Obama approves more troops in Iraq
WASHINGTON – President Barack Obama authorized a broad expansion on Friday of the U.S. military mission in Iraq that will boost the total number of American troops there to about 3,100 and spread advisory teams and trainers to the north and west where fighting with Islamic State militants has been fierce.
The president’s decision to escalate the U.S. effort in Iraq comes just three days after a bruising American election and amid persistent arguments that more U.S. troops are needed to bolster the struggling Iraqi forces. In particular, there have been calls to send troops to the western Anbar province, where extremists have been slaughtering men, women and children.
Obama authorized the Pentagon to send 1,500 troops to Iraq.
Saudi council backs letting women drive
RIYADH, Saudi Arabia – The Saudi king’s advisory council has recommended that the government lift its ban on female drivers – but only for women over 30, who must be off the road by 8 p.m. and cannot wear makeup behind the wheel, a member of the council told The Associated Press on Friday.
The Shura Council’s recommendations are not obligatory on the government. But simply making the recommendation was a startling shift.
Under the recommendations, only women over 30 would be allowed to drive and they would need permission from a male relative – usually a husband or father, but lacking those, a brother or son – to do so. They would be allowed to drive from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. on Saturday through Wednesday and noon to 8 p.m. on Thursday and Friday, the weekend in the kingdom.
Associated Press
