his co-star in Waiting For Godot, said: "I could not be more stunned by the loss of Robin Williams, mensch, great talent, acting partner, genuine soul."

Williams' Mrs Doubtfire co-star Sally Field said: "He always lit up when he was able to make people laugh, and he made them laugh his whole life long - tirelessly. He was one of a kind. There will not be another."

The Birdcage co-star Nathan Lane said: "What I will always remember about Robin, perhaps even more than his comic genius, extraordinary talent and astounding intellect, was his huge heart - his tremendous kindness, generosity, and compassion as an acting partner, colleague and fellow traveler in a difficult world."

His Good Will Hunting co-star Minnie Driver said: "My heart's broken. Robin was a beautiful, kind soul. Can't bear that he's gone. So incredibly sorry for his family."

Ben Stiller, who starred in the Night At The Museum films with Williams, said: "A tweet cannot begin to describe the hugeness of Robin Williams heart and soul and talent. This is so sad."

The third installment of the franchise is due for release at Christmas.

Ricky Gervais, who also stars in the films, said: "I am deeply saddened. He was a lovely man who would keep everyone laughing even if he wasn't feeling good himself. RIP Robin Williams."

Johnny Depp said: "The world lost a legend of an actor and an extraordinary man today. Rest In Peace Robin Williams."

The US actor and director Henry Winkler wrote on Twitter: "Robin Williams was like no other .. To watch him create on the spot was a privilege to behold.

"Robin you are an angel now!!! REST IN PEACE," he added.

The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, in reference to his performance as the Genie in Aladdin, said: "Genie, you're free."

Comedian Eddie Izzard said: "Robin Williams has died and I am very sad. From every comedian here at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival, we salute him & we say goodbye."

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Oz Jihadist's Son, 9, Poses With Severed Head

Australia's prime minister has slammed a "barbaric" photo which apparently shows the nine-year-old son of a terrorist holding the severed head of a Syrian soldier.

Khaled Sharrouf - who travelled from Sydney to the Middle East to join Islamist extremists fighting jihad in the region - posted the picture on Twitter last week with the caption "That's My Boy!", The Australian newspaper reported.

The graphic image shows the youngster - wearing blue checked shorts and a blue "Polo For Kids" T-shirt - struggling to hold the victim's head by the hair.

A Twitter account linked to Khaled Sharrouf has been suspended after it was used to post a series of messages and photos promoting the campaign being waged by Islamic State, formerly known as ISIS.

Sharrouf posted a photo apparently showing his son with a severed head

Another of the images shows Sharouf posing in front of a black Islamic State flag with his three sons, all of them dressed in military fatigues and brandishing guns.  

Tony Abbott said the "hideous" images demonstrated the brutality of Islamic State fighters, who have gained control of a large swathe of Syria and Iraq.

He told ABC radio: "There are more photographs in newspapers in Australia today of the kind of hideous atrocities that this group is capable of.

"Islamic State - as they're now calling themselves - it's not just a terrorist group, it's a terrorist army and they're seeking not just a terrorist enclave but effectively a terrorist state, a terrorist nation.

Tony Abbott said ISIS is seeking a 'terrorist state'

"This does pose extraordinary problems — extraordinary problems, not just for the people of the Middle East, but for the wider world and we see more and more evidence of just how barbaric this particular entity is."

US Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel - currently visiting Australia - said the photograph showed the threat Islamic State (known as ISIL in the US) poses to the Western societies.

He said: "ISIL is a threat to the civilised world, certainly to the United States, to our interests, as it is to Europe, it is to Australia."

Sharrouf was among nine men accused of stockpiling bomb-making materials and plotting terrorist attacks in Sydney and Melbourne in 2007.

He pleaded guilty to terrorism offences and was jailed for four years in 2009.

He was banned from leaving Australia due to the terrorist threat he posed, but managed to escape with his wife and three sons last year by using his brother's passport.

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PM Urged To Recall Parliament Over Iraq Crisis

David Cameron has been urged to recall Parliament from its summer recess to address the growing crisis in Iraq.

The world has watched images from the war-torn country in horror amid reports of the displacement and slaughter of minority Christians and Yazidis by Islamic State, also known as ISIS or ISIL, in northern Iraq.

A Downing Street source told Sky News the focus is entirely on humanitarian support, with no plans to recall MPs. In recent times, a recall has only been used when military options were on the table.

"The key priority is getting support to people in desperate need," the source said.

Displaced people from the Yazidi sect fleeing the violence in Iraq

The source added Mr Cameron, who is currently on a family summer holiday in Portugal, was "in constant contact with senior ministers and officials" via phone calls and other means.

The Prime Minister is expected to return from the seaside town of Cascais later this week.

Foreign Secretary Philip Hammond will later chair an emergency meeting to discuss the crisis in Iraq.

The UK has been airdropping aid including tents, food and water in northern Iraq to help tens of thousands of displaced people across the region.

A British place prepared to airdrop aid over Iraq

However, Tory backbencher Conor Burns said the Government's action of airdropping supplies in affected areas was "not strong enough" - and asserted the UK should join the US in airstrikes.

He said he was not advocating a ground war, but believed special forces should be involved.

The Bournemouth West MP said: "I have been following this really closely for the last couple of weeks but having seen some of the images earlier I was quite seriously overcome.

"These are brother and sister Christians, and this is happening to them in no small part because of our record in Iraq.

The US has been carrying out targeted airstrikes in Iraq

"These people are being beheaded by people from IS, and our only response is to drop some food or water on them.

"I think we should be answering positively requests from the Kurds to arm them. I think we should be looking at asylum."

His comments came as senior US officials announced the Obama administration has begun directly providing Kurdish forces with weapons to defend themselves against attacks by ISIS.

Meanwhile, it has been reported a Portsmouth man who went to Syria last October to fight with Islamic State militants has been killed.

Muhammad Hamidur Rahamn has reportedly been killed in Syria. Pic: Facebook

Muhammad Hamidur Rahman, a 25-year-old former Primark supervisor, was reportedly part of a group of six jihadists from the British coastal city who went to fight President Bashar al Assad's forces.

The UK government has said up to 400 British Muslims have travelled to Syria and Iraq and been recruited by extremists.

ACPO anti-terrorism chief Sir Peter Fahy has put the figure at 500, while Birmingham MP Khalid Mahmood has previously told Sky News more than 1,500 young Britons may have joined forces with Islamic State fighters.

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Extremists Beaten Back After Iraq Airstrikes

Islamist extremists have been forced out of two towns in northern Iraq by Kurdish troops - amid a deepening political crisis in the country.

The militants were driven out of Makhmour and al Gweir, near Irbil, after fighters were aided by a series of US airstrikes targeting armed vehicles.

Kurdish forces have been bolstered further after senior US officials said the Obama administration has begun directly providing them with weapons to defend themselves against attacks by Islamic State (previously known as ISIS).

US soldiers watch as halal meals are parachuted to the ground in Iraq

But closer to Baghdad, the Sunni militants captured Jalawla, a town 70 miles (115km) northeast of the Iraqi capital, after weeks of clashes with Kurdish fighters. 

As the violence continued, embattled Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al Maliki appeared on TV  to accuse the new president of violating the constitution.

In a surprise speech, Mr al Maliki resisted calls to resign amid the jihadist insurgency and declared he will file a legal complaint against Fuad Masum.

He accuses him of failing to name a prime minister from the country's largest parliamentary faction by Sunday's deadline.

Speaking in Australia, US Secretary of State John Kerry backed President Masum and warned Mr al Maliki not to obstruct efforts to form a new government.

Foreign Secretary Philip Hammond is chairing a meeting of the Government's Cobra emergency committee, after a No 10 source told Sky News there were "no plans" to recall parliament to discuss the crisis.

Yazidi refugees approach the food bundles on the ground

The political turmoil comes amid mounting evidence of the slaughter of minority Christians and Yazidis by Islamic extremists.

Photographs taken in the north of the country appear to show crucifixions and beheadings, as well as a series of executions by gunfire.

Iraq's human rights minister Mohammed Shia al Sudani said accounts from Yazidis fleeing Sinjar suggested hundreds had been slaughtered.

"Some of the victims, including women and children, were buried alive in scattered mass graves in and around Sinjar," he said.

The Australian newspaper also featured a photograph purporting to show the nine-year-old son of terrorist Khaled Sharrouf carrying the head of a Syrian soldier.

The picture was apparently posted on Twitter by Sharrouf, a convicted terrorist from Sydney.

Refugees flee the extremists carving a bloody path through northern Iraq

As the world watched the images from Iraq in horror, a Downing Street source told Sky News David Cameron has no plans for a recall of parliament - despite calls for MPs to discuss the crisis.

"Our focus is humanitarian support," the source said.

"The key priority is getting support to people in desperate need."

Tory backbencher Conor Burns said the Government's response so far, of ruling out military intervention and air dropping supplies, was "not strong enough".

David Cameron has been urged to recall Parliament

"These people are being beheaded by people from IS, and our only response is to drop some food or water on them," the Bournemouth West MP said.

The former head of the army, Lord Dannatt, also backed a parliamentary recall, insisting Britain was "watching in horror" as atrocities were committed.

"In the face of a crisis of this scale, with the potential for so much human misery, this is not the moment for decision-makers to be on holiday," he wrote in the Sunday Telegraph.

Yesterday, Downing Street announced that more UK advisers were being sent to the under-threat city of Irbil to help deal with the developing crisis.

The US has been carrying out airstrikes to protect the area, which is a Kurdish stronghold and major centre for the country's oil trade.

Overnight, US military planes conducted a fourth air drop of food and water for civilians besieged by jihadists on Mount Sinjar.

A C-17 and three C-130 cargo aircraft dropped 88 bundles of supplies that will provide "food and water for thousands of Iraqi citizens".

The militants have driven as many as 150,000 Yazidis from their homes into the Sinjar mountains, where they are cut off from food and water.

The jihadists have also kidnapped 300 women as slaves.

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Nascar Driver Killed In Track Rage Row Video

A Nascar driver has died after being struck by a competitor's car during a row on a race track in New York.

Video shows Kevin Ward Jr's car hitting a wall after colliding with three-time Nascar champion Tony Stewart's vehicle at Canandaigua Motorsports Park on Saturday night.

The 20-year-old, wearing a black firesuit on the dimly lit track, got out to confront Stewart and was hit by his car, catapulting him 50ft through the air.

Emergency services were quickly on the scene

Paramedics tried to revive him, but he was pronounced dead at a nearby hospital later that night.

Police said they are not investigating the incident as a criminal matter.

Stewart, 42, was "'fully cooperative" while being questioned and later released, they said.

Tony Stewart was questioned by police and released

Officials immediately stopped the race and posted a message on social media encouraging fans to "pray for the entire racing community of fans, drivers, and families."

"People that witnessed it were horrified," said Ontario County Sheriff Philip Povero Povero. "They were extremely shocked."

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Palestinian Boy Killed As Peace Talks On Brink

An 11-year-old Palestinian boy has reportedly been shot dead by Israeli soldiers in the West Bank as talks aimed at ending the violence in Gaza are on the verge of collapsing.

Mohammed Khalil al Anati was killed in Al Fawwar refugee camp, southwest of the city of Hebron, a medical official told AFP news service.

The Israeli military said it was investigating reports the youngster was shot by one of its soldiers.

Meanwhile, a Palestinian delegation has threatened to walk out of discussions in Cairo unless the Israelis return to the table without conditions today.             

"Within the next 24 hours, the delegation's presence in Egypt will be determined," said Abu Marzouk, the deputy chairman of Hamas' political bureau.

Smoke rises from the coastal side of the Gaza Strip after an Israeli strike

Israel - whose delegation left Cairo after a 72-hour truce ended in bloodshed on Friday - has said it will not take part in talks while Hamas rocket attacks continue.

"Israel will not negotiate under fire," Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said after his weekly cabinet meeting today.

"At no stage did we declare (Israel's military offensive) was over. The operation will continue until its objective - the restoration of quiet over a protracted period - is achieved."

A man sits amid the ruins of his home in Gaza

The Palestinians blamed their decision to resume fire on Israel's refusal to end the blockade of Gaza and open a seaport.

Egyptian mediators have met separately with both sides at least three times this week.

British Prime Minister David Cameron and US President Barack Obama expressed "serious concern" about renewed hostilities in Gaza during a phone call on Saturday.

The leaders called on Israel to exercise "restraint".

Abu Marzouk says the Palestinian delegation is ready to walk away

A Downing Street spokesman said: "They agreed that Israel has a right to defend itself but it should do so in a way that exercises restraint and Israeli forces must take utmost care to avoid civilian casualties.

"Both agreed that the priority must be to re-establish a ceasefire that paves the way for negotiations on a more lasting peace that allows both Israelis and Palestinians to live in safety alongside one another."

A boy surrounded by rumble in a bombed out Gaza street

The Israelis launched more than 30 air attacks in Gaza on Saturday, killing nine Palestinians, while militants continued to fire rockets into Israel.

A month after Israel launched its military campaign, nearly 1,900 Palestinians have been killed - mostly civilians.

Israel has lost 64 soldiers in combat, while three civilians have died from rocket fire into the country.

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Iraqi Militants Kill 500: Mass Grave Found

Iraq militants have killed 500 people - burying women and children alive in a mass grave, the human rights minister has said.

Hundreds of bodies of Yazidis, ethnic minority Kurds, were discovered in the north of the country, where the Islamic State fighters, formerly known as ISIS, have staged a major offensive.

The militants have driven as many as 150,000 Yazidis from their homes into the Sinjar mountains were they are cut off from food and water and struggling to survive. Hundreds are already reported to have died.

Yazidis flee as the jihadists carve a bloody trail through northern Iraq

Human rights minister Mohammed Shia al-Sudani said Islamic State fighters had also kidnapped 300 women as slaves as they advanced, leaving a bloody trail of death in their wake.

He said there was evidence the militants had buried some of their victims, including women and children alive.

Officials said at least 20,000 of those trapped in the mountains had managed to escaped into Syria and been escorted by Kurdish fighters back into Iraqi Kurdistan.

Thousands are hiding in the Sinjar mountains but face starvation

An RAF plane made the first British aid drop across northern Iraq on Sunday morning delivering reusable filtration containers, tents, and solar lights which can also recharge mobile phones.

It comes after the US launched a fresh round of strikes in an attempt to stop the jihadists' advance across the country following a warning from Barack Obama that he was ready for a protracted campaign.

Humanitarian aid drops from the back of an RAF plane

The militants have been sweeping through northern Iraq, beheading and crucifying captives who refuse to be converted to Islam.

During a press conference on Saturday Mr Obama accepted there would be no quick fix for the rapidly deteriorating situation in the country and vowed to continue strikes for weeks or months if necessary.

The President, who has ruled out sending in ground troops, and David Cameron discussed the commitment to providing humanitarian relief during a telephone conversation on Saturday.

Aid parcels are loaded on to the plane

The Prime Minister's spokesman said: "Both leaders also agreed that aid drops are not a long term solution, and that a way must be found to get these people to safety and to avert a genocide."

Defence Secretary Philip Hammond also announced on Saturday that there would be "a continuing drumbeat of airdrop operations" around the Sinjar mountains. The Government has pledged an emergency £8m aid package to help refugees in Iraq.

Kurdish fighters try to protect the Yazidis

The strikes mark the first American offensive in Iraq since Washington pulled out its forces in 2011 after nearly a decade of brutal war.

Mr Obama also said US action aimed to prevent Islamic State fighters from attacking Irbil, the capital of the Iraqi Kurdish region, where the US has a diplomatic mission.

He said: "I'm not going to give a particular timetable, because as I've said from the start, wherever and whenever US personnel and facilities are threatened, it's my obligation, my responsibility as commander in chief, to make sure they are protected."

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Don't Drink Two Days In A Row, Government Says

People should only drink alcohol every other day to avoid health problems like cancer, heart attacks and liver disease, government officials are warning.

The new guidelines drawn up by Public Health England, a government quango promoting healthy living, will recommend drinkers follow a "one day on, one day off" rule.

The 92-page paper says: "Daily drinking is a key contributor to increased risk, so it is possible that promoting a simple approach such as never drinking two days in a row would have a positive impact."

However, the advice has been criticised as "nannying" and experts questioned whether it would decrease health risks and encourage heavy drinkers to cut back.

"Giving up alcohol on alternate days is not something most doctors would recognise as a helpful strategy to curb excessive drinking," GP Martin Scurr told the Daily Mail.

"It's hard to see how this plan from Public Health England will persuade excessive drinkers to rein back."

Conservative MP and former minister Gerald Howarth said the advice was "completely unrealistic" and an example of the "nanny state".

"People have the common sense to know how to look after themselves," he told the Mail.

The Public Health England strategy said changes to alcohol pricing as well as the availability and strength of alcohol are more likely to have "immediate positive impacts" and it would continue to work on those areas.

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