Top story: May faces crucial week in Brexit talksHello, good morning and welcome to the Guardian briefing. Schools in Ireland will be closed along with many government buildings and courts after the country’s forecasters issued a red warning. Kurdish and Iraqi officials said forces began moving at midnight on Sunday towards oil fields and an air base held by Kurdish forces near the city. The Times meanwhile leads with “May dash to break Brexit deadlock” and says the prime minister is whizzing to Brussels for “emergency” talks with European leaders. For more news: www.theguardian.comSign upIf you would like to receive the Guardian morning briefing by email every weekday at 7am, sign up here.

Source: The Guardian October 16, 2017 05:15 UTC