Russian&nbsp;hackers&nbsp;piggy-backed on an&nbsp;Iranian&nbsp;cyber-espionage&nbsp;operation&nbsp;to attack government and industry organizations in dozens of countries while masquerading as attackers from the Islamic Republic, British and US&nbsp;officials&nbsp;said on Monday.

The&nbsp;Russian&nbsp;group, known as "Turla" and accused by Estonian and Czech authorities of operating on behalf of Russia's FSB security service, has used&nbsp;Iranian&nbsp;tools and computer infrastructure to successfully hack into organizations in at least 20 different countries over the last 18 months, British security&nbsp;officials&nbsp;said.

The&nbsp;hacking&nbsp;campaign, the extent of which has not been previously revealed, was most active in the Middle East but also targeted organizations in Britain, they said.

Paul Chichester, a senior official at Britain's GCHQ intelligence agency, said the&nbsp;operation&nbsp;shows state-backed&nbsp;hackers&nbsp;are working in a "very crowded space" and developing new attacks and methods to better cover their tracks.

In a statement accompanying a joint advisory with the US&nbsp;National Security Agency (NSA), GCHQ's National Cyber Security Centre said it wanted to raise industry awareness about the activity and make attacks more difficult for its adversaries.

"We want to send a clear message that even when cyber actors seek to mask their identity, our capabilities will ultimately identify them," said Chichester, who serves as the NCSC's director of&nbsp;operations.

Officials&nbsp;in Russia and Iran did not immediately respond to requests for comment sent on Sunday. Moscow and Tehran have both repeatedly denied Western allegations over&nbsp;hacking.

Western&nbsp;officials&nbsp;rank Russia and Iran as two of the most dangerous threats in cyberspace, alongside China and North Korea, with both governments accused of conducting&nbsp;hacking&nbsp;operations against countries around the world.

Intelligence&nbsp;officials&nbsp;said there was no evidence of collusion between Turla and its&nbsp;Iranian&nbsp;victim, a&nbsp;hacking&nbsp;group&nbsp;known as "APT34" which cybersecurity researchers at firms including FireEye FEYE.O&nbsp;say&nbsp;works for the&nbsp;Iranian&nbsp;government.

Rather, the&nbsp;Russian&nbsp;hackers&nbsp;infiltrated the&nbsp;Iranian&nbsp;group's infrastructure in order to "masquerade as an adversary which victims would expect to target them," said GCHQ's Chichester.

Turla's actions show the dangers of wrongly attributing cyberattacks, British&nbsp;officials&nbsp;said but added that they were not aware of any public incidents that had been incorrectly blamed on Iran as a result of the&nbsp;Russian&nbsp;operation.

The United States and its Western allies have also used foreign cyberattacks to facilitate their own&nbsp;spying&nbsp;operations, a practice referred to as "fourth party collection," according to documents released by former U.S. intelligence contractor Edward Snowden and reporting by German magazine Der Spiegel.

GCHQ declined to comment on Western&nbsp;operations.

By gaining access to the&nbsp;Iranian&nbsp;infrastructure, Turla was able to use APT34's "command and control" systems to deploy its own malicious code, GCHQ and the NSA said in a public advisory.

The&nbsp;Russian&nbsp;group&nbsp;was also able to access the networks of existing APT34 victims and even access the code needed to build its own "Iranian"&nbsp;hacking&nbsp;tools.

Russian hackers piggy-backed on an Iranian cyber-espionage operation to attack government and industry organizations in dozens of countries while masquerading as attackers from the Islamic Republic, British and US officials said on Monday.

Russian hackers piggy-backed on an Iranian cyber-espionage operation to attack government and industry organizations in dozens of countries while masquerading as attackers from the Islamic Republic, British and US officials said on Monday. The Russian group, known as "Turla" and accused by Estonian and Czech authorities of operating on behalf of Russia's FSB security service, has used Iranian tools and computer infrastructure to successfully hack into organizations in at least 20 different countries over the last 18 months, British security officials said. The hacking campaign, the extent of which has not been previously revealed, was most active in the Middle East but also targeted organizations in Britain, they said. Paul Chichester, a senior official at Britain's GCHQ intelligence agency, said the operation shows state-backed hackers are working in a "very crowded space" and developing new attacks and methods to better cover their tracks. In a statement accompanying a joint advisory with the US National Security Agency (NSA), GCHQ's National Cyber Security Centre said it wanted to raise industry awareness about the activity and make attacks more difficult for its adversaries. "We want to send a clear message that even when cyber actors seek to mask their identity, our capabilities will ultimately identify them," said Chichester, who serves as the NCSC's director of operations. Officials in Russia and Iran did not immediately respond to requests for comment sent on Sunday. Moscow and Tehran have both repeatedly denied Western allegations over hacking. Western officials rank Russia and Iran as two of the most dangerous threats in cyberspace, alongside China and North Korea, with both governments accused of conducting hacking operations against countries around the world. Intelligence officials said there was no evidence of collusion between Turla and its Iranian victim, a hacking group known as "APT34" which cybersecurity researchers at firms including FireEye FEYE.O say works for the Iranian government. Rather, the Russian hackers infiltrated the Iranian group's infrastructure in order to "masquerade as an adversary which victims would expect to target them," said GCHQ's Chichester. Turla's actions show the dangers of wrongly attributing cyberattacks, British officials said but added that they were not aware of any public incidents that had been incorrectly blamed on Iran as a result of the Russian operation. The United States and its Western allies have also used foreign cyberattacks to facilitate their own spying operations, a practice referred to as "fourth party collection," according to documents released by former U.S. intelligence contractor Edward Snowden and reporting by German magazine Der Spiegel. GCHQ declined to comment on Western operations. By gaining access to the Iranian infrastructure, Turla was able to use APT34's "command and control" systems to deploy its own malicious code, GCHQ and the NSA said in a public advisory. The Russian group was also able to access the networks of existing APT34 victims and even access the code needed to build its own "Iranian" hacking tools.

Hacking the hackers: Russian group hijacked Iranian spying operation, officials say

Pascal Siakam, a major contributor in Toronto's run to the NBA title last season, has signed a four-year maximum rookie contract extension for $130 million, according to multiple reports Saturday.

The 25-year-old Cameroonian forward signed the deal ahead of a Monday deadline for such extensions for 2016 draftees, ESPN and the Toronto Star reported.

Siakam was voted the NBA's Most Improved Player last season as the Raptors, powered by Kawhi Leonard, captured the NBA title, defeating defending champion Golden State in the final.

In the finals opener, Siakam scored a career playoff-high 32 points to lead the Raptors over the Warriors and signal the best-of-seven series upset to come.

Siakam, who only began playing basketball at age 16 in Africa, averaged 19.8 points, 7.5 rebounds and 3.7 assists a game for the Raptors last season.

With Leonard leaving for the Los Angeles Clippers, Siakam is expected to play a major role for the Raptors over the next few seasons.

The new deal begins after the 2019-20 campaign. Siakam could have signed a five-year deal but opted for fewer years.

Pascal Siakam, a major contributor in Toronto's run to the NBA title last season, has signed a four-year maximum rookie contract extension for $130 million, according to multiple reports Saturday.

Pascal Siakam, a major contributor in Toronto's run to the NBA title last season, has signed a four-year maximum rookie contract extension for $130 million, according to multiple reports Saturday. The 25-year-old Cameroonian forward signed the deal ahead of a Monday deadline for such extensions for 2016 draftees, ESPN and the Toronto Star reported. Siakam was voted the NBA's Most Improved Player last season as the Raptors, powered by Kawhi Leonard, captured the NBA title, defeating defending champion Golden State in the final. In the finals opener, Siakam scored a career playoff-high 32 points to lead the Raptors over the Warriors and signal the best-of-seven series upset to come. Siakam, who only began playing basketball at age 16 in Africa, averaged 19.8 points, 7.5 rebounds and 3.7 assists a game for the Raptors last season. With Leonard leaving for the Los Angeles Clippers, Siakam is expected to play a major role for the Raptors over the next few seasons. The new deal begins after the 2019-20 campaign. Siakam could have signed a five-year deal but opted for fewer years.

Pascal Siakam signs four-year maximum NBA deal with Raptors: Reports

Thomson Reuters Corp is engaged in succession planning for Chief Executive Jim Smith as "a matter of good governance," the business information company said on Sunday.

The company statement came after the Financial Times reported Thomson Reuters had begun a search for a new chief executive.

David Thomson, the company's chairman, said the board "is fully supportive of Jim Smith and his management team. We are aligned on strategy and direction."

Smith said in a memo to employees he was actively involved in the succession planning process.

"To be clear, I'm not planning to go anywhere soon," Smith said. "Please know that when the time comes to hand over the reins, you will hear it from me."

The Financial Times cited four unnamed sources as saying Thomson Reuters, which owns the Reuters news agency, had hired search firm Spencer Stuart to put together a list of internal and external candidates. The search was at an early stage, the newspaper said.

In a statement, Thomson Reuters said: "The Board of Directors considers succession planning and benchmarking for all key executives a matter of good governance. Hence, the Board and management continuously assess internal candidates and work with search firms to scan the external market."

Spencer Stuart declined to comment and a spokesman for Thomson Reuters declined to comment specifically on whether it had engaged Spencer Stuart.

Smith oversaw the sale of a majority stake in the news and information provider's financial-data business to a Blackstone Group Inc-led consortium last year. Earlier this year, Blackstone agreed to sell the financial-data business, now called Refinitiv, to London Stock Exchange Group for $27 billion.

Thomson Reuters Corp is engaged in succession planning for Chief Executive Jim Smith as "a matter of good governance," the business information company said on Sunday.

Thomson Reuters Corp is engaged in succession planning for Chief Executive Jim Smith as "a matter of good governance," the business information company said on Sunday. The company statement came after the Financial Times reported Thomson Reuters had begun a search for a new chief executive. David Thomson, the company's chairman, said the board "is fully supportive of Jim Smith and his management team. We are aligned on strategy and direction." Smith said in a memo to employees he was actively involved in the succession planning process. "To be clear, I'm not planning to go anywhere soon," Smith said. "Please know that when the time comes to hand over the reins, you will hear it from me." The Financial Times cited four unnamed sources as saying Thomson Reuters, which owns the Reuters news agency, had hired search firm Spencer Stuart to put together a list of internal and external candidates. The search was at an early stage, the newspaper said. In a statement, Thomson Reuters said: "The Board of Directors considers succession planning and benchmarking for all key executives a matter of good governance. Hence, the Board and management continuously assess internal candidates and work with search firms to scan the external market." Spencer Stuart declined to comment and a spokesman for Thomson Reuters declined to comment specifically on whether it had engaged Spencer Stuart. Smith oversaw the sale of a majority stake in the news and information provider's financial-data business to a Blackstone Group Inc-led consortium last year. Earlier this year, Blackstone agreed to sell the financial-data business, now called Refinitiv, to London Stock Exchange Group for $27 billion.

Thomson Reuters says engaged in CEO succession planning

Business software group SAP&nbsp;said on Monday that it had reached a three-year deal with Microsoft&nbsp;to help its large enterprise customers move their business processes into the cloud.

The partnership, called "Embrace", will help clients to run operations hosted at remote servers supported by SAP's flagship S/4HANA database, new Co-Chief Executive Officer Jennifer Morgan said as SAP released its final third-quarter results in line with preliminary figures released on October&nbsp;11.

"We bundled SAP's cloud platform services to support customers around the extension, integration and orchestration of SAP systems," Morgan told reporters, adding the product would be sold through Microsoft's distribution channels.

Disclosure of the partnership comes after long-time CEO Bill McDermott stepped down to make way for Morgan, the first woman to become CEO of a company in Germany's blue-chip DAX index - alongside fellow Co-CEO Christian Klein.

The deal - which helped SAP double new cloud bookings in the third quarter, addresses a complaint from many customers that it is too hard to shift from SAP's traditional on-premise model to remotely hosted services.

The partnership deepens SAP's already close relationship with Microsoft and its Azure cloud division, although the Walldorf-based company also works with Google&nbsp;and Amazon Web Services&nbsp;in the cloud.

De-emphasising its own-brand cloud offering is turning out to be one factor supporting a pickup in SAP's cloud gross margins. These picked up by 5.4 percentage points to 69% in the third quarter, compared with a 2023 target of 75 per cent.

In the third quarter, SAP reported a 10 per cent&nbsp;increase in revenue and a 15 per cent&nbsp;rise in operating profit, after adjusting one-off items and currencies, helping it to achieve an expansion of 1.7 per cent&nbsp;in its operating margins.

The company reiterated its forecast for the year and through to 2023. SAP is due to update investors on strategy at a capital markets' day in New York on Nov. 12.

Business software group SAP said on Monday that it had reached a three-year deal with Microsoft to help its large enterprise customers move their business processes into the cloud.

Business software group SAP said on Monday that it had reached a three-year deal with Microsoft to help its large enterprise customers move their business processes into the cloud. The partnership, called "Embrace", will help clients to run operations hosted at remote servers supported by SAP's flagship S/4HANA database, new Co-Chief Executive Officer Jennifer Morgan said as SAP released its final third-quarter results in line with preliminary figures released on October 11. "We bundled SAP's cloud platform services to support customers around the extension, integration and orchestration of SAP systems," Morgan told reporters, adding the product would be sold through Microsoft's distribution channels. Disclosure of the partnership comes after long-time CEO Bill McDermott stepped down to make way for Morgan, the first woman to become CEO of a company in Germany's blue-chip DAX index - alongside fellow Co-CEO Christian Klein. The deal - which helped SAP double new cloud bookings in the third quarter, addresses a complaint from many customers that it is too hard to shift from SAP's traditional on-premise model to remotely hosted services. The partnership deepens SAP's already close relationship with Microsoft and its Azure cloud division, although the Walldorf-based company also works with Google and Amazon Web Services in the cloud. De-emphasising its own-brand cloud offering is turning out to be one factor supporting a pickup in SAP's cloud gross margins. These picked up by 5.4 percentage points to 69% in the third quarter, compared with a 2023 target of 75 per cent. In the third quarter, SAP reported a 10 per cent increase in revenue and a 15 per cent rise in operating profit, after adjusting one-off items and currencies, helping it to achieve an expansion of 1.7 per cent in its operating margins. The company reiterated its forecast for the year and through to 2023. SAP is due to update investors on strategy at a capital markets' day in New York on Nov. 12.

SAP in three-year cloud partnership with Microsoft

The Los Angeles&nbsp;Lakers&nbsp;say Kyle&nbsp;Kuzma&nbsp;won't play when they open the&nbsp;NBA&nbsp;season&nbsp;against the Los Angeles Clippers on Tuesday as he continues to recover from a stress reaction in his left foot.

Kuzma, who averaged 18.7 points and 5.5 rebounds per game last&nbsp;season&nbsp;for the&nbsp;Lakers, was hurt while he was with the United States team in the run-up to the World Championships in China.

He was cleared for non-contact practices after the&nbsp;Lakers&nbsp;returned from playing two&nbsp;NBA&nbsp;preseason&nbsp;games in China last week.

Lakers&nbsp;coach Frank Vogel said he wants to see&nbsp;Kuzma&nbsp;do more work before he takes the court in games to be sure he has no setbacks. A stress reaction is a painful condition that is a precursor to a stress fracture.

"We're going to try to increase his workload and activities this week and we'll see where we're at," said Vogel, who described the 24-year-old third-year forward as "probably our third-best player" behind superstar LeBron James and center Anthony Davis.

The Los Angeles Lakers say Kyle Kuzma won't play when they open the NBA season against the Los Angeles Clippers on Tuesday as he continues to recover from a stress reaction in his left foot.

The Los Angeles Lakers say Kyle Kuzma won't play when they open the NBA season against the Los Angeles Clippers on Tuesday as he continues to recover from a stress reaction in his left foot. Kuzma, who averaged 18.7 points and 5.5 rebounds per game last season for the Lakers, was hurt while he was with the United States team in the run-up to the World Championships in China. He was cleared for non-contact practices after the Lakers returned from playing two NBA preseason games in China last week. Lakers coach Frank Vogel said he wants to see Kuzma do more work before he takes the court in games to be sure he has no setbacks. A stress reaction is a painful condition that is a precursor to a stress fracture. "We're going to try to increase his workload and activities this week and we'll see where we're at," said Vogel, who described the 24-year-old third-year forward as "probably our third-best player" behind superstar LeBron James and center Anthony Davis.

Lakers' Kyle Kuzma ruled out for NBA season opener

Andy Murray claimed his first ATP title since having career-saving hip surgery as he fought off Stan Wawrinka in an engrossing duel in the European Open final in Antwerp on Sunday.

Former world number one Murray, who appeared on the brink of retirement after losing in the first round of the Australian Open in January, battled back from a set and a break down to win 3-6 6-4 6-4.

In the first final between the pair for 11 years it was 34-year-old Wawrinka, who has also suffered injury problems, who appeared on course for victory when he had points for a double break in the second set, having powered through the first.

But Murray, 32, who opted to have hip resurfacing surgery after the Australian Open and only returned to court in June, initially in doubles, displayed his old fighting qualities and no sign of any physical problems as he roared back to claim a 46th career title.

The deciding set was littered with service breaks but Murray crucially saved breakpoints at 4-4 and then pounced when Wawrinka served in the next game, sealing the title as his tiring Swiss opponent blazed a forehand wide.

"It's amazing to be back playing against Stan in a final like that, he was playing unbelievable," Murray, who appeared close to tears at the end, said on court.

"I never expected to be in this position so I'm very happy. Stan was hitting winners from everywhere but I managed to hang in there. This is one of my biggest wins after everything."

Murray's last title came in Dubai in March 2017 when he was still the top-ranked player in the world.

The Scot is attempting to defy conventional wisdom as no player has ever returned from such a hip procedure to the top levels in singles. He has been picking up encouraging victories of late and reached the quarter-finals of the China Open but Wawrinka was by far his biggest win since returning.

Wawrinka, who had knee surgery two years ago, broke Murray's serve in the second game of the match and dominated many of the rallies with his backhand punching holes in Murray's guard.

Two backhand winners gave Wawrinka a break for 2-1 in the second set and he then had Murray 15-40 down at 1-3.

Murray survived through and became increasingly fired-up as Wawrinka's serve began to cool off.

He broke back, then saved a breakpoint at 4-4 when he challenged an "out" call on a forehand before winning the replayed point and letting out a huge roar.

Two rasping backhands secured Murray the set on Wawrinka's serve and the decider was a real scrap between the old warriors.

Murray had more in the tank though as he took his career record over Wawrinka to 12-8.

The Scot is about to become a father for the third time and joked that his family has grown since his enforced time away from the match court.

"I've got a third one coming so I will have three kids under four years old," Murray said.

"When I have been off Tour my family has got bigger so I need to get back on the road so we don't get out of control."

Andy Murray claimed his first ATP title since having career-saving hip surgery as he fought off Stan Wawrinka in an engrossing duel in the European Open final in Antwerp on Sunday.

Andy Murray claimed his first ATP title since having career-saving hip surgery as he fought off Stan Wawrinka in an engrossing duel in the European Open final in Antwerp on Sunday. Former world number one Murray, who appeared on the brink of retirement after losing in the first round of the Australian Open in January, battled back from a set and a break down to win 3-6 6-4 6-4. In the first final between the pair for 11 years it was 34-year-old Wawrinka, who has also suffered injury problems, who appeared on course for victory when he had points for a double break in the second set, having powered through the first. But Murray, 32, who opted to have hip resurfacing surgery after the Australian Open and only returned to court in June, initially in doubles, displayed his old fighting qualities and no sign of any physical problems as he roared back to claim a 46th career title. The deciding set was littered with service breaks but Murray crucially saved breakpoints at 4-4 and then pounced when Wawrinka served in the next game, sealing the title as his tiring Swiss opponent blazed a forehand wide. "It's amazing to be back playing against Stan in a final like that, he was playing unbelievable," Murray, who appeared close to tears at the end, said on court. "I never expected to be in this position so I'm very happy. Stan was hitting winners from everywhere but I managed to hang in there. This is one of my biggest wins after everything." Murray's last title came in Dubai in March 2017 when he was still the top-ranked player in the world. The Scot is attempting to defy conventional wisdom as no player has ever returned from such a hip procedure to the top levels in singles. He has been picking up encouraging victories of late and reached the quarter-finals of the China Open but Wawrinka was by far his biggest win since returning. Wawrinka, who had knee surgery two years ago, broke Murray's serve in the second game of the match and dominated many of the rallies with his backhand punching holes in Murray's guard. Two backhand winners gave Wawrinka a break for 2-1 in the second set and he then had Murray 15-40 down at 1-3. Murray survived through and became increasingly fired-up as Wawrinka's serve began to cool off. He broke back, then saved a breakpoint at 4-4 when he challenged an "out" call on a forehand before winning the replayed point and letting out a huge roar. Two rasping backhands secured Murray the set on Wawrinka's serve and the decider was a real scrap between the old warriors. Murray had more in the tank though as he took his career record over Wawrinka to 12-8. The Scot is about to become a father for the third time and joked that his family has grown since his enforced time away from the match court. "I've got a third one coming so I will have three kids under four years old," Murray said. "When I have been off Tour my family has got bigger so I need to get back on the road so we don't get out of control."

Andy Murray beats Stan Wawrinka to win first title since hip surgery

Tiger Woods on Monday declared himself "right on schedule" after recent knee surgery as he prepares to return to competition at this week's Zozo Championship following two months on the sidelines.

Speaking at his first press conference since an arthroscopic procedure on his left knee on August&nbsp;21, Woods left no doubt that he would be ready for Thursday's first-round when the US-based PGA Tour plays its first official-money event in Japan.

But he also revealed the knee had bothered him throughout his 2019 campaign, which famously included his Masters triumph, and that he had originally planned to have the surgery at the end of last year, before postponing it.

"I've been battling through this entire year trying to piece it together," said the 15-times major champion, whose season petered out after his Augusta National victory in April.

"It progressively got worse, to where it started affecting my back and the way I was walking and trying to play, trying to read putts and all of the above.

"So I'm excited about having this end-of-the-year run where I'm feeling much more fit and I don't have the achiness that I've been dealing with for the last couple of years."

The famously private Woods was typically vague about when he had started practising again after the procedure, the fifth on his banged-up left knee.

This week's tournament at Narashino Country Club will be 43-year-old American's final chance to assess his form and fitness before deciding whether to include himself as a player on the United States team that he will captain at the Presidents Cup.

He said that getting the surgery done had improved the chances he can justify picking himself for the December&nbsp;12-15 event against an International team at Royal Melbourne in Australia.

Woods has two more weeks before naming four wild card selections to complete his 12-man line-up.

"It made me more hopeful," he said of his thoughts post-surgery. "It's been nice to finally get over the hump and start feeling good again and start going at it full speed."

Woods, wearing a dark blue sleeveless sweater, flashed his famous smile multiple times for the cameras during the 19-minute interview. He was speaking before a Monday afternoon Japan Skins made-for-TV exhibition with Rory McIlroy, Hideki Matsuyama and Jason Day.

Woods is making his first appearance in Japan in 13 years, after being a regular visitor for the first decade of his professional career.

Tiger Woods on Monday declared himself "right on schedule" after recent knee surgery as he prepares to return to competition at this week's Zozo Championship following two months on the sidelines.

Tiger Woods on Monday declared himself "right on schedule" after recent knee surgery as he prepares to return to competition at this week's Zozo Championship following two months on the sidelines. Speaking at his first press conference since an arthroscopic procedure on his left knee on August 21, Woods left no doubt that he would be ready for Thursday's first-round when the US-based PGA Tour plays its first official-money event in Japan. But he also revealed the knee had bothered him throughout his 2019 campaign, which famously included his Masters triumph, and that he had originally planned to have the surgery at the end of last year, before postponing it. "I've been battling through this entire year trying to piece it together," said the 15-times major champion, whose season petered out after his Augusta National victory in April. "It progressively got worse, to where it started affecting my back and the way I was walking and trying to play, trying to read putts and all of the above. "So I'm excited about having this end-of-the-year run where I'm feeling much more fit and I don't have the achiness that I've been dealing with for the last couple of years." The famously private Woods was typically vague about when he had started practising again after the procedure, the fifth on his banged-up left knee. This week's tournament at Narashino Country Club will be 43-year-old American's final chance to assess his form and fitness before deciding whether to include himself as a player on the United States team that he will captain at the Presidents Cup. He said that getting the surgery done had improved the chances he can justify picking himself for the December 12-15 event against an International team at Royal Melbourne in Australia. Woods has two more weeks before naming four wild card selections to complete his 12-man line-up. "It made me more hopeful," he said of his thoughts post-surgery. "It's been nice to finally get over the hump and start feeling good again and start going at it full speed." Woods, wearing a dark blue sleeveless sweater, flashed his famous smile multiple times for the cameras during the 19-minute interview. He was speaking before a Monday afternoon Japan Skins made-for-TV exhibition with Rory McIlroy, Hideki Matsuyama and Jason Day. Woods is making his first appearance in Japan in 13 years, after being a regular visitor for the first decade of his professional career.

Tiger Woods declares himself ready for action after knee surgery

Hong Kong's pro-Beijing leader and the city's police chief visited a mosque on Monday that was struck with blue dye from a water cannon during the latest bout of violent protests.

The entrance to the Kowloon Mosque, the international hub's largest, was sprayed by a water cannon truck on Sunday, causing anger among both local Muslims and protesters.

Police use the dye, often mixed with an irritant, as a way to identify protesters but it has frequently left streets and buildings daubed in a garish blue.

Video footage shot Sunday showed the truck pulling up outside the building during confrontations with protesters, pausing and then spraying around half a dozen journalists and bystanders who were gathered on the street outside.

The group, who did not <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/hong-kong-leader-to-visit-japan-after-huge-rally-night-of-violence-257151">appear to be protesters</a>, was struck twice, with much of the bright blue jet painting the mosque's entrance and steps.

Police released a statement on Sunday saying the mosque was hit by mistake but did not apologise.

On Monday, Chief Executive Carrie Lam and police chief Stephen Lo paid a brief visit to the mosque, surrounded by a phalanx of security guards.

They emerged some 20 minutes later without speaking to the media.

Mosque representatives told reporters that the two had apologised for the water cannon incident and that the apology had been accepted.

The representatives also thanked worshippers and Hong Kongers who flocked to clean the mosque soon after the incident.

The original Kowloon Mosque was built in the late nineteenth century to cater for Muslim soldiers from British-ruled India.

It was rebuilt in the early 1980s and remains a centre of Hong Kong's 300,000-strong Muslim community.

Lam's office and the police did not respond to requests for comment on the visit.

A police source told AFP the commissioner did apologise and further details would be released later in the day.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/tear-gas-and-water-cannon-as-crowds-defy-hong-kong-rally-ban-257060">Hong Kong was convulsed by another day of violence on Sunday</a> as the city nears five months of seething pro-democracy protests.

Tens of thousands joined an unauthorised but peaceful afternoon rally which quickly descended into chaos as small groups of hardcore protesters threw petrol bombs and rocks at a police station, mainland China businesses and multiple subway station entrances.

Police responded with water cannon, tear gas and rubber bullets in clashes that lasted well into the night.

Hong Kong's pro-Beijing leader and the city's police chief visited a mosque on Monday that was struck with blue dye from a water cannon during the latest bout of violent protests.

Hong Kong's pro-Beijing leader and the city's police chief visited a mosque on Monday that was struck with blue dye from a water cannon during the latest bout of violent protests. The entrance to the Kowloon Mosque, the international hub's largest, was sprayed by a water cannon truck on Sunday, causing anger among both local Muslims and protesters. Police use the dye, often mixed with an irritant, as a way to identify protesters but it has frequently left streets and buildings daubed in a garish blue. Video footage shot Sunday showed the truck pulling up outside the building during confrontations with protesters, pausing and then spraying around half a dozen journalists and bystanders who were gathered on the street outside. The group, who did not appear to be protesters, was struck twice, with much of the bright blue jet painting the mosque's entrance and steps. Police released a statement on Sunday saying the mosque was hit by mistake but did not apologise. On Monday, Chief Executive Carrie Lam and police chief Stephen Lo paid a brief visit to the mosque, surrounded by a phalanx of security guards. They emerged some 20 minutes later without speaking to the media. Mosque representatives told reporters that the two had apologised for the water cannon incident and that the apology had been accepted. The representatives also thanked worshippers and Hong Kongers who flocked to clean the mosque soon after the incident. The original Kowloon Mosque was built in the late nineteenth century to cater for Muslim soldiers from British-ruled India. It was rebuilt in the early 1980s and remains a centre of Hong Kong's 300,000-strong Muslim community. Lam's office and the police did not respond to requests for comment on the visit. A police source told AFP the commissioner did apologise and further details would be released later in the day. Hong Kong was convulsed by another day of violence on Sunday as the city nears five months of seething pro-democracy protests. Tens of thousands joined an unauthorised but peaceful afternoon rally which quickly descended into chaos as small groups of hardcore protesters threw petrol bombs and rocks at a police station, mainland China businesses and multiple subway station entrances. Police responded with water cannon, tear gas and rubber bullets in clashes that lasted well into the night.

Hong Kong leader visits mosque struck by blue water-cannon dye

Malaysian Prime Minister <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/malaysias-mahathir-says-hong-kong-leader-should-step-down-253709">Mahathir Mohamad</a> said on Monday his exports-reliant country could be hit with trade sanctions amid rising protectionism highlighted by the United States-China tariff war.

Mahathir did not mention the source of possible sanctions on the Southeast Asian country but said he was disappointed that proponents of free trade were now indulging in restrictive trade practices on a "grand scale".

"Unfortunately, we are caught in the middle," he told a conference in the capital Kuala Lumpur, referring to the US-China trade war.

"Economically we are linked to both markets, and physically we are also caught in between for geographical reasons. There is even suggestion that we ourselves would be a target for sanctions."

The United States and China were two of the three biggest export destinations for <a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/modi-mahathir-meet-zakir-naik-revocation-of-article-370-discussed-247711">Malaysia</a> between January and August this year. Singapore was the top destination.

To cushion the impact of the collision between the superpowers, Mahathir said Malaysia was collaborating more with its regional neighbours.

Mahathir also complained of being bullied by powerful nations, referring to a campaign by European countries against Malaysia's agricultural mainstay of palm oil. The edible oil contributed 2.8 per cent&nbsp;of Malaysia's gross domestic product last year and 4.5 per cent&nbsp;to total exports.

"Having cleared most of their forests and refusing to reduce their noxious emissions, they now try to impoverish the poor by preventing them from clearing their forest for living space and earning a living," he said.

The European Union passed an act earlier this year to phase out palm oil from renewable fuel by 2030 due to deforestation concerns.

Malaysian Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad said on Monday his exports-reliant country could be hit with trade sanctions amid rising protectionism highlighted by the United States-China tariff war.

Malaysian Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad said on Monday his exports-reliant country could be hit with trade sanctions amid rising protectionism highlighted by the United States-China tariff war. Mahathir did not mention the source of possible sanctions on the Southeast Asian country but said he was disappointed that proponents of free trade were now indulging in restrictive trade practices on a "grand scale". "Unfortunately, we are caught in the middle," he told a conference in the capital Kuala Lumpur, referring to the US-China trade war. "Economically we are linked to both markets, and physically we are also caught in between for geographical reasons. There is even suggestion that we ourselves would be a target for sanctions." The United States and China were two of the three biggest export destinations for Malaysia between January and August this year. Singapore was the top destination. To cushion the impact of the collision between the superpowers, Mahathir said Malaysia was collaborating more with its regional neighbours. Mahathir also complained of being bullied by powerful nations, referring to a campaign by European countries against Malaysia's agricultural mainstay of palm oil. The edible oil contributed 2.8 per cent of Malaysia's gross domestic product last year and 4.5 per cent to total exports. "Having cleared most of their forests and refusing to reduce their noxious emissions, they now try to impoverish the poor by preventing them from clearing their forest for living space and earning a living," he said. The European Union passed an act earlier this year to phase out palm oil from renewable fuel by 2030 due to deforestation concerns.

Mahathir warns of possible trade sanctions on Malaysia

Acting White House Chief of Staff Mick Mulvaney said on Sunday he had not offered to resign for indicating last week that US&nbsp;President Donald Trump had sought a political favor&nbsp;from Ukraine in exchange for military aid, comments he has since retracted.

"I never said there was a quid pro quo because there isn't," Mulvaney told "Fox News Sunday," using a Latin phrase meaning favour for a favor.

Mulvaney told reporters on Thursday that Trump's decision to withhold $391 million in aid to Ukraine was linked in part to his desire for an investigation by Kyiv into a debunked theory that a Democratic National Committee (DNC) computer server was held in Ukraine.

When told by a reporter that what he had just described was a quid pro quo, Mulvaney responded: “We do that all the time with foreign policy.”

His remarks at a White House news conference created turmoil in Washington and left the president's Republican allies flummoxed and frustrated.

Mulvaney walked back the comments in a statement the same day. But after weeks in which the president argued that he had done nothing wrong, Mulvaney's remarks undermined the core arguments that Trump and his advisers have made against the effort to oust him from office in a <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/us-house-begins-trump-impeachment-inquiry-over-call-to-ukraine-leader-251866">House of Representatives impeachment inquiry.</a>

"This Scam going on right now by the Democrats against the Republican Party, and me was all about a perfect phone call I had with the Ukrainian President. He's already stated, NO PRESSURE!" Trump said as part of a series of tweets later on Sunday.

Mulvaney said on Sunday he did not offer to resign over the episode, nor was his possible resignation discussed at the White House.

"Absolutely, positively not," he told Fox News Sunday. "I'm very happy working there. Did I have the perfect press conference, no, but again the facts are on our side. ... I still think I'm doing a pretty good job as the chief of staff and I think the president agrees."

Trump, a Republican who is seeking re-election in 2020, has said the aid to Kyiv was frozen because he believed European countries should also contribute. Mulvaney said on Sunday the European aid had been a concern along with corruption in Ukraine and noted that the "aid flowed" eventually.

US&nbsp;Secretary of State Mike Pompeo on Sunday supported Mulvaney's walk-back of his remarks, saying he had not seen evidence of a connection between withholding Ukraine aid and Kyiv pursuing a political investigation.

"I never saw that in the decision-making process that I was a part of .... the conversation was always around what were the strategic implications, would that money get to the right place or would there be corruption in Ukraine and the money wouldn't flow to the mission that it was intended for," Pompeo said on ABC's "This Week."

The original Mulvaney remarks produced anxiety among some Republicans, including Senator Lisa Murkowski, who told reporters foreign aid should not be held up for a political initiative.

Mitt Romney, a US&nbsp;senator and 2012 Republican presidential nominee, criticized Trump's actions in a recent interview, calling it "shocking" that Trump publicly said China and Ukraine should investigate political rival and former Vice President Joe Biden and his son.

"It was shocking, in my opinion ... and a mistake," he said on "Axios on HBO." "I can't imagine coming to a different point of view."

Mulvaney told "Fox News Sunday" it was "just absurd" to think that the episode, as well as Republican resistance to Trump's plan to pull US&nbsp;troops from Syria, made it more likely the Republican-led Senate would vote to convict Trump on impeachment charges if they are filed by the Democratic-led House.

Mulvaney said Trump was still "extraordinarily popular back home" and Republican lawmakers would respond to that.

Senator Lindsey Graham, a Republican who frequently allies himself with Trump, told Axios he would need to see more evidence before considering impeachment.

"If you could show me that, you know, Trump actually was engaging in a quid pro quo, outside the phone call, that would be very disturbing," he said.

Democrats continued to focus on the Ukraine quid pro quo issue.

"Republicans face a simple question: is the president allowed to pressure a foreign country into interfering in our elections? History will remember their answer, or their silence," House Speaker Nancy Pelosi wrote on Twitter

Acting White House Chief of Staff Mick Mulvaney said on Sunday he had not offered to resign for indicating last week that US President Donald Trump had sought a political favor from Ukraine in exchange for military aid, comments he has since retracted.

Acting White House Chief of Staff Mick Mulvaney said on Sunday he had not offered to resign for indicating last week that US President Donald Trump had sought a political favor from Ukraine in exchange for military aid, comments he has since retracted. "I never said there was a quid pro quo because there isn't," Mulvaney told "Fox News Sunday," using a Latin phrase meaning favour for a favor. Mulvaney told reporters on Thursday that Trump's decision to withhold $391 million in aid to Ukraine was linked in part to his desire for an investigation by Kyiv into a debunked theory that a Democratic National Committee (DNC) computer server was held in Ukraine. When told by a reporter that what he had just described was a quid pro quo, Mulvaney responded: “We do that all the time with foreign policy.” His remarks at a White House news conference created turmoil in Washington and left the president's Republican allies flummoxed and frustrated. Mulvaney walked back the comments in a statement the same day. But after weeks in which the president argued that he had done nothing wrong, Mulvaney's remarks undermined the core arguments that Trump and his advisers have made against the effort to oust him from office in a House of Representatives impeachment inquiry. "This Scam going on right now by the Democrats against the Republican Party, and me was all about a perfect phone call I had with the Ukrainian President. He's already stated, NO PRESSURE!" Trump said as part of a series of tweets later on Sunday. Mulvaney said on Sunday he did not offer to resign over the episode, nor was his possible resignation discussed at the White House. "Absolutely, positively not," he told Fox News Sunday. "I'm very happy working there. Did I have the perfect press conference, no, but again the facts are on our side. ... I still think I'm doing a pretty good job as the chief of staff and I think the president agrees." Trump, a Republican who is seeking re-election in 2020, has said the aid to Kyiv was frozen because he believed European countries should also contribute. Mulvaney said on Sunday the European aid had been a concern along with corruption in Ukraine and noted that the "aid flowed" eventually. US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo on Sunday supported Mulvaney's walk-back of his remarks, saying he had not seen evidence of a connection between withholding Ukraine aid and Kyiv pursuing a political investigation. "I never saw that in the decision-making process that I was a part of .... the conversation was always around what were the strategic implications, would that money get to the right place or would there be corruption in Ukraine and the money wouldn't flow to the mission that it was intended for," Pompeo said on ABC's "This Week." The original Mulvaney remarks produced anxiety among some Republicans, including Senator Lisa Murkowski, who told reporters foreign aid should not be held up for a political initiative. Mitt Romney, a US senator and 2012 Republican presidential nominee, criticized Trump's actions in a recent interview, calling it "shocking" that Trump publicly said China and Ukraine should investigate political rival and former Vice President Joe Biden and his son. "It was shocking, in my opinion ... and a mistake," he said on "Axios on HBO." "I can't imagine coming to a different point of view." Mulvaney told "Fox News Sunday" it was "just absurd" to think that the episode, as well as Republican resistance to Trump's plan to pull US troops from Syria, made it more likely the Republican-led Senate would vote to convict Trump on impeachment charges if they are filed by the Democratic-led House. Mulvaney said Trump was still "extraordinarily popular back home" and Republican lawmakers would respond to that. Senator Lindsey Graham, a Republican who frequently allies himself with Trump, told Axios he would need to see more evidence before considering impeachment. "If you could show me that, you know, Trump actually was engaging in a quid pro quo, outside the phone call, that would be very disturbing," he said. Democrats continued to focus on the Ukraine quid pro quo issue. "Republicans face a simple question: is the president allowed to pressure a foreign country into interfering in our elections? History will remember their answer, or their silence," House Speaker Nancy Pelosi wrote on Twitter

White House's Mick Mulvaney did not mull quitting over 'quid pro quo' flap

Manchester United ended Liverpool's 100 per cent start to the Premier League season, and their 17 matches winning streak, with a 1-1 draw at Old Trafford on Sunday.

But there was a disappointment for Ole Gunnar Solskjaer's side who were five minutes away from a surprise win before Liverpool substitute Adam Lallana grabbed an equaliser for the league leaders to cancel out Marcus Rashford's 36th-minute opener.

It was yet another Premier League game with VAR controversy which will continue to provoke debate about the system introduced this season.

The result cuts Liverpool's lead over second-placed Manchester City to six points and Juergen Klopp's side was far from their best.

"We were good enough for a point," said Klopp, "We were in charge 100% towards the end. We wanted a different result but to do that you have to play better."

United are now unbeaten in their last seven home games against Liverpool and while their battling display will boost morale, the 20-times champions are adrift in 13th place, 15 points behind the leaders.

"We have a team that works for each other and maybe this will turn their season," said Solskjaer.

"They are disappointed because they feel we should have won. Our fans showed they can see what's happening and we will get there."

It has been many years since United went into this fixture as clear underdogs with just two victories from their opening eight games.

On paper, the United line-up matched up poorly against Klopp’s side, especially with Paul Pogba out injured and Anthony Martial restricted to the bench as he returned from an injury lay-off.

Liverpool was without Egyptian striker Mohamed Salah, who was ruled out with an ankle injury with Divock Origi given a rare start alongside Roberto Firmino and Sadio Mane in attack while Brazilian keeper Alisson Becker returned from injury.

Solskjaer’s headaches were added to when defender Axel Tuanzebe was injured during the warm-up, meaning Argentine Marcos Rojo had to be thrust into the starting 11.

But from the outset, United worked tirelessly, chasing down the ball in midfield and grew in belief while Liverpool never found their usual standard of fluency and invention.

Rashford scored after turning home a superb low cross from Dan James after the speedy Welshman had broken down the right flank.

The goal was subject to a video review and allowed to stand despite Liverpool claims that Victor Lindelof had fouled Origi at the start of the move.

Liverpool thought they had got level, two minutes before the interval, when Mane outfought Lindelof and poked home but the VAR review showed the Senegalese forward had handled the ball.

But Klopp's side, who had struggled to find openings, finally broke through in the 85th minute when Lallana slotted home Andy Robertson's low cross.

Manchester United ended Liverpool's 100 per cent start to the Premier League season, and their 17 matches winning streak, with a 1-1 draw at Old Trafford on Sunday.

Manchester United ended Liverpool's 100 per cent start to the Premier League season, and their 17 matches winning streak, with a 1-1 draw at Old Trafford on Sunday. But there was a disappointment for Ole Gunnar Solskjaer's side who were five minutes away from a surprise win before Liverpool substitute Adam Lallana grabbed an equaliser for the league leaders to cancel out Marcus Rashford's 36th-minute opener. It was yet another Premier League game with VAR controversy which will continue to provoke debate about the system introduced this season. The result cuts Liverpool's lead over second-placed Manchester City to six points and Juergen Klopp's side was far from their best. "We were good enough for a point," said Klopp, "We were in charge 100% towards the end. We wanted a different result but to do that you have to play better." United are now unbeaten in their last seven home games against Liverpool and while their battling display will boost morale, the 20-times champions are adrift in 13th place, 15 points behind the leaders. "We have a team that works for each other and maybe this will turn their season," said Solskjaer. "They are disappointed because they feel we should have won. Our fans showed they can see what's happening and we will get there." It has been many years since United went into this fixture as clear underdogs with just two victories from their opening eight games. On paper, the United line-up matched up poorly against Klopp’s side, especially with Paul Pogba out injured and Anthony Martial restricted to the bench as he returned from an injury lay-off. Liverpool was without Egyptian striker Mohamed Salah, who was ruled out with an ankle injury with Divock Origi given a rare start alongside Roberto Firmino and Sadio Mane in attack while Brazilian keeper Alisson Becker returned from injury. Solskjaer’s headaches were added to when defender Axel Tuanzebe was injured during the warm-up, meaning Argentine Marcos Rojo had to be thrust into the starting 11. But from the outset, United worked tirelessly, chasing down the ball in midfield and grew in belief while Liverpool never found their usual standard of fluency and invention. Rashford scored after turning home a superb low cross from Dan James after the speedy Welshman had broken down the right flank. The goal was subject to a video review and allowed to stand despite Liverpool claims that Victor Lindelof had fouled Origi at the start of the move. Liverpool thought they had got level, two minutes before the interval, when Mane outfought Lindelof and poked home but the VAR review showed the Senegalese forward had handled the ball. But Klopp's side, who had struggled to find openings, finally broke through in the 85th minute when Lallana slotted home Andy Robertson's low cross.

Liverpool winning streak ends with draw at Manchester United

A&nbsp;defiant British government has doubled down, <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/european-union-moves-to-ratify-brexit-accord-despite-delay-request-257074">insisting it will leave the European Union in 11 days</a> despite parliament's forcing a reluctant prime minister to request another delay.

On a day of high drama on Saturday, MPs in the House of Commons passed up the chance to decide on the revised withdrawal agreement that Prime Minister Boris Johnson had negotiated with the European Union.

That defeat leaves Johnson under mounting pressure to find a way out of paralysing impasse on when and how Britain would leave the EU after the country narrowly voted to exit in a 2016 referendum.

Johnson has reluctantly sent European Council President Donald Tusk a letter legally imposed on him by parliament requesting an extension, but refused to sign it.

The Conservative leader sent a second, signed letter insisting he was not seeking an extension to the Brexit deadline, which has already been postponed twice, warning that "a further extension would damage the interests of the UK and our EU partners".

Having failed to back a divorce deal, which Johnson had secured on Thursday, MPs triggered a law requiring him to write to EU leaders asking to delay Brexit to avoid the risk that Britain crashes out in less than a fortnight.

Senior cabinet minister Michael Gove, the government's Brexit planning chief, was nonetheless adamant that Britain would leave the EU on schedule.

"Yes. We are going to leave on October 31. We have the means and the ability to do so," he told Sky News.

Although Sterling fell on Monday, losses were limited by hopes the country can eventually avoid crashing out of the EU without a divorce agreement in place.

"We can say it (the pound) is holding firm, which shows hopes (for avoiding no-deal Brexit) have not been dashed," Shinichiro Kadota, exchange strategist at Barclays Securities in Japan, told AFP.

EU 'fed up': Raab

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/british-pm-boris-johnson-sends-unsigned-letter-seeking-brexit-delay-256989">The government will bring forward this week the domestic legislation</a> needed to implement the divorce deal, with a first vote as soon as Tuesday.

Separately, it is seeking a new yes-or-no vote on approving the deal on Monday, although this may fall foul of parliamentary procedure.

Commons Speaker John Bercow will rule on whether Johnson can hold a "meaningful vote" on the deal.

"If we get the legislation through then there is no extension. October 31 is within sight," said Gove.

He said it was dangerous to assume that the 27 other EU leaders would grant an extension.

More than three years on from the June 2016 vote to leave the EU, Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab told the BBC that from his conversations with other EU capitals, "they are fed up with this now, and we are fed up with it".

The Labour main opposition has lambasted Johnson's deal as a "sellout" and voted for the delay.

However, senior figures hinted Sunday that they could let it go through, subject to amendments including a second referendum pitting a divorce deal against remaining in the bloc after all.

"What we are trying to achieve is that this deal in particular, but any deal, is put up against Remain in a referendum," the party's Brexit spokesman Keir Starmer told the BBC.

"And we will have to see tactically how we get there."

Europe mulls response

Brussels officials pressed on with plans to <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/european-union-mulls-johnsons-reluctant-brexit-delay-request-257025">ratify the divorce deal as European leaders</a> considered Johnson's delay request.

Ambassadors and senior officials from the other 27 member states met Sunday.

"The EU is keeping all options open and has therefore initiated the ratification process so that it can be handed over to the European Parliament on Monday," an EU diplomat told AFP.

"The EU will probably pursue this strategy until there is clarity on the British side," he said, speaking on condition of anonymity.

Tusk will spend a "few days" canvassing member state leaders, and diplomats said this would mean the British parliament will have to vote on Brexit again before hearing their decision on the October 31 departure.

MPs voted by 322 votes to 306 on Saturday to support former Conservative MP Oliver Letwin's amendment to buy extra time.

Letwin said he would now switch and vote for the deal. Former interior minister Amber Rudd said the same, meaning Johnson is just a few votes short.

"We appear to have now the numbers to get this through," said Raab.

The Brexit date has already been pushed back twice from March 29, to the fury of those who wanted to abandon Britain's European project after nearly 50 years.

A defiant British government has doubled down, insisting it will leave the European Union in 11 days despite parliament's forcing a reluctant prime minister to request another delay.

A defiant British government has doubled down, insisting it will leave the European Union in 11 days despite parliament's forcing a reluctant prime minister to request another delay. On a day of high drama on Saturday, MPs in the House of Commons passed up the chance to decide on the revised withdrawal agreement that Prime Minister Boris Johnson had negotiated with the European Union. That defeat leaves Johnson under mounting pressure to find a way out of paralysing impasse on when and how Britain would leave the EU after the country narrowly voted to exit in a 2016 referendum. Johnson has reluctantly sent European Council President Donald Tusk a letter legally imposed on him by parliament requesting an extension, but refused to sign it. The Conservative leader sent a second, signed letter insisting he was not seeking an extension to the Brexit deadline, which has already been postponed twice, warning that "a further extension would damage the interests of the UK and our EU partners". Having failed to back a divorce deal, which Johnson had secured on Thursday, MPs triggered a law requiring him to write to EU leaders asking to delay Brexit to avoid the risk that Britain crashes out in less than a fortnight. Senior cabinet minister Michael Gove, the government's Brexit planning chief, was nonetheless adamant that Britain would leave the EU on schedule. "Yes. We are going to leave on October 31. We have the means and the ability to do so," he told Sky News. Although Sterling fell on Monday, losses were limited by hopes the country can eventually avoid crashing out of the EU without a divorce agreement in place. "We can say it (the pound) is holding firm, which shows hopes (for avoiding no-deal Brexit) have not been dashed," Shinichiro Kadota, exchange strategist at Barclays Securities in Japan, told AFP. EU 'fed up': Raab The government will bring forward this week the domestic legislation needed to implement the divorce deal, with a first vote as soon as Tuesday. Separately, it is seeking a new yes-or-no vote on approving the deal on Monday, although this may fall foul of parliamentary procedure. Commons Speaker John Bercow will rule on whether Johnson can hold a "meaningful vote" on the deal. "If we get the legislation through then there is no extension. October 31 is within sight," said Gove. He said it was dangerous to assume that the 27 other EU leaders would grant an extension. More than three years on from the June 2016 vote to leave the EU, Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab told the BBC that from his conversations with other EU capitals, "they are fed up with this now, and we are fed up with it". The Labour main opposition has lambasted Johnson's deal as a "sellout" and voted for the delay. However, senior figures hinted Sunday that they could let it go through, subject to amendments including a second referendum pitting a divorce deal against remaining in the bloc after all. "What we are trying to achieve is that this deal in particular, but any deal, is put up against Remain in a referendum," the party's Brexit spokesman Keir Starmer told the BBC. "And we will have to see tactically how we get there." Europe mulls response Brussels officials pressed on with plans to ratify the divorce deal as European leaders considered Johnson's delay request. Ambassadors and senior officials from the other 27 member states met Sunday. "The EU is keeping all options open and has therefore initiated the ratification process so that it can be handed over to the European Parliament on Monday," an EU diplomat told AFP. "The EU will probably pursue this strategy until there is clarity on the British side," he said, speaking on condition of anonymity. Tusk will spend a "few days" canvassing member state leaders, and diplomats said this would mean the British parliament will have to vote on Brexit again before hearing their decision on the October 31 departure. MPs voted by 322 votes to 306 on Saturday to support former Conservative MP Oliver Letwin's amendment to buy extra time. Letwin said he would now switch and vote for the deal. Former interior minister Amber Rudd said the same, meaning Johnson is just a few votes short. "We appear to have now the numbers to get this through," said Raab. The Brexit date has already been pushed back twice from March 29, to the fury of those who wanted to abandon Britain's European project after nearly 50 years.

Johnson adamant on Brexit deadline, despite delay request

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