Newly outraged by the beheading of yet another Western hostage, diplomats from around the world are in Paris pressing for a coherent global strategy to combat extremists from the Islamic State group.

Iraq is facing a fierce political power struggle even as the country battles extremists in the north and west, after its president went over the head of incumbent prime minister Nouri Maliki and picked another politician to form a new government.

Iraq’s president snubbed incumbent Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki and picked another politician to form the next government yesterday, setting up a fierce political power struggle even as the country battles extremists in the north and west.

Iraq’s government has plunged into a political crisis at a time it is fighting advances by Islamic State militants.

Iraq’s new parliament convened today, more than three months after inconclusive national elections left the country in political limbo.