World News Roundup: Taiwan train crash, May-EU proposal, Honduran migrants

Brazil's leading presidential candidate Jair Bolsonaro said on Sunday that, if he is elected, he intends to use the armed forces for routine street patrols, describing the country as "at war."

Following is a summary of current world news briefs.

Poland's ruling eurosceptics score modest gains in local vote, lose Warsaw

Poland's ruling eurosceptic Law and Justice (PiS) scored limited gains in regional government in Sunday's election, but lost a high-profile race for Warsaw mayor, an exit poll showed, laying bare divisions in Poland over the party's democracy record. Since sweeping into power in 2015, PiS has remained broadly popular, benefiting from voter-pleasing welfare reforms, nationalist rhetoric and strong economic growth.

Saudi Arabia calls Khashoggi killing 'grave mistake,' says prince not aware

Saudi Arabia on Sunday called the killing of journalist Jamal Khashoggi at its Istanbul consulate a "huge and grave mistake," but sought to shield its powerful crown prince from the widening crisis, saying Mohammed bin Salman had not been aware. The comments from Foreign Minister Adel al-Jubeir were some of the most direct yet from Riyadh, which has given multiple and conflicting accounts about Khashoggi's killing on Oct. 2, first denying his death and later admitting it amid an international outcry.

Australian PM seeks meeting with independent lawmakers in bid to shore-up government

Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison will meet with independent lawmakers as early as Monday in a bid to shore up support for his government as it is poised to lose its one-seat parliamentary majority. The ruling Liberal Party saw a 20 per cent swing against it at a by-election in Sydney, leaving the government reliant on the support of five independents to survive.

Taiwan train crash kills 18 in deadliest rail tragedy in decades

Eighteen people died and 175 were injured when a train derailed in northeastern Taiwan on Sunday, authorities said, in the island's worst rail disaster in more than three decades. Four carriages overturned in the crash, which occurred in Yilan County near the coast on a line popular among tourists when all eight cars ran off the tracks on a bend near a station, officials said.

With divorce deal almost done, May repeats rejection of EU proposal on Northern Ireland

Prime Minister Theresa May will tell parliament on Monday that 95 per cent of Britain's divorce deal has now been settled but will repeat her opposition to the European Union's proposal for the land border with Northern Ireland. Facing some of the fiercest criticism to date over her Brexit plans after the two sides failed again to reach agreement at a summit last week, May will try to calm passions in parliament where her strategy has angered eurosceptics and EU supporters alike.

Thousands of Hondurans in U.S.-bound migrant caravan head into Mexico

A U.S.-bound caravan of thousands of mostly Honduran migrants whom President Donald Trump has declared unwelcome began pouring into the Mexican border city of Tapachula on Sunday, setting up impromptu camps in public parks under a heavy rain. Many members of the caravan, exhausted from the hours-long trek on foot from the Guatemalan border, mostly ignored police offers to board buses heading to a migrant shelter because of suspicions they might be deported instead.

Two Venezuelans die attempting to reach Aruba by boat: government

Two Venezuelans attempting to reach the Caribbean island of Aruba died, authorities said over the weekend, highlighting the increasingly perilous routes migrants take to escape the OPEC member's economic meltdown. Venezuelans routinely travel to the more prosperous Aruba in search of work or staple products that have become unavailable under the socialist government of President Nicolas Maduro. Those who are not allowed to enter Aruba often travel in rickety boats under the cover of darkness.

Chilean court orders Catholic Church to pay damages over abuse: report

Chile's Court of Appeal has ordered the office of Santiago's Archbishop to pay $450 million pesos ($650,000) to three men who alleged they were sexually abused for decades by Chilean priest Fernando Karadima, a local newspaper reported on Sunday. Citing a copy of a leaked judgment, La Tercera said the three judges who heard the case on Thursday found in favour of an appeal for "moral damages" against the church for allegedly covering up the crimes. The case was previously rejected by a lower court for lack of evidence.

Author of critical book on Egypt's economy arrested: sources, wife

Egyptian police on Sunday arrested the author of a book about Egypt's economy on charges of publishing false news, security sources and the author's wife said. Abdul Khalik Farouk's detention came days after local media reported that draft copies of his book, "Is Egypt Really a Poor Country?", which includes criticism of the government's economic policies, were seized by authorities from a publisher.

Brazil's Bolsonaro says he intends to use armed forces to fight violence

Brazil's leading presidential candidate Jair Bolsonaro said on Sunday that, if he is elected, he intends to use the armed forces for routine street patrols, describing the country as "at war." The far-right lawmaker and former army captain said in an interview with Band TV that he would discuss the idea with his proposed defence minister and state governments, which are responsible for public safety.

(With inputs from Reuters)