Iraqi forces thrust into Mosul airport on the southern edge of the jihadist stronghold for the first time since the Islamic State group overran the region in 2014.
Control of the base and airport would set government forces up to enter Mosul neighbourhoods on the west bank of the Tigris.
Hassan Ali Kheyre Named as New Prime Minister
Hassan Ali Kheyre, a former aid worker and oil executive, was named Prime Minister of Somalia by the country`s new President Mohamed Abdullahi Mohamed.
Kheyre is a close associate of former president Hassan Sheikh Mohamud and a member of the Hawiye clan.
The appointment must now be approved by parliament.
A stash of rare weapons including a notched bronze sword and a gold-decorated spearhead, which likely date back to between 1000 BC and 800 BC, have been discovered by archaeologists in Scotland.
Archaeologists discovered the remains of 12 Bronze Age buildings during the dig, as well as a much earlier Stone Age hall that probably dates back to the very beginnings of agriculture in Scotland.
Bharti Airtel, India`s top telecoms network operator, is buying Norwegian Telenor`s India unit, in yet another consolidation move in the country`s telecoms sector.
Bharti Airtel will buy Telenor (India) Communications Pvt Ltd, as part of which it will acquire the Norwegian company`s operations in six Indian states.
Bharti Airtel will not pay any cash under the deal but will instead take on the Telenor unit`s commitments to pay for licences and phone towers.
BEL Share Sale
The government's 5 per cent stake sale in Bharat Electronics Ltd (BEL) saw enthusiastic response from retail and institutional buyers, bringing Rs. 1,670 crore to the exchequer.
Overall, the government sold 1.11 crore shares through the OFS route at a floor price of Rs 1,498. "The issue has been over-subscribed by 260 per cent.
The Bharatiya Janata Party scored a resounding victory in Maharashtra civic polls by bagging eight of the ten municipalities and made giant strides in the Shiv Sena citadel of Mumbai, where it won 82 seats in the fiercely fought Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC).
Air Defence Missile Deal with Israel
Prime Minister Narendra Modi has given the green light to purchase an air defence missile system from Israel as part of a plan to protect India from enemy aircraft.
India will acquire the Medium Range Surface to Air Defence Missile (MR-SAM) system from Israel at a cost of Rs. 17,000 crore.
The delivery of the first system for the Army units will begin in 72 months of the signing of the contract.