Reuters World News Summary

Following is a summary of current world news briefs. Far-right activists stage torchlit march in Bulgarian capital

More than 2,000 far-right activists from several European countries staged a torchlit procession through Sofia on Saturday to honor a Bulgarian pro-Nazi general, despite opposition from the Balkan country's political parties and Jewish groups. The procession, known as the Lukov March after Hristo Lukov, who led the pro-Nazi Union of Bulgarian National Legions in the 1930s and early 1940s, went ahead after a court overturned the Sofia municipality's ban for a second consecutive year. Exclusive: McCarrick defrocking shows 'bishops not above the law' - top Vatican investigator

The defrocking of former U.S. cardinal Theodore McCarrick is a "very important signal" to the Catholic Church hierarchy that no one is above the law, the Vatican's top sexual crimes investigator said on Saturday. McCarrick was expelled from the priesthood after being found guilty of sexual crimes against minors and adults. Socialists lead Spain's election race, set to win 115-117 seats: poll

Spain's Socialist Party will win the largest number of seats in a parliamentary election set for April 28, according to a GESOP opinion poll published by El Periodico newspaper on Saturday, short of a majority in the 350-seat legislature. The Socialists will win 115-117 seats, followed by the conservative Popular Party with between 75 and 77 seats, it said. With such an outcome, one of the two main parties would need the support of smaller parties to secure a majority that would then elect a prime minister. UK PM May to hold Brexit talks with EU's Juncker; urges party unity

British Prime Minister Theresa May is to hold Brexit talks with European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker next week, her office said on Saturday, following this week's symbolic defeat in parliament which was widely interpreted as undermining her negotiating strength with the EU. Her office did not give a date for the talks but said May planned to speak to the leader of every EU member state over the coming days. Tunisian police and protesters clash after death at police station

Police in Tunisia fired tear gas on Saturday to disperse demonstrators who protested after a young man died inside a police station near the coastal resort of Hammamet, witnesses said. The young man was arrested on Friday after a fight between groups of youths in the town of Barraket Essahel, 60 kms (37 miles) southeast of the capital Tunis, according to locals. While it was not immediately clear how he died, demonstrators blamed the security forces. Islamic State's 'caliphate' on brink of defeat in Syria

U.S.-backed fighters in Syria are poised to capture Islamic State's last, tiny enclave on the Euphrates, the battle commander said on Saturday, bringing its self-declared caliphate to the brink of total defeat. Jiya Furat said the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) had cornered the remaining militants in a neighborhood of Baghouz village near the Iraqi border, under fire from all sides. French police fire tear gas as latest 'yellow vest' protests turn violent

French police fired tear gas to disperse protesters who threw projectiles and set bins on fire in Paris, Lyon and Bordeaux on Saturday, as the 14th straight weekend of "yellow vest" protests took a violent turn in the afternoon. In Rouen in the north, four people were injured after a driver tried to force his way through a crowd of protesters, authorities said. More U.S. aid for Venezuela touches down amid distribution uncertainty

A U.S. military transport plane carrying humanitarian aid meant for Venezuelans landed in the Colombian border city of Cucuta on Saturday, where food and medicine is being stored amidst uncertainty over how and where aid will be distributed. The shipment will be the second arrival of large-scale U.S. and international aid for Venezuelans, many of whom have scant access to food and medicine, since opposition leader Juan Guaido declared himself interim president in defiance of socialist President Nicolas Maduro. Pence chastises EU, rejects Merkel's call to work with Russia

U.S. Vice President Mike Pence rebuked European powers over Iran and Venezuela on Saturday in a renewed attack on Washington's traditional allies, rejecting a call by Germany's chancellor to include Russia in global cooperation efforts. In speeches and in private talks at the Munich Security Conference, Pence and Chancellor Angela Merkel laid out competing visions for how the West should address world crises. Seeking independence 'is not a crime,' Barcelona protesters say

Tens of thousands of people waving pro-independence flags and holding pictures of jailed Catalan separatist leaders took to the streets of Barcelona on Saturday to call for self-determination for the northeastern Spanish region. Chanting "Freedom!" and "Independence!", around 200,000 people, according to local police, took part in the peaceful march at a time when the region's divisive independence drive is back in the spotlight.