Reuters World News Summary

Following is a summary of current world news briefs. BAE chairman: UK should be 'critical friend' to Riyadh - Sky News

The killing of Jamal Khashoggi and Yemen's war have hurt Saudi Arabia's reputation, the chairman of BAE Systems told Sky News, adding Britain as a "critical friend" could help Riyadh refocus on the development push it was making before those crises emerged. The death of Khashoggi, a Washington Post columnist and critic of de facto Saudi ruler Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, sparked global outrage and mushroomed into a crisis for the world's top oil exporter and strategic ally of the West. Thousands protest Australia Day legacy

Tens of thousands of people rallied across Australia on Saturday calling for the abolition of the Jan. 26 national holiday in protests showing a deep division over a festivity intended to celebrate the birth of modern Australia. While Australia Day marks the anniversary of the 1788 arrival of the "First Fleet" of British ships at Sydney Cove, many indigenous Australians, who trace their lineage on the continent back 50,000 years, regard it as "Invasion Day". Senior Taliban leader expected to join talks with U.S. in Qatar shortly

The Taliban's new political leader is expected to join meetings with U.S. officials in Qatar imminently, Taliban sources said on Saturday as the latest round of talks to find ways to end the 17-year Afghan war entered a sixth day. The peace talks, initially slated for two days, are continuing despite Taliban representatives staging a brief walkout on Friday over differences with U.S. special peace envoy Zalmay Khalilzad. Philippine referendum returns big 'yes' vote on Bangsamoro self-rule

A predominantly Muslim area of the southern Philippines has returned a resounding "Yes" in this week's referendum on greater autonomy, boosting hopes for peace in one of Asia's most conflict-torn regions. The plan to create a self-administered area for the Muslim-dominated parts of Mindanao was backed by 85 percent of voters, the election commission said late on Friday, paving the way for a three-year transition toward elections for a legislature that will choose an executive. U.S. set to send first group of asylum seekers back to Mexico

The United States was expected to send a first group of 20 Central American asylum seekers back to Mexico through the border city of Tijuana on Friday as part of President Donald Trump's hardening of longstanding U.S. immigration policy. Under a policy dubbed the Migrant Protection Protocols, announced on Dec. 20, the United States will return non-Mexican migrants who cross the U.S. southern border back to Mexico while their asylum requests are processed in U.S. immigration courts. Nine bodies found after Brazil mining dam burst, count seen climbing

Brazilian rescue workers on Saturday searched for roughly 300 missing people after a tailings dam burst at an iron ore mine owned by Vale SA, amid faint hopes of finding many alive, three years after a similar disaster involving the miner. Nine people have been found dead after the dam burst on Friday, while nearly 200 people have been rescued, according to firemen running the rescue effort in the town of Brumadinho. Brexit date could be pushed back by a 'couple of extra weeks': Leadsom

The date Britain leaves the EU could be pushed back by a couple of weeks to give time for legislation to be approved by lawmakers, the leader of Britain's lower house of parliament said, the most senior figure to make such a suggestion. Britain, the world's fifth largest economy, is due to leave the European Union on March 29 but Prime Minister Theresa May's negotiated exit deal was rejected by lawmakers, leaving open the possibility of a disorderly Brexit. Spanish rescuers find body of toddler trapped in well

Spanish rescuers on Saturday found the dead body of a two-year-old boy who had fallen into a deep narrow well in southern Spain on Jan. 13, a Spanish official said. Miners had been drilling day and night to reach the boy, Julen, into the borehole - 100 meters (300 feet) deep and just 25 cm (10 inches) wide - which was blocked with soil. Nigeria opposition party pauses election campaign over suspension of judge

Nigeria's main opposition party has halted its presidential election campaign for 72 hours weeks ahead of the vote in protest at the suspension of the country's most senior judge by President Muhammadu Buhari, it said on Saturday. The president on Friday said he had suspended chief justice of Nigeria (CJN) Walter Onnoghen who has been asked to appear before a tribunal over allegations of breaching asset-declaration rules. U.S. steps up pressure on Maduro as Russia backs Venezuelan ally

The United States on Friday signaled it was ready to step up economic measures to try to drive Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro from power as some U.S. diplomats left the embassy in Caracas and Russia vowed to back its socialist South American ally. The U.S. Treasury Department stopped short of announcing a freeze on Venezuela's U.S. assets and accounts, but said it would take steps to ensure commercial transactions were "consistent" with its recognition this week of opposition leader Juan Guaido as Venezuela's legitimate head of state.