Ambassador of UK to Qatar Ajay Sharma has stressed that the two countries enjoy strong and historic relations.

His Highness The Amir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad al-Thani will open the IAAF World Athletics Championships Doha 2019 at the Corniche on Friday night.

"The relationship that we have between the UK and Qatar is historic, deep and important. We in the UK are entering a new period in our history as we leave the European Union.

Turkey on Thursday welcomed an Iraqi parliament move to reject a referendum on Kurdish independence.

After eight months of grinding urban warfare, Iraqi government troops on Thursday captured the ruined mosque in Mosul from where Islamic State proclaimed its self-styled caliphate three years ago, the Iraqi military said.