World News Roundup: Saudi prince linked to Khashoggi murder; What is at stake in Istanbul's election re-run

Following is a summary of current world news briefs.

Brazil's Bolsonaro hands indigenous land decisions back to farm sector

Right-wing President Jair Bolsonaro issued a new decree on Wednesday putting decisions on indigenous land claims in the hands of the Ministry of Agriculture, four weeks after Congress rebuffed him on the move that is sought by Brazil's farm lobby. The temporary decree once again removes decisions on the demarcation of reservation lands from the National Indigenous Affairs agency Funai and restores them to a ministry that is run by farming interests.

Explainer: What is at stake in Istanbul's election re-run?

Voters in Istanbul will head back to the polls on Sunday to choose a mayor, after Turkey's election authority scrapped the results of a March vote in which President Tayyip Erdogan's ruling AK Party lost to the main opposition. The rerun has ramifications far beyond city hall. Erdogan described the initial vote there and elsewhere in March as a "matter of survival" for Turkey.

NZ launches gun 'buy-back' scheme for weapons banned after Christchurch mosque attacks

New Zealand's government on Thursday launched a multimillion-dollar, six-month "buy-back" scheme to compensate owners of powerful but newly banned semi-automatic weapons prohibited in the wake of deadly attacks on two mosques in the Southern city of Christchurch. Finance Minister Grant Robertson and Minister of Police Stuart Nash said in a joint emailed statement that NZ$208 million ($135.97 million) had been set aside to compensate owners of the banned semi-automatic firearms up to 95% of the original cost.

Staff evacuated as rocket strikes near foreign oil firms in Iraq

A rocket hit a site in southern Iraq used by foreign oil companies on Wednesday, including U.S. energy giant ExxonMobil, wounding three people and threatening to further escalate U.S.-Iran tensions in the region. There was no immediate claim of responsibility for the attack near Iraq's southern city of Basra, the fourth time in a week that rockets have struck near U.S. installations. A second rocket that landed in another nearby area did not explode, one official said.

U.S. Navy says mine fragments suggest Iran behind Gulf tanker attack

The United States sought on Wednesday to bolster its case for isolating Iran over its nuclear and regional activities by displaying limpet mine fragments it said came from an oil tanker damaged in an attack last week and saying the ordnance looked Iranian in origin. Separately, a senior U.S. official said U.S. intelligence had confirmed that Iranian vessels had approached the damaged tanker, the Kokuka Courageous, as well as a second one, the Front Altair, prior to explosions that damaged their hulls last week.

Islamic State says it killed 12 Nigerian soldiers in Borno state attack: statement

Islamic State said on Wednesday its West African branch carried out an attack on a Nigerian army base in northeastern Borno state and that its fighters killed 12 soldiers. A military source put the toll higher, saying up to 25 soldiers were killed after insurgents traveling on trucks mounted with guns attacked the base on Monday around 5:30 p.m. (1630 GMT). He said fighting lasted for about three hours. A local resident said he saw the bodies of six dead Nigerian soldiers.

Exclusive: U.S. tells India it is mulling caps on H-1B visas to deter data rules - sources

The United States has told India it is considering caps on H-1B work visas for nations that force foreign companies to store data locally, three sources with knowledge of the matter told Reuters, widening the two countries' row over tariffs and trade. The plan to restrict the popular H-1B visa program, under which skilled foreign workers are brought to the United States each year, comes days ahead of U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo's visit to New Delhi.

Rights groups question Mexican migration crackdown after woman's death

Rights groups on Wednesday raised concerns over Mexico's use of security forces to curb illegal migration after prosecutors said they were investigating the death of a young woman in an alleged shooting of Salvadoran migrants by police last week. The incident, in which the 19-year-old woman was killed and two men were wounded, occurred on Friday in the eastern state of Veracruz amid a push by Mexico to stem the flow of U.S.-bound migrants entering Mexico from Central American.

South Korea urges North Korea summit before Trump Seoul visit, U.S. door 'wide open'

South Korea on Wednesday urged North Korea to hold another summit with its leader ahead of U.S. President Donald Trump's visit to Seoul next week, while the United States said its door remained "wide open" for talks with Pyongyang. U.S. Special Representative for North Korea Stephen Biegun, speaking at a Washington forum, said the United States had no pre-conditions for new talks with North Korea, which have been stalled since a failed summit between Trump and North Korean leader Kim Jong Un in February.

Saudi crown prince linked to Khashoggi murder in U.N. report

Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman and other senior officials should be investigated over the murder of journalist Jamal Khashoggi given credible evidence against them, a U.N. rights investigator said on Wednesday. Khashoggi’s death stirred widespread disgust and hurt the image of the prince, previously admired in the West for pushing to end the kingdom's oil dependence and easing social restrictions including by allowing women to drive.

(This story has not been edited by Devdiscourse staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)