WORLD

Riyadh, Saudi Arabia | AFP |  Saudi Arabia’s Shura Council, which advises the cabinet, has turned down a proposal to study the issue of women’s driving, a Shura member told AFP on Wednesday. The kingdom has some of the world’s tightest restrictions on women, and is the only country where …

New Delhi, India | AFP |  Millions of tablets of a recreational drug with an estimated street value of nearly $450 million have been seized and a Bollywood film producer has been arrested in western India, officials said Wednesday. More than 20 million tablets of the banned drug Mandrax were …

Doha, Qatar | AFP | Qatar’s emir said Tuesday that the super-rich Gulf state must tackle its “culture of consumption” as it deals with the sharp decline in world energy prices. In a speech to mark the opening session of Qatar’s Advisory Council, Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al-Thani also called …

Ankara, Turkey | AFP | The Turkish military has deployed tanks and artillery to southeastern districts near the Iraqi border, military sources said Tuesday. The 30-vehicle convoy left Ankara for Silopi, the sources told AFP, adding that it was now close to Adana province in southern Turkey. The deployment came …

Bartalla, Iraq | AFP | Iraqi forces fought their way into jihadist-held Mosul on Tuesday, the military said, as a top commander declared the “true liberation” of the city from the Islamic State group had begun. Just over two weeks into the massive offensive to retake Mosul — IS’s last …

Washington, United States | AFP | An explosive new poll showed Donald Trump leading the race for the White House Tuesday, amid an avalanche of revelations and allegations a week before Election Day. An ABC News/Washington Post tracking poll showed the Republican leading his rival Hillary Clinton 46-45 percent, with …

Cincinnati, United States | AFP | Hillary Clinton tried to pivot away from attacks on her protection of US secrets Monday, warning against her White House rival Donald Trump being allowed control of US nuclear launch codes. In a barnstorming final push before the November 8 presidential vote, Trump has …

Washington, United States | AFP |  The White House on Monday opted for caution in reacting to FBI Director James Comey’s bombshell decision to announce further investigation of Hillary Clinton’s email days before the 2016 presidential election. Spokesman Josh Earnest said he would “neither defend nor criticize” Comey, who has …

Rome, Italy | AFP | Pope Francis flies to Sweden Monday on the latest leg of his mission to promote reconciliation and unity within the wider Christian family. The Argentine pontiff is due in the southern city of Lund for an ecumenical service marking the start of a year of …

Fort Lauderdale, United States | AFP | Hillary Clinton battled to contain renewed FBI focus on her emails Sunday as Donald Trump blitzed western states in the tightening race for the White House. Nine days before the vote, the 69-year-old former secretary of state hit the campaign trail hard in …