Washington, Dhu-AlHijjah 23, 1436, Oct 7, 2015, SPA -- The United States is to release about 6,000 inmates from federal prisons in a bid to reduce overcrowding and free those who received longer sentences for past drug offences, a move welcomed Wednesday by UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon, dpa reported. The mass release, described in US media reports as one of the biggest ever, is due to take place between October 30 and November 2, and comes after the US Sentencing Commission advised a reduction in the sentences for future drug offenders, The New York Times reported Tuesday. -- SPA 22:21 LOCAL TIME 19:21 GMT www.spa.gov.sa/w