Reuters World News Summary

Following is a summary of current world news briefs. Time-lapse shots of Notre-Dame spire may offer clues on blaze

A time lapse camera installed just hours before Monday's devastating blaze at Notre-Dame de Paris may contain vital clues as to what caused the inferno, a French scaffolding company working at the cathedral said on Thursday. Europe Echafaudage was one of five companies contracted to restore the landmark spire, which was timber-framed and towered 295 feet (90 meters), shaping the skyline along the Seine river. The burning spire collapsed in the blaze, crashing through the Cathedral's ceiling. Islamic State cites 69 casualties from Nigerian army and African troops

Islamic State (IS) has recorded 69 casualties from the Nigerian Army and troops from an African anti-militant force in attacks over the past week, the Jihadist group said in its weekly paper on Thursday. Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP), which split from Nigeria-based Boko Haram in 2016, has carried out a series of attacks in the last few months. Explainer: How the EU will vote and why it matters

A poll for the European Parliament showed that last-minute British participation in next month's elections to the European Union's legislature means eurosceptic groups will gain ground but pro-EU parties will keep a majority. WHO'S VOTING AND FOR WHAT? Climate-change protesters say they will target London's Heathrow Airport

The Extinction Rebellion group of climate change campaigners said it planned to hold a protest at London's Heathrow Airport on Friday, opening a new front in its demonstrations that have caused transport snarl-ups in the British capital. Extinction Rebellion has blocked several locations in central London in recent days after it staged a semi-nude protest in parliament earlier this month. Mortar bombs land on Tripoli suburb as two-week battle rages on

Mortar bombs crashed down on a suburb of Tripoli on Thursday, almost hitting a clinic and adding to people's suffering after two weeks of an offensive by eastern troops on the Libyan capital, which is held by an internationally recognized government. Shelling could be also heard late at night in parts of Tripoli where a battle was raging in two southern suburbs, residents and an eastern military official said. Mali government resigns after massacre, insecurity

Mali's prime minister and his whole government resigned on Thursday, four weeks after a massacre of some 160 Fulani herders by an ethnic vigilante group shocked the nation. "The President accepts the resignation of the prime minister and that of the members of government," a statement from President Ibrahim Boubacar Keita's office said. North Korea urges Trump to drop Pompeo from talks; U.S. plays down weapons test

North Korea said on Thursday it no longer wanted to deal with U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo and that he should be replaced in talks by someone more mature, hours after it announced its first weapons test since nuclear talks broke down. North Korea's state news agency said Kwon Jong Gun, in charge of U.S. affairs at the foreign ministry, had warned that no one could predict what would happen if Washington did not abandon the "root cause" that compelled Pyongyang to develop nuclear weapons. Thousands of Peruvians say goodbye to ex-president following suicide

Thousand of Peruvians said goodbye on Thursday in Lima to ex-president Alan Garcia -- who killed himself this week - in the second of three days of national mourning declared by President Martin Vizcarra. Garcia shot himself in the head on Wednesday to avoid arrest in connection with alleged bribes from Brazilian builder Odebrecht, in the most dramatic turn yet in Latin America's largest graft scandal. U.S., Russia say cannot support a U.N. call for Libya truce: diplomats

The United States and Russia both said on Thursday they could not support a United Nations Security Council resolution calling for a ceasefire in Libya at this time, diplomats said, as mortar bombs crashed down on a suburb of the Libyan capital, Tripoli. Russia objects to the British-drafted resolution blaming eastern Libyan commander Khalifa Haftar for the latest flare-up in violence when his Libyan National Army (LNA) advanced to the outskirts of Tripoli earlier this month, diplomats said. Protesters converge on Sudan defense ministry to demand civilian rule

Huge crowds formed outside Sudan's defense ministry on Thursday, joining a sit-in protest to demand that the country's transitional military council hand power to civilians. Hundreds of thousands packed the streets by early evening - the largest crowds to gather in the center of the capital since last week, when former President Omar al-Bashir was ousted and the military council took over.

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