World News Round-up: Romanian vote, Haiti earthquake, Saudi journalist, Brazilians vote

A magnitude 5.9 earthquake struck on Saturday close to the northernmost tip of Haiti, some 12.3 miles (19.9 kilometres), west-northwest of the port of Port-de-Paix, the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) said.

Romanian vote to ban same sex marriage fails to meet legal turnout - party estimate

A two-day referendum to change Romania's constitution so same-sex couples cannot secure the right to marry failed to meet the required 30 per cent voter turnout to be validated, a preliminary estimate from an opposition party showed on Sunday. Opposition Save Romania Union (USR) said they estimated voter turnout stood at 19.5 per cent when polls closed at 1800 GMT. Data from the national election bureau has shown just under 19 per cent of Romanians had voted by 1600 GMT.

Magnitude 5.9 quake strikes northern Haiti: USGS

A magnitude 5.9 earthquake struck on Saturday close to the northernmost tip of Haiti, some 12.3 miles (19.9 kilometres), west-northwest of the port of Port-de-Paix, the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) said. The quake damaged the facade of a church in Plaisance and a house next door collapsed, Frantz Duval, a journalist with the Haitian newspaper Le Nouvelliste, said on Twitter.

North Korea's Kim Jong Un says talks with Pompeo 'productive and wonderful': KCNA

North Korean leader Kim Jong Un described his talks with U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo on Sunday as "productive and wonderful," state media KCNA said on Monday, striking a positive tone compared with a previous state media stance when talks were stalled. Kim and Pompeo agreed to arrange a summit between the North Korean leader and U.S. President Donald Trump "as soon as possible," and discussed potential U.S. monitoring of Pyongyang's steps toward denuclearization, South Korea's presidential office said on Sunday.

German conservatives back Merkel bid for party leadership

Senior German conservatives on Sunday backed Chancellor Angela Merkel's bid for re-election as chairwoman of her Christian Democrats (CDU) at a party congress in December, lending her much needed support as in-fighting weakens her authority. Merkel has vowed to serve her full term in office until the end of the legislative period in 2021 and has said she will run to remain as chairwoman.

Saudi journalist Khashoggi was killed in consulate, Turkish sources say

Turkish authorities believe Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi was killed inside his country's consulate in Istanbul last week, Turkish sources said, in what they described as the deliberate targeting of a prominent critic of the Gulf kingdom's rulers. Khashoggi, a former newspaper editor in Saudi Arabia and adviser to its former head of intelligence, left the country last year saying he feared retribution for his growing criticism of Saudi policy in the Yemen war and its crackdown on dissent.

Brazilians vote in tense presidential race led by right-winger

Brazilians will vote on Sunday in a polarized presidential race that could result in the election of a far-right former Army captain, whose praise of past dictatorships enrages critics but whose promise of a brutal crackdown on crime and corruption has electrified his supporters. Front-runner Jair Bolsonaro, who some call a tropical Trump, has surged in opinion polls in the past week.

Nationalist Serb, Bosniak leaders win Bosnia's presidential vote

Bosnian Serb nationalist leader Milorad Dodik and Sefik Dzaferovic, the candidate of the largest Muslim Bosniak party, have won the Serb and Bosniak seats in Bosnia's triumverate presidency, the election commission said early Monday. Moderate Croat Zeljko Komsic, who already served two terms in the presidency, won the Croat seat with 49.5 per cent of the vote, winning over nationalist Dragan Covic from the largest Croat party, HDZ.

Interpol chief Meng Hongwei under investigation, China says

China said on Sunday it was investigating Meng Hongwei for suspected wrongdoing after the head of the global law enforcement organization Interpol and Chinese vice minister for security was reported missing in France. The statement by a Chinese anti-graft body was the first official word from China about Meng since his disappearance was reported in France on Friday. Meng had been reported missing by his wife after traveling last month from France, where Interpol is based, to China.

Thailand's cave boys enjoy kickabout at iconic River Plate stadium

Twelve Thai boys and their football coach, who were dramatically rescued from a flooded cave in July, enjoyed a high-profile kickabout on Sunday, playing a game at River Plate's iconic Monumental stadium. The team, known as the 'Wild Boars', are honoured guests at the Youth Olympics in the Argentine capital after their rescue gripped the world.

German far-right party draws backing from small group of Jews

Leaders of the far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) have been rebuked for belittling the significance of the Nazis and criticizing a Holocaust memorial, but this has not stopped a small group of Jews from throwing their support behind the party. On Sunday they formed Jews in the AfD, a political group based in the western city of Wiesbaden that seeks to foster support for the party, which says Islam is not compatible with the German constitution.