Islamic state militants
In Iraq, academics restock Mosul's barren bookshelves
To track down the books, he has had to travel 400 kilometres south to Baghdad, and even a further 600 kilometres to Basra.
Incumbent Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi is considered by analysts to be marginally ahead but victory is far from certain.
In a gruesome report, UN investigators found that Islamic State militants had executed women and girls by stoning for alleged adultery, forced girls into marriage, and persecuted homosexual men.
The forces fighting Islamic State in Iraq and Syria now expect a new phase of guerrilla warfare.
The Syrian Democratic Forces have been battling since June to oust Islamic State from Raqqa, a base that it had used to plan attacks against the West.
Islamic State took over Sirte in early 2015, turning it into its most important base outside the Middle East and attracting large numbers of foreign fighters to the city.
Egypt faces an Islamist insurgency led by the Islamic State group in the Sinai Peninsula, where hundreds of soldiers and police have been killed since 2013.
Islamic State’s defeat in Mosul three years after taking the city is a major blow for the hard-line Sunni Islamist group.
Without Mosul, by far the largest city to fall under militant control, Islamic State’s dominion in Iraq will be reduced to mainly rural.
Iraqi authorities expect the long battle for Mosul to end in the coming days as the remaining IS fighters are bottled up in just a handful of neighbourhoods of the Old City.
Taking the Grand al-Nuri Mosque hands a symbolic victory to the Iraqi forces which have been battling for more than eight month to capture Mosul.
The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights says at least 42 people were killed, identifying them as prisoners of Islamic State.
Iranian Foreign Minister Javad Zarif tweeted: “Terror-sponsoring despots threaten to bring the fight to our homeland.
A gunman burst into the Resorts World Manila entertainment complex, firing shots, setting gaming tables alight and killing at least 36 people.
Meet the Jordanian comic-book author who is giving young people the role models they lack.
The troop is based at this airfield about 60 kms south of Mosul, as is a rocket battery which fires into west Mosul.
Clooney said the Iraqi government needs to send a letter formally requesting the inquiry before the 15-member council can vote.
Army engineers plan to rehabilitate the bridge to allow troops to bring in reinforcements and supplies directly from the eastern side.
Up to 400,000 civilians could be displaced by the offensive as residents of western Mosul suffer food and fuel shortages.