Nsukka traditional ruler sets enslaved villagers free

<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"> <header class="post-header cf" style="border: 0px; margin: 0px 0px 21px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><div class="featured" style="border: 0px; margin: 0px 0px 14px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> <a href="http://sunnewsonline.com/new/wp-content/uploads/2014/08/nsukka-slaves-free.jpg" itemprop="image" rel="prettyPhoto" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0); border: 0px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;" title="Nsukka traditional ruler sets enslaved villagers free"><span style="color: black;"><img alt="nsukka-slaves-free" class="attachment-main-slider wp-post-image no-display appear" height="336" src="http://sunnewsonline.com/new/wp-content/uploads/2014/08/nsukka-slaves-free-702x336.jpg" style="-webkit-transition: all 0.4s ease-in-out; border: 0px; height: auto; margin: 0px; max-width: 100%; opacity: 0.8; padding: 0px; transition: all 0.4s ease-in-out; vertical-align: baseline;" title="Nsukka traditional ruler sets enslaved villagers free" width="702" /></span></a></div> <h1 class="post-title" itemprop="name" style="border: 0px; float: left; font-weight: normal; margin: 0px 35px 0px 0px; padding: 0px 0px 0px 18px; position: relative; vertical-align: baseline;"> <span style="font-size: small;"><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">Nsukka traditional ruler sets enslaved villagers free</span></span></h1> <div> <span style="font-size: small;"><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><br /></span></span></div> <a class="comments" href="http://sunnewsonline.com/new/?p=78882#comments" style="border: 0px; float: right; margin: 0px 0px 0px -35px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><span class="fa fa-comments-o" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; border: 0px; display: inline-block; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-rendering: auto; vertical-align: baseline;"></span> </span></span></a></header><div class="post-container cf" style="border: 0px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> <div class="post-content-right" style="border: 0px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> <div class="post-content description" itemprop="articleBody" style="border: 0px; margin: 0px 0px -1.857em; padding: 0px; position: relative; vertical-align: baseline;"> <ul style="border: 0px; list-style: square; margin: 0px 0px 1.857em 42px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> <li style="border: 0px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0); border: 0px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">How jealous king isolated victims because maiden rejected his amorous advances</b></li> </ul> <div style="border: 0px; margin: 0px 0px 1.857em; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> <span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><b style="border: 0px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">F</b><b style="border: 0px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">or over 200 years, the people of Amachukwu and Anioma villages in Ugbene Ajima Community, Uzo-uwani LGA, Enugu State lived in isolation and bondage, forced on them by a jealous king, whose sexual advances were rejected by a village maiden.<div style="border: 0px; margin-bottom: 1.857em; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> </div> </b></span><div style="border: 0px; margin-bottom: 1.857em; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> <span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><b style="border: 0px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"></b>Trouble began for the people when a beautiful maiden from Anioma village rebuffed the sexual advances of an old traditional ruler. The jilted lover reportedly took a vengeful action, barring the maiden and her people from marrying from the community or sleeping in other people’s houses. That ancient decree remained irreversible and was subsequently transmitted to future generations, plunging everyone born in both villages in perpetual slavery.Successive rulers kept this obnoxious decree sacred. Not even the cry for justice by the younger generation of children born in these villages would bend the rule. By mere geographical accident of birthplace, those born in Anioma or Amachukwu were like damned souls cursed by the gods, as they inherited the pariah status of their parentage right from their mother’s womb.</span></div> <div style="border: 0px; margin-bottom: 1.857em; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> <span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">But their agony ended on Saturday, August 9, when the new traditional ruler of the town, Igwe Bartholomew Aluma, Okwu na Oke 1 of Ugbene Ajima, led his cabinet members and elders of the town to denounce this unjust tradition and revoke the communal ban on the affected villages.</span></div> <div style="border: 0px; margin-bottom: 1.857em; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> <span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">The event was a memorable day for the elders, women, youths and children of the isolated villages. Some of the elderly men among them, who had lived like lepers all their years, broke down in tears of joy. Their excited wives and daughters danced freely in the village square, singing songs of freedom for a dream come through. Even children lost in the euphoria of the historic celebration jumped about in wild celebration that had eluded them in the community for decades.</span></div> <div style="border: 0px; margin-bottom: 1.857em; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> <span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">Our reporter gathered that the struggle for freedom began many years ago, but none of the efforts was successful. A renewed effort commenced in November last year with secret meetings of Pastor Anayo Odimkpa, ASP Paul Ogbonna and Pastor Anthony Onodi. Their negotiation with notable personalities in the community to revisit their case seemed like fetching water with a basket, yet they never gave up the agitation. And when the matter was brought before Igwe Aluma’s cabinet, he gave a listening ear to their cry for justice. Although the names of these key players may not ring out loud in the world like that of the famous icon, Dr Martin Luther King Jnr, generations of children in Amachukwu and Anioma villages would venerate them as true heroes that pulled down the prison gates.</span></div> <div style="border: 0px; margin-bottom: 1.857em; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> <span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">Investigation by our reporter revealed that the two villages were formerly called Amaiseke, a name derived from a local python, Isieke, venerated in the community by pagans. But a Christian revolution led by Anayo Odimkpa, in collaboration with members of the Catholic Charismatic Renewal of Nigeria, in October 1996 demolished the Isieke shrine, and subsequently led to the renaming of the two villages to Amachukwu (City of God) and Anioma (Good Land). The revolution also opened the enclosed life of the isolated villagers and watered the seed for the liberation struggle.</span></div> <div style="border: 0px; margin-bottom: 1.857em; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> <span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">While declaring the two villages free, Igwe Aluma said his cabinet and leaders of thought in the community, after much consultation, unanimously decided to revisit the historical injustice suffered by the two villages. He said it took him a long time to investigate the matter. He explained that during his investigation, he wanted to find out whether any member of Ugbene community bought a slave in the olden days and left him in any of the two villages, but sadly that was not the case. Rather, he confirmed that the isolation suffered by the two villages started hundreds of years ago when a certain traditional ruler in Ugbene Ajima lusted after a beautiful maiden from Anioma and wanted to sleep with her.  But the luscious lady, indentified as Nwagbogoeze Ejigioku, reportedly turned down the amoral advance, an act that was adjudged sacrilege in days when traditional rulers were revered as the mouthpiece of the gods.</span></div> <div style="border: 0px; margin-bottom: 1.857em; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> <span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">The king’s wrath burned like hell, and he later spilled it on the entire village where the woman came from, with the declaration that the lady and her people would henceforth become slaves for ages to ages, never to marry anybody from the area. And when the people of Amachukwu cried foul over the unjust punishment of their relations, the traditional ruler decreed isolation on them for questioning the gods.</span></div> <div style="border: 0px; margin-bottom: 1.857em; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> <span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">Even the gods wept for the injustice against the two villages but nothing could change the decision of the king. Investigation by our reporter revealed that the gulf of separation between them and other members of Ugbene community widened with years, such that subsequent generations regarded them as slaves. Although some young men in Ugbene, in their youthful adventure, secretly dated beautiful ladies of the two villages, the romance never exceeded the fun of the bedroom. Ladies from the two villages were never considered worthy of marriage. In fact, such relationships were hidden from other members of the community, lest the culprits incur the wrath of elders.</span></div> <div style="border: 0px; margin-bottom: 1.857em; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> <span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">To say the least, an impenetrable wall separated the two villages with their kinsmen with whom they earlier shared common paternity before the unfortunate incident. Communal brotherhood was totally ruined by one man’s lust for the flesh, stamping a mark of rejection on many families and generations of innocent children.</span></div> <div style="border: 0px; margin-bottom: 1.857em; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> <span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">Reversing the curse turned out to be historic moment in the annals of the community. In the public square of Anioma, Igwe Aluma shared kolanuts among the elders, <i style="border: 0px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Ozo</i> title holders in the Ugbene community, who made a uniform declaration that the people of Anioma and Amachukwu villages will no longer live in isolation or be regarded as slaves. Each of the elders also picked a stone from the village square to bear witness that the pronouncement was binding on all members of the community.</span></div> <div style="border: 0px; margin-bottom: 1.857em; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> <span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">While overruling the earlier decree, Igwe Aluma said, “From today henceforth, you are free to marry or have an intimate relationship with any man or woman in Ugbene community. You are free to mingle and sleep anywhere in the town. Nobody should be treated or regarded as outcasts again in our community.”</span></div> <div style="border: 0px; margin-bottom: 1.857em; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> <span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">The former Attorney general of Enugu State, Dr Michael Ajogwu (SAN), who witnessed the event, commended the bold step taken by the community. He explained that the proclamation by Igwe Aluma and his cabinet has restored the people of Amachukwu and Anioma to their rightful position as true sons and daughters of the community and cancelled permanently whatever that was done in the past.</span></div> <div style="border: 0px; margin-bottom: 1.857em; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> <span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">The former attorney recalled that the people of <i style="border: 0px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Efuru Idoha</i> in Nsukka suffered a similar fate many years ago, when beautiful maidens were claimed forcefully by the local deity to serve as slaves in its shrine. He said he offered legal assistance during the battle to destroy the deity, adding that the destruction of the deity liberated the people held in bondage, allowing them to relate freely with other members of Ukehe town.</span></div> <div style="border: 0px; margin-bottom: 1.857em; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> <span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">Ajogwu, who hailed from Abbi community in Uzo-Uwani LGA, also recounted another case in his hometown, where some people were ostracised for the past 100 years. He said he mediated in the process that led to the liberation of these people, allowing them the liberty to relate freely and acquire traditional title (Onyishi Ekaya) as other families in the community.</span></div> <div style="border: 0px; margin-bottom: 1.857em; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> <span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">One of the victims, Paul Ogbonna, described the feeling of alienation by other members of the community as worse than hell. According to him, he suffered rejection, humiliation and mockery in the hands of other people in the community.</span></div> <div style="border: 0px; margin-bottom: 1.857em; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> <span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">“This started even before I was born. During my own time, I experienced this rejection in so many ways that left me surprised and shocked. We suffered discrimination and neglect. We were denied so many things as free born of this Ugbene Ajima community because of the stigma. Both the elders and children, women and youths suffered alike,” he said.</span></div> <div style="border: 0px; margin-bottom: 1.857em; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> <span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">Ogbonna, 47, said his forefathers suffered the same cruel fate, noting that reversing the ancient curse seemed like an impossible missions in past years. He expressed joy that Igwe Aluma and respected elders of the community took the bold decision of revoking the ban on his people and accept them as free born of the community.</span></div> <div style="border: 0px; margin-bottom: 1.857em; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> <span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">“We are moving into a new era, where we are now free to associate with our brothers without any barrier. To be honest with you, during those years, I do not feel proud as a member of this community when I remember the situation we have found ourselves. At a time, I asked my father what happened to us. Did Ugbene people buy our forefathers as slaves? But he told me it was because a beautiful lady rejected the traditional ruler. Most often, we were rejected at social gatherings. Even in schools, we enjoy partial acceptance because we suffer isolation from our peers. But I believe that the Igwe, the Ozo tiltle holders and the entire cabinet members are sincere in what they did here today. The God of heaven and earth is our witness that this has been achieved. We have many witnesses at the event, including the former Attorney General of Enugu State, Dr Michael Ajogwu (SAN). So, if the community decides to act otherwise, you will agree with me that they will not succeed,” he said.</span></div> <div style="border: 0px; margin-bottom: 1.857em; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> <span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">Another victim, Pastor Anayo Odimkpa, said the two villages suffered indescribable humiliation, as other members of the community, cut them off in marriage, social relationships, among others.</span></div> <div style="border: 0px; margin-bottom: 1.857em; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> <span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">“These two villages lost the liberty of sleeping together as brothers, passing night together or getting married. They were in the midst of their brothers, yet they lived in a lonely world for a very long time, spanning to 400 to 500 years,” he said.</span></div> <div style="border: 0px; margin-bottom: 1.857em; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> <span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">Our reporter gathered that the granting freedom to the villages came with a prize. But when our reporter asked Odimkpa what it cost him and his people to be free, he said, “When I think about the value of this freedom, it erases the prize from my mind. I couldn’t remember the sacrifice it took, the prize we collectively paid as individuals or as a community to make this feat possible. The value of freedom is priceless. It comes with the pride of feeling the same like any other person, having a sense of belonging in the midst of your brothers.”</span></div> <div style="border: 0px; margin-bottom: 1.857em; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> <span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">Odimkpa said the psychological effect of long years of isolation would take time to heal in the mind of the victims. He noted that it wouldn’t be quite easy to erase the memories of the ugly years soon, but noted that members of the villagers would gradually integrate themselves fully into the community.</span></div> <div style="border: 0px; margin-bottom: 1.857em; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> <span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">“There is need to create participatory events in the community, which will bring members of the community together. Sleeping over in other people’s houses in the community would also instil in them the confidence that the old things have passed away. They will try their hands in marriage, which is not be force but by mutual consent of those involved. Through marriage, the sense of complete freedom would take root in people’s mind,” he explained.</span></div> <div style="border: 0px; margin-bottom: 1.857em; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> <span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">Another victim, Pastor Anthony Onodi forced back tears as he bemoaned the long years of injustice suffered by his people. He said the incident took place in 1803 adding that he personally took up the struggle for the liberation of the people in 1982, and was asked to present three cows to appease the land and cook for the entire community. According to him, he fulfilled these requirements, yet to no avail.</span></div> <div style="border: 0px; margin-bottom: 1.857em; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> <span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">Onodi said he felt uneasy in the midst of other members of the community, knowing that he was considered an outcast. He said the situation denied him social relationship with other members of Ugbene community, knowing that he has a pariah status stamped on him by wicked tradition.</span></div> <div style="border: 0px; margin-bottom: 1.857em; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> <span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">“I chose to visit people in the community in the afternoon, knowing that they will ask me out of their house before 12.00am. None of my friends, no matter how close, would ever allow me to stay in his house beyond that time. It might seem small in people’s eyes but it was quite shameful,” he said.</span></div> <div style="border: 0px; margin-bottom: 1.857em; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> <span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">Onodi said he wept silently whenever his children reported to him how other children in the community school mocked them. The isolation also deprived young men from the two villages from picking a bride from neighbouring communities, as their stigma traveled faster than the wind.</span></div> <div style="border: 0px; margin-bottom: 1.857em; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> <span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">“By our liberation, something new is going to happen in this community. Nothing will hinder the progress of this community any longer. Let brotherly love continue,” he prayed.</span></div> <div style="border: 0px; margin-bottom: 1.857em; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> <span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">Also speaking, the spiritual father of the community, Fr John Bosco Okechukwu, described the isolation and rejection of the two villages as a scandal to the church bearing in mind that Christ came to set the captives free.</span></div> <div style="border: 0px; margin-bottom: 1.857em; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> <span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">“Remember that the love of God is expressed in the love for your neighbours. Everybody is important to God because we are redeemed by the blood of Jesus Christ. So, there is no need for this social injustice or segregation. In fact, it is a scandal to the body of Christ,” he argued.</span></div> <div style="border: 0px; margin-bottom: 1.857em; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> <span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">Okechukwu said the gospel of Jesus Christ revolves around freedom and liberty, promising that the people of God would embrace the Amachukwu and Anioma people as brothers in Christ, without any discrimination whatsoever.</span></div> <div style="border: 0px; margin-bottom: 1.857em; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> <span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">Also speaking, a Catholic priest from Ugbene community, Rev Fr Paulinus Ike Ogara, gave his blessings for the liberation of the enslaved brethren. He said the desire for freedom resonates in the mind of every creature of God, describing the humiliation suffered by the two villages as a historical injustice.</span></div> <div style="border: 0px; margin-bottom: 1.857em; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> <span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">“Injustice in one corner of the world is injustice everywhere. What happens to one person affects everybody around him and reverberates everywhere. The victims cultivate certain habits towards other people based on the injustice they are suffering,” he said.</span></div> <div style="border: 0px; margin-bottom: 1.857em; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> <span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">Ogara said some people mistook the isolation of Anioma and Amachukwu people as an irreversible norm in the community simply because the system was allowed to survive for a very long time. He described freedom as a native desire in humans, stressing that every man or woman has dignity as a subject of right.</span></div> <div style="border: 0px; margin-bottom: 1.857em; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> <span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">“What we did here today is the culmination of a long battle for freedom. It is the victory of truth, justice and liberty. Although the struggle has been long and painstaking, we feel the joy of these people who have achieved their hearts’ desire,” he said.</span></div> <div style="border: 0px; margin-bottom: 1.857em; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> <span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">Ogara said the liberation of the two villages would also translate to the growth of the community, as the isolated people would be free to contribute their quota intellectually and otherwise.</span></div> <div style="border: 0px; margin-bottom: 1.857em; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> <span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">“They will now see the development efforts of the community as theirs. I see a new era and a new spirit of Ugbene emerging in our town. This is a new era that has permanently closed the gates of injustice suffered by these people,” he maintained.</span></div> <div style="border: 0px; margin-bottom: 1.857em; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> <span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">A leader of thought in the community, Simon Oliji, explained that the liberation of the two villages goes beyond eating, drinking and feasting. He advised the affected villagers to launch themselves into the mainstream of community activities, from where they would be gradually assimilated into the life of the town.</span></div> <div style="border: 0px; margin-bottom: 1.857em; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> <span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">Oliji, a retired school principal, encouraged the victims to come out of their shells and make their faces visible in marriage ceremonies, burials, church programmes and schools. He lamented that the two villages had been educationally disadvantaged by the situation they found themselves and urged them to leverage on their newly found freedom to acquire formal education for self development.</span></div> <div style="border: 0px; margin-bottom: 1.857em; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> <span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">By advising the people to invest in knowledge, Oliji re-echoed the message of famous Raggae master, Bob Marley, who said, “Emancipate yourself from mental slavery, none but ourselves can free our minds!”  No doubt, Igwe Aruma, a retired headmaster reputed for his discipline and scholarship, has proved to Amachukwu and Anioma people that the power of knowledge makes a man difficult to be enslaved.</span></div> <div style="border: 0px; margin-bottom: 1.857em; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> <span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><br /></span></div> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div>

Nsukka traditional ruler sets enslaved villagers free

Nsukka traditional ruler sets enslaved villagers free   How jealous king isolated victims because maiden rejected his amorous adv...

Read more »

Possibility of a Genocide Made President Obama Authorize Military Action Against Islamic State, Iraq

<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"> <br /> <header style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><h1 class="title" style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; direction: ltr; margin: 0px 0px 10px; padding: 0px; text-rendering: optimizelegibility; vertical-align: baseline;"> </h1> <div class="headline group" style="border-bottom-color: rgb(223, 223, 223); border-bottom-style: solid; border-width: 0px 0px 1px; box-sizing: border-box; direction: ltr; margin: -8px 0px 10px; padding: 0px 0px 10px; vertical-align: baseline;"> <div class="times" style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; direction: ltr; float: left; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> <span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><span class="posted" style="border-right-color: rgb(153, 153, 153); border-right-style: solid; border-width: 0px 1px 0px 0px; box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 10px 0px 0px; padding: 0px 10px 0px 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">P</span></span><img alt="BARACK OBAMA" class="" data-img-path="http://i0.huffpost.com/gen/1956722/thumbs/n-BARACK-OBAMA-large570.jpg" src="http://i0.huffpost.com/gen/1956722/thumbs/n-BARACK-OBAMA-large570.jpg" style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; display: inline-block; margin: 0px; max-width: 100%; opacity: 1; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;" /><br /> <br /> <br /><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0); border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; color: black; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"><span class="facebook-share-btn label" style="border: 0px; bottom: 6px; box-shadow: none; box-sizing: border-box; display: inline !important; left: 21px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; position: absolute; vertical-align: baseline;"><a class="social-fb-share-btn" data-caption="www.huffingtonpost.com" data-image="http://i.huffpost.com/gen/1956722/thumbs/o-BARACK-OBAMA-facebook.jpg" data-title="Here's What Motivated Obama To Act In Iraq" data-url="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2014/08/09/obama-genocide-iraq_n_5664412.html" href="https://www.facebook.com/sharer/sharer.php?u=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.huffingtonpost.com%2F2014%2F08%2F09%2Fobama-genocide-iraq_n_5664412.html" sl-processed="1" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0); border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Share</a></span></span></div> </div> </header><div class="content" id="mainentrycontent" style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; direction: ltr; margin: 20px 0px 10px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> <div style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; direction: ltr; margin-bottom: 15px; padding: 0px; text-rendering: optimizelegibility; vertical-align: baseline;"> <span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><br /></span> <span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><br /></span> <span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><br /></span> <span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><br /></span> <span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><br /></span> <span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><br /></span> <span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><br /></span> <span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><br /></span> <span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><br /></span> <span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><br /></span> <span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><br /></span> <span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><br /></span> <span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">The vivid reports streaming into the Situation Room that morning from U.S. diplomats and intelligence officials were unsettling, to say the least: Stories of mass executions, women being enslaved as child brides, members of a small religious group trapped on a mountain and potentially dying of thirst. The situation was falling apart — fast.</span></div> <div style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; direction: ltr; margin-bottom: 15px; padding: 0px; text-rendering: optimizelegibility; vertical-align: baseline;"> <span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">Then the president, for the first time, was given an assessment that thrust the crisis into an entirely new category.</span></div> <div class="ad_spot" id="modulous_mid_article" style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; direction: ltr; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> <div class="ad_wrapper" id="ad_mid_article" style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; direction: ltr; float: left; margin: 10px 10px 10px 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; width: 300px;"> <span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><iframe frameborder="0" height="250" hspace="0" id="adsonar_serve132059" marginheight="0" marginwidth="0" name="adsonar_serve132059" scrolling="no" src="http://ads.tw.adsonar.com/adserving/getAds.jsp?previousPlacementIds=&placementId=1523113&pid=2345767&ps=-1&zw=300&zh=250&ssl=false&url=http%3A//www.huffingtonpost.com/2014/08/09/obama-genocide-iraq_n_5664412.html&v=5&flash=false&fv=0&dct=Possibility%20Of%20Genocide%20Moved%20Obama%20To%20Act%20In%20Iraq&metakw=possibility,of,genocide,moved,obama,to,act,in,iraq,politics" style="border-width: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;" vspace="0" width="300"></iframe></span></div> </div> <div style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; direction: ltr; margin-bottom: 15px; padding: 0px; text-rendering: optimizelegibility; vertical-align: baseline;"> <span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">As one top official put it: "I had not heard the word 'genocide' used in the Situation Room before."</span></div> <div style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; direction: ltr; margin-bottom: 15px; padding: 0px; text-rendering: optimizelegibility; vertical-align: baseline;"> <span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">By the time 90-minute meeting ended, it was clear Obama planned to order humanitarian aid to be airdropped to the Yazidis, a religious minority being targeted by the Islamic State militant group. But advisers were still unsure whether Obama would go one step further: airstrikes in Iraq, just three years after the U.S. pulled out from a war that Obama never liked.</span></div> <div style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; direction: ltr; margin-bottom: 15px; padding: 0px; text-rendering: optimizelegibility; vertical-align: baseline;"> <span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">___</span></div> <div style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; direction: ltr; margin-bottom: 15px; padding: 0px; text-rendering: optimizelegibility; vertical-align: baseline;"> <span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">As a fast-growing Sunni rebellion overran major Iraqi cities in early June, Obama began weighing his options. A U.S. aircraft carrier was ordered into the Persian Gulf, and Obama began dispatching hundreds of special forces to advise Iraqis and protect U.S. personnel.</span></div> <div style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; direction: ltr; margin-bottom: 15px; padding: 0px; text-rendering: optimizelegibility; vertical-align: baseline;"> <span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">On one point, Obama was firm: No ground troops would return to Iraq. Yet the prospect of airstrikes hung in the air like an unpleasant smell — Obama was clearly reluctant to take that step, but it could prove critical to preventing a security collapse in Iraq.</span></div> <div style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; direction: ltr; margin-bottom: 15px; padding: 0px; text-rendering: optimizelegibility; vertical-align: baseline;"> <span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">___</span></div> <div style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; direction: ltr; margin-bottom: 15px; padding: 0px; text-rendering: optimizelegibility; vertical-align: baseline;"> <span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">As the thermometer climbed in July, temperatures were also rising in Washington, where some lawmakers were demanding immediate drone strikes while others were urging the opposite. A top senator threatened to block arms sales to Iraq, and House lawmakers easily passed a resolution to bar Obama from sending forces into Iraq long-term without their go-ahead.</span></div> <div style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; direction: ltr; margin-bottom: 15px; padding: 0px; text-rendering: optimizelegibility; vertical-align: baseline;"> <span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">Pentagon leaders were reviewing what assistance might help Iraq's beleaguered military, while diplomats pressed Iraqi leaders for a political transition that would enfranchise Sunnis and Kurds.</span></div> <div style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; direction: ltr; margin-bottom: 15px; padding: 0px; text-rendering: optimizelegibility; vertical-align: baseline;"> <span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">___</span></div> <div style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; direction: ltr; margin-bottom: 15px; padding: 0px; text-rendering: optimizelegibility; vertical-align: baseline;"> <span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">Wednesday was a major tipping point. Obama was engrossed in three days of meeting with dozens of African presidents he'd invited to Washington. But roughly 6,000 miles away, the Yazidis were in trouble, having fled to the mountains to escape the extremists.</span></div> <div style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; direction: ltr; margin-bottom: 15px; padding: 0px; text-rendering: optimizelegibility; vertical-align: baseline;"> <span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">With Obama at the summit, his team met throughout the day at the White House, where they learned that the Iraqis had tried — and failed — to resupply the Yazidis, who were in dire need of food and water.</span></div> <div style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; direction: ltr; margin-bottom: 15px; padding: 0px; text-rendering: optimizelegibility; vertical-align: baseline;"> <span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">The Kurds, America's closest allies in Iraq, had sought to hold off the extremists. But on Wednesday, the Kurdish militia started falling back, moving precipitously away from Iraq's largest hydroelectric dam as they sought to consolidate their forces to protect Irbil.</span></div> <div style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; direction: ltr; margin-bottom: 15px; padding: 0px; text-rendering: optimizelegibility; vertical-align: baseline;"> <span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">Eventually, insurgents took the dam. If fully breached, the dam could flood major swaths of land, endangering the U.S. Embassy in Baghdad.</span></div> <div style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; direction: ltr; margin-bottom: 15px; padding: 0px; text-rendering: optimizelegibility; vertical-align: baseline;"> <span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">The chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, Gen. Martin Dempsey, joined Obama for the limo ride back to the White House, where Obama said he knew the Yazidis' humanitarian crisis must be addressed. Obama had plans to join the first lady at an Italian restaurant, but the Oval Office meeting dragged on. Dinner would have to wait.</span></div> <div style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; direction: ltr; margin-bottom: 15px; padding: 0px; text-rendering: optimizelegibility; vertical-align: baseline;"> <span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">___</span></div> <div style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; direction: ltr; margin-bottom: 15px; padding: 0px; text-rendering: optimizelegibility; vertical-align: baseline;"> <span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">By Thursday morning, things had only gotten worse. People were fleeing Irbil. Obama made clear he was inclined to approve military action, officials said, but held off on the final decision as he left to sign a veterans bill at a nearby army base. The officials discussed Obama's decision-making on the condition they not be identified.</span></div> <div style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; direction: ltr; margin-bottom: 15px; padding: 0px; text-rendering: optimizelegibility; vertical-align: baseline;"> <span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">Upon his return, Obama met for two hours with his team in the Situation Room, where Secretary of State John Kerry and Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel, both abroad, were linked by videoconference. Obama announced he was authorizing two missions: airdrops for the Yazidis, and military strikes in the event Americans were in danger.</span></div> <div style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; direction: ltr; margin-bottom: 15px; padding: 0px; text-rendering: optimizelegibility; vertical-align: baseline;"> <span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">___</span></div> <div style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; direction: ltr; margin-bottom: 15px; padding: 0px; text-rendering: optimizelegibility; vertical-align: baseline;"> <span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">As dusk fell in Washington, cable news and Twitter were abuzz with reports about U.S. military action in Iraq. Though many were false, the White House didn't comment, fearing it could jeopardize the first humanitarian drop, which was underway under the cover of night.</span></div> <div style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; direction: ltr; margin-bottom: 15px; padding: 0px; text-rendering: optimizelegibility; vertical-align: baseline;"> <span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">Just after 9 p.m., reporters were hastily summoned to the State Dining Room, where a stoic Obama spoke to the nation.</span></div> <div style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; direction: ltr; margin-bottom: 15px; padding: 0px; text-rendering: optimizelegibility; vertical-align: baseline;"> <span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">"When many thousands of innocent civilians are faced with the danger of being wiped out, and we have the capacity to do something about it, we will take action," Obama said.</span></div> </div> <footer style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><section class="also-on" style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 20px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><h3 style="border-bottom-style: solid; border-width: 0px 0px 1px; box-sizing: border-box; direction: ltr; margin: 0px 0px 10px; padding: 0px; text-rendering: optimizelegibility; vertical-align: baseline;"> <br /></h3> <div class="promo_holder" style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; direction: ltr; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> <div class="hp-slideshow-wrapper no-pin" data-beacon="{" data-slideshow-id="354156" id="hp-slideshow-wrapper-354156" p="" slideshow_id="" style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; direction: ltr; margin: 0px; overflow: hidden; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; width: 570px; z-index: 5000001;"> <div class="hp-slideshow-top" style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; direction: ltr; margin: 0px; min-width: 555px; padding: 0px; position: relative; vertical-align: baseline; z-index: 5000002;"> <div class="hp-slideshow-main" style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; direction: ltr; display: inline-block; float: left; height: 554px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; position: relative; vertical-align: baseline; width: 570px; z-index: 5000002;"> <div class="hp-main-slide" style="border: rgb(0, 0, 0); box-sizing: border-box; direction: ltr; height: 430px; margin: 5px 0px 0px; overflow: hidden; padding: 0px 10px; position: relative; text-align: center; vertical-align: baseline; width: 550px;"> <div class="hp-main-slider-content" style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; direction: ltr; display: table; height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-align: left; vertical-align: baseline; width: 550px;"> <div class="hp-slideshow-img-container" style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; direction: ltr; height: 430px; line-height: 430px; margin: 0px; overflow: hidden; padding: 0px; position: relative; vertical-align: baseline;"> <img src="http://i.huffpost.com/gadgets/slideshows/354156/slide_354156_3864431_free.jpg" style="border: 1px solid rgb(60, 60, 60); box-sizing: border-box; display: inline-block; height: auto; margin: 0px auto; max-height: 400px; max-width: 96%; padding: 0px; vertical-align: middle; width: auto !important;" /></div> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> </section></footer></div>

Possibility of a Genocide Made President Obama Authorize Military Action Against Islamic State, Iraq

P Share The vivid reports streaming into the Situation Room that morning from U.S. diplomats and intelligence offici...

Read more »

Hundreds Of Women Captured By ISIS Fighters

<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"> <br /> <section class="story__media" style="box-sizing: border-box;"><div class="module module--primary" style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 25px; width: 660px;"> <div class="module video" data-format-high="http://video.news.sky.com/video/h264/vod/700/2014/08/080814IRAQAIDDROPSINJARMOUNTAINAPTN1407504429365700.mp4" data-format-low="http://video.news.sky.com/video/h264/vod/374/2014/08/080814IRAQAIDDROPSINJARMOUNTAINAPTN1407504429365374.mp4" style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 25px; overflow: hidden; width: 660px;"> <div class="video__placeholder-wrapper js-video" style="box-sizing: border-box; cursor: pointer; height: 0px; padding-bottom: 371px; position: relative; width: 660px;"> <div class="image" style="box-sizing: border-box;"> <div class="image__wrapper image__wrapper--16x9" style="box-sizing: border-box; overflow: hidden; padding-bottom: 371px; position: relative;"> Just like Boko Haram Islamic Militants in Nigeria, Islamic <span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">Militants in Iraq take hundreds of Yazidi women hostage in northern Iraq, leading to fears they will be raped and treated as slaves.</span><br /> <div class="last-updated" style="bottom: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; margin-bottom: 40px; max-width: 40%; position: absolute; right: 0px; text-align: right;"> <div class="last-updated__text" style="box-sizing: border-box; padding: 0px;"> </div> </div> <br /> <img alt="" class="image__item video__teaser-image js-responsive" data-breakpoint="" data-sizes="144x81 362x204 762x428 942x530" data-sizes-wide="" data-template="http://media.skynews.com/media/images/generated/2014/8/8/328230/default/v1/cegrab-20140808-142352-678-1-{width}x{height}.jpg" src="http://media.skynews.com/media/images/generated/2014/8/8/328230/default/v1/cegrab-20140808-142352-678-1-942x530.jpg" style="border: 1px solid rgb(220, 220, 220); box-sizing: border-box; display: block; height: 371px; max-width: 100%; page-break-inside: avoid; position: absolute; vertical-align: middle; width: 660px;" /></div> </div> <button aria-labelledby="video__caption-1315425" class="video__play--icon" style="background-image: url(http://news.sky.com/images/ffa94923.play-icon.png); background-size: contain; border: none; bottom: 8px; cursor: pointer; height: 46px; left: 7px; margin: 0px; position: absolute; width: 46px;"><span class="video__play-a11y" style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; clip: rect(1px 1px 1px 1px); display: inline-block; height: 1px; overflow: hidden; padding: 0px; position: absolute !important; text-align: left; width: 1px;"><span style="font-family: Times; font-size: small;"><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">Play video</span></span></span></button></div> <span class="video__caption" id="video__caption-1315425" style="box-sizing: border-box; display: block; min-height: 40px; padding: 10px 8px; width: 660px;"><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><span class="video__type" style="box-sizing: border-box;">Video:</span> <span class="video__teaser" style="box-sizing: border-box;">First Aid Reaches Mountain Refugees</span></span></span></div> </div> </section><br /> <div class="story__content-wrapper" style="box-sizing: border-box;"> <div class="share" style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px auto 4px; max-width: 540px; width: 540px;"> <ul class="share__list" style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"> <li class="share__item" style="box-sizing: border-box; display: block; float: left; list-style: none; margin: 0px 16px 16px 0px; padding: 0px; width: 40px;"><a class="share__link js-share" href="https://twitter.com/share?url=http%3A%2F%2Fnews.sky.com%2Fstory%2F1315654%2Fhundreds-of-women-captured-by-isis-fighters" style="background-position: 0px 0px; border-bottom-left-radius: 3px; border-bottom-right-radius: 3px; border-top-left-radius: 3px; border-top-right-radius: 3px; border: 1px solid rgb(220, 220, 220); box-sizing: border-box; cursor: pointer; display: block; height: 2.5rem; text-align: center; text-decoration: none; width: 2.5rem;" target="_blank"><span style="color: black;"><span aria-hidden="true" class="skycon skycon--twitter share--icon" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0); box-sizing: border-box; display: inline-block; overflow: hidden; speak: none; text-decoration: inherit; text-rendering: optimizelegibility; vertical-align: baseline; width: 38px;"></span></span><span class="a11y" style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; clip: rect(1px 1px 1px 1px); display: inline-block; height: 1px; overflow: hidden; padding: 0px; position: absolute !important; text-align: left; width: 1px;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">Share on Twitter</span></span></span></a></li> <li class="share__item" style="box-sizing: border-box; display: block; float: left; list-style: none; margin: 0px 16px 16px 0px; padding: 0px; width: 40px;"><a class="share__link js-share" href="https://www.facebook.com/sharer/sharer.php?u=http://news.sky.com/story/1315654/hundreds-of-women-captured-by-isis-fighters&t=Shared%20from%20Sky%20News:%20Hundreds%20Of%20Women%20Captured%20By%20ISIS%20Fighters" style="background-position: 0px 0px; border-bottom-left-radius: 3px; border-bottom-right-radius: 3px; border-top-left-radius: 3px; border-top-right-radius: 3px; border: 1px solid rgb(220, 220, 220); box-sizing: border-box; cursor: pointer; display: block; height: 2.5rem; text-align: center; text-decoration: none; width: 2.5rem;" target="_blank"><span style="color: black;"><span aria-hidden="true" class="skycon skycon--facebook share--icon" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0); box-sizing: border-box; display: inline-block; margin-top: -1px; overflow: hidden; speak: none; text-decoration: inherit; text-rendering: optimizelegibility; vertical-align: baseline; width: 38px;"></span></span><span class="a11y" style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; clip: rect(1px 1px 1px 1px); display: inline-block; height: 1px; overflow: hidden; padding: 0px; position: absolute !important; text-align: left; width: 1px;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">Share on Facebook</span></span></span></a></li> <li class="share__item" style="box-sizing: border-box; display: block; float: left; list-style: none; margin: 0px 16px 16px 0px; padding: 0px; width: 40px;"><a class="share__link js-share" href="https://plus.google.com/share?url=http%3A%2F%2Fnews.sky.com%2Fstory%2F1315654%2Fhundreds-of-women-captured-by-isis-fighters" style="background-position: 0px 0px; border-bottom-left-radius: 3px; border-bottom-right-radius: 3px; border-top-left-radius: 3px; border-top-right-radius: 3px; border: 1px solid rgb(220, 220, 220); box-sizing: border-box; cursor: pointer; display: block; height: 2.5rem; text-align: center; text-decoration: none; width: 2.5rem;" target="_blank"><span style="color: black;"><span aria-hidden="true" class="skycon skycon--google-plus share--icon" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0); box-sizing: border-box; display: inline-block; overflow: hidden; speak: none; text-decoration: inherit; text-rendering: optimizelegibility; vertical-align: baseline; width: 38px;"></span></span><span class="a11y" style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; clip: rect(1px 1px 1px 1px); display: inline-block; height: 1px; overflow: hidden; padding: 0px; position: absolute !important; text-align: left; width: 1px;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">Share on Google+</span></span></span></a></li> <li class="share__item share__item--last" style="box-sizing: border-box; display: block; float: left; list-style: none; margin: 0px 16px 16px 0px; padding: 0px; width: 40px;"><a class="share__link" href="mailto:?to=&subject=Shared%20from%20Sky%20News:%20Hundreds%20Of%20Women%20Captured%20By%20ISIS%20Fighters&body=Shared%20from%20Sky%20News:%20Hundreds%20Of%20Women%20Captured%20By%20ISIS%20Fighters%20http%3A%2F%2Fnews.sky.com%2Fstory%2F1315654%2Fhundreds-of-women-captured-by-isis-fighters" style="background-position: 0px 0px; border-bottom-left-radius: 3px; border-bottom-right-radius: 3px; border-top-left-radius: 3px; border-top-right-radius: 3px; border: 1px solid rgb(220, 220, 220); box-sizing: border-box; cursor: pointer; display: block; height: 2.5rem; text-align: center; text-decoration: none; width: 2.5rem;"><span style="color: black;"><span aria-hidden="true" class="skycon skycon--mail share--icon" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0); box-sizing: border-box; display: inline-block; overflow: hidden; speak: none; text-decoration: inherit; text-rendering: optimizelegibility; vertical-align: baseline; width: 38px;"></span></span><span class="a11y" style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; clip: rect(1px 1px 1px 1px); display: inline-block; height: 1px; overflow: hidden; padding: 0px; position: absolute !important; text-align: left; width: 1px;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">Share by email</span></span></span></a></li> </ul> </div> <br /> <section class="story__content" style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px auto 80px; max-width: 100%; min-height: 18.75rem; position: relative;"><div class="story__intro" style="box-sizing: border-box; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; max-width: 540px;"> <span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">Hundreds of women from the Yazidi religious minority have been taken captive by Islamist militants, Iraq's government has said.</span></div> <div style="box-sizing: border-box; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; max-width: 540px;"> <span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">Kamil Amin, a spokesman for the country's human rights ministry, said the women were kidnapped by Islamic State (IS) fighters.</span></div> <div style="box-sizing: border-box; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; max-width: 540px;"> <span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">He added that some of the women are being held in schools in Iraq's second city Mosul, and that the ministry learned of the kidnappings from the victims' families.</span></div> <div style="box-sizing: border-box; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; max-width: 540px;"> <span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">"We think that the terrorists by now consider them slaves and they have vicious plans for them," Mr Amin said.</span></div> <div style="box-sizing: border-box; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; max-width: 540px;"> <span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">"We think that these women are going to be used in demeaning ways by those terrorists to satisfy their animalistic urges in a way that contradicts all the human and Islamic values."</span></div> <div class="image image--inline" style="box-sizing: border-box; clear: both; margin: 0px auto 1em; max-width: 540px;"> <div class="image__wrapper image__wrapper--4x3" style="box-sizing: border-box; overflow: hidden; padding-bottom: 405px; position: relative;"> <img alt="" class="image__item js-responsive" data-breakpoint="" data-sizes="91x68 300x225 480x360" data-sizes-wide="" data-template="http://media.skynews.com/media/images/generated/2014/8/8/328257/default/v1/cegrab-20140808-175802-211-1-{width}x{height}.jpg" src="http://media.skynews.com/media/images/generated/2014/8/8/328257/default/v1/cegrab-20140808-175802-211-1-480x360.jpg" style="border: 1px solid rgb(220, 220, 220); box-sizing: border-box; display: block; height: 405px; max-width: 100%; page-break-inside: avoid; position: absolute; vertical-align: middle; width: 540px;" /></div> <div class="image__caption" style="box-sizing: border-box; margin-bottom: 1.25rem; min-height: 40px; padding: 10px 8px;"> <span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">The aftermath of US airstrikes near Irbil, seen from the Khazer Checkpoint</span></div> </div> <div style="box-sizing: border-box; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; max-width: 540px;"> <span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">A US official speaking on condition of anonymity said IS militants kidnapped the women so they could be sold or married off to extremist fighters.</span></div> <div style="box-sizing: border-box; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; max-width: 540px;"> <span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">Some 50,000 residents from the ancient Yazidi community fled the northern Iraqi town of Sinjar after IS militants overwhelmed Kurdish forces this month.</span></div> <div class="module module--inline video" data-format-high="http://video.news.sky.com/video/h264/vod/700/2014/08/080814IRAQWALKER1700VT1407516695427700.mp4" data-format-low="http://video.news.sky.com/video/h264/vod/374/2014/08/080814IRAQWALKER1700VT1407516695427374.mp4" style="box-sizing: border-box; clear: both; margin: 0px auto 1em; max-width: 540px; width: 540px;"> <div class="video__placeholder-wrapper js-video" style="box-sizing: border-box; cursor: pointer; height: 0px; padding-bottom: 303px; position: relative; width: 540px;"> <div class="image" style="box-sizing: border-box;"> <div class="image__wrapper image__wrapper--16x9" style="box-sizing: border-box; overflow: hidden; padding-bottom: 303px; position: relative;"> <img alt="" class="image__item video__teaser-image js-responsive" data-breakpoint="" data-sizes="144x81 362x204 762x428 942x530" data-sizes-wide="" data-template="http://media.skynews.com/media/images/generated/2014/8/8/328061/default/v2/453318390-1-{width}x{height}.jpg" src="http://media.skynews.com/media/images/generated/2014/8/8/328061/default/v2/453318390-1-942x530.jpg" style="border: 1px solid rgb(220, 220, 220); box-sizing: border-box; display: block; height: 303px; max-width: 100%; page-break-inside: avoid; position: absolute; vertical-align: middle; width: 540px;" /></div> </div> <button aria-labelledby="video__caption-1315577" class="video__play--icon" style="background-image: url(http://news.sky.com/images/ffa94923.play-icon.png); background-repeat: no-repeat no-repeat; background-size: contain; border: none; bottom: 8px; cursor: pointer; height: 46px; left: 7px; margin: 0px; position: absolute; width: 46px;"><span class="video__play-a11y" style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; clip: rect(1px 1px 1px 1px); display: inline-block; height: 1px; overflow: hidden; padding: 0px; position: absolute !important; text-align: left; width: 1px;"><span style="font-family: Times; font-size: small;"><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">Play video</span></span></span></button></div> <span class="video__caption" id="video__caption-1315577" style="box-sizing: border-box; display: block; min-height: 40px; padding: 10px 8px; width: 540px;"><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><span class="video__type" style="box-sizing: border-box;">Video:</span> <span class="video__teaser" style="box-sizing: border-box;">Obama's Big Decision On Iraq Action</span></span></span></div> <div style="box-sizing: border-box; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; max-width: 540px;"> <span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">Many Yazidis are trapped on Mount Sinjar without food or water and are at risk of starvation as militants surround the base.</span></div> <div style="box-sizing: border-box; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; max-width: 540px;"> <span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">Kurdish media has reported that Peshmerga forces have rescued 11,000 of those trapped in the mountains.</span></div> <div style="box-sizing: border-box; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; max-width: 540px;"> <span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">The US has been carrying out airstrikes against the militants in the north of the country.</span></div> <div style="box-sizing: border-box; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; max-width: 540px;"> <span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">Two F/A-18 aircraft dropped 500lb laser-guided bombs on a mobile artillery piece near Irbil, the capital of the semi-autonomous Kurdish region.</span></div> <div style="box-sizing: border-box; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; max-width: 540px;"> <span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">Later on Friday, <a href="http://news.sky.com/story/1315662/us-launches-fresh-airstrikes-in-northern-iraq" style="background-position: 0px 0px; border-bottom-color: rgb(203, 203, 203); border-bottom-style: solid; border-bottom-width: 1px; box-sizing: border-box; cursor: pointer; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank"><span style="box-sizing: border-box; font-weight: 700;">two further strikes</span></a> were carried out near Irbil, targeting mortar positions and a convoy of IS vehicles.</span></div> <div class="module module--inline video" data-format-high="http://video.news.sky.com/video/h264/vod/700/2014/08/080814IRAQKILEYSCREEN17001407514257823700.mp4" data-format-low="http://video.news.sky.com/video/h264/vod/374/2014/08/080814IRAQKILEYSCREEN17001407514257823374.mp4" style="box-sizing: border-box; clear: both; margin: 0px auto 1em; max-width: 540px; width: 540px;"> <div class="video__placeholder-wrapper js-video" style="box-sizing: border-box; cursor: pointer; height: 0px; padding-bottom: 303px; position: relative; width: 540px;"> <div class="image" style="box-sizing: border-box;"> <div class="image__wrapper image__wrapper--16x9" style="box-sizing: border-box; overflow: hidden; padding-bottom: 303px; position: relative;"> <img alt="" class="image__item video__teaser-image js-responsive" data-breakpoint="" data-sizes="144x81 362x204 762x428 942x530" data-sizes-wide="" data-template="http://media.skynews.com/media/images/generated/2014/8/8/328214/default/v1/cegrab-20140808-134009-678-1-{width}x{height}.jpg" src="http://media.skynews.com/media/images/generated/2014/8/8/328214/default/v1/cegrab-20140808-134009-678-1-942x530.jpg" style="border: 1px solid rgb(220, 220, 220); box-sizing: border-box; display: block; height: 303px; max-width: 100%; page-break-inside: avoid; position: absolute; vertical-align: middle; width: 540px;" /></div> </div> <button aria-labelledby="video__caption-1315531" class="video__play--icon" style="background-image: url(http://news.sky.com/images/ffa94923.play-icon.png); background-repeat: no-repeat no-repeat; background-size: contain; border: none; bottom: 8px; cursor: pointer; height: 46px; left: 7px; margin: 0px; position: absolute; width: 46px;"><span class="video__play-a11y" style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; clip: rect(1px 1px 1px 1px); display: inline-block; height: 1px; overflow: hidden; padding: 0px; position: absolute !important; text-align: left; width: 1px;"><span style="font-family: Times; font-size: small;"><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">Play video</span></span></span></button></div> <span class="video__caption" id="video__caption-1315531" style="box-sizing: border-box; display: block; min-height: 40px; padding: 10px 8px; width: 540px;"><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><span class="video__type" style="box-sizing: border-box;">Video:</span> <span class="video__teaser" style="box-sizing: border-box;">The Spread Of The Islamic Caliphate</span></span></span></div> <div style="box-sizing: border-box; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; max-width: 540px;"> <span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">On Thursday, the US also dropped thousands of gallons of drinking water and 8,000 packaged meals to Yazidis.</span></div> <div style="box-sizing: border-box; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; max-width: 540px;"> <span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">President Barack Obama said the airdrops were made at the request of the Iraqi government as IS fighters tightened their grip on northern Iraq.</span></div> <div style="box-sizing: border-box; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; max-width: 540px;"> <span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">In his remarks late Thursday, he mentioned "chilling reports" of fighters with the group "rounding up families, conducting mass executions, and enslaving Yazidi women".</span></div> <div style="box-sizing: border-box; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; max-width: 540px;"> <span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">IS believes the Yazidis, who are followers of a religion derived from Zoroastrianism, are "devil worshippers".</span></div> </section><section class="partner-links" style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px auto 60px; max-width: 540px; overflow: hidden;"><div class="partner-links__external" style="box-sizing: border-box;"> <h2 class="partner-links__title" style="border-bottom-color: rgb(220, 220, 220); border-bottom-style: solid; border-bottom-width: 1px; box-sizing: border-box; clear: left; font-weight: 400; margin: 0px 0px 20px; padding: 0px 0px 6px; position: relative; top: -3px;"> <span style="font-size: small;"><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">From Around The Web</span></span></h2> <ul class="partner-links__list js-partner-links" style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"> <li class="partner-links__item partner-links__item--1 partner-links__item--odd" style="box-sizing: border-box; clear: left; display: block; float: left; list-style: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px 21.33px 0px 0px; width: 178px;"><a class="partner-links__link" href="http://paid.outbrain.com/network/redir?key=05f08e71ef5dfcf5f4e390ad97c159ac&rdid=819450876&type=RPM_/NA_ch2&in-site=false&idx=0&pc_id=24925561&req_id=e51c414e0783d2de9a3604ce7e82ba28&agent=blog_JS_rec&recMode=10&reqType=1&wid=171&imgType=2&adsCats=1402,-1,-1&refPub=984&prs=false&scp=false&reqIdx=0&fcapElementId=48169&origSrc=5344996&did=582146302&pv_id=e51c414e0783d2de9a3604ce7e82ba28" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0); background-position: 0px 0px; box-sizing: border-box; cursor: pointer; text-decoration: none;"><span style="color: black;"><div class="image" style="box-sizing: border-box;"> <div class="image__wrapper image__wrapper--4x3" style="box-sizing: border-box; overflow: hidden; padding-bottom: 117px; position: relative;"> <img alt="" src="http://images.outbrain.com/imageserver/v2/s/KMCm/n/dOcqU/abc/j1Fto/dOcqU-tS4-213x160.jpg" style="border: 1px solid rgb(220, 220, 220); box-sizing: border-box; display: block; height: 117px; max-width: 100%; page-break-inside: avoid; position: absolute; vertical-align: middle; width: 157px;" /></div> </div> <span class="headline" style="border-left-style: none; box-sizing: border-box; clear: both; display: block; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-top: 11px; padding: 0px; position: relative; top: -0.25rem; width: 157px;">Top Controversial Magazine Covers of All Time</span><span class="partner-links__source" style="box-sizing: border-box; display: block; margin-bottom: 15px; position: relative; top: -4px;">Learnist</span></span></a></li> <li class="partner-links__item partner-links__item--2 partner-links__item--even" style="box-sizing: border-box; clear: none; display: block; float: left; list-style: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px 10.67px; width: 178px;"><a class="partner-links__link" href="http://paid.outbrain.com/network/redir?key=9f1f959014b00f77acd99532e3a68479&rdid=819450876&type=RPM_/NA_ch2&in-site=false&idx=1&pc_id=23703630&req_id=e51c414e0783d2de9a3604ce7e82ba28&agent=blog_JS_rec&recMode=10&reqType=1&wid=171&imgType=2&adsCats=1806,-1,-1&refPub=984&prs=false&scp=false&reqIdx=0&fcapElementId=27139&origSrc=5344996&did=768134028&pv_id=e51c414e0783d2de9a3604ce7e82ba28" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0); background-position: 0px 0px; box-sizing: border-box; cursor: pointer; text-decoration: none;"><span style="color: black;"><div class="image" style="box-sizing: border-box;"> <div class="image__wrapper image__wrapper--4x3" style="box-sizing: border-box; overflow: hidden; padding-bottom: 118px; position: relative;"> <img alt="" src="http://images.outbrain.com/imageserver/v2/s/KMCm/n/pz0kW/abc/iWYJP/pz0kW-tS4-213x160.jpg" style="border: 1px solid rgb(220, 220, 220); box-sizing: border-box; display: block; height: 118px; max-width: 100%; page-break-inside: avoid; position: absolute; vertical-align: middle; width: 158px;" /></div> </div> <span class="headline" style="border-left-style: none; box-sizing: border-box; clear: both; display: block; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-top: 11px; padding: 0px; position: relative; top: -0.25rem; width: 158px;">Animal Planet: River Monsters</span><span class="partner-links__source" style="box-sizing: border-box; display: block; margin-bottom: 15px; position: relative; top: -4px;">Learnist</span></span></a></li> <li class="partner-links__item partner-links__item--3 partner-links__item--odd" style="box-sizing: border-box; clear: none; display: block; float: left; list-style: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px 0px 0px 21.33px; width: 178px;"><a class="partner-links__link" href="http://paid.outbrain.com/network/redir?key=8082cf3e8d4d5c803101c29d64802a13&rdid=819450876&type=RPM_/NA_ch2&in-site=false&idx=2&pc_id=26182523&req_id=e51c414e0783d2de9a3604ce7e82ba28&agent=blog_JS_rec&recMode=10&reqType=1&wid=171&imgType=2&adsCats=1805,-1,-1&refPub=984&prs=false&scp=false&reqIdx=0&fcapElementId=5020&origSrc=5344996&did=801251550&pv_id=e51c414e0783d2de9a3604ce7e82ba28" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0); background-position: 0px 0px; box-sizing: border-box; cursor: pointer; text-decoration: none;"><span style="color: black;"><div class="image" style="box-sizing: border-box;"> <div class="image__wrapper image__wrapper--4x3" style="box-sizing: border-box; overflow: hidden; padding-bottom: 117px; position: relative;"> <img alt="" src="http://images.outbrain.com/imageserver/v2/s/4b7F/n/sDy86/abc/lGbe5/sDy86-tS4-213x160.jpg" style="border: 1px solid rgb(220, 220, 220); box-sizing: border-box; display: block; height: 117px; max-width: 100%; page-break-inside: avoid; position: absolute; vertical-align: middle; width: 157px;" /></div> </div> <span class="headline" style="border-left-style: none; box-sizing: border-box; clear: both; display: block; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-top: 11px; padding: 0px; position: relative; top: -0.25rem; width: 157px;">Video: Dog, elephant, water</span><span class="partner-links__source" style="box-sizing: border-box; display: block; margin-bottom: 15px; position: relative; top: -4px;">EarthSky</span></span></a></li> <li class="partner-links__item partner-links__item--4 partner-links__item--even" style="box-sizing: border-box; clear: left; display: block; float: left; list-style: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px 21.33px 0px 0px; width: 178px;"><a class="partner-links__link" href="http://paid.outbrain.com/network/redir?key=15d07fd25f93b8fe090d62bc8b9779e0&rdid=819450876&type=RPM_/NA_ch2&in-site=false&idx=3&pc_id=17742225&req_id=e51c414e0783d2de9a3604ce7e82ba28&agent=blog_JS_rec&recMode=10&reqType=1&wid=171&imgType=2&adsCats=1805,-1,-1&refPub=984&prs=false&scp=false&reqIdx=0&fcapElementId=5243&origSrc=5344996&did=600274915&pv_id=e51c414e0783d2de9a3604ce7e82ba28" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0); background-position: 0px 0px; box-sizing: border-box; cursor: pointer; text-decoration: none;"><span style="color: black;"><div class="image" style="box-sizing: border-box;"> <div class="image__wrapper image__wrapper--4x3" style="box-sizing: border-box; overflow: hidden; padding-bottom: 117px; position: relative;"> <img alt="" src="http://images.outbrain.com/imageserver/v2/s/8osu/n/ecgvT/abc/jbO1b/ecgvT-tS4-213x160.jpg" style="border: 1px solid rgb(220, 220, 220); box-sizing: border-box; display: block; height: 117px; max-width: 100%; page-break-inside: avoid; position: absolute; vertical-align: middle; width: 157px;" /></div> </div> <span class="headline" style="border-left-style: none; box-sizing: border-box; clear: both; display: block; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-top: 11px; padding: 0px; position: relative; top: -0.25rem; width: 157px;">15 Worst Dog Breeds for New Pet Owners</span><span class="partner-links__source" style="box-sizing: border-box; display: block; margin-bottom: 15px; position: relative; top: -4px;">Vetstreet</span></span></a></li> <li class="partner-links__item partner-links__item--5 partner-links__item--odd" style="box-sizing: border-box; clear: none; display: block; float: left; list-style: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px 10.67px; width: 178px;"><a class="partner-links__link" href="http://paid.outbrain.com/network/redir?key=2d6dd30bc8caf3e6fc6ffb43f915ff5a&rdid=819450876&type=RPM_/NA_ch2&in-site=false&idx=4&pc_id=21098080&req_id=e51c414e0783d2de9a3604ce7e82ba28&agent=blog_JS_rec&recMode=10&reqType=1&wid=171&imgType=2&adsCats=1703,1702,1709&refPub=984&prs=false&scp=false&reqIdx=0&fcapElementId=33298&origSrc=5344996&did=640200793&pv_id=e51c414e0783d2de9a3604ce7e82ba28" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0); background-position: 0px 0px; box-sizing: border-box; cursor: pointer; text-decoration: none;"><span style="color: black;"><div class="image" style="box-sizing: border-box;"> <div class="image__wrapper image__wrapper--4x3" style="box-sizing: border-box; overflow: hidden; padding-bottom: 118px; position: relative;"> <img alt="" src="http://images.outbrain.com/imageserver/v2/s/LGit/n/hKDTF/abc/c6RTJ/hKDTF-tS4-213x160.jpg" style="border: 1px solid rgb(220, 220, 220); box-sizing: border-box; display: block; height: 118px; max-width: 100%; page-break-inside: avoid; position: absolute; vertical-align: middle; width: 158px;" /></div> </div> <span class="headline" style="border-left-style: none; box-sizing: border-box; clear: both; display: block; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-top: 11px; padding: 0px; position: relative; top: -0.25rem; width: 158px;">India has the most enslaved people in the world</span><span class="partner-links__source" style="box-sizing: border-box; display: block; margin-bottom: 15px; position: relative; top: -4px;">globalslaveryindex.org</span></span></a></li> <li class="partner-links__item partner-links__item--6 partner-links__item--even" style="box-sizing: border-box; clear: none; display: block; float: left; list-style: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px 0px 0px 21.33px; width: 178px;"><a class="partner-links__link" href="http://paid.outbrain.com/network/redir?key=6bc3ec1d6de905a059996facb052a48e&rdid=819450876&type=RPM_/NA_ch2&in-site=false&idx=5&pc_id=23164417&req_id=e51c414e0783d2de9a3604ce7e82ba28&agent=blog_JS_rec&recMode=10&reqType=1&wid=171&imgType=2&adsCats=1405,1403,1505&refPub=984&prs=false&scp=false&reqIdx=0&fcapElementId=26934&origSrc=5344996&did=759962763&pv_id=e51c414e0783d2de9a3604ce7e82ba28" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0); background-position: 0px 0px; box-sizing: border-box; cursor: pointer; text-decoration: none;"><span style="color: black;"><div class="image" style="box-sizing: border-box;"> <div class="image__wrapper image__wrapper--4x3" style="box-sizing: border-box; overflow: hidden; padding-bottom: 117px; position: relative;"> <img alt="" src="http://images.outbrain.com/imageserver/v2/s/L06r/n/pQj1v/abc/hsMYh/pQj1v-tS4-213x160.jpg" style="border: 1px solid rgb(220, 220, 220); box-sizing: border-box; display: block; height: 117px; max-width: 100%; page-break-inside: avoid; position: absolute; vertical-align: middle; width: 157px;" /></div> </div> <span class="headline" style="border-left-style: none; box-sizing: border-box; clear: both; display: block; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-top: 11px; padding: 0px; position: relative; top: -0.25rem; width: 157px;">My Daughter's Skin & Hair Are Different From Mine...</span><span class="partner-links__source" style="box-sizing: border-box; display: block; margin-bottom: 15px; position: relative; top: -4px;">NaturallyCurly</span></span></a></li> <li class="partner-links__item partner-links__item--7 partner-links__item--odd" style="box-sizing: border-box; clear: left; display: block; float: left; list-style: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px 21.33px 0px 0px; width: 178px;"><a class="partner-links__link" href="http://paid.outbrain.com/network/redir?key=369bc51cc8127a99c3abf9318dff39a4&rdid=819450876&type=RPM_/NA_ch2&in-site=false&idx=6&pc_id=24694299&req_id=e51c414e0783d2de9a3604ce7e82ba28&agent=blog_JS_rec&recMode=10&reqType=1&wid=171&imgType=2&adsCats=1406,-1,-1&refPub=984&prs=false&scp=false&reqIdx=0&fcapElementId=27139&origSrc=5344996&did=782285328&pv_id=e51c414e0783d2de9a3604ce7e82ba28" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0); background-position: 0px 0px; box-sizing: border-box; cursor: pointer; text-decoration: none;"><span style="color: black;"><div class="image" style="box-sizing: border-box;"> <div class="image__wrapper image__wrapper--4x3" style="box-sizing: border-box; overflow: hidden; padding-bottom: 117px; position: relative;"> <img alt="" src="http://images.outbrain.com/imageserver/v2/s/KMCm/n/qwO9I/abc/k7WCq/qwO9I-tS4-213x160.jpg" style="border: 1px solid rgb(220, 220, 220); box-sizing: border-box; display: block; height: 117px; max-width: 100%; page-break-inside: avoid; position: absolute; vertical-align: middle; width: 157px;" /></div> </div> <span class="headline" style="border-left-style: none; box-sizing: border-box; clear: both; display: block; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-top: 11px; padding: 0px; position: relative; top: -0.25rem; width: 157px;">The Best Bad Movies of the Past 10 Years</span><span class="partner-links__source" style="box-sizing: border-box; display: block; margin-bottom: 15px; position: relative; top: -4px;">Learnist</span></span></a></li> <li class="partner-links__item partner-links__item--8 partner-links__item--even" style="box-sizing: border-box; clear: none; display: block; float: left; list-style: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px 10.67px; width: 178px;"><a class="partner-links__link" href="http://paid.outbrain.com/network/redir?key=6c0173090e1b76969b4e3c1324ca3f12&rdid=819450876&type=RPM_/NA_ch2&in-site=false&idx=7&pc_id=24000840&req_id=e51c414e0783d2de9a3604ce7e82ba28&agent=blog_JS_rec&recMode=10&reqType=1&wid=171&imgType=2&adsCats=1405,1403,1505&refPub=984&prs=false&scp=false&reqIdx=0&fcapElementId=26934&origSrc=5344996&did=772765318&pv_id=e51c414e0783d2de9a3604ce7e82ba28" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0); background-position: 0px 0px; box-sizing: border-box; cursor: pointer; text-decoration: none;"><span style="color: black;"><div class="image" style="box-sizing: border-box;"> <div class="image__wrapper image__wrapper--4x3" style="box-sizing: border-box; overflow: hidden; padding-bottom: 118px; position: relative;"> <img alt="" src="http://images.outbrain.com/imageserver/v2/s/L06r/n/qIRYk/abc/isfts/qIRYk-tS4-213x160.jpg" style="border: 1px solid rgb(220, 220, 220); box-sizing: border-box; display: block; height: 118px; max-width: 100%; page-break-inside: avoid; position: absolute; vertical-align: middle; width: 158px;" /></div> </div> <span class="headline" style="border-left-style: none; box-sizing: border-box; clear: both; display: block; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-top: 11px; padding: 0px; position: relative; top: -0.25rem; width: 158px;">Wait! Read This Before You Get a Short Haircut</span><span class="partner-links__source" style="box-sizing: border-box; display: block; margin-bottom: 15px; position: relative; top: -4px;">NaturallyCurly</span></span></a></li> <li class="partner-links__item partner-links__item--9 partner-links__item--odd" style="box-sizing: border-box; clear: none; display: block; float: left; list-style: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px 0px 0px 21.33px; width: 178px;"><a class="partner-links__link" href="http://paid.outbrain.com/network/redir?key=2a21723395963d2d751d516768d7b904&rdid=819450876&type=RPM_/NA_ch2&in-site=false&idx=8&pc_id=25190736&req_id=e51c414e0783d2de9a3604ce7e82ba28&agent=blog_JS_rec&recMode=10&reqType=1&wid=171&imgType=4&adsCats=1405,1403,1505&refPub=984&prs=false&scp=false&reqIdx=0&fcapElementId=26934&origSrc=5344996&did=788817555&pv_id=e51c414e0783d2de9a3604ce7e82ba28" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0); background-position: 0px 0px; box-sizing: border-box; cursor: pointer; text-decoration: none;"><span style="color: black;"><div class="image" style="box-sizing: border-box;"> <div class="image__wrapper image__wrapper--4x3" style="box-sizing: border-box; overflow: hidden; padding-bottom: 117px; position: relative;"> <img alt="" src="http://images.outbrain.com/imageserver/v2/s/L06r/n/rNnTn/abc/0/rNnTn-tS4-213x160.jpg" style="border: 1px solid rgb(220, 220, 220); box-sizing: border-box; display: block; height: 117px; max-width: 100%; page-break-inside: avoid; position: absolute; vertical-align: middle; width: 157px;" /></div> </div> <span class="headline" style="border-left-style: none; box-sizing: border-box; clear: both; display: block; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-top: 11px; padding: 0px; position: relative; top: -0.25rem; width: 157px;">A (Totally Weird) Natural Way to Fix Gray Hair</span><span class="partner-links__source" style="box-sizing: border-box; display: block; margin-bottom: 15px; position: relative; top: -4px;">NaturallyCurly</span></span></a></li> </ul> </div> <div class="partner-links__internal" style="box-sizing: border-box;"> <h2 class="partner-links__title" style="border-bottom-color: rgb(220, 220, 220); border-bottom-style: solid; border-bottom-width: 1px; box-sizing: border-box; clear: left; font-weight: 400; margin: 0px 0px 20px; padding: 0px 0px 6px; position: relative; top: -3px;"> <span style="font-size: small;"><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">From Sky News</span></span></h2> <ul class="partner-links__list partner-links__list--internal js-partner-links-internal" style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"> <li class="partner-links__item partner-links__item--1 partner-links__item--odd" style="box-sizing: border-box; clear: left; display: block; float: left; list-style: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px 21.33px 0px 0px; width: 178px;"><a class="partner-links__link" href="http://traffic.outbrain.com/network/redir?key=b397b37416bce329475a1fa3b00ad73b&rdid=819450876&type=YLD_/NA_ch2&in-site=false&idx=9&req_id=e51c414e0783d2de9a3604ce7e82ba28&agent=blog_JS_rec&recMode=10&reqType=1&wid=171&imgType=2&refPub=984&prs=false&scp=false&reqIdx=0&origSrc=5344996&did=597059289&pv_id=e51c414e0783d2de9a3604ce7e82ba28" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0); background-position: 0px 0px; box-sizing: border-box; cursor: pointer; text-decoration: none;"><span style="color: black;"><div class="image" style="box-sizing: border-box;"> <div class="image__wrapper image__wrapper--4x3" style="box-sizing: border-box; overflow: hidden; padding-bottom: 117px; position: relative;"> <img alt="" src="http://images.outbrain.com/imageserver/v2/s/MQTi/n/ePCOX/abc/WIoWq/ePCOX-tS4-213x160.jpg" style="border: 1px solid rgb(220, 220, 220); box-sizing: border-box; display: block; height: 117px; max-width: 100%; page-break-inside: avoid; position: absolute; vertical-align: middle; width: 157px;" /></div> </div> <span class="headline" style="border-left-style: none; box-sizing: border-box; clear: both; display: block; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-top: 11px; padding: 0px; position: relative; top: -0.25rem; width: 157px;">Russian Navy Hovercraft Lands On Busy Beach</span></span></a></li> <li class="partner-links__item partner-links__item--2 partner-links__item--even" style="box-sizing: border-box; clear: none; display: block; float: left; list-style: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px 10.67px; width: 178px;"><a class="partner-links__link" href="http://traffic.outbrain.com/network/redir?key=8ece233e89356e7eb595070d2dc2cd62&rdid=819450876&type=YLD_/NA_ch2&in-site=true&idx=10&req_id=e51c414e0783d2de9a3604ce7e82ba28&agent=blog_JS_rec&recMode=10&reqType=1&wid=171&imgType=2&refPub=984&prs=false&scp=false&reqIdx=0&origSrc=5344996&did=768533537&pv_id=e51c414e0783d2de9a3604ce7e82ba28" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0); background-position: 0px 0px; box-sizing: border-box; cursor: pointer; text-decoration: none;"><span style="color: black;"><div class="image" style="box-sizing: border-box;"> <div class="image__wrapper image__wrapper--4x3" style="box-sizing: border-box; overflow: hidden; padding-bottom: 118px; position: relative;"> <img alt="" src="http://images.outbrain.com/imageserver/v2/s/MQTc/n/q0ggD/abc/iY5tz/q0ggD-tS4-213x160.jpg" style="border: 1px solid rgb(220, 220, 220); box-sizing: border-box; display: block; height: 118px; max-width: 100%; page-break-inside: avoid; position: absolute; vertical-align: middle; width: 158px;" /></div> </div> <span class="headline" style="border-left-style: none; box-sizing: border-box; clear: both; display: block; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-top: 11px; padding: 0px; position: relative; top: -0.25rem; width: 158px;">Major Hunt After Three-Year-Old Girl Snatched</span></span></a></li> <li class="partner-links__item partner-links__item--3 partner-links__item--odd" style="box-sizing: border-box; clear: none; display: block; float: left; list-style: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px 0px 0px 21.33px; width: 178px;"><a class="partner-links__link" href="http://traffic.outbrain.com/network/redir?key=6cb9941b4485fd4b2ee543b7f758084e&rdid=819450876&type=YLD_/NA_ch2&in-site=false&idx=11&req_id=e51c414e0783d2de9a3604ce7e82ba28&agent=blog_JS_rec&recMode=10&reqType=1&wid=171&imgType=2&refPub=984&prs=false&scp=false&reqIdx=0&origSrc=5344996&did=817322073&pv_id=e51c414e0783d2de9a3604ce7e82ba28" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0); background-position: 0px 0px; box-sizing: border-box; cursor: pointer; text-decoration: none;"><span style="color: black;"><div class="image" style="box-sizing: border-box;"> <div class="image__wrapper image__wrapper--4x3" style="box-sizing: border-box; overflow: hidden; padding-bottom: 117px; position: relative;"> <img alt="" src="http://images.outbrain.com/imageserver/v2/s/MQTd/n/tJOo5/abc/nS3GO/tJOo5-tS4-213x160.jpg" style="border: 1px solid rgb(220, 220, 220); box-sizing: border-box; display: block; height: 117px; max-width: 100%; page-break-inside: avoid; position: absolute; vertical-align: middle; width: 157px;" /></div> </div> <span class="headline" style="border-left-style: none; box-sizing: border-box; clear: both; display: block; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-top: 11px; padding: 0px; position: relative; top: -0.25rem; width: 157px;">US Plane Flies Into Sweden To Avoid Russians</span></span></a></li> </ul> </div> <a class="partner-links__about" href="http://www.outbrain.com/about/what-is-outbrain/" style="background-position: 0px 0px; box-sizing: border-box; clear: left; cursor: pointer; display: inline; float: right; text-decoration: none;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">What's this?</span></span></a><div> <br /></div> </section><section class="story__other" data-append="story__other" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #333333; font-family: SkyTextRegular, Helvetica, Arial, Verdana; font-size: 16px;"></section></div> </div>

Hundreds Of Women Captured By ISIS Fighters

Just like Boko Haram Islamic Militants in Nigeria, Islamic  Militants in Iraq take hundreds of Yazidi women hostage in northern Iraq,...

Read more »