World News Roundup: Iraq hints at bigger role in Syria after U.S. withdrawal; Merkel urges divided Germans to pull together in 2019

Following is a summary of current world news briefs.

Israel protests after Jordanian spokeswoman steps on its flag

Israel protested to Jordan on Sunday after the spokeswoman for the government in Amman was photographed stepping on the Israeli flag during a meeting with trade unionists. Jumana Ghunaimat, Jordan's minister for media affairs and communications and the government spokeswoman, on Thursday walked over an Israeli flag painted on the floor of the headquarters of Jordan's professional unions in Amman.

Graham more upbeat on Syria troop withdrawal after Trump meeting

A senior Republican U.S. senator said he emerged from a White House meeting with President Donald Trump on Sunday reassured that Trump is committed to defeating Islamic State even as he plans to withdraw American troops from Syria. Senator Lindsey Graham had warned that removing all U.S. forces from Syria would hurt national security by allowing Islamic State to rebuild, betraying U.S.-backed Kurdish fighters of the YPG militia battling remnants of the militant group, and enhancing Iran's ability to threaten Israel.

Iraq hints at bigger role in Syria after U.S. withdrawal

Iraq's prime minister said on Sunday that top security officials from Baghdad had met Syrian President Bashar al-Assad in Damascus, and hinted at a bigger Iraqi role fighting Islamic State militants as U.S. troops withdraw from Syria. "This issue has a lot of complications," Adel Abdul Mahdi told reporters, referring to U.S. President Donald Trump's surprise announcement this month that he will withdraw U.S. forces from Iraq's neighbor.

Bosnians demand resignation of interior minister over student's death

Special police forces dispersed protesters demanding the resignation of Bosnian Serb Interior Minister Dragan Lukac on Sunday over a student's death, detaining several people in the northwestern town of Banja Luka. Thousands of protesters accused Lukac and police officials of covering up the truth behind the death of 21-year-old David Dragicevic. During a march lasting several hours in the town's center, the demonstrators prevented a regional folk star's concert from taking place, before the event was canceled.

Merkel urges divided Germans to pull together in 2019

Acknowledging that her government disappointed many Germans in 2018, Chancellor Angela Merkel sought to pull the country together for 2019 with a call for solidarity and cooperation to overcome deep political divisions. In her New Year speech, Merkel said she recognized that many Germans "bemoaned" the ruling coalition that took office in March, an alliance of her conservative bloc and the center-left Social Democrats (SPD), which has been blighted by infighting.

Congo opposition cries foul after presidential poll blighted by mishaps

The main opposition camps in Congo's presidential election on Sunday complained of widespread irregularities after a chaotic vote disrupted by long queues, broken voting machines and torrential rain. Voting in the election to replace President Joseph Kabila, who is due to step down next month after 18 years in power, continued into the evening in some Kinshasa neighborhoods where polling had opened hours late due to an absence of voter rolls.

Brazil moving its embassy to Jerusalem matter of 'when, not if': Netanyahu

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said on Sunday that Brazil's President-elect Jair Bolsonaro told him that it was a matter of "when, not if" he moves his country's embassy in Israel to Jerusalem from Tel Aviv. The far-right Bolsonaro, who takes office on Tuesday and is hosting Netanyahu and the leaders of other countries for his inauguration, has said he would like to follow the lead of U.S. President Donald Trump and move the embassy.

Hardline cleric Larijani named to head powerful Iran body

Ayatollah Sadeq Amoli Larijani - the chief of Iran's hardline judiciary who has been blacklisted by Washington - was named on Sunday as the new head of the powerful Expediency Council, state television reported. The council is intended to resolve disputes between parliament and a watchdog body, the Guardian Council.

Hasina set for landslide victory in Bangladesh as opposition calls for fresh election

Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina's ruling party was on course for a landslide victory on Monday after an election tainted by violence and widespread allegations of rigging, with the opposition demanding a fresh vote. Victory would give Hasina a third straight term in office.

Tough South China Sea talks ahead as Vietnam seeks to curb China's actions

Tough negotiations lie ahead over a new pact between China and Southeast Asian nations aimed at easing tensions in the South China Sea, as Vietnam pushes for provisions likely to prove unpalatable to Beijing, documents reviewed by Reuters suggest. Hanoi wants the pact to outlaw many of the actions China has carried out across the hotly disputed waterway in recent years, including artificial island building, blockades and offensive weaponry such as missile deployments, according to a negotiating draft of the ASEAN Code of Conduct (COC) seen by Reuters.