Iraq's premier expressed confidence on Friday that the country's struggling army is capable of retaking the city of Mosul from the Islamic State group.

Iran's foreign minister Javad Zarif said on Friday that a vote in US Congress for more sanctions against his country will kill a likely nuclear deal with the West.

Russian Deputy Prime Minister Igor Shuvalov, speaking at the World Economic Forum in Davos, on Friday warned the West against trying to topple President Vladimir Putin and said that Russians are ready to sacrifice their wealth in Mr Putin's support.