British and European negotiators return to intense negotiations on a draft Brexit deal Wednesday after late-night talks brought them closer but failed to confirm an elusive breakthrough.
Reports that Britain has softened its stance on the customs status of Northern Ireland in order to clinch an accord at this week's European summit had raised hopes that a chaotic "no-deal Brexit" can be avoided and driven the pound higher.
But a marathon overnight negotiating session in the EU's Brussels headquarters brought them to the eve of the meeting with still some distance to go to agree the wording of a treaty to govern the terms of Britain's October 31 departure from the bloc.
"The teams worked into the night and continue to make progress. The teams will meet again this morning," a UK official said, describing the talks as "constructive".
He and EU officials said the teams would get back to work at around 9.00am (0700 GMT).
A senior European diplomat told AFP that the negotiators had begun to 

EU and UK close in on possible Brexit text

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Russian President Vladimir Putin discussed the conflict in Syria in a phone call with Recep Tayyip Erdogan and invited the Turkish leader to soon visit Russia, the Kremlin said.
Putin invited Erdogan "for a working visit in the coming days. The invitation was accepted," Putin's office said in a statement late Tuesday.
It said the two leaders emphasised "the need to prevent confrontations between units of the Turkish army and Syrian armed forces".
The call was initiated by Turkey, the Kremlin said.
Putin raised concerns in the call about "terrorists attempting to break free and infiltrate neighbouring countries" amid Ankara's offensive against Kurdish-held areas of northern Syria.

Putin invites Erdogan to Russia amid Syria offensive: Kremlin

President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador defended his strategy Tuesday for fighting the violent crime wracking Mexico, as relatives mourned 13 police officers killed in an ambush claimed by a powerful drug cartel, while a separate shootout left 15 dead.
Relatives of the 13 slain police officers killed on Monday sobbed over their coffins at a shared funeral service in the Michoacan state capital, Morelia, some holding their now-fatherless babies over the dark brown caskets.
Meanwhile on Tuesday, 14 civilians and a soldier were killed in the southern state of Guerrero after a group of armed civilians attacked security forces, state security spokesman Roberto Alvarez told AFP.
The shootout in the southern state where drug gangs violently defend trafficking routes began when an anonymous caller told authorities that an armed group was present in the Tepochica community of the Iguala municipality, the spokesperson said.
The two days of violence, and in particular the brazen Monday attack on a 

Mexico leader defends security plan as 28 killed in attacks in two days

At least two police officers were killed and about 20 children wounded when a truck bomb detonated near a police station in eastern Afghanistan on Wednesday, officials said.
According to Asadullah Daulatzai, the spokesman for the governor of Laghman province, the bomb outside a police headquarters building also partially destroyed a nearby madrassa, or religious school.
"The students were wounded by flying glass," he said, noting that "about 20" students were hurt.
Six police officers were also wounded.
The interior ministry confirmed the toll and blamed the attack on the Taliban.
The insurgent group did not immediately comment.  Afghanistan is currently awaiting results of the first round of presidential voting, which took place last month.
Polling was marred by several small-scale attacks claimed by the Taliban, who worked to disrupt the democratic process.

Two police killed, 20 children wounded in Afghan blast

The US PGA Tour kicks off its new-look Asian Swing in South Korea on Thursday with the world's top golfers lured by megabucks in three tournaments with no cuts.
This week's $9.75 million CJ Cup, where four-time major winner and world number one Brooks Koepka is defending champion, will be followed by the Tour's first foray into Japan at the Zozo Championship next week with an identical purse on offer.
The swing concludes at the WGC-HSBC Champions in Shanghai, which has seen its prize fund beefed up to $10.25 million, and the tournaments are a chance to rack up Fedex Cup points early in the season.
Koepka will be joined at Nine Bridges on picturesque Jeju Island by drawcards such Phil Mickelson, Jordan Spieth and Sergio Garcia who are all making their debut at the event, first held in 2017.
Fellow major champions Justin Thomas, the 2017 winner here, Jason Day, Patrick Reed, Graeme McDowell, Danny Willett and Gary Woodland are also among the world-class cast lifting the curtain on the ..

Koepka leads big guns rolling in for PGA Tour's Asian riches

Australian cricketer Shane Watson has apologised to fans after his social media accounts were flooded with "illicit" photographs of half-naked women and racist comments, seemingly the work of hackers.
The all-rounder, who plays for Chennai Super Kings in the Indian Premier League, said in social media posts late Tuesday that both his Twitter and Instagram pages had been hacked in recent days.
Screenshots published by British tabloid The Sun showed revealing images of women in underwear posted on his personal Instagram account.
The West Australian reported that a hacker also posted racial slurs and fat-shaming comments to his Twitter account last week.
The 38-year-old, who has more than two million followers across the two platforms, apologised to his followers for the posts.
"My apologies to everyone for the illicit photos that have been posted on my Instagram account," he tweeted.
"First my Twitter account on Friday got hacked and now Instagram today." He also recorded a separate ...

Aussie cricketer Watson apologies for 'illicit' social media posts

Canada defeated the United States for the first time in 34 years Tuesday after goals from Alphonso Davies and Lucas Cavallini delivered a stunning CONCACAF Nations League upset.
Bayern Munich teenager Davies pounced in the 63rd minute before Cavallini blasted home deep into stoppage time to seal a deserved 2-0 victory for the Canadians, who had not beaten the US since 1985.
The result deepens the gloom surrounding the United States national team, which has been in a protracted slump since its shock failure to qualify for the 2018 World Cup.
The questions will now pile up for US coach Gregg Berhalter, who has struggled to build a coherent squad and tactics since taking over at the start of the year.
The Americans were second best all over the pitch on Tuesday at Toronto FC's BMO Field against a Canadian side who looked sharper from the outset.
The miserable US performance was embodied by the form of Chelsea's Christian Pulisic.
Pulisic, who is struggling to make an impression in the ...

Canada stun US with first win in 34 years

Real Madrid face an anxious wait to see if Luka Modric and Gareth Bale will be fit for next week's Clasico against Barcelona after both players missed training on Tuesday.
Modric and Bale each did gym work indoors as they attempted to recover from injuries sustained playing in the Euro 2020 qualifier between Croatia and Wales on Sunday.
It leaves Madrid uncertain over the fitness of two key players, with the crunch La Liga game against Barca at Camp Nou fast-approaching on October 26.
Wales coach Ryan Giggs said Bale was struggling with pain in his calf towards the end of their draw with Croatia in Cardiff but suggested the problem was cramp.
Madrid confirmed on Tuesday that Modric sustained a thigh injury in the match.
"Following the tests carried out today on our player Luka Modric by the Real Madrid medical department, he has been diagnosed with a bruise in his right quadriceps," a club statement read.
"His recovery will continue to be assessed." Real Madrid, who sit top of La ...

Clasico concerns for Madrid as Modric and Bale sit out training

Andrea Belotti scored a second-half brace as already-qualified Italy overran Liechtenstein 5-0 on Tuesday to stretch their perfect run in Euro 2020 qualifying to eight games and match an 80-year Italian record.
Roberto Mancini's side were assured of top spot in Group J after a 2-0 win over Greece in Rome on Saturday.
Federico Bernardeschi gave Italy the lead after just two minutes in Vaduz but it was not until the last 20 minutes that the 'Azzurri' hammered home their domination with four late goals.
Belotti headed in twice for a second-half brace with Alessio Romagnoli and substitute Stephan El Shaarawy also scoring near the end.
Mancini celebrated his ninth win in a row as Italy manager to draw level with the record run of legendary Vittorio Pozzo back in 1938-1939.
Pozzo won the first two of Italy's four World Cup titles in 1934 and 1938 and gold in the 1936 Berlin Olympics "I'm more interested in his record of two World Cups and the Olympics, but even just winning Euro 2020 would .

Italy hammer Liechtenstein for perfect Euro 2020 run and record

Rodrigo Moreno fired Spain into Euro 2020 with a last-gasp equaliser in Sweden while the Republic of Ireland's chances of reaching the finals are still in the balance after they fell 2-0 in Switzerland.
Spain became the sixth team to qualify for next summer's tournament thanks to Rodrigo, who came off the bench to score a dramatic injury-time leveller in a 1-1 draw in Stockholm, sparking wild celebrations on the touchline.
"Qualification is a must for a team like Spain but achieving it still has value," said Moreno.
"It releases the pressure and gives us time to work."
Robert Moreno's side are top of Group F on 20 points after drawing their last two matches. They are five ahead of Sweden and six above Romania, who missed the chance to take second spot when Norway's Alexander Sorloth snatched a late 1-1 draw in Bucharest.
However it was a far from vintage display from Spain, who started brightly but faded as the match wore on against the lively hosts, who were distraught after missing .

Spain make Euro 2020 with late Sweden draw, beaten Ireland forced to wait

Spain sealed qualification for Euro 2020 with two games to spare on Tuesday after Rodrigo Moreno came off the bench to score a dramatic injury-time equaliser in a 1-1 draw with Sweden.
The 2008 and 2012 European champions needed only a point in Stockholm to guarantee automatic progress to the finals. Rodrigo ensured they got it, after Marcus Berg had headed Sweden into the lead early in the first half.
Rodrigo's 92nd-minute tap-in sparked jubilant celebrations on the touchline. It provided a dramatic conclusion to an otherwise fairly smooth campaign for Robert Moreno, who took over in June following the resignation of Luis Enrique.
"Qualification is a must for a team like Spain but achieving it still has value," said Moreno.
"It releases the pressure and gives us time to work." After drawing their last two matches, Spain are top of Group F on 20 points, five ahead of Sweden and six above Romania, who missed the chance to take second spot when Norway's Alexander Sorloth snatched a ...

Rodrigo fires Spain into Euro 2020 with late leveller at Sweden

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan dismissed a US proposal to broker a ceasefire in northern Syria and said he was not worried over US sanctions, in comments published in Turkish media Wednesday.
He also said the Syrian army's entry into the flashpoint northern Syrian city of Manbij was not a "very negative" development for his country as long as the region is cleared of Syrian Kurdish fighters.
"They tell us 'to declare a ceasefire'. We can never declare a ceasefire," Erdogan told journalists on a flight back from Azerbaijan, in comments published by the Hurriyet daily.
US Vice President Mike Pence and Secretary of State Mike Pompeo will travel Wednesday to Ankara to press Turkey to halt its offensive against Syrian Kurdish fighters, President Donald Trump said Tuesday.
Pence's office released a separate statement adding that he would "voice the United States' commitment to reach an immediate ceasefire and the conditions for a negotiated settlement." "It is not possible for us to 

Erdogan says Turkey 'can never declare ceasefire' in north Syria

Donald Trump's personal lawyer Rudy Giuliani on Tuesday brushed off a subpoena from the congressional impeachment investigation, ratcheting up tensions as Democrats build evidence of presidential abuse of office.
Giuliani declared the inquiry "illegitimate" and "unconstitutional," risking being declared in contempt of the Congress as he refused to turn over documents demanded by three Democrat-led committees.
US media said the Office of Management and Budget had also decided not to meet Tuesday's deadline for turning over documents which Democrats believe will help show Trump held back US aid to Ukraine as he demanded Kiev open a corruption probe into his political rival Joe Biden.
It was not clear whether the Pentagon would hand over documents in response to a subpoena, or if Vice President Mike Pence would meet a request from the committees for related documents from his office.
But momentum appeared to build toward a showdown between the White House and Congress over their ...

Trump's lawyer dismisses impeachment subpoena

French police fired teargas and water cannons at thousands of firefighters protesting in central Paris on Tuesday over a lack of resources and professional recognition.
The demonstration started off noisily but peacefully, with whistles, smoke and sirens, before the situation got heated and firefighters scuffled with police as they attempted to block a main road.
The police resorted to firing teargas and water cannon at their fellow emergency services professionals.
Dozens more protesters assembled outside the parliament building, dispersing hours later after a stand-off with police Some brandished banners with slogans such as "Do more with less, welcome to the fire service", while others hit out at what they described as "political contempt" for their cause.
The interior ministry spoke of "isolated" incidents leading to six arrests and three police officers injured.
"Our numbers are falling, but we're overwhelmed by the number of call-outs. We're being asked to do everything, even ...

French police fire targas, water cannons at protesting firefighters

US Vice President Mike Pence and Secretary of State Mike Pompeo will travel Wednesday to Ankara to press Turkey to halt its offensive against Syrian Kurdish fighters, President Donald Trump said Tuesday.
"They are leaving tomorrow," Trump told reporters at the White House, a day after Pence announced the trip, without giving a timetable.
"We are asking for a ceasefire... We put the strongest sanctions that you can imagine."
Pence's office released a separate statement adding that he would "voice the United States' commitment to reach an immediate ceasefire and the conditions for a negotiated settlement." Pence is due to meet Turkish
President Recep Tayyip Erdogan on Thursday, the statement added, to reiterate Trump's commitment to "punishing economic sanctions" on Turkey until a resolution is reached.
The president's abrupt decision this month to withdraw US forces from northeast Syria left the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) at the mercy of Turkish troops and their Syrian .

Trump says Pompeo, Pence to head to Turkey on Wednesday

Russia said Thursday it was patrolling in areas along the "line of contact" between Syrian and Turkish forces, as the US-led coalition in Syria confirmed it had pulled its troops from the area.
Russia's defence ministry said the patrols were taking place after Syrian government troops took control of the city of Manbij.
"The Syrian government army has full control over the city of Manbij and nearby settlements," the ministry said in a statement.
"Russian military police continue to patrol the northwestern border area of Manbij district along the line of contact between the Syrian Arab Republic and Turkish armed forces," it said.
"Cooperation is organised with the Turkish side." A spokesman for the US-led coalition confirmed its forces had pulled out of the area.  "Coalition forces are executing a deliberate withdrawal from northeast Syria. We are out of Manbij," the spokesman said.
Syrian forces moved into the area as part of a deal that has seen regime troops deploy in several ...

Russian forces patrolling between Syrian, Turkish troops

The United States is not aware of any "major" escape of Islamic State extremists since Turkey launched its assault on Syrian Kurdish fighters holding the prisoners, an official said Tuesday.
"We haven't seen any major successful breakout so far of the detainees," the senior administration official told reporters on condition of anonymity.
However, the official said that anywhere between 50 and 150 wives and children of Islamic State prisoners had escaped in the chaos after Turkish forces attacked last week.  "We don't know where they went. That's one significant event there," the official said.  "But of course, we don't have the same ability to monitor this," he said, acknowledging the reduced capacity of the United States as it withdraws troops on orders of President Donald Trump.
The official's remarks appeared at odds with US Defense Secretary Mark Esper who, criticizing Turkey on Monday, said the incursion "resulted in the release of many dangerous ISIS detainees." Turkish ...

US: No 'major' breakout of Islamic State militants in Syria

Two candidates from two continents are in a tight race to become the next head the UN's nuclear watchdog, which is tasked with monitoring the implementation of the faltering Iran nuclear deal, a diplomat said Tuesday.
The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) is searching for a new chief following the death of its head, Yukiya Amano, in July.
Romanian diplomat Cornel Feruta, the organisation's acting director general since Amano's death, is running neck-to-neck with the Argentinian ambassador to the IAEA, Rafael Grossi, to replace Amano.
In an informal vote by the 35-member board of governors of the Vienna-based organisation, Feruta received 14 votes, while Grossi got 15 endorsements, the diplomat said.
A third candidate, Lassina Zerbo of Burkina Faso, got five votes. In total, 34 votes were cast.
Zerbo is the executive secretary of the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty Organization (CTBTO), also based in Vienna.
A fourth candidate, Marta Ziakova, head of the Slovak Nuclear ...

Two in tight race to lead UN nuclear watchdog

Britain and the EU were seen to be closing in on a detailed draft Brexit deal on Tuesday, although officials voiced scepticism it would be ready in time for a key European summit this week.
The pound jumped to its highest level in five months on cautious optimism voiced by both sides that an outline agreement could soon be struck.
However Irish Prime Minister Leo Varadkar, speaking in a Dublin media conference, warned that "the gap was still quite wide, particularly on the issue of customs" along the Irish border with Northern Ireland.
An EU official told AFP late Tuesday: "Talks are ongoing. I have no update right now." EU negotiator Michel Barnier said a text must be on the table by early Wednesday if it is to be put before leaders at the two-day EU summit starting Thursday.  A special sitting of the British parliament is scheduled for Saturday.
If the early-Wednesday deadline is missed, officials said talks could always resume next week and a special summit be called just in time ..

EU, UK seen closing in on 'possible' Brexit text

Britain and Spain joined other major powers Tuesday in suspending military exports to Turkey following its incursion into northeastern Syria.
Britain is carrying out  a review of arms sales to its NATO ally, its chief diplomat said.
"We will keep our defence exports to Turkey under very careful and continual review," Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab said in a statement to parliament.
"No further export licences to Turkey for items which might be used in military operations in Syria will be granted while we conduct that review." Spain, a major arms exporter to Turkey, similarly announced a halt to sales of military material.  Spain's Socialist government asked Turkey to "put an end to this military operation", saying it "endangered regional stability", increased the number of refugees and threatened Syria's territorial integrity.
"In coordination with its European Union partners, Spain will deny new export licences for military equipment that can be used in the operation in Syria," a ...

UK, Spain suspend arms exports to Turkey over Syria offensive

France's lower house of parliament approved Tuesday a sweeping bioethics bill to give single women and lesbians access to fertility treatments, a move which critics vowed to fight as the legislation moves to the Senate.
National Assembly lawmakers voted 359 to 114, with 72 abstentions, in favour of the first major social reform of President Emmanuel Macron's term.
Macron pledged during his 2017 election campaign to support the bill despite deep resistance among rightwing opponents as well as conservative Roman Catholics and other religious groups.
"These measures, while respecting our ethical principles, recognise the family in all its diversity," France's health, justice and research ministers said in a joint statement after the vote.
But the text now heads in January to the Senate, where Macron's centrist party is far outnumbered by the rightwing Republicans.
Tuesday's vote "does not in any way mean this is done," said Ludovine de la Rochere, president of the Protest for Everyone ...

AFP

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