Jerusalem: Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu Thursday became the first world leader to congratulate his counterpart Narendra Modi for scripting an "impressive victory" in the general elections and vowed to strengthen their "great friendship" as well as bilateral ties.

Paris (France): An attempt was made to break-in into a facility of the Indian Air Force Rafale Project Management Team in a suburb of Paris in France on Sunday night, sources said.

 Jokha Alharthi has become the first Arabic author to win the Man Booker International prize for her novel "Celestial Bodies" which reveals her Omani homeland's post-colonial transformation.

Pakistan on Monday appointed career diplomat Mueenul Haq as the High Commissioner to India. Prime Minister Imran Khan on Monday approved appointments of over two dozen ambassadors in various countries including India, China and Japan.

US officials have issued a 90-day reprieve on their ban on dealing with Chinese tech giant Huawei, saying breathing space was needed to avoid huge disruption.

 Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison could form a majority government as the ruling conservative coalition was on course to win some more seats in the election which defied exit polls to deliver a shock defeat to the opposition Labor Party, forcing its leader Bill Shorten to resign.

A riot at a prison in Tajikistan has left 32 people dead, including 24 members of the Islamic State group and three guards, authorities said Monday.

Four Americans and a Canadian pilot were killed when a small plane went down off the coast of Roatan island in Honduras, officials said Sunday.