London, United Kingdom | AFP | Campaigners in London sent a rallying cry to Americans on Thursday to get out and vote in the forthcoming presidential election and avoid getting “Brexited”. Dressed in hard hats and high-visibility vests to symbolise danger, activists gathered outside the British parliament to issue a …
Read More »Vatican to open its doors to 1,000 prisoners
Vatican City, Holy See | AFP | One thousand prisoners — including some lifers — will take part in a special event at the Vatican this weekend, along with 3,000 family members, prison staff and volunteers. The prisoners from 12 countries will have the opportunity on Saturday to confess and …
Read More »A high-stakes ‘ground game’ in last days before US vote
Miami, United States | AFP | It’s the final week of the US presidential race and most of the desks are empty at the Donald Trump campaign office in Miami. Star-spangled Mylar balloons pucker in mid-air over rows of unmanned phones. Just a few people huddle at a table in …
Read More »Two US police officers killed in Iowa ‘ambush’
Chicago, United States | AFP | Police quickly apprehended a 46-year-old white male in the shooting death of two police officers who were “ambushed” in separate attacks in the US state of Iowa early Wednesday, authorities said. Scott Michael Greene from Urbandale — a suburb of state capital Des Moines …
Read More »You love me? Vote for her! Obama hits frontline for Clinton
Washington, United States | AFP | How do you gift your popularity to someone else? As Barack Obama rolls up his sleeves to ensure Hillary Clinton succeeds him in the White House, his argument increasingly boils down to a simple message: Do it for me. With approval ratings almost unheard …
Read More »Saudi advisory council rejects study of women driving
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 …
Read More »Party drugs haul worth $450 mn seized in India, Bollywood producer held
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 …
Read More »Qatar must tackle ‘culture of consumption’, says emir
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 …
Read More »Turkey deploys tanks, artillery near Iraq border
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 …
Read More »Iraq forces fight way into Mosul
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 …
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