Reuters World News Summary

Following is a summary of current world news briefs. White House says Trump spoke to Libyan commander Haftar on Monday

The White House said on Friday that President Donald Trump spoke by phone earlier in the week and discussed "ongoing counterterrorism efforts" with Libyan commander Khalifa Haftar, leader of a military assault on the capital Tripoli in opposition to the internationally recognized government. In Libya on Friday, two children were killed by shelling in the southern Tripoli suburb of Qaser Ben Ghasher, residents said. Officials could not immediately reached for comment. U.S. arrests former Marine connected to North Korea embassy raid in Spain

U.S. authorities on Thursday arrested a former U.S. Marine who is a member of a group that allegedly raided the North Korean embassy in Madrid in February and stole electronics, according to two sources familiar with the arrest. Christopher Ahn was arrested and is expected to be arraigned on Friday in federal court in Los Angles, according to a law enforcement official and a source close to the group. Putin ally to Ukraine's probable new leader: Reconcile with Moscow and get territory back

Ukraine's new president could regain control over the separatist-controlled east of his country within months and get cheap gas and major investment from Russia if he repairs ties with Moscow, the Kremlin's closest ally in Ukraine said. Viktor Medvedchuk, a prominent figure in Ukraine's Russia-leaning opposition, outlined the prospect in an interview before a presidential election runoff in Ukraine on Sunday which polls show political novice Volodymyr Zelenskiy should easily win. Hundreds of thousands back on Algeria's streets, demanding radical reform

Hundreds of thousands of demonstrators returned to Algeria's streets on Friday to press demands for sweeping democratic change well beyond former President Abdelaziz Bouteflika's resignation, chanting "we do what we want", witnesses said. The march was peaceful, like most of the demonstrations in the country over the last two months. Ukrainian presidential candidates trade insults in rowdy stadium debate

The two men vying to be Ukraine's next president traded insults in a raucous debate on Friday in front of thousands of supporters before an election that could put a comedian with no political experience in charge of a country at war. The debate, held in a hulking football stadium, was one of the last opportunities for incumbent President Petro Poroshenko to try to overhaul a significant lead in the opinion polls enjoyed by his challenger Volodymyr Zelenskiy, a comic. More protesters flood Sudan's sit-in to demand civilian rule

Hundreds of thousands of protesters massed around a sit-in outside Sudan's Defense Ministry on Friday to demand that the military council that ousted former president Omar al-Bashir last week hand over power to civilians. The crowds, which late on Thursday had grown to their largest this week as protesters tried to increase pressure on the transitional council, swelled once more on Friday evening. EU's Juncker: there is still a risk of no-deal Brexit despite delay

There is a still a concern that Britain may leave the European Union without a deal to smooth the way, the bloc's chief executive said on Saturday, urging Britain to take advantage of a six-month delay to work out the details of its departure. European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker made the comments in an interview with German newspaper FUNKE Mediengruppe, a week after EU leaders gave Britain six months more to exit the EU. Egyptians to vote on changes that may see Sisi in power to 2030

Egyptians vote this weekend on constitutional changes that will potentially allow President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi to stay in office until 2030 and bolster the role of Egypt's powerful military. Sisi's supporters say the changes are necessary to give him more time to complete major development projects and economic reforms. Critics say they concentrate more powers in Sisi's hands and return Egypt to an unequivocally authoritarian model. Northern Ireland journalist killed by gunman during riot

A 29-year-old Northern Irish journalist was shot dead during rioting in Londonderry overnight, an attack that shocked the region and police said was likely the work of Irish nationalist militants opposed to the 1998 Good Friday peace deal. Rioting hit the Irish nationalist Creggan area of the city in Northern Ireland late on Thursday after a raid by police, who said they were trying to prevent militant attacks this weekend. At least 50 petrol bombs were thrown and two cars set on fire. Peru ex-president leaves cadaver as sign of 'contempt' for his enemies: suicide note

Peruvian ex-president Alan Garcia wrote in an alleged suicide note read by family members at a wake on Friday that he had killed himself in order to avoid humiliation at the hands of his political enemies. Garcia shot himself in the head earlier this week as police arrived at his door to arrest him in connection with alleged bribes from Brazilian builder Odebrecht, in the most dramatic turn yet in Latin America's largest graft scandal. Before his suicide, Garcia had repeatedly brushed off allegations of corruption as a political hit.