Islamic State Accused Of Using Chemical Weapons

The US is investigating claims that Islamic State militants have used chemical weapons against security forces in Iraq.

Three Iraqi officials have told the AP news agency that IS fighters used chlorine bombs during clashes last month in the Iraqi towns of Duluiya and Balad, north of Baghdad.

The officials, speaking on condition of anonymity, said around 40 troops and Shia militiamen were affected. They were treated at a hospital and recovered quickly.

The Washington Post also reported that 11 Iraqi police officers were taken to hospital north of Baghdad suffering from dizziness, vomiting and shortage of breath.

The newspaper said the symptoms were found to be consistent with chlorine poisoning following an alleged IS gas attack.

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1. Gallery: Fresh US-Led Airstrikes on Kobani

   Smoke and flames rise over a hill near the Syrian town of Kobani after an airstrike, as seen from the Mursitpinar crossing on the Turkish-Syrian border in Sanliurfa province

2. US military forces again focused airstrikes on the area near the Syrian city in their campaign to turn back Islamic State forces and also hit oil facilities held by the militant group

7. Three IS fighters pray as others inspect a hill in the outskirts of Kobani

9. A Kurdish fighters position in the outskirts of the Syrian town

11. Members of media watch Kobani from a hill near the Mursitpinar border crossing

13. Syrians wait to cross to the northern Syrian city of Tal Abyad at the Akcakale border gate in Sanliurfa province, southeastern Turkey

14. Kurdish refugee children from Kobani in a camp in the southeastern town of Suruc

16. A Turkish army tank drives downhill, in front of ruins of Kobani

17. A Turkish flag flutters on the top of a silo in the Syrian town

18. Turkish Kurds watch Kobani from a hill near the Mursitpinar border crossing

It added that Iraqi forces claimed two other crude chlorine gas attacks have taken place in recent months, but the details surrounding the allegations were still unclear.

Secretary of State John Kerry said he could not confirm the claims but that the US was taking them "very seriously".

"These allegations are extremely serious and we are seeking additional information in order to be able to determine whether or not we can confirm it," he told reporters.

"The use of any chemical weapons is an abhorrent act, it's against international law, and these recent allegations underscore the importance of the work that we are currently engaged in."

The latest allegations follow reports that IS militants released some form of toxic gas in the embattled Syrian border town of Kobani on Tuesday, where Kurdish fighters have been battling a month-long offensive against the extremist group.

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1. Gallery: Iraq Crisis

   Smoke rises during clashes between Iraqi security forces and Islamic State (IS) militants, in the Hamrin mountains in Diyala province

3. Members of Iraqi security forces patrol looking for militants on the outskirts of Ramadi

5. Shi'ite fighters from Saraya al-Salam clash with militants in Jurf al-Sakhar

9. Shi'ite fighters prepare their weapons in Jurf al-Sakhar

10. Displaced people from the minority Yazidi sect, who fled violence in the Iraqi town of Sinjar, worship at their main holy temple Lalish in Shikhan

11. Displaced girls worship at the temple

12. Followers of an ancient religion derived from Zoroastrianism, the Yazidi fled their homeland in the Sinjar mountains as Islamic State militants, who see them as devil worshippers, seized towns and carried out mass killings

Kurdish officials, who have made similar allegations before, said they lacked the equipment to officially identity the chemicals used.

The claims could not be independently verified, although UN investigators earlier this year said they were virtually certain that chlorine had been used as a chemical weapon in northern Syria.

A US-led coalition is currently engaged in airstrikes against IS targets in Iraq and Syria. The UK has bombed IS targets in Iraq, but has not taken part in the Syrian strikes.

Allied aircraft pounded a further 12 targets in Iraq on Thursday and Friday and six near Kobani, a US military source said.

France, meanwhile, has revealed that allied forces dropped around 70 bombs in Iraq on Thursday night in a large-scale operation.

Video: Kurdish Fighters Defend Their Land

The target was a weapons supply area and training centre in the Kirkuk region of northern Iraq, France's chief of the defence staff Pierre de Villiers said.

"I think it's safe to say we hurt them last night. The operation is a success," he told French radio.

Overall, US and allied aircraft have flown nearly 6,600 sorties in Iraq and Syria and dropped more than 1,700 bombs, the US military said.

The airstrikes have helped Kurdish militia defending Kobani to hold out against the more heavily armed jihadists but have not stopped IS making new gains in parts of Iraq.

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan on Friday announced that 1,300 Free Syrian Army fighters would be joining Kurds in defending Kobani.

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1. Gallery: The Moment RAF Jet Attacks IS Truck

   The RAF carried out its first airstrikes against Islamic State targets in Iraq on 1 October, 2014 (All pictures: MoD)

2. Tornados destroyed a heavy weapon position, which was attacking Kurdish forces, and an armed pick-up truck (pictured). The red circle shows the path of the missile fired at the vehicle

3. The strikes were the first since MPs voted to support aerial raids in Iraq last Friday

4. The targets were in the northwest of Iraq

5. The moment the truck, which had a mounted machine gun, was destroyed by a Brimstone missile

6. A plume of smoke rose above the area

7. The strike was successful, according to an initial assessment, said Defence Secretary Michael Fallon

8. The Tornados safely returned to their base at RAF Akrotiri in Cyprus after the sortie

9. Six of the GR4 fighter jets are based on the island in the Mediterranean

10. The aircraft began their combat missions on Saturday

There are an estimated 2,000 Kurdish fighters battling IS for control of the town.

Some 200,000 Kurds have fled from Syria to Turkey to escape the onslaught.

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Ukrainian Refugees Flee To Russian Arctic

By Katie Stallard, Russia correspondent, in Murmansk

More than 800,000 refugees have crossed the border into Russia since the start of the year, according to the UN's refugee agency (UNHCR).

At least a quarter of a million are thought to be displaced inside Ukraine.

With the country heading to the polls today for parliamentary elections, the situation in the east remains dangerously unstable, despite the ceasefire supposedly in place.

Larisa and Evgeniy Golubyatnikova fled the fighting near Donetsk in August with their two children - three-year-old Margarita and her 13-year-old brother Vadim.

They told me their village was surrounded and they could hear shelling close by.

They had to leave so quickly they could only bring the children and a single suitcase.

"Do you like it here in the north?" Larisa asks her daughter.

The family is among 72 refugees living in a college dormitory in Murmansk

"I like it in Ukraine," Margarita replies.

"They are shooting there, it is scary," her mother tells her.

Video: Ukraine Conflict Deaths

The family is living in one room of a college dormitory in the northern city of Murmansk.

Some 72 Ukrainian refugees have been housed here, the youngest of whom is just six months old.

It was the only destination on offer for relocation when they arrived in the crowded refugee camp in Southern Russia this summer, but they decided it was better than staying at the camp.

Within 24 hours they were on board a plane bound for the Arctic.

Video: Trapped Between The Battle Lines

"We don't have anyone here," Larisa explained, "That is why it is hard and scary.

"I think after a move like this one, nothing can scare us anymore."

Her husband, Evgeniy, added: "The only comfort is that there is a peaceful sky over our head now.

"It was hard, even unbearable to stay there. We did it for our children."

Video: Lenin Statue Toppled In Ukraine

Located north of the Arctic Circle, winters in Murmansk can be tough. For six weeks of the year it will be completely dark, the temperature regularly drops below -20C.

But the family has found warmth amongst the people - volunteers have donated winter clothes and done their best to make them feel welcome.

"Margarita misses her granny, especially after speaking to her on the phone," Larisa told us.

"We told her that we left from where they were shooting, that here it is better here."

Video: MP Dumped In Bin By Angry Mob

Adjusting to their new life in the Arctic has not been easy - the college accommodation is only temporary, and they still need somewhere permanent to stay.

But the family thinks their children will have a better future here than in Ukraine.

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Canadian Gunman Wanted To Travel To Syria

The suspect in the killing of a Canadian soldier at an Ottawa war memorial wanted to travel to Syria and had a passport application delayed over extremism concerns.

Michael Zehaf-Bibeau, 32, who was shot dead shortly after running into the Canadian parliament building, was not among 90 high-risk travellers being monitored by authorities, but was seeking a passport, police said in a news conference.

His mother told police after the killing that he wanted to travel to Syria. She also told the AP news agency that she is crying for the victims of the shooting, not for her son.

Police were asked to carry out background checks when he applied for the passport, but he had not been placed under surveillance.

Zehaf-Bibeau was Canadian, but may have also had dual Libyan citizenship, the news conference was told.

Video: Canadian Police News Conference

On Wednesday, he shot and killed a Canadian soldier at the Ottawa war memorial, before attempting to storm the parliament building, triggering a lockdown in the capital city.

The news conference heard that he had acted alone and police have not linked his attack with the killing of another soldier in Quebec on Monday.

Delays in his passport application may have formed part of his motivation for the attack in Ottawa, according to police.

Video: Brother's Pride For Shooting Hero

Canadian police will now stay with Prime Minister Stephen Harper 24 hours a day, police said, after a man was arrested as he attempted to approach him at the site of the soldier's shooting.

Bob Paulson, commissioner of the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP), said: "We have no information linking the two attacks this week.

"The passport was part of his motivation. His application was not rejected. His passport was not revoked.

Video: 'Planet Descending Into Savagery'

"He was waiting to get it and there was an investigating going on to determine to see whether he would get a passport."

An email from Zehaf-Bibeau was found on the hard drive of someone who has been charged with a terrorism-related offence in Canada, the RCMP said.

Officers said there were now 93 high-risk Canadians who have demonstrated an intention to travel abroad for militant reasons, but they had no plans to make any arrests at this time.

Video: The Face Of Canada's Terror Fight

Zehaf-Bibeau was shot and killed by Sergeant-at-Arms Kevin Vickers, who was given a standing ovation during a special session of parliament on Thursday.

Video: Timeline Of Canada Terror Attack

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Canada Killer Believed 'Devil Was After Him'

The gunman who killed a soldier in Ottawa and stormed Canada's parliament had been put on a terror watch list, it has emerged.

The attacker, identified as Michael Zehaf-Bibeau by Canadian media, was considered "high risk" and had seen his passport confiscated to stop him travelling abroad to join Islamic State terrorists in Iraq or Syria.

But the 32-year-old was able to strike at the heart of his home country's capital, shooting dead Corporal Nathan Cirillo before he was himself gunned down by Sergeant-At-Arms Kevin Vickers as he launched his assault on parliament.

US sources said the killer was a convert to Islam from Quebec who grew up in Laval and Montreal and was called Michael Joseph Hall before he changed his name.

Cpl Nathan Cirillo at his post in Ottawa moments before he was killed

Canada's Globe and Mail newspaper reported that he was the son of Susan Bibeau, a senior civil servant with Canada's Immigration and Refugee Board, while his stepfather or adoptive father was Bulgasem Zehaf, a Libyan businessman who once owned Montreal's Cafe Tripoli.

Former neighbour Janice Purnell told CTV Zehaf-Bibeau was privately-educated and a typical teenager. She said she once called the police because he was playing loud music.

Video: How The Ottawa Attack Unfolded

Evidence has been emerging that suggests he fitted the common jihadist profile of a troubled young man who had turned to radical Islam. 

Canadian network CTV reported he had been jailed for two years for robbery and weapons possession in 2003, four years after his mother and Mr Zehaf had divorced.

Quebec court records also show that he pleaded guilty to a charge of failing to comply with a judge's order and several drug offences, including marijuana possession.

He reportedly stood trial for robbery in Vancouver in 2011 after a psychiatric assessment ruled he was fit for the judicial process.

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1. Gallery: Tributes Paid To Canadian Soldier

   Nathan Cirillo was a member of the Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders

2. Hundreds of messages have been posted on a Facebook tribute page

3. Click through for more images of Cpl Cirillo

Family friend Dave Bathurst told the CBC Zehaf-Bibeau did not appear to have extremist views, but had at times shown a disturbing side.

He said: "We were having a conversation in a kitchen, and I don't know how he worded it - he said the devil is after him."

Mr Bathurst said his friend frequently talked about the presence of Shaytan in the world - an Arabic term for devils and demons, adding: "I think he must have been mentally ill."

Bathurst last saw Zehaf-Bibeau praying in a Vancouver-area mosque six weeks ago and said that he spoke of wanting to go to the Middle East soon - although he claimed he only wanted to study Islam and Arabic.

Video: The Face Of Canada's Terror Fight

His case has parallels with that of Martin Couture-Rouleau, a 25-year-old convert who rammed his car into two soldiers in the Montreal suburb of Saint-Jean-sur-Richelieu on Monday - killing one of them before he was shot dead.

Rouleau also had his passport confiscated in July after he was arrested at an airport on his way to Turkey.

He was among 90 people being tracked by the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) on suspicion of taking part in militant activities or planning to do so.

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Canada Will 'Never Be Intimidated' By Terrorists

Canada will "never be intimidated" by terrorists who seek to bring "savagery" to the country's shores, Prime Minister Stephen Harper has said.

Speaking after a soldier was shot dead at the National War Memorial in Ottawa, Mr Harper said terrorists would find "no safe haven" in Canada.

Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper speaks after the terror attack

"Let there be no misunderstanding - we will not be intimidated. Canada will never be intimidated," Mr Harper said.

"In fact, this will lead us to strengthen our resolve and redouble our efforts - and those of our national security agencies - to take all necessary steps to identify and counter threats and keep Canada safe here at home."

Video: Shots Fired In Canada Parliament

Canada will work with its allies to "fight against the terrorist organisations who brutalise those in other countries with the hope of bringing their savagery to our shores", he added.

Corporal Nathan Cirillo was guarding the National War Memorial when he was shot at point-blank range at around 10am local time on Wednesday.

Witnesses say the gunman raised his arms in triumph after the shooting, which led to a lockdown in downtown Ottawa which lasted until Wednesday night.

Authorities say federal government buildings remain off limits following the attack.

Video: Reaction: John McKay MP

After firing upon Cpl Cirillo, the gunman entered Canada's nearby Parliament building where he was pursued by law enforcement officers.

People fled the building, took cover, or barricaded doors as police cordoned off the streets outside.

Officials say 58-year-old sergeant-at-arms Kevin Vickers shot the attacker dead outside the MPs' caucus rooms.

At least three people were treated in hospital for minor injuries after the attack.

Video: "We Must Remain Vigilant"

Police are investigating potential suspect Michael Zehaf- Bibeau, 32, who US agencies have been advised is a Canadian convert to Islam.

The shooting occurred two days after an Islamic convert ran down two Canadian soldiers near Montreal, killing one of them.

Mr Harper said the two terrorist attacks "are a grim reminder that Canada is not immune to the types of terror attacks we have seen elsewhere around the world".

US President Barack Obama has condemned the shootings, describing them as "outrageous".

Video: Why Is Canada A Terror Target?

"We have to remain vigilant," Mr Obama said.

"It's very important, I think, for us to recognise that when it comes to dealing with terrorist activity, that Canada and the United States (have) to be entirely in sync."

David Cameron responded to the attack on Twitter, saying: "I'm appalled by today's attack in Ottawa.

"I offer my full support to @pmharper and the Canadian people as they deal with this incident."

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Nathan Cirillo Made 'The Ultimate Sacrifice'

Hundreds of messages have been posted on a tribute site to the soldier who was killed in the shooting at a war memorial near parliament in Ottawa.

The victim has been named locally as Corporal Nathan Cirillo of the Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders.

He is believed to have been guarding the National War Memorial in the Canadian capital when he was attacked.

He was treated at the scene but later died of his injuries.

One message on the Facebook tribute page, from Bob Rodkin, read: "RIP Nathan. Thank you for your service and the ultimate sacrifice.

Video: Canadian PM: The Full Statement

"So tragic, so unnecessary. My prayers go out for you and to your family, friends and colleagues."

Olivia Mancini wrote: "He not only was a great father, son, and brother, but a close friend of mine. RIP Nathan Cirillo. I will love and miss you forever. Not only did you protect our country, but you were such a loving, caring, and funny person to everyone around you."

Another message, from Olivia Marie, said: "RIP Nathan! Thank you for defending our country, your son is so proud of you. I miss you."

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1. Gallery: Ottawa In Lockdown After Attacks

2. Canadian police have reacted to shootings at locations in the capital Ottawa, including a fatal shooting at the parliament building

Megan Underwood posted a picture of Cpl Cirillo posing with a friend in front of the war memorial taken on Sunday.

The message said: "On Sunday, we asked a very handsome guard for a picture with my friend visiting from Cali - RIP Nathan Cirillo."

Video: Witness & Reporter Peter Henderson

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Steenkamps Welcome Pistorius' Five-Year Term

Barry and June Steenkamp reacted positively to the five-year sentence handed to Oscar Pistorius for the killing of their daughter.

Speaking outside Pretoria High Court, Mrs Steenkamp expressed relief at the end of the trial, which lasted seven months.

Defence counsel had suggested that Pistorius could be moved out of prison into house arrest after serving 10 months of his sentence.

Reeva Steenkamp was shot dead on Valentine's Day 2013

When asked whether she was happy with this, Mrs Steenkamp said: "Doesn't matter, he's going to pay something. I'm just glad it's over."

Reeva Steenkamp's father Barry, who has suffered health problems since the death of his daughter, added: "We are satisfied."

Video: Pistorius Jailed For Five Years

Sky's Special Correspondent Alex Crawford spoke to both inside the courtroom.

She added that Mrs Steenkamp had said: "There's no closure without Reeva unless you can magic her back."

Dup De Bruyn, the lawyer acting for the Steenkamps, said the judge had given "the right sentence" and added: "Justice was served."

Video: Behind The Scenes Of Media At Court

Arnold Pistorius, the athlete's uncle, criticised the prosecution in the case and called for his family to be allowed to move forward.

He said: "We accept the judgment. Oscar will embrace this opportunity to pay back to society."

Judge Thokozile Masipa had ruled a custodial sentence was unavoidable for the Paralympic and Olympic athlete, and criticised defence witness Annette Vergeer, who had suggested he would have been vulnerable in jail.

Video: Pistorius Leaves Court For Prison

Pistorius offered little visible reaction as his sentence was read out. He stood and stared straight ahead, and then sat staring at the floor as legal submissions were made.

Mrs Steenkamp looked directly at him as the sentence was given, but otherwise did not visibly react in the packed courtroom.

A spokesperson for defence lawyer Barry Roux said there would be no appeal. She added that Pistorius will serve a sixth of his sentence - around 10 months - before being moved to house arrest.

Video: Sentence Disappoints Prosecutors

Prosecutor Gerrie Nel, who had argued the double amputee should be jailed for 10 years for killing Ms Steenkamp on Valentine's Day last year, said: "The court has done what the court should do."

The prosecution has not yet decided if it will appeal against the sentence, spokesman Nathi Mncube said.

The prosecution has disputed the defence claim that Pistorius - known as the Blade Runner - could be out of prison after 10 months.

Video: Defence Expects Ten Months In Jail

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Oscar Pistorius Jailed For Shooting Reeva Dead

Oscar Pistorius has been jailed for five years for killing his girlfriend, Reeva Steenkamp, on Valentine's Day last year.

His defence team said he would spend a sixth of the term in prison - 10 months - before being placed under house arrest for the remainder of his sentence.

But Nathi Mncube, a spokesperson for the National Prosecuting Authority, said he was likely to serve one third of the sentence behind bars, before adding "it's not for the NPA to decide".

"This is not what we were hoping to achieve at the end of this trial ... but it is not entirely up to us," he told Sky News.

The 27-year-old, who was found guilty of culpable homicide last month, appeared to wipe his eyes as the sentence was handed down.

Video: Pistorius Trial: The Sentence

Judge Thokozile Masipa had ruled the Olympic and Paralympic athlete did not intend to kill his girlfriend when he fired through the bathroom door at his home in Pretoria.

"Having regard to the circumstances in the matter, I am of the view that a non-custodial sentence would send the wrong message to the community," she said.

"On the other hand, a long sentence would also not be appropriate either, as it would lack the element of mercy.

Video: Pistorius Sentencing Highlights

"What may appear to be justice to the general public may not be justice. Society cannot always get what they want."

She said Pistorius' skill using a gun was an aggravating factor but that she also recognised his remorse.

She said he "fired not one shot but four shots into the door" of a small cubicle "with no room for escape".

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1. Gallery: Sentencing Day For Pistorius

   South African Olympic and Paralympic athlete Oscar Pistorius arrives at the court in Pretoria for sentencing over the killing of his girlfriend, Reeva Steenkamp

2. He was convicted last month of "culpable homicide" - South Africa's equivalent of manslaughter. Continue through the gallery for more pictures from the day on which he was jailed for five years

5. Pistorius walks into the courtroom

6. Pistorius hugs his father Henke Pistorius ahead of his sentencing

8. Carl Pistorius, brother of Oscar Pistorius, attends the sentencing hearing

10. Pistorius stands in the dock as his sentence is delivered

11. Judge Thokozile Masipa sentences Pistorius to prison for the killing of his girlfriend Reeva Steenkamp

12. Pistorius is led to holding cells

13. Pistorius holds the hands of family members after being sentenced

17. His defence team said he would spend a sixth of the term in prison - 10 months - before being placed under house arrest for the remainder of his sentence

18. Reeva's mother June agrees justice had been served as she reacts to the jailing of Oscar Pistorius over her daughter's killing

19. Friends of Reeva Steenkamp, Gina and Kim Myers

20. Pistorius (C) enters a police van after his sentencing

23. A general view of Pretoria Central Prison

He was also handed a suspended three-year prison sentence for the discharging of a firearm, over an incident in which a gun accidentally went off in a restaurant.

Pistorius is expected to spend his jail time in the hospital wing of Pretoria's prison.

Ms Steenkamp's father, Barry, said he was "satisfied" with the outcome.

Video: Defence Expects Ten Months In Jail

Her mother, June Steenkamp, said the sentence brought a sort of closure, but that full closure was not possible "unless you can magic her back".

Sentencing options available to the judge in the culpable homicide case included up to 15 years in jail, a suspended sentence, a correctional supervision or fine. 

It brings to a close a seven-month trial, which attracted worldwide attention.

Video: Sentence Disappoints Prosecutors

After one of the most sensational court cases in the country's history, the sentence is expected to fuel further controversy about race and money in its justice system.

Pistorius' legal team argued during the trial that he mistook Ms Steenkamp for an intruder and believed they were both in danger.

His lawyer Barry Roux said the athlete had "lost everything" after the 29-year-old law graduate and model's death, and argued he should not go to prison.

Video: Friends 'Felt Reeva's Light Today'

He also said the Pistorius, whose lower legs were amputated as a baby, would face particular difficulties in jail.

But state prosecutor Gerrie Nel had argued that only 10 years' imprisonment would satisfy the public.

He said that any lesser sentence could result in a widespread loss of faith in the justice system.

Video: Pistorius Leaves Court For Prison

Known as Blade Runner because of his carbon-fibre prosthetics, Pistorius achieved global recognition at the London 2012 Olympics when he reached the semi-finals of the 400m against able-bodied athletes. 

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1. Gallery: Reeva Steenkamp's Life In Pictures

   Reeva Steenkamp, 29, was born in Cape Town and grew up in Port Elizabeth. She went to a convent school and studied law. She was a keen horse rider until she broke her back

2. She moved to Johannesburg from Cape Town to model for Avon cosmetics. In 2012, Reeva was voted number 45 in the South African FHM 100 Sexiest Women in the World poll

3. She featured as a celebrity contestant on BBC Lifestyle show Baking Made Easy in 2012

4. The model was a keen Twitter user, and had more than 34,000 followers. She used the site to promote women's rights and empowerment

5. Her former fashion editor, Barbara Robertson, described the model as being "sweet and down to earth" with the "it factor". She likened her to an "early Kate Moss"

6. Reeva Steenkamp on the set of reality TV show Tropika Island Of Treasure (Pic: Stimulii)

Video: Pistorius Led Down To The Cells

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1. Gallery: Pistorius: A Sporting Pioneer

   Pistorius was born in Johannesburg on November 22, 1986. A congenital condition meant he had no bones in his lower legs.

2. He had both legs amputated below the knee when he was 11 months old, and now runs on carbon fibre prosthetic blades.

3. Pistorius won the 200m final in a record time at the 2004 Athens Paralympics. In 2006 he finished sixth in the able-bodied event in South Africa.

4. Ahead of the 2008 Beijing Olympics, the Court of Arbitration for Sport ruled his blades did not give him an unfair advantage. But he failed to qualify for the men's 400m.

5. He won gold in all three of his events at the 2008 Beijing Paralympics - the 100m, 200m and 400m. He set a world record in the 400m (sport class T44).

6. He won the 400m in 47.28s and the 100m in 11.04s at the 2011 Paralympic World Cup. The athlete later ran the 400m in 45.07s - within the Olympic qualifying time.

7. The Blade Runner won the 400m silver medal in 45.52s at the 2012 African Championships. He just missed the 45.30s he needed to qualify for the Olympics.

8. Pistorius was selected by the South African Olympic Committee to run the 4x400m relay and 400m at the 2012 London Olympics. He said it was "one of the happiest days of my life".

9. He had been dating the model Reeva Steenkamp since late 2012. She was found dead at his home on February 14, 2013.

10. After a lengthy trail, Pistorius is cleared of murder but found guilty of manslaughter and sentenced to five years in prison.

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How Kurds The World Forgot Are Holding Off IS

By Stuart Ramsay, Chief Correspondent, in Sari Kani, Syria

Right now in Syria a desperate fight is under way against Islamic State (IS) forces that control so much of the north of the country.

In the east that fight is being carried out virtually unseen to the rest of the world by People's Protection Units (YPG) fighters, Syrian Kurds, who are doing so with almost no assistance.

They have been fighting IS for longer than any other group.

With home-made weapons and armoured cars and some old heavy guns, they fight in dusty villages, the countryside and larger towns to try and force IS back to the west of Syria.

Kurdish fighters have been retaking ground from IS militants on the border

Kobani has been surrounded for weeks by IS but there are many other towns that are under siege. From Sari Kani 100 miles or so east of Kobani the YPG have been taking back ground from IS.

They would dearly love to reach their colleagues in Kobani but, with no assistance, even they accept it will be an almost impossible mission.

Video: Travelling Through Syria

Always moving and repositioning themselves, the front line is a confused and confusing battle of attrition.

The men of the YPG and the women fighters of the Women's Protection Unit (YPJ) work together. There is no battlefield difference between the sexes. They all throw themselves into the fight. They are protecting their homeland and say to us that they can die at the front or at home, but either way they are prepared to die.

Against the odds and the better equipped IS forces, they have made ground and captured weapons. In a rear position they work on tanks captured from IS and they showed us the bodies of 20 IS jihadists they killed in a night operation.

We travelled from Iraq through Syria. The birthplace of IS is one of the most dangerous places on earth today. The YPG grip is tenuous and the vast open spaces are difficult to protect from IS incursions.

Video: Passports Reveal Turkey Link

These Syrian Kurds are hemmed in. The Turkish border lies to the north and its military considers the YPG a terrorist organisation.

To the south, east and west IS controls all the land leading to Iraq and across its border.

On the newest YPG front lines we came across a seemingly rag-tag group of fighters. But while they may look so they are in fact well trained and utterly determined.

A hill-top cemetery has become a fort. They watch across the plains and the villages that IS control. They are so close they can hear the foreign languages of the IS fighters on their walkie-talkies.

Video: Kurds Face Future Without A Home

But nobody here seems in any way frightened of IS. They laugh and joke and prepare to fight. Day in, day out.

The YPG are very canny. Their front-line positions are never static for long. Their numbers are small so they move positions and manoeuvre around the battlefield looking for signs of IS weakness. Then they attack. Both sides are doing this but one gets the sense that the Kurds are more determined.

While IS have many foreign fighters the YPG also have a small contingent. Chechens, Europeans and Americans who have decided to help fight IS.

Brian Wilson is from Ohio. A divorcee with two children, this veteran of the first Gulf War and 16 years a police sheriff in the United States decided to come here a month ago and join the fight. He was shocked that the West was doing nothing to help here.

Video: Desperate Help Needed In Kobani

"They have been holding out against DASH (IS) in this area for going on two, two and a half years," he told me on the front line.

"They are outgunned. They are brave fighters. They just need more help. If they had better technology, better weapons, they could finish IS on their own. More airstrikes would be very helpful to clear out some areas."

The YPG are fighting multiple fronts on a constant basis. Sometimes they are in cities and towns, sometimes in open countryside. But they are holding on and sometimes doing better than that.

And, as they say, they will do that to the death if necessary.

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US Drops Weapons For Kurds Battling IS

The US has airdropped weapons and supplies for Kurdish forces fighting Islamic State (IS) in the town of Kobani in Syria.

A statement from US Central Command said Air Force C-130 planes "delivered weapons, ammunition and medical supplies that were provided by Kurdish authorities in Iraq and intended to enable continued resistance against ISIL's (IS) attempts to overtake Kobani".

Multiple airdrops were completed near the town, which is close to the border with Turkey and would be seen as a strategic coup for IS if it is captured.

Kurdish forces said they had received a "large quantity of ammunition" from the US airdrop.

Spokesman Redur Xelil told the Reuters news agency: "It will have a positive impact on the course of military operations and certainly we are still hoping for more support."

Video: Stuart Ramsay With 'Rag Tag' Army

The US statement said 135 airstrikes near Kobani - combined with continued resistance on the ground - had slowed IS advances and killed hundreds of its fighters.

"However, the security situation in Kobani remains fragile as ISIL continues to threaten the city and Kurdish forces continue to resist," the statement added.

The Kurds have been under IS assault for more than a month - and US Commander General Lloyd Austin has warned that the city could fall.

However, airdrops are likely to anger key ally Turkey, which has said it would oppose the US helping to arm Kurdish rebels.

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1. Gallery: The Kurdish Refugees Of Kobani

   A Kurdish refugee woman and her child from the Syrian town of Kobani rest in front of their family tent in a camp in the southeastern town of Suruc, Turkey

2. The United States is bombing targets in Kobani to relieve the defenders of the Syrian town and give them time to organise against Islamic State militants, a senior US official said

3. A Kurdish refugee from the Syrian town of Kobani sweeps a passage in the camp

4. A child looks out of a tent

5. Kurdish people watch smoke billowing from Kobani as they gather on a hill overlooking the Syrian town of Kobani

6. A child walks through the camp in Suruc

7. A Turkish aid worker distributes food to Kurdish refugees

8. Kurdish refugees from the Syrian town of Kobani queue to get food

9. Smoke rises from the Syrian town of Kobani

10. Kurdish people shout slogans while standing upon a hill opposite the Syrian town of Kobani

11. The graves of Kurdish people killed fighting alongside People's Protection Units (YPG) against IS jihadists in Kobani

Ankara views the main Kurdish group in Syria as an extension of the Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK), an organisation that has waged a 30-year insurgency in Turkey.

The PKK is designated a terror group by the US and NATO.

Turkey has resisted pressure from the West to take a more direct role in fighting IS in Kobani.

However, in an earlier call with Barack Obama, President Recep Tayyip Erdogan agreed to "strengthen cooperation".

Video: New Video Of The Battle For Kobani

An unnamed official said that while the results of the airdrop mission were still being assessed, it appeared "the vast majority" of the 27 bundles reached the intended Kurdish fighters.

Another official suggested "you might see more" drops in the days ahead.

:: Sky's Stuart Ramsay joined the forgotten Kurds who have held off IS for more than two years with homemade weapons and armoured cars.

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How Kurds World Forgot Are Holding Off IS

By Stuart Ramsay, Chief Correspondent

Right now in Syria a desperate fight is under way against Islamic State (IS) forces that control so much of the north of the country.

In the east that fight is being carried out virtually unseen to the rest of the world by YPG fighters, Syrian Kurds, who are doing so with almost no assistance.

They have been fighting IS for longer than any other group.

With homemade weapons and armoured cars and some old heavy guns, they fight in dusty villages, the countryside and larger towns to try and force IS back to the west of Syria.

The YPG and YPJ have held off IS for two and a half years

Kobani has been surrounded for weeks by IS but there are many other towns that are under siege. From Sari Kane 100 miles or so east of Kobani the YPG have been taking back ground from IS.

They would dearly love to reach their colleagues in Kobani but, with no assistance, even they accept it will be an almost impossible mission.

Video: Kurds Face Future Without A Home

Always moving and repositioning themselves, the front line is a confused and confusing battle of attrition.

The men of the YPG and the women fighters of the YPJ work together. There is no battlefield difference between the sexes. They all throw themselves into the fight. They are protecting their homeland and say to us that they can die at the front or at home, but either way they are prepared to die.

Against the odds and the better equipped IS forces, they have made ground and captured weapons. In a rear position they work on tanks captured from IS and they showed us the bodies of 20 IS jihadists they killed in a night operation.

We travelled from Iraq through Syria. The birthplace of IS is one of the most dangerous places on earth today. The YPG grip is tenuous and the vast open spaces are difficult to protect from IS incursions.

Video: Turkey Turns Water Cannon On Kurds

These Syrian Kurds are hemmed in. The Turkish border lies to the north and its military considers the YPG a terrorist organisation.

To the south, east and west IS controls all the land leading to Iraq and across its border.

On the newest YPG front lines we came across a seemingly rag-tag group of fighters. But while they may look so they are in fact well trained and utterly determined.

A hill-top cemetery has become a fort. They watch across the plains and the villages that IS control. They are so close they can hear the foreign languages of the IS fighters on their walkie-talkies.

Video: View from the Peshmerga trenches

But nobody here seems in any way frightened of IS. They laugh and joke and prepare to fight. Day in, day out.

The YPG are very canny. Their front-line positions are never static for long. Their numbers are small so they move positions and manoeuvre around the battlefield looking for signs of IS weakness. Then they attack. Both sides are doing this but one gets the sense that the Kurds are more determined.

While IS have many foreign fighters the YPG also have a small contingent. Chechens, Europeans and Americans who have decided to help fight IS.

Brian Wilson is from Ohio. A divorcee with two children, this veteran of the first Gulf War and 16 years a police sheriff in the United States decided to come here a month ago and join the fight. He was shocked that the West was doing nothing to help here.

Video: Desperate Help Needed In Kobani

"They have been holding out against DASH (IS) in this area for going on two, two and a half years," he told me on the front line.

"They are outgunned. They are brave fighters. They just need more help. If they had better technology, better weapons, they could finish IS on their own. More airstrikes would be very helpful to clear out some areas."

The YPG are fighting multiple fronts on a constant basis. Sometimes they are in cities and towns, sometimes in open countryside. But they are holding on and sometimes doing better than that.

And, as they say, they will do that to the death if necessary.

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US Airdrops Weapons For Kurds Fighting IS

The US has airdropped weapons and supplies for Kurdish forces fighting Islamic State (IS) near the Syrian town of Kobani.

A statement from US Central Command said Air Force C-130 planes "delivered weapons, ammunition and medical supplies that were provided by Kurdish authorities in Iraq and intended to enable continued resistance against ISIL's (IS) attempts to overtake Kobani."

Multiple airdrops were completed near the town, which is close to the border with Turkey.

The statement said 135 US airstrikes near Kobani - combined with continued resistance on the ground - had slowed IS advances and killed hundreds of its fighters.

"However, the security situation in Kobani remains fragile as ISIL continues to threaten the city and Kurdish forces continue to resist," the statement added.

Video: Stuart Ramsay With 'Rag Tag' Army

An unnamed official said that while the results of the mission were still being assessed, it appeared "the vast majority" of the 27 bundles reached the intended Kurdish fighters.

The Kurds have been under IS assault for more than a month - and US Commander General Lloyd Austin has warned that the city could fall.

However, airdrops are likely to anger key ally Turkey, which has said it would oppose the US helping to arm Kurdish rebels.

Ankara views the main Kurdish group in Syria as an extension of the Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK), an organisation that has waged a 30-year insurgency in Turkey.

1/11

1. Gallery: The Kurdish Refugees Of Kobani

   A Kurdish refugee woman and her child from the Syrian town of Kobani rest in front of their family tent in a camp in the southeastern town of Suruc, Turkey

2. The United States is bombing targets in Kobani to relieve the defenders of the Syrian town and give them time to organise against Islamic State militants, a senior US official said

3. A Kurdish refugee from the Syrian town of Kobani sweeps a passage in the camp

4. A child looks out of a tent

5. Kurdish people watch smoke billowing from Kobani as they gather on a hill overlooking the Syrian town of Kobani

6. A child walks through the camp in Suruc

7. A Turkish aid worker distributes food to Kurdish refugees

8. Kurdish refugees from the Syrian town of Kobani queue to get food

9. Smoke rises from the Syrian town of Kobani

10. Kurdish people shout slogans while standing upon a hill opposite the Syrian town of Kobani

11. The graves of Kurdish people killed fighting alongside People's Protection Units (YPG) against IS jihadists in Kobani

The PKK is designated a terror group by the US and NATO.

Turkey has resisted pressure from the West to take a more direct role in fighting IS in Kobani but in an earlier call with Barack Obama, President Recep Tayyip Erdogan agreed to "strengthen cooperation".

:: Sky's Stuart Ramsey joined the forgotten Kurds who have held off IS for more than two years with homemade weapons and armoured cars.

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Hong Kong Clashes As Protesters Fight Back

Dozens of people have been injured in new clashes in Hong Kong as pro-democracy campaigners took back an area that was cleared by police less than 24 hours earlier.

Riot officers used batons and pepper spray against protesters who pushed against police lines and shielded themselves with umbrellas.

Officers were eventually forced to retreat during violent scuffles with the crowd which numbered around 9,000.

Demonstrator Peter Yuen said: "The police have lost control of the situation. They've lost their minds. We've come here peacefully, to peacefully protest for our future."

Activists rushed to reoccupy their protest camp and rebuild makeshift barricades from packing crates and fences in an area of the Mong Kok district which police had opened to traffic just hours before.

Protesters push over barricades

At least 33 people were reportedly arrested in the skirmishes, while 18 officers were among the injured.

The protests, calling for fully free elections and the resignation of the territory's leader, Leung Chun-ying, have been going on for three weeks.

Video: Police Accused Of Protest Brutality

It was the third consecutive night violence had broken out after a fortnight which has been relatively quiet. The first week saw major clashes.

The latest came just hours after Mr Leung offered talks with student leaders next week in an attempt to defuse the protests.

His chief secretary, Carrie Lam, later announced discussions would take place for two hours on Tuesday.

Video: Dozens Held After Hong Kong Clashes

The Mong Kok area was calm later on Saturday with the number of protesters much smaller as activists rested. Police stood away from the barricades.

During the demonstrations, protesters have held sit-ins at three major intersections causing significant disruption to the city.

China has insisted that whoever stands to replace Mr Leung in elections in 2017 must be vetted by a committee that is expected to be loyal to Beijing.

Video: HK Protest Barriers Dismantled

But the protesters have dismissed the proposal as "fake democracy".

Hong Kong police commissioner Andy Tsang said his force had been tolerant since the rallies began in the hope that demonstrators would "calm down".

"Unfortunately these protesters chose to carry on with their unlawful acts, including acts which are even more radical and more violent," Mr Tsang said.

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Nigerian Schoolgirls Could Be Free Within Days

Nigeria hopes 219 schoolgirls kidnapped by Islamist group Boko Haram will be freed by Tuesday, according to a government source.

Authorities earlier said they had agreed a ceasefire with the militant group to make the release possible.

"I can confirm the Federal Government is working hard to meet its own part of the agreement so that the release of the abductees can by effected either on Monday or latest by Tuesday next week," the source said.

The girls were kidnapped from a school in Chibok in April

But Bana Lawan, chairman of Chibok Local Government Area urged caution and said: "We don't know how true it is until we prove it. We will know the negotiations were successful when we see the girls physically.

"Then we will know it is true. And then we will celebrate."

Community leader Pogu Bitrus said: "People rejoiced, but with caution."

Both men said residents have been disappointed too many times in the past by reports of progress by Nigeria's government and military that later proved to be false.

And this caution seemed well-founded with suspected Boko Haram militants carrying out two deadly attacks on Nigerian villages after the announcement of the ceasefire.

On Friday, French President Francois Hollande had told a news conference in Paris that the girls' release "could happen in the coming hours and days".

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1. Gallery: Profile: Boko Haram Leader

   Abubakar Shekau is the leader of Boko Haram. He took control of the Islamist group after the death of founder Mohammed Yusuf in 2009.

2. Little is known about him, although he was born in Shekau village in the northeastern state of Yobe and is now thought to be in his early 40s.

3. Shekau is Nigeria's most-wanted man and was designated a terrorist by the U.S. government in 2012. A reward of $7m (£4.6m) and 50m Nigerian naira (£182,000) has been issued for information leading to his location.

4. Shekau is also known as "Darul Tawheed", a reference to his knowledge of an orthodox doctrine of Islam centred on the oneness of Allah.

5. Nigerian authorities thought he had been killed in 2009 during clashes with security forces, but he reappeared in a video in 2010 to claim leadership of Boko Haram.

6. Shekau is believed to have been behind the August 2011 bombing of the UN compound in the capital Abuja, which killed at least 21 people.

7. In a video released after the abduction of 276 girls from a boarding school in the village of Chibok on April 14, he described the youngsters as "slaves" and threatened to "sell them in the market".

France had been involved in negotiations that led to the release of several of its citizens kidnapped by Boko Haram in Cameroon.

Boko Haram (their name means 'education is sinful') kidnapped the 276 girls at gunpoint from a school in Chibok, northeastern Nigeria, on April 14.

Some of the girls managed to escape in the aftermath of their kidnap or during fighting among militants, but 219 are still unaccounted for.

The group has demanded the release of detained extremists in exchange for the girls.

Video: Nigeria 'Optimistic' Over Girls

Sky's Special Correspondent Alex Crawford said Boko Haram had "assured Nigerian authorities that the Chibok schoolgirls are well and safe".

The country's leader, Goodluck Jonathan, has faced strong criticism over a deteriorating security situation in Nigeria, with areas in the northeast Borno state inaccessible due to the threat from Boko Haram.

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