World News Roundup: Brexit divorce deal; Trump-Saudi Arabia ties; U.S. military bids

Following is a summary of current world news briefs.

UK prime minister, Spanish premier talk Brexit, Gibraltar: May's office

British Prime Minister Theresa May spoke to Spain's Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez about her commitment to agreeing a Brexit deal that works for the whole of the United Kingdom, including Gibraltar, May's office said on Wednesday. Sanchez on Tuesday said that Spain will vote against the European Union's draft Brexit deal on Sunday unless it is modified to make clear that the future of the disputed British territory of Gibraltar relies on talks between Madrid and London.

Exclusive: U.S. weighs sanctions on Cuban officials over role in Venezuela crackdown

The Trump administration is considering imposing sanctions on Cuban military and intelligence officials who it says are helping Venezuela's socialist government crackdown on dissent, according to a source with knowledge of the deliberations. Such sanctions would be the first time Washington has targeted a bloc of foreign officials allied with Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro. OPEC member Venezuela is in the grips of a prolonged recession, its economy dogged by hyperinflation and food shortages.

Trump praises Saudi Arabia amid pressure over ally

U.S. President Donald Trump on Wednesday praised Saudi Arabia for helping to lower oil prices as pressure intensified for the United States to impose tougher sanctions on its Middle East ally over dissident Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi's murder. In a tweet, Trump thanked Riyadh for the recent drop in oil prices and called for prices to go even lower to boost the U.S. and global economies.

Iran says U.S. bases and aircraft carriers within missile range

An Iranian Revolutionary Guards commander said on Wednesday that U.S. bases in Afghanistan, the UAE and Qatar, and U.S. aircraft carriers in the Gulf were within range of Iranian missiles, as tensions rise between Tehran and Washington. "They are within our reach and we can hit them if they (Americans) make a move," Amirali Hajizadeh, head of the Revolutionary Guards' airspace division, was quoted as saying by Tasnim news agency.

Kim Jong Who? South Korea revamps the way students study North Korea

A year of warming relations between North and South Korea has raised the prospects of closer ties, if not some form of unification for the still-warring neighbors far in the future. But it might not be obvious in a typical South Korean classroom. "I really don't know anything," 17-year-old student Roh Ha-na said. "It's like only twice a year that the school teaches about unification and national security, and about North Korean life... but I just let most of it go in one ear and out the other."This year's inter-Korean détente has highlighted what many observers see as a lack of knowledge among South Koreans about their northern neighbor, prompting government efforts to revamp the way South Koreans learn about North Korea and unification.

Exclusive: Three more South Korean firms rigged U.S. military bids

South Korea's S-Oil Corp, Hyundai Oilbank Co and Jier Shin Korea Co took part in a bid-rigging scheme that led to more than $100 million in overcharges to the U.S. military, according to two sources with knowledge of the matter. The three companies were not named in filings in U.S. federal court in Ohio that described a conspiracy that involved a total of six companies that overcharged U.S. military bases in South Korea for fuel.

U.S., South Korea to reduce scope of 'Foal Eagle' military exercise

U.S. Defense Secretary Jim Mattis said on Wednesday that a joint military exercise with South Korea called "Foal Eagle" would be reduced in scope next year so it does not harm diplomatic efforts with North Korea. "Foal Eagle is being reorganized a bit to keep it at a level that will not be harmful to diplomacy," Mattis told reporters.

May says to return to Brussels on Saturday in bid to seal Brexit deal

Prime Minister Theresa May said she would be returning to Brussels on Saturday to hammer out an outline of Britain's future ties with the European Union after her meeting with the head of the bloc's executive on Wednesday failed to bridge the gaps. May met European Commission head Jean-Claude Juncker for about an hour and a half to try to win commitments aimed at helping her appease rebels at home opposed to her draft Brexit treaty.

American missionary killed by tribe on remote Indian island

An American self-styled adventurer and Christian missionary has been killed and buried by a tribe of hunter-gatherers on a remote island in the Indian Ocean where he had gone to proselytize, local law enforcement officials said on Wednesday. John Allen Chau, 26, was slain on North Sentinel Island, which is home to what is considered the last pre-Neolithic tribe in the world and typically out of bounds to visitors, said Dependra Pathak, the director general of police in Andaman and Nicobar.

Irish parliament overwhelmingly backs Brexit divorce deal

Ireland's parliament overwhelmingly backed the divorce deal struck last week by Brexit negotiators, with all major parties supporting the draft agreement that the government says achieves all its key priorities. Although a vote was not legally necessary -- ratification is only needed in the European Parliament and, far tricker, the British parliament -- Irish Prime Minister Leo Varadkar wanted to show that politicians from all sides supported his position.

(With inputs from Reuters)