Forces 'on the cusp' of taking last major Islamic State stronghold in Iraq

Iraqi government forces backed by the US-led coalition are "on the cusp" of taking Islamic State's (IS) last major stronghold in the country, Britain's Defence Secretary Michael Fallon has said.

Mr Fallon, who has returned from a three-day visit to Iraq where he met senior government figures, said the operation to take the city of Mosul would begin "in the next few weeks".