By Dmitry Solovyov and Ellen Francis MOSCOW/BEIRUT (Reuters) - Russia is sending more warplanes to Syria to ramp up its air campaign, a Russian newspaper reported on Friday, as the United States said diplomacy to halt the violence was "on life support" but not dead yet. Fighting continued to intensify a week into a new Russian-backed Syrian government offensive to capture rebel-held eastern Aleppo and crush the last urban stronghold of a revolt against Syrian President Bashar al-Assad that began in 2011. Moscow and Assad spurned a U.S.-Russian brokered ceasefire agreed to this month and launched attacks on rebel-held areas in Aleppo in potentially the most decisive battle in the Syrian civil war.

By Karen Lema and Manuel Mogato MANILA (Reuters) - Philippines President Rodrigo Duterte appeared to liken himself to Nazi leader Adolf Hitler on Friday and said he would "be happy" to exterminate 3 million drug users and peddlers in the country. Although the administration of U.S. President Barack Obama played down the remark, Duterte's comments triggered shock and anger among Jewish groups in the United States, which could create pressure on the U.S. government to take a tougher line with the Philippines leader. U.S. Defense Secretary Ash Carter told a news conference following a meeting Southeast Asian defense chiefs in Hawaii that he personally found Duterte's comments "deeply troubling", though the matter wasn't discussed at the meeting.

Prime Minister Theresa May said she will listen to Scotland's concerns over Britain's exit from the European Union but that the devolved Scottish government will not have a veto over the Brexit negotiations. Scotland wants to have more detail about how the British government plans to leave the EU to prevent a "hard Brexit" that would severely damage the economy, Scottish First Minister Nicola Sturgeon said on Tuesday. After Britain's vote to leave the EU, Sturgeon said Scotland may seek another independence referendum - something that could split the world's fifth largest economy apart just as it attempts to go it alone outside the European bloc.

Deutsche Bank will likely cast a pall over equity markets next week as the largest German lender navigates a possible multi-billion dollar settlement with the U.S. Department of Justice over the sale of mortgage-backed bonds. Deutsche shares traded in the United States hit a record low on Thursday, falling as much as 24 percent since the DOJ asked the bank to pay $14 billion to settle charges related to its sale of toxic mortgage bonds before the financial crisis. Analysts at Morgan Stanley estimated Deutsche could pay about $6 billion to settle with the DOJ.

Activity in China's manufacturing sector expanded again in September, an official survey showed on Saturday, which may indicate that recent positive momentum can be sustained. After a significant pick-up in March, China's official PMI slipped, falling below 50 in July before showing expansion in August. Economists say the pattern over the past few months suggested sustained economic growth, but a growing dependence on government spending and an overheated property market may pose increased risks later this year with debt levels continuing to rise.

U.S. consumer spending fell in August for the first time in seven months while inflation showed signs of accelerating, mixed signals that could keep the Federal Reserve cautious about raising interest rates. The Commerce Department said on Friday that consumer spending, which accounts for more than two-thirds of U.S. economic activity, fell 0.1 percent last month after accounting for inflation. "Consumers took a breather in August," said Chris Christopher of IHS Global Insight.

After rolling out the red carpet Wednesday morning in anticipation of Sunday's Emmy ceremony, host Jimmy Kimmel warned he's planning a prank on folks not watching the show.

PHILADELPHIA (AP) — The Philadelphia Orchestra has gone on strike, canceling an opening night performance that about 1,000 people had come to hear.

MEXICO CITY (AP) — The murder of film director Leon Serment and his producer wife's subsequent death are believed to have been contract killings arranged by their son for the equivalent of about $5,200 per victim, Mexico City's top prosecutor said Friday.

Rory McIlroy helped reinvigorate a European challenge with an emotional celebration on the 16th hole after he drained a walk off eagle putt to cap the first day of the 41st Ryder Cup. McIlroy and playing partner Thomas Pieters defeated Dustin Johnson and Matt Kuchar 3 and 2 to lead an afternoon charge that saw Europe claim three of four four-ball matches Friday at Hazeltine National golf course. "We want to ride this little wave of momentum we have," said McIlroy.

By Larry Fine CHASKA, Minnesota (Reuters) - U.S. Ryder Cup captain Davis Love III and European supremo Darren Clarke showed off their skills as master motivators and polished spin doctors after Friday's see-saw opening day of action at Hazeltine. The Americans, desperate to end a ruthless run of three successive victories by Europe, stormed to a 4-0 sweep of the morning foursomes before the Cup holders fired back by winning three of four fourballs matches to whittle down the U.S. lead down to 5-3. Proud of our guys." Clarke was pleased as punch with his team's standing.

By Tony Jimenez CHASKA, Minnesota (Reuters) - Rory McIlroy was so excited to win his afternoon fourballs match at the Ryder Cup on Friday that he planned his animated celebration before the point was won and also had to apologise to a member of the opposition. McIlroy clinched a 3 and 2 triumph alongside Belgian rookie Thomas Pieters against Americans Dustin Johnson and Matt Kuchar by holing a 20-foot eagle putt and then nodded mockingly to the crowd before letting out a thunderous bellow. "I actually thought about the celebration before I hit the putt, I knew it had a good chance of going in.

By Chris Kahn NEW YORK (Reuters) - Democrat Hillary Clinton has a 5 percentage point lead over Republican Donald Trump in the U.S. presidential race, according to the latest Reuters/Ipsos opinion poll released on Friday, roughly the same advantage she has held all month. The survey result showed little movement following Monday night's presidential debate, the first of three debates before the Nov. 8 election. The Sept. 23-29 national tracking poll showed that likely voters support Clinton over Trump by 43 percent to 38 percent, while another 19 percent said they would not pick either candidate.

By Doina Chiacu WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump increased his attacks on a former beauty queen with a vague and unsubstantiated allegation about a sex tape in predawn Twitter posts on Friday that prompted Democratic rival Hillary Clinton to denounce him as "unhinged." Trump's refusal to drop his invective against Alicia Machado, the Miss Universe from Venezuela whom he criticized for gaining weight after she won the crown in 1996, threatened to damage his already weak standing among women and Hispanics. With less than six weeks to go until the Nov. 8 election, Trump made reference - without giving evidence - to a sex tape involving Machado, who had publicly denounced him all week as a humiliating bully.

Donald Trump said he believed his assertion last year that Mexicans crossing the border illegally are "rapists" bringing crime were "pretty mainstream" and should have attracted customers to his new Washington restaurant, according to court records BuzzFeed News published on Friday. "I've tapped into something and I've tapped into illegal immigration," the Republican presidential candidate said in a June 16 deposition for a lawsuit against a celebrity chef who dropped out of the restaurant venture at his new hotel. Chef Geoffrey Zakarian pulled out after Trump's June 15, 2015 comments as he announced his bid for the White House.