Iraq: Mosul Governor Says US Support 'Welcome'

The governor of Mosul has told Sky News he would welcome US support in ousting Islamist militants from Iraq, but does not want troops on the ground.

Speaking from Irbil in the Kurdish north after the city was taken by the militants, Atheel al Nujaifi said the insurgents' attack on several Iraqi cities came as a complete surprise to Iraqi authorities.

He said Sunni Arabs fed up with the government of Prime Minister Nouri al Maliki had joined fighters from the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS).

A comparison of the Iraqi army and ISIS

With ISIS fighters thought to be fewer than 50 miles (80km) from the capital Baghdad, Mr Nujaifi conceded that Iraqi authorities need support.

"We need to have weapons. We need to have political support," he told Sky News.

"(But) we don't like the American army to come into Iraq and to occupy Iraq another time and turn back to the same problem that happened before."

President Barack Obama has ruled out putting American troops on the ground in Iraq, but says the White House is considering all other options for support.

He said he would make a decision "in the days ahead" on the options, amid reports the Pentagon is drafting plans for possible air strikes against the Islamist rebels.

People shout slogans supporting a call to arms in Iraq

"The United States will do our part, but ultimately it's up to the Iraqis as a sovereign nation to solve their problems," Mr Obama said.

"We can't do it for them," he added.

On Saturday morning Iran's President Hassan Rouhani offered to assist Iraq, telling a televised interview the country would "strongly defend" its territory if terrorist groups presented a danger.

Iran has already sent a Revolutionary Guard Major General to Baghdad to meet leaders. The country, which is predominately Shia, does not want to see a Sunni caliphate established on its borders.

A Kurdish Peshmerga fighter in Nineveh province

Foreign Secretary William Hague has also ruled out sending UK troops, but said Britain may offer other support, such as counter-terrorism expertise, which could see the involvement of the SAS as it did in Libya.

"Work is under way on that now and we will continue to liaise closely with our United States allies in particular on that," he said.

Mr Maliki claims that Iraqi forces have begun to clear cities of the "terrorists", after he travelled to the embattled city of Samarra on Friday for a security meeting.

Some of the areas affected by the fighting

It comes as a representative of Iraq's most senior Shi'ite cleric urged people to take up arms and defend the nation from militants.

Sheikh Abdulmehdi al Karbalai, a representative for Grand Ayatollah Ali al Sistani, said: "People who are capable of carrying arms and fighting the terrorists in defence of their country ... should volunteer to join the security forces to achieve this sacred goal."

The ISIS militants took control of a huge swathe of predominantly Sunni Arab territory in northern and central Iraq after launching their offensive on Monday.

They have pressed as far south as the ethnically divided Diyala province.

Forces from the autonomous Kurdish region have also seized territory they have sought to rule for decades against the objections of successive governments in Baghdad.

:: Watch a special report on the conflict in Iraq on our catch up service. Sky's Foreign Affairs Correspondent Lisa Holland asks whether the current crisis means the end of Iraq.  It's free for TV customers with Sky HD+ boxes connected to broadband.

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Boy, 6, Shot In Neck By Gunman In Dublin

By David Blevins, Ireland Correspondent

A six-year-old boy has been seriously injured after being shot in the neck by a gunman in west Dublin.

It is understood the shooting took place outside the boy's home in the Ballyfermot area of the city late on Friday.

Sky sources say the child was not the gunman's intended target, but was caught in crossfire.

The boy was taken to the nearby Crumlin hospital where his condition is said to be "stable and non life-threatening".

A police officer is also thought to have been injured in a subsequent car chase following the attack.

Police have sealed off the area in Croftwood Gardens while they investigate.

A spokesman said: "The shooting occurred shortly after 10pm, a six-year-old boy received what is believed to be a gunshot wound to his neck. When gardai arrived on scene they administered first aid until the arrival of the ambulance.

The shooting adds to the deteriorating criminal picture in Dublin where there has been a significant rise in violent crime in recent months.

Most of it is related to drugs and other gangland crime - but this, to the best of my knowledge, is the first time that a child has been caught up in the violence.

It will certainly increase pressure on the Irish police force to deploy more officers to the area.

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Ukrainian Aircraft Shot Down By Separatists

Pro-Russian separatists have shot down a Ukrainian military plane in the city of Luhansk, killing 49 people, according to a Ukrainian Defence Ministry spokesman.

It is the biggest loss of life suffered by government forces in a single incident since Kiev started a military operation to try to defeat the insurgency in east Ukraine.

A statement released by the ministry accused pro-Russian "terrorists" of shooting down the Ilyushin-76 aircraft, which was about to land at Luhansk airport.

It said the rebels "cynically and treacherously" downed the plane using anti-aircraft guns and heavy calibre guns at 11pm on Friday UK time (1am local time).

Authorities have expressed their condolences to the parents and relatives of those killed, the statement added.

Luhansk is close to the Russian border

Spokesman Vladyslav Seleznyov was quoted by the AFP news agency as saying: "This is our preliminary information. Details about how many people were on board are still being checked."

He added the plane was carrying nine crew and 40 paratroopers.

The prosecutor's office said a criminal investigation had been opened under anti-terrorism laws.

The Luhansk Oblast is at the heart of the separatist rebellion launched in April, and local media is reporting that there is fighting in the region's administrative centre, also called Luhansk.

The rebels said the Ukrainian air force have fired on the industrial town of Horlivka, north of Donetsk.

A Russian tank seen at a military base near Simferopol in March

It comes after Russia was accused by the US State Department of sending tanks and heavy weaponry to Ukraine in support of separatists in the country's east.

Several tanks and rocket launchers were moved into Ukraine from an arms depot inside Russia, the department said.

"We assess that separatists in eastern Ukraine have acquired heavy weapons and military equipment from Russia, including Russian tanks and multiple rocket launchers," spokeswoman Marie Harf said in a statement.

The statement comes after Kiev alleged three tanks had crossed from Russia into Ukrainian territory this week.

Ukraine's President Petro Poroshenko told his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin on Thursday that the action was "unacceptable".

Ms Harf said three T-64 tanks, several BM-21 or Grad rocket launchers and other vehicles had crossed into Ukraine's east as part of a convoy.

Amateur videos posted on the internet in recent days show the same kind of tanks moving through cities in eastern Ukraine, including Snizhnye, Torez, and Makiyivka.

"Russia will claim these tanks were taken from Ukrainian forces, but no Ukrainian tank units have been operating in that area," she said. 

"We are confident that these tanks came from Russia. This is unacceptable. A failure by Russia to deescalate the situation will lead to additional costs."

Moscow has denied the allegation.

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World Cup Kicks Off With Parties And Protests

The World Cup in Brazil has kicked off with street parties celebrating the host nation's opening win and scattered protests over the huge costs of the event.

Millions of fans took to the streets as their side beat Croatia 3-1 in the tournament opener in Sao Paulo.

Parties continued late into the night with a heavy presence of police and troops to maintain order.

Brazil fans celebrate their team's victory

Tensions spilled over in a number of host cities following construction delays and months of unrest with many Brazilians furious over the $11bn spent on hosting the tournament.

There were violent clashes in Sao Paulo before and after the game.

Police fired stun grenades and tear gas to break up the protests and a number of people were injured.

Clashes were also witnessed in Rio de Janiero, Belo Horizonte, Porto Alegre and Brasilia.

A protester during clashes in Sao Paolo

It is hoped the mood of the country will be improved by their side's encouraging start to the tournament, with fans' favourite Neymar scoring twice.

"This joy will be a contagion that will spread to all Brazilians," one supporter said.

Another Brazil fan added: "The victory will improve the mood a bit. I'm against opportunistic protests.

"Now is not the time to protest during an international event. The problems like bad hospitals date from before the World Cup."

Despite fears over the stadium in Sao Paulo, which was completed six months late, the game passed without any major problems.

Neymar scored twice and it's hoped the result will ease tensions

A number of floodlights failed during the first half but the problem was resolved quickly.

President Dilma Rousseff, who has defended the World Cup against criticism ahead of her bid for re-election in October, was jeered by many in the stadium and by fans watching the game on big screens across the country.

After the final whistle Brazil's coach, Luiz Felipe Scolari, described the stadium as "incredible" and "fantastic".

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England Unfazed By World Cup Pitch Woes

World Cup: 11 Players You Need To Watch

Updated: 3:39pm UK, Thursday 12 June 2014

By Nick Powell, Sports Editor

Like the Grand National, the World Cup has become a great participation event in offices, clubs and schools.

Join the sweep, pick the top scorer, guess how far England will go, perhaps even have a bet.

So to help, here's a team of men who are probably not big names in your household or workplace - but might be in a month's time.

:: Thibos Courtois, goalkeeper (Belgium/Atletico Madrid)

Actually a Chelsea employee, but doing so well on loan at Atletico that his future has become a big debating point in the last few months.

If Belgium are to do as well as the bookies predict, then he is certain to have enhanced his reputation even further.

Italy's veteran keeper Gianluigi Buffon has picked him out as a man to watch - and he should know.

:: Mauricio Isla, attacking right-back (Chile/Juventus)

Older than some of his colleagues in this fabled team at the age 25 and with almost half a century of appearances for Chile behind him, he has a great chance to win more admirers of his charging runs down the right.

Chile are in the same group as Spain and Holland but do not rule out Isla helping dump one of those giants out at the first hurdle.

:: Raphael Varane, central defender (France/Real Madrid)

He has only played five times for France, but at 21 years old he is part of a badly needed new generation for the 1998 world champions.

Big and strong - not to mention fiery - he got involved in an altercation on the pitch with opposition boss Diego Simeone at the end of the Champions League final, in which his Real team beat city rivals Atletico Madrid.

Jose Mourinho says he's the world's best young defender.

:: Mats Hummels, central defender (Germany/Borussia Dortmund)

If Germany go a long way in the World Cup, Hummels has the potential to be one of the stars of the tournament.

A dominant figure who can play as well as block, he also has a memorable name and a girlfriend, Cathy Fischer, who has been described as Germany's top WAG.

:: Yuto Nagatomo, left-back (Japan/Inter Milan)

Nagatomo has talked ambitiously about Japan winning the World Cup. One day, perhaps. Although they did reach the last 16 in 2010.

If they are to do it again, he will need to be at his best, both in defence and marauding down the left.

:: Juan Cuadrado, midfield (Colombia/Fiorentina)

Top scorer from midfield for Fiorentina in the Italian League with 11 goals last season, Cuadrado was converted from a right-back and is already interesting many of Europe's top clubs.

There is every chance there will be a long queue at his agent's door after the World Cup.

:: William Carvalho, midfield (Portugal/Sporting Lisbon)

You thought Angola was not the place to look for football talent?

This young man from Luanda has to force his way into Portugal's team but he is big and powerful (think Manchester City's Yaya Toure) with a future to match.

:: Paul Pogba, midfield (France/Juventus)

Still only 21, he has been in the headlines since Sir Alex Ferguson decided he was not good enough for Manchester United.

His poise belies his years. Zinedine Zidane, a World Cup winner in 1998, says his young countryman will become one of Europe's best central midfielders.

:: Ciro Immobile, striker (Italy/Borussia Dortmund)

This guy could be huge and may even be the World Cup's top goalscorer - worth a punt at around 50-1 if you like a bet.

No one got more than him in Italy last season and he has just signed for Dortmund.

Mario Balotelli is the big name in the Italians' attack ... so far.

:: Carlos Bacca, striker (Colombia/Sevilla)

Now carrying a nation's goalscoring hopes on his shoulders after injury ruled out his more illustrious colleague, Radamel Falcao, but he is up to the task.

He scored four goals towards the end of the season for his Spanish club, the Europa League winners.

And Bacca has every chance of helping Colombia progress from a group that also includes Greece, Ivory Coast and Japan - therefore boosting his own reputation.

:: Joel Campbell, striker (Costa Rica/Arsenal)

You're going to hear plenty about Joel Campbell because he is a big threat to England's hopes of progress from Group D.

Arsenal have loaned him out for the last three seasons, most recently to Greek club Olympiakos, for whom he scored against Manchester United in the Champions League.

His mum told him to read Psalm 27 - "The Lord is my light and my salvation; whom shall I fear?" - before matches and apparently he does so.

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Iraq Militants Poised For March On Baghdad

Iraq has implemented a new plan to defend Baghdad as Islamist insurgents edge closer to the country's capital, according to an interior ministry spokesman.

Security forces are gathering at a base just 20 miles outside Baghdad, ready to protect the city from Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIS) fighters who have vowed to march on the city.

Iraq's Shiite-led government says a fight-back is under way after the Sunni insurgents took control of the northern cities Mosul and Tikrit.

Thousands of refugees have fled the violence. Pic: UNHCR

The fighters have already taken control of Fallujah and parts of Ramadi.

But the militants moved into the towns of Saadiyah and Jalawla in the eastern province of Diyala after security forces abandoned their positions.

Diyala Deputy Governor Furat al Tamimi said Kurdish security forces have now moved into the areas, following on from taking control of the northern oil city of Kirkuk.

A comparison of the Iraqi army and ISIS

The Iraqi army fired artillery at the two towns from Muqdadiya, 50 miles from the Baghdad city limits, sending dozens of families fleeing towards the Iranian border, security sources said.

The Iraqi air force also launched airstrikes on militant fighters' positions around Mosul and Tikrit.

According to witnesses, the fighters are preparing a third assault on Samarra, 70 miles north of Baghdad, following two failed attempts to take the city.

Some of the areas affected by the fighting in Iraq

Sky's Middle East Correspondent Sherine Tadros, in Irbil, northern Iraq, said: "The Iraqis are attacking by air because they cannot attack by land.

"The army right now is extremely demoralised, it feels like it's lacking in leadership and it's splintering under this pressure. Meanwhile, the militants certainly seem like they have the upper hand and all the momentum."

The US has confirmed ground troops will not be sent into Iraq, but President Barack Obama says his administration is looking into "all options" to help Iraqi leaders.

An Iraqi security officer stands guard as Iraqi civilians wait to volunteer

"I don't rule out anything because we do have a stake in making sure that these jihadists are not getting a permanent foothold in either Iraq or Syria," he said.

A US defence official says American surveillance drones have been in the air over Iraq to help the fight against the Sunni insurgents.

Hundreds of Americans have also been evacuated from a military base in Balad, 50 miles north of Baghdad.

The UN Security Council has demanded urgent dialogue and condemned the "terrorist" activities of the insurgents, but stopped short of considering action against them.

A girl, who fled from the violence in Mosul, carries a case of water

More than 500,000 people have fled the conflict in the Mosul region alone, with many heading into Kurdish areas in the north.

The World Food Programme has begun providing assistance to 42,000 of the most vulnerable.

Sectarian political dysfunction has been blamed for the government's failure to secure authorisation to declare a state of emergency, which was called for by Prime Minister Nouri al Maliki earlier this week.

ISIS, led by Abu Bakr al Baghdadi, wants to create a Sunni state, or caliphate, straddling the border between Iraq and Syria.

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World Cup Airport Strike Threatens Chaos In Rio

Thousands of football fans flying to Brazil for the start of the World Cup are facing a chaotic welcome, after ground staff voted to stage a 24-hour strike.

Hours before the tournament gets under way, workers at Rio de Janeiro's Galeao airport, which is expected to be one of the busiest in Brazil over the next four weeks, have declared a partial walkout in a row over pay.

Baggage handlers and check-in staff will join colleagues at the city's Santos Dumont airport - an important hub for flights to Sao Paulo, where England play Uruguay next week - in downing tools.

Rio de Janeiro's airports are busy even in a non-World Cup month

They have promised to maintain an 80% service and although fans heading to Sao Paulo will be at least be able to catch the subway after metro staff voted against taking industrial action themselves, there is potential for disruption at already-stretched terminals.

Some 2.1 million people passed through the two airports last month - an average of 68,000 people a day - with World Cup arrivals set to bolster those numbers further still.

Excitement is building in Brazil as the four-week tournament gets under way

Sky's Sports Correspondent Paul Kelso, in Rio de Janeiro, said: "This city is a hub for many supporters, including England fans heading for their team's opening game in Manaus on Saturday, and if the strike goes ahead they face disruption.

"The vote by Sao Paulo's metro workers is a significant relief for organisers, but it may not lift the considerable anxiety around the start of the tournament."

All the latest World Cup news and analysis on the Sky News catch up service

After a build-up dominated by delays to infrastructure projects, deaths at stadium construction sites and protests over spiralling costs, the World Cup kicks off in Sao Paulo later today.

The host nation face Croatia in the tournament's curtain-raiser after an opening ceremony featuring performances by the likes of Jennifer Lopez and Pitbull.

The pitch in Manaus appears dry and yellow

England's first match is on Saturday and as Roy Hodgson's players continue to acclimatise, the pitch at Manaus' Amazonia Arena where they will face Italy appears to be in poor condition.

A journalist for the AFP news agency said the playing surface was noticeably dry and particularly bare around one of the goals, "revealing large yellowing areas of turf".

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World Cup: 'Brazil Ready For The Kick-Off'

In Rio de Janeiro, the sun has been a reluctant guest at Brazil's World Cup party.

On the eve of the tournament clouds have hung stubbornly to the hills above the city all week, obscuring the statue of Christ the Redeemer.

If and when he does emerge, he may have his work cut out.

This is a World Cup and a country in need of a bit of redemption.

Brazil is a nation defined like no other by its national game.

Pele, speaking at one of his countless corporate gigs this week, said that when he first played in the World Cup no-one knew where his country was. Thanks to football, and its ultimate star, no-one can claim ignorance today.

Brazilian football legend Pele promotes the World Cup

But that does not mean the population are ready to roll over with gratitude at the first sight of a Brazuka, the official match ball.

The build-up to this tournament has been marked by unprecedented protests and disaffection. The $15bn price tag, and particularly the demands made by Fifa, have been a source of genuine public anger.

Brazil is a different country to the one that won an uncontested bid eight years ago. The economic boom has slowed and some of the self-confidence that also secured the 2016 Olympics has ebbed away.

Against that backdrop Fifa's demands, which have included overturning a law banning the sale of alcohol in stadiums to satisfy sponsor Budweiser, have seemed autocratic.

One of the many protests over the cost of staging the World Cup

President Dilma Rousseff has certainly got the message. She stayed away from the Fifa Congress this week, sending the sports minister instead, though she has called on the country to unite behind the tournament.

That remains the big question as Brazil kick-off against Croatia. It is unlikely that every stadium will be finished as planned, transport will range between tricky and impossible, and there will inevitably be other frustrations.

But if the country gets behind its team, and with them the tournament, we will be in for a treat. Organisers are confident it will.

"As a citizen I can say we are behind the World Cup," Ricardo Trade, chief executive of the organising committee told Sky News.

Sky will have all the latest news from Brazil

"The sign is we sold all the tickets. We made records. The volunteers are working with us. We have beaten all records. The teams are arriving. And we have a lot of investments that arrived with the World Cup.

"We have had investments in infrastructure, investments renewing the airports, not just for the World Cup but beyond. It's a huge legacy that we are receiving.

"We are ready to deliver the World Cup. We are not ready as a country. We need to develop more. That's another thing. But to deliver the World Cup, we are ready. "

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World Cup: Top 11 Players To Watch In Brazil

By Nick Powell, Sports Editor

Like the Grand National, the World Cup has become a great participation event in offices, clubs and schools.

Join the sweep, pick the top scorer, guess how far England will go, perhaps even have a bet.

So to help, here's a team of men who are probably not big names in your household or workplace - but might be in a month's time.

:: Thibos Courtois, goalkeeper (Belgium/Atletico Madrid)

Actually a Chelsea employee, but doing so well on loan at Atletico that his future has become a big debating point in the last few months.

If Belgium are to do as well as the bookies predict, then he is certain to have enhanced his reputation even further.

Italy's veteran keeper Gianluigi Buffon has picked him out as a man to watch - and he should know.

:: Mauricio Isla, attacking right-back (Chile/Juventus)

Older than some of his colleagues in this fabled team at the age 25 and with almost half a century of appearances for Chile behind him, he has a great chance to win more admirers of his charging runs down the right.

Chile are in the same group as Spain and Holland but do not rule out Isla helping dump one of those giants out at the first hurdle.

:: Raphael Varane, central defender (France/Real Madrid)

He has only played five times for France, but at 21 years old he is part of a badly needed new generation for the 1998 world champions.

Big and strong - not to mention fiery - he got involved in an altercation on the pitch with opposition boss Diego Costa at the end of the Champions League final, in which his Real team beat city rivals Atletico Madrid.

Jose Mourinho says he's the world's best young defender.

:: Mats Hummels, central defender (Germany/Borussia Dortmund)

If Germany go a long way in the World Cup, Hummels has the potential to be one of the stars of the tournament.

A dominant figure who can play as well as block, he also has a memorable name and a girlfriend, Cathy Fischer, who has been described as Germany's top WAG.

:: Yuto Nagatomo, left-back (Japan/Inter Milan)

Nagatomo has talked ambitiously about Japan winning the World Cup. One day, perhaps. Although they did reach the last 16 in 2010.

If they are to do it again, he will need to be at his best, both in defence and marauding down the left.

:: Juan Cuadrado, midfield (Colombia/Fiorentina)

Top scorer from midfield for Fiorentina in the Italian League with 11 goals last season, Cuadrado was converted from a right-back and is already interesting many of Europe's top clubs.

There is every chance there will be a long queue at his agent's door after the World Cup.

:: William Carvalho, midfield (Portugal/Sporting Lisbon)

You thought Angola was not the place to look for football talent?

This young man from Luanda has to force his way into Portugal's team but he is big and powerful (think Manchester City's Yaya Toure) with a future to match.

:: Paul Pogba, midfield (France/Juventus)

Still only 21, he has been in the headlines since Sir Alex Ferguson decided he was not good enough for Manchester United.

His poise belies his years. Zinedine Zidane, a World Cup winner in 1998, says his young countryman will become one of Europe's best central midfielders.

:: Ciro Immobile, striker (Italy/Borussia Dortmund)

This guy could be huge and may even be the World Cup's top goalscorer - worth a punt at around 50-1 if you like a bet.

No one got more than him in Italy last season and he has just signed for Dortmund.

Mario Balotelli is the big name in the Italians' attack ... so far.

:: Carlos Bacca, striker (Colombia/Sevilla)

Now carrying a nation's goalscoring hopes on his shoulders after injury ruled out his more illustrious colleague, Radamel Falcao, but he is up to the task.

He scored four goals towards the end of the season for his Spanish club, the Europa League winners.

And Bacca has every chance of helping Colombia progress from a group that also includes Greece, Ivory Coast and Japan - therefore boosting his own reputation.

:: Joel Campbell, striker (Costa Rica/Arsenal)

You're going to hear plenty about Joel Campbell because he is a big threat to England's hopes of progress from Group D.

Arsenal have loaned him out for the last three seasons, most recently to Greek club Olympiakos, for whom he scored against Manchester United in the Champions League.

His mum told him to read Psalm 27 - "The Lord is my light and my salvation; whom shall I fear?" - before matches and apparently he does so.

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Egypt To Act After 'Worst Ever' Sex Assault

By Sherine Tadros, Middle East Correspondent

Egypt's new president has ordered a crackdown on sex crimes after a video emerged of a woman being assaulted in Cairo's Tahrir Square.

The blurry, two-minute clip, which was allegedly filmed during celebrations to mark Abdul Fattah al Sisi's inauguration, shows a woman completely naked and bruised with hordes of men around as she is carried into a vehicle.

Dozens of women say they have been attacked in Tahrir Square in the past two years but this is the worst many people have seen.

It has been covered widely by Egyptian media, with one newspaper demanding the perpetrators be executed.

The video, which has been circulated on social media, prompted Mr Sisi to call for sexual harassment to be confronted immediately.

Mr al Sisi has described sexual harassment as "unacceptable"

In one of his first public statements, he called it an "unacceptable form of conduct, alien to the best principles of Egyptian culture".

It comes as a global summit to stop sexual violence in war zones, co-hosted by Angelina Jolie, continues in London.

On Tuesday, the actress told the summit: "We must send a message across the world that there's no disgrace in being a survivor of sexual violence. The shame is on the aggressor."

Part of the problem in Egypt has been an absence of laws protecting women against sexual harassment, allowing attackers to act with complete impunity.

A decree issued last week made it a criminal act for the first time, with offenders warned they could face up to five years in prison.

Jolie co-hosted the London summit with Foreign Secretary William Hague

Importantly, it defines harassment as including the making of obscene gestures "in any manner", recognising it does not have to be of a physical nature.

A study conducted last year by the UN showed 99.3% of Egyptian women have experienced some form of harassment, with around half (47%) claiming they are harassed daily.

It has become so prevalent and widespread in Egypt that many women have simply grown to accept it.

Men often stare and shout obscene comments at women as they walk along the street.

At times, it is seen as acceptable for women to feel shame and humiliation, as if something about how they dress or walk is to blame. 

The video that has shocked many in Egpyt was filmed in Tahrir Square

It is an endemic problem and has become part of Egyptian culture - a dysfunctional yet accepted norm.

Farah Shash, of the Nadeem Centre for the Rehabilitation of Victims of Violence, said: "The culture here when it comes to sexual harassment is to blame the victim."

She said authorities in Egypt have never seen women's rights as a priority and women are reluctant to report incidents because the police are so unsympathetic.

Journalist Hania Moheeb, who was gang raped in Tahrir Square last January and is attending this week's summit, said: "I have much hope, not only in the current regime but in Egyptian women because they have changed a lot.

"They're more outspoken now and we'll fight for our rights.

"The denial this society has been living in for over two decades is something that has to end."

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Tea Party Ousts Top Republican Eric Cantor

The second most powerful Republican in the US House of Representatives has suffered a shock primary election defeat to a Tea Party outsider.

Majority Leader Eric Cantor, who has been the Representative for Virginia's 7th district since 2001, lost to challenger David Brat.

The economics professor secured victory on a wave of public anger over calls for looser immigration laws, in one of the most stunning upsets in modern American politics.

He spent just $200,000 on his campaign, compared to Mr Cantor's $1m in April and May alone.

Mr Cantor's loss was the first primary setback for a leader in Congress in recent years.

The victory is a major success for the right-wing Tea Party movement, which advocates reducing government debt through spending cuts and opposes tax increases.

Last week, Tea Party supporters forced veteran Mississippi Republican Senator Thad Cochran into a June 24 runoff.

The result has sent shockwaves through American politics, which has been been subjected to periods of paralysis as a result of increasing polarisation.

Tea Party sympathisers delayed a deal on the country's budget last year that led to the US government shutdown.

Ever since he was elected, Mr Cantor was seen as a future star, being named chief deputy whip within a year of his election and becoming the highest-ranking Jewish Republican in Washington.

Eric Cantor is the second most powerful Republican after John Boehner (L)

After John Boehner became Speaker of the House in 2009, and the most senior Republican, Mr Cantor had been seen as both a likely eventual successor and potential rival.

Analysts said the result may well mark the end of Mr Cantor's political career and aides did not respond when asked if the 51-year-old would attempt to run in November's election anyway.

With votes counted in 99% of the precincts, Mr Cantor polled 28,631, compared with 37,369 in 2012, even though the number voting in 2014 increased by more than a third.

Mr Brat, a teacher at Randolph-Macon College, a small liberal arts school north of Richmond, said: "This is a miracle from God that just happened."

Conceding, Mr Cantor said: "Obviously we came up short."

It was unclear if Mr Cantor was intending to remain in his leadership post for the duration of the year.

The result has implications for policies being discussed at national level, with current immigration legislation likely to face a tougher challenge. 

Last Saturday, Democrats picked Jack Trammell as their nominee for the general election in the 7th District. He is an associate professor of sociology at Randolph-Macon College, the same school where Mr Brat teaches.

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Mystery Surrounds Brit Backpacker Missing In Oz

By Jonathan Samuels, Australia Correspondent

A mother has flown from Scotland to Australia in a desperate attempt to find her son who has gone missing while backpacking.

Judith Ansell said her son was "distressed" when he spoke to her on the phone from Australia before he vanished two weeks ago.

Jonathan Ansell, 27, disappeared from Melbourne and is believed to have had no passport or money, and with no place to stay had been forced to sleep rough.

His mother believes he also had no mobile phone and had called her in Scotland from a payphone.

"I think he must have been calling from a phone box and didn't have any more money and it just got cut off," she told reporters in Melbourne on Tuesday.

"He said he had run out of money, and was living rough."

Mr Ansell, from Glasgow, came to Australia on a work visa in April 2013 which ran out in April 2014.

He had been working on Hamilton Island, a popular holiday resort, before heading off to travel, visiting Sydney and Byron Bay.

In February, he met up with friends in Sydney, where his Scottish bank records indicate the last use of a credit card.

Victoria Police are checking to see if he had an Australian bank account that could shed more light on his movements. They believe he may have travelled into a rural area of the state.

Mrs Ansell described her son as affable, but extremely quiet and she said he was unlikely to approach people to ask for help.

A Twitter account called @Find_Jonathan has been set up and his sister Kate has also started a campaign on Facebook urging anyone with information to come forward.

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Ukraine: Poroshenko Promises To Bring Peace

Petro Poroshenko promised the Ukrainian people he would "bring them peace" after being sworn in as the country's fifth president.

Mr Poroshenko told parliament Ukrainians would "never feel the blessing of peace and security until we resolve our relations with Russia".

He pledged an amnesty to any insurgents in the east who had "no blood on their hands" but said he would not open dialogue with "gangsters and killers".

Ukrainian officials say some 200 people have died during troubles in eastern parts of the country.

Mr Poroshenko arrives for his inauguration

And the 48-year-old tycoon - dubbed the "chocolate king" for his popular brand of sweets - stated he would not accept Russia's seizure of Crimea nor attempts to divert his pro-European course.

"Crimea will remain a part of Ukraine," said Mr Poroshenko.

"Ukraine now returns to its natural European condition that so many generations have longed for."

The inauguration was attended by US Vice President Joe Biden and European Council President Herman Van Rompuy.                 

The latter sent this message to Russia: "All neighbours ... need to respect (Ukraine's) sovereign choices, including stronger ties with the European Union and its territorial integrity."

Moscow was represented by its acting ambassador to Kiev, Mikhail Zurabov, who said the pledges "sound reassuring".

Mr Poroshenko met world leaders including Barack Obama in France this week

The Kremlin's only official response to Mr Poroshenko's comments was to call for him to act by "the principles of a democratic society" and release two Russian journalists detained in the east of the country.

Meanwhile, Russian president Vladimir Putin reportedly ordered his Federal Security Service to strengthen protection of the country's border with Ukraine to prevent people crossing illegally.

This came after talks with world leaders in France, where US President Barack Obama urged the Kremlin to cease support for separatists in eastern Ukraine - including stopping arms and materials crossing the border.

Insurgents in both Luhansk and Donetsk responded to Mr Poroshenko's pledge of an amnesty with scepticism.

"I don't believe it," said Valery Bolotov, the insurgent leader in the Luhansk region.                 

Insurgent leader Valery Bolotov

Mr Poroshenko is the first permanent successor to Russia-friendly President Viktor Yanukovych, who fled the country in February after months of street protests against him.

The new incumbent met Mr Putin at D-Day commemoration ceremonies in France on Friday and expressed his satisfaction that dialogue had begun.

Mr Putin added: "I can only welcome Mr Poroshenko's position that the bloodshed in eastern Ukraine must be stopped immediately."

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MH370 Families Offer Whistleblower Reward

What Next In Search For Missing Flight MH370?

Updated: 10:50am UK, Friday 30 May 2014

By Jonathan Samuels, Australia Correspondent

The news that teams searching for missing flight MH370 have finished combing the patch of Indian Ocean 1,000 miles off the coast of Western Australia is a huge setback.

The search focused on that area because four pings - or acoustic signals - were detected almost two months ago which were thought to have come from the plane's two flight recorders.

Nothing has been found and now it appears the noises did not come from the black box recorders at all.

It has been rumoured for some time they could have been caused by the search vessels themselves.

Now the US Navy's deputy director of ocean engineering has said much the same.

"Our best theory at this point is that (the pings were) likely some sound produced by the ship ... or within the electronics of the towed pinger locator," Michael Dean told CNN.

"Always your fear any time you put electronic equipment in the water is that if any water gets in and grounds or shorts something out, you could start producing sound."

The pings may have come from another source - sound plays strange tricks that deep in the ocean - and the US Navy has officially said the comments are "speculative".

Either way, it looks like the search is back to square one.

So now it moves to a new stage. 

All existing information and data will be re-examined and the whole of the 23,000 square mile 'southern arc' will again be in the frame.

A bathymetric survey will be carried out, essentially mapping out the sea floor.

It is work already partly underway by the crew of the Chinese ship Zhu Kezhen.

Commercial contractors will then be brought in to carry out the new deep sea search.

It's possible they won't start for a couple of months, and the job will be both long and expensive.

Australia has previously said this work could cost around £40m. It is not clear how expensive the search operation has been so far.

Scott Hamilton, managing director of US-based aerospace consultancy Leeham, said all the data will have to be re-examined "from start to finish".

However, he does not believe the search will be called off any time soon.

"I think it will be some time, perhaps years, before they completely throw in the towel," he said.

And for some, news the search has ended in the area which has been the focus so far is, in a way, welcome.

Sara Bacj, whose partner Philip Wood is among the missing passengers, told Sky News: "If they'd found the hull of the plane under the water then our loved ones would be dead for sure ... (but) most family members are not willing to accept that.

"They believe something else has happened to the plane so this is validation for them that keeping their hopes alive is not crazy."

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El-Sissi Sworn In As President Of Egypt

Egypt's former army chief Abdel-Fattah el-Sissi has been sworn in as president for a four-year term.

The inauguration comes less than a year after the army ousted Mohammed Morsi, the Islamist who was the country's first freely elected leader.

El-Sissi, 59, took his oath live on television at the headquarters of the Supreme Constitutional Court in a suburb south of Cairo. 

Sunday has been declared a national holiday but tight security is in place across the Egyptian capital.

The last year has seen repeated violent clashes between the army regime and supporters of Mr Morsi's Muslim Brotherhood.

El-Sissi was named president after a landslide election victory at the end of May where he won 96.9% of the vote.

The retired field marshal ousted Mohammed Morsi following mass protests against his regime in June last year. Mr Morsi is now on trial for charges that carry the death penalty.

Palestinian president Mahmoud Abbas, Arab royals and African leaders are among the guests at a reception being held at Cairo's presidential palace.

More follows...

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