World News Roundup: U.S. embargo on Cuba, U.S-Iran sanctions, Indonesian plane crash

Following is a summary of current world news briefs.

Brazil's Bolsonaro names judge who jailed his rival as justice minister

Brazil's far-right president-elect has convinced crusading anti-graft judge Sergio Moro to become his justice minister, the two said on Thursday, delighting his supporters and enraging critics by hiring the jurist who jailed his chief political rival. Moro oversaw the so-called 'Operation Car Wash' probe that convicted former leftist President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva of bribery and money laundering, blocking the then poll-leader from running against Jair Bolsonaro.

Saudi-led coalition says attacked airbase, missile sites in Sanaa, nearby

The Saudi-led coalition fighting in Yemen attacked an airbase near Yemen's Sanaa International Airport used to launch drones, and ballistic missile launch sites near the country's capital, the coalition spokesman told al-Ekhbaria TV early on Thursday. Aviation at the airport and international aid efforts are unaffected, Colonel Turki al-Malki said in a phone interview that was broadcast live.

China's Xi hopes to see U.S. and North Korea advance denuclearization: state media

Chinese President Xi Jinping hopes the United States and North Korea will further promote the denuclearization of the Korean peninsula and push for peace, Chinese state media reported on Thursday. In a phone call with U.S. President Donald Trump, Xi also said China would continue to play a constructive role in the process.

Saudi Arabia hosts rare visit of U.S. evangelical Christian figures

Saudi Arabia's Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman held a rare meeting with American evangelical Christians on Thursday, as the ultra-conservative Muslim kingdom seeks to open up more to the world and repair an image of religious intolerance. The delegation was led by communications strategist Joel Rosenberg and included former U.S. Congresswoman Michele Bachmann, according to an emailed statement by the group, as well as heads of American evangelical organizations, some with ties to Israel.

U.S. Energy Secretary Perry to visit Ukraine and Poland

U.S. Energy Secretary Rick Perry will visit Ukraine, Poland and other eastern European countries next week as the Trump administration seeks to offer them alternatives to buying coal and gas from Russia. Perry will also visit Hungary and the Czech Republic on the trip. He will meet with government officials on topics from nuclear energy to cybersecurity and coal and liquefied natural gas exports, the Department of Energy said in a release on Thursday.

Pompeo says 'handful more weeks' before U.S. responds to Khashoggi killing

Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said on Thursday it would be a "handful more weeks" before the United States had enough evidence to impose sanctions in response to the killing of Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi at the Saudi consulate in Istanbul. Pompeo, in an interview with KMOX radio in St. Louis, said President Donald Trump had made it clear Washington would respond to the killing. He said the administration is "reviewing putting sanctions on the individuals that we have been able to identify to date that ... were engaged in that murder."

Exclusive: Pilot radioed alert on doomed Indonesian jet's previous flight

The pilot of a Lion Air flight from Indonesia's Bali island on Sunday made a radio alert minutes after take-off due to technical problems, but they were overcome and he pushed on to Jakarta. The same jet crashed on another flight hours later, killing all 189 people on board. Herson, chief of the airport authority for the Bali-Nusa Tenggara area, told Reuters that after the alert the pilot updated the control tower to say that the plane was flying normally and he would not return to the airport as requested.

U.S., Iran policy depends not just on sanctions but on flexibility

As U.S. President Donald Trump resumes sanctions on Iran, the success of his push to curb its nuclear, missile and regional activities may hinge on how flexible he is willing to be on his extensive demands to coax Tehran into talks. Washington will reintroduce sanctions on Monday targeting Iran's most important industry - oil - and U.S. officials have indicated a measure of flexibility is needed to ensure global markets are well supplied to keep prices from surging.

U.N. urges end to U.S. embargo on Cuba, U.S. raises rights concerns

The United Nations General Assembly overwhelmingly adopted its 27th annual resolution calling for an end to the U.S. economic embargo on Cuba after a failed bid by Washington to amend the text to push Cuba to improve its human rights record. The U.N. vote can carry political weight, but only the U.S. Congress can lift the more than 50-year-old embargo. The United States and Israel voted against the resolution, 189 countries voted in favour and Ukraine and Moldova did not vote.

Trump says had good talk with China's Xi on trade, North Korea

U.S. President Donald Trump in a tweet on Thursday said he had a "very good" talk with Chinese President Xi Jinping on trade and North Korea and that the two planned to meet at the upcoming G-20 summit. "Just had a long and very good conversation with President Xi Jinping of China. We talked about many subjects, with a heavy emphasis on Trade," Trump wrote. "Those discussions are moving along nicely with meetings being scheduled at the G-20 in Argentina. Also had good discussion on North Korea!"

(With inputs from Reuters)