Reuters World News Summary

Following is a summary of current world news briefs. Spain claims success in Gibraltar row with Britain

Spain has claimed victory in an argument with Britain over the status of Gibraltar, after the European Parliament passed a law that referred to the peninsula as a "colony of the British Crown". The row may be a foretaste of Britain's diminished heft once it leaves the European Union, which is always likely to take the side of a member against a non-member. Venezuelan deputy minister says more Russian troops could arrive: Interfax

Venezuela's deputy foreign minister Ivan Gil said on Thursday he does not rule out that more Russian military personnel may arrive in Venezuela under agreements already concluded with Russia, Interfax news agency reported. The deputy minister also said Russian forces will stay in Venezuela as long as needed, and that there is no set period for their stay. New clues emerge of accused New Zealand gunman Tarrant's ties to far right groups

From its clubhouses in Melbourne and Sydney, the Lads Society promotes drug-free living and exercise, as well as "white resistance" and Islamophobia, according to online statements and interviews with two of its leaders. One of Australia's most high profile extremist groups, its members last year infiltrated the youth arm of the National Party, part of the ruling coalition government, before being exposed and ejected due to their far right views. Syrian government forces shell rebel-held northwest, kill 12

Syrian government shelling killed at least a dozen people in the rebel-held northwest on Thursday, rescue workers said, as Damascus said its patience was running out over the implementation of a Russian-Turkish agreement in the area. The shelling killed at least 12 people and wounded dozens in Kafr Nubl, where one missile hit a market, said Obada Dhikra, the director of civil defense service in the area. The number of dead could rise due to the severity of the injuries. Recount of Istanbul votes partially complete, opposition candidate says remains ahead

Turkey's main opposition candidate in Istanbul said on Thursday a recount of Sunday's local election votes was partially complete and the difference between him and the ruling AK party candidate remained around 20,000. Initial results from the elections showed the opposition Republican People's Party (CHP) had narrowly won control of Turkey's two biggest cities, Istanbul and Ankara, in an upset for President Tayyip Erdogan's ruling AK Party (AKP). Britain facing long Brexit delay as stalemate puts divorce in doubt

Britain could ask the European Union for a long Brexit delay next week if crisis talks between Prime Minister Theresa May's government and the opposition Labour Party fail to find a way out of the impasse over the divorce from the European Union. Brexit is now in mired in doubt, nearly three years since the United Kingdom shocked the world by voting 52 percent to 48 to leave the bloc. Supporters fear betrayal and opponents are pushing for another referendum. Exclusive: Go 'extra step' to get Brexit deal, UK Labour lawmakers urge Corbyn

Twenty-five lawmakers in Britain's opposition Labour Party have urged their leader, Jeremy Corbyn, to go the "extra step" if there is a chance of agreeing a Brexit deal in talks with Prime Minister Theresa May. May, whose deal to leave the European Union has been rejected in parliament three times, has turned to Corbyn in a last-ditch bid to get the support of his Labour Party for an agreement she signed with the bloc's leaders in November. Ethiopia urges Boeing to review controls, backs pilots

Ethiopian investigators urged Boeing to review its flight control technology and said pilots of state carrier Ethiopian Airlines had carried out proper procedures in the first public findings on the crash of a 737 MAX jet that killed 157 people. The doomed flight repeatedly nosedived as the pilots battled to control the nearly full aircraft before it crashed six minutes after take-off from Addis Ababa in clear conditions, Ethiopian authorities said on Thursday. Eastern forces seize town south of Tripoli, U.N. chief urges restraint

Eastern Libyan forces on Thursday took full control of Gharyan, a town about 100 km (60 miles) south of the capital Tripoli, the force commander and residents said. The taking of Gharyan after skirmishes on Wednesday with forces allied to Tripoli Prime Minister Fayez al-Serraj culminated a rapid thrust westwards by Khalifa Haftar's Libyan National Army (LNA) from his eastern stronghold of Benghazi. Philippines says Chinese vessels in disputed waters illegal

The presence of more than 200 Chinese fishing boats near an island occupied by Manila in the disputed South China Sea is illegal and a clear violation of Philippine sovereignty, the country's foreign ministry said on Thursday. "Such actions when not repudiated by the Chinese government are deemed to have been adopted by it," the Department of Foreign Affairs said in a rare rebuke of Beijing.