Trump's visit, Pompeo, Colombia, Libya: World round-up

U.S. President Donald Trump will visit Ireland in November, the Irish government said on Friday.

Following is a summary of current world news briefs.

U.S. President Trump to visit Ireland in November: Irish government

U.S. President Donald Trump will visit Ireland in November, the Irish government said on Friday. "The Taoiseach (prime minister) understands that President Trump will stop in Ireland for a brief visit on his way to or from the (World War One) Armistice commemorations in Paris" in November, a government spokesman said.

The U.S. sees the assault on Idlib as an escalation of Syria conflict: Pompeo

U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo on Friday said the United States views the Syrian government military assault on rebel-held Idlib as an escalation of the Syrian conflict, as the State Department warned that Washington would respond to any chemical attack by Damascus. The Syrian province of Idlib and surrounding areas are the last major enclave held by rebels opposed to Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, a close Russian ally. A source has told Reuters Assad is preparing a phased offensive to regain the province.

U.S. halts funding for U.N. agency helping Palestinian refugees

The United States on Friday halted all funding to a U.N. agency that helps Palestinian refugees in a decision further heightening tensions between the Palestinian leadership and the Trump administration. A spokesman for Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas denounced the decision as "a flagrant assault against the Palestinian people and a defiance of U.N. resolutions."

Guatemala not renewing the mandate of U.N. anti-corruption body

Guatemalan President Jimmy Morales said on Friday his government has decided not to renew the mandate of a U.N.-backed anti-graft commission that helped bring down his predecessor and also tried to have Morales impeached. Guatemala gave the commission a year to exit the country.

Exclusive: the U.S. accuses China of 'super aggressive' spy campaign on LinkedIn

The United States' top spy catcher said Chinese espionage agencies are using fake LinkedIn accounts to try to recruit Americans with access to government and commercial secrets, and the company should shut them down. William Evanina, the U.S. counter-intelligence chief, told Reuters in an interview that intelligence and law enforcement officials have told LinkedIn, owned by Microsoft Corp., about China's "super aggressive" efforts on the site.

Colombia says rebels must free 19 captives for peace talks to resume

Colombia's Marxist ELN rebels must free all 19 hostages it holds before President Ivan Duque, who is evaluating peace talks with the group, will resume dialogue, a senior government official said on Friday. The National Liberation Army (ELN) was in negotiations with the administration of former President Juan Manuel Santos since February 2017.

Libya closes Tripoli airport after rockets fired

Libyan authorities closed Tripoli airport on Friday after some rockets were fired in its direction, a spokesman for the state airline Libyan Airlines said. Flights will be diverted to Misrata airport, the spokesman said, without elaborating. Misrata lies about 190 km (120 miles) east of Tripoli.

Cafe blast kills pro-Moscow rebel leader in east Ukraine

The leader of Russian-backed separatists in the Donetsk region in eastern Ukraine was killed in an explosion at a cafe on Friday, prompting Russia to accuse Ukraine of assassinating him while Kiev blamed separatist infighting. Russia's foreign ministry accused Ukraine of killing the separatist leader, Alexander Zakharchenko, to try to unleash a renewed war in eastern Ukraine, but Kiev said it had nothing to do with the blast.

Trump to skip summits in Singapore, Papua New Guinea; Pence to attend

President Donald Trump will skip summits with Asian leaders in Singapore and Papua New Guinea in November, sending Vice President Mike Pence in his place, the White House said on Friday, an announcement that will raise questions about his commitment to a regional strategy to counter China. Trump was invited to attend the U.S.-Association of Southeast Asian Nations summit and the East Asia summit in Singapore and also the Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation forum in Papua New Guinea. He had attended these events last November.

Chilean prosecutors say Church abuse investigations triple

The number of cases of abuse in Chile's Roman Catholic Church under investigation by prosecutors has more than tripled to 119 in the past month, the national prosecuting authority said on Friday. Among the 167 people under investigation are seven bishops and 96 priests, accused of unspecified abuses of 178 alleged victims, including 79 minors, the authority said.

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