The Hangover News

The US Versus IS
THE US BEGAN BOMBING ISLAMIC STATE MILITANTS IN IRAQ
They were trying to quell the militants' offensive against the Yazidi ethnic minority

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On Friday, the US began targeting IS militants with airstrikes from its drones and planes.

An attack on Saturday was in response to reports that fighters were indiscriminately firing upon members of the Yazidi ethnic group stranded in Iraq's Sinjar mountains.

The Yazidis are a religious and ethnic minority who live primarily in northern Iraq; IS has targeted them – as well as Iraqi Christians – for being non-Muslim. Following the US strikes, around 20,000 Yazidis were reportedly able to make their escape to Syria.

Iraq’s minister for human rights has claimed that 500 Yazidi civilians had been killed so far, and that some had been buried alive.

Before further incursions on Sunday, President Obama said that the US military could not bring peace to Iraq, but that the air strikes were “part of a long-term project”.

More Western Interventionist News
FRANCE STARTED BOMBING ISLAMISTS IN NORTHERN MALI, AGAIN
They want to stop jihadi groups operating in the vast region between Mauritania and Sudan

Two French Air Force Rafale fighter jets operating over Mali (Photo via)

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French forces bombed an area to the west of Timbuktu where, according to the UN, al-Qaeda militants are active.

Last month, the French said they were setting up a military operation in the vast Sahel region of north Africa – an area running from Mauritania in the west to Sudan in the east – to prevent jihadist groups from operating.

France first intervened in Mali in January of 2013, attempting to drive al-Qaeda militants from the country.

Deadly Viruses
LIBERIA'S HEALTH SYSTEM IS FALTERING UNDER THE EBOLA OUTBREAK
The charity MSF said that Liberia’s health system is "falling apart"

Bush meat, the suspected cause of the recent Ebola outbreak (Photo via)

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The charity Medecins Sans Frontieres has claimed that the five largest hospitals in Liberia’s capital Monrovia have been closed for more than a week, and that some hospitals have been completely abandoned by their staff.

The Ebola outbreak, which is centred in Liberia, Sierra Leone and Guinea, has claimed nearly 1,000 lives, and a further 1,800 have been infected.

The World Health Organisation declared on Friday that the outbreak was a global health emergency, and on Saturday demonstrators in Liberia protested against the government, accusing them of not collecting a number of the victims' bodies.

Guinea closed its borders with Sierra Leone and Liberia on Saturday in an attempt to halt the spread of the outbreak.

Gay Rights
UGANDA HELD ITS FIRST GAY PRIDE RALLY IN A LONG TIME
Following some very good news for the LGBT community

A previous Ugandan gay pride rally (Photo by Rachel Adams)

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Ugandans partied on the shores of Lake Victoria on Saturday, celebrating the overturning of a law that punished homosexuality with life imprisonment.

The law was overturned by Uganda’s supreme court on the 1st of August, six months after it took effect – though the government has appealed the decision.

Despite the relative victory, homosexuality is still illegal in Uganda and is punishable with a jail sentence.

BoJo Fo the Top Spot
THE PUBLIC WANT BORIS JOHNSON TO BE THE NEW TORY LEADER
That includes both party supporters and your run-of-the-mill civilians 

(Photo via)

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A poll found the Mayor of London to be the favourite for Conservative party leadership when David Cameron steps down.

A YouGov survey found that 34 percent of the general public want Boris Johnson to take over the party; that number rose to 50 percent when only Tory backers were polled.

Johnson announced last week that he intends to run for MP at the next general election, and considering another MP has claimed the Mayor "doesn't want to serve under Cameron", the pollsters may well end up seeing their votes materialise IRL.

Sore Losers
A BURGLARY SUSPECT BEAT COPS AT A DOUGHNUT-EATING CONTEST
And was arrested shortly after

(Photo via)

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A burglary suspect beat police at a doughnut-eating contest during an anti-crime event.

Bradley Hardison, 24 – who sank eight doughnuts in two minutes – was arrested the day after the event in North Carolina.

The alleged offences – break-ins at local businesses – took place nine months ago.

Sheriff Max Robeson, who arrested Hardison, said that he congratulated him on his win before cuffing and charging him with two counts of breaking and entering, and misdemeanour injury to real property.