Johnson confident UK Parliament will back his Brexit deal
European Union leaders unanimously backed a new Brexit deal with Britain on Thursday, leaving Prime Minister Boris Johnson facing a battle to secure the UK parliament's backing for the agreement if he is to take Britain out of Europe on Oct 31.
Speaking after the EU's 27 other leaders had endorsed the deal without Johnson in the room, European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker declared himself pleased that an agreement had been reached but unhappy to see Britain go.
British and EU negotiators reached the agreement after successive days of late-night talks and nearly three years of heated discussions that have strained EU-UK ties at a time the bloc is facing a wave of euroscepticism, struggling to restart economic growth and take a stand against resurgent global powers China and Russia.
Johnson said he was confident that parliament, which will sit for an extraordinary session on Saturday to vote on the Brexit agreement, would approve the deal.
Pence announces ceasefire deal with Turkey to end Syria offensive
US Vice-President Mike Pence said on Thursday he had reached a deal with Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan for a ceasefire in northern Syria to end an eight-day-old Turkish offensive against Kurdish-led forces.
Speaking after crisis talks with Erdogan in Ankara, Pence said that under the deal all military operations would be paused to allow a pullback of Kurdish YPG militia over a 120-hour period.
The Turkish military operation would end once that withdrawal was complete, Pence told a news conference.
Trump to host G-7 at his Miami resort, fuelling conflict claims
US President Donald Trump's Doral golf resort in Miami will be the site of next year's Group of Seven (G-7) summit, the White House said on Thursday, a decision that will reignite claims he's violating a constitutional prohibition against profiting from the presidency.
The announcement by Acting Chief of Staff Mick Mulvaney came as the president is facing an impeachment inquiry in the House.
He said the president "will not be profiting here" and that Doral will be much less expensive than alternatives.
Thousands to run marathon in badly polluted New Delhi
Tens of thousands of runners have signed up for the Indian capital's half marathon and other races on Sunday, officials said, despite the air quality hitting dangerous levels in one of the most heavily polluted cities in the world.
New Delhi's air quality index was around 300 on Thursday, classified as very poor and meaning prolonged exposure can cause respiratory illness.
Race organisers said pollution was a worry but they would take steps to reduce the impact on runners. Hours ahead of and throughout the race, the course will be sprayed with water.
Racists must be 'kicked out' of stadiums, says Fifa boss
Racists must be "kicked out" of stadiums, Fifa president Gianni Infantino said on Thursday, as he pressed for a worldwide ban on spectators who abuse black footballers.
Speaking days after England's Euro 2020 qualifier in Bulgaria was twice stopped because of chants targeting English players, he insisted the world body would punish racism.
"If there are racists that abuse footballers, we have to stop the game," he told a press conference on a visit to Dhaka.
