Xinhua world news summary at 1530 GMT, Dec. 15

BRUSSELS -- Leaders of the 27 European Union (EU) members gathering here for the Winter EU Summit had approved the start of the second phase of Brexit talks, European Council President Donald Tusk said Friday.

Commenting on the approval, British Prime Minister Theresa May thanked Tusk and European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker via her twitter account, saying "Today is an important step on the road to delivering a smooth and orderly Brexit and forging our deep and special future partnership." (Brexit-EU-Talks)

- - - -

LONDON -- Britain's Prince Harry and Meghan Markle's wedding is scheduled on May 19 next year, Kensington Palace announced Friday.

The British royal family has said the wedding ceremony would take place at St. George's Chapel, Windsor Castle. (UK-Royal Wedding)

- - - -

PARIS -- Regional authorities on Friday confirmed that the collision between a train and school bus at Millas, southern France, left four dead.

"The death toll is unchanged at the moment at four deaths after confirmation of health services," the prefecture of Pyrenees-Orientales said in a statement. (France-Collision)

- - - -

NEW DELHI -- The Indian government cleared a bill Friday that proposes to make instant divorce locally called Triple Talaq a criminal offence.

The government hopes to get the bill cleared in the parliament during the winter session that began on Friday. (India-Muslims-Divorce) Enditem