World News Roundup: Pompeo t reaffirm U.S. support on Ukraine visit; CIA devised way to restrict missiles given to allies and more

Following is a summary of current world news briefs.

Pompeo to reaffirm U.S. support on visit to Ukraine

U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo will reaffirm U.S. support for Ukraine this week, the State Department said on Monday, on the highest-level U.S. visit since President Donald Trump's impeachment over his handling of relations with Ukraine. Trump's conduct of Ukraine policy has raised questions about his commitment to the country's security as it battles Russia-backed rebels and seeks to recover Crimea, seized by Moscow in 2014.

CIA devised way to restrict missiles given to allies, researcher says

The U.S. Central Intelligence Agency has devised technology to restrict the use of anti-aircraft missiles after they leave American hands, a researcher said, a move that experts say could persuade the United States that it would be safe to disseminate powerful weapons more frequently. The new technology is intended for use with shoulder-fired missiles called Man-Portable Air-Defense Systems (MANPADS), Dutch researcher Jos Wetzels told a cybersecurity conference https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FHj_iQZ9pTk in Leipzig, Germany on Saturday. Wetzels said the system was laid out in a batch of CIA documents published by WikiLeaks in 2017 but that the files were mislabeled and attracted little public attention until now.

Trump, Putin discussed Russia attack, arms control, relations: White House

U.S. President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin discussed counterterrorism cooperation and the potential for arms control in a phone call on Sunday, the White House said. Putin called Trump to thank him for "information the United States provided that helped foil a potential holiday terrorist attack in Russia," said White House spokesman Hogan Gidley.

I'm using all my strength to fight climate change, says Merkel

German Chancellor Angela Merkel said in her New Year's message she is fighting climate change with all her strength to enable future generations to live in peace and prosperity. "Global warming is real. It is threatening," Merkel said in the recorded speech which will be broadcasted on Tuesday evening. Rising world temperatures and the problems created by global warming are all man-made, Merkel added.

Islamist militants kill 18 in attack in eastern Congo

Islamist militants have killed 18 people in an attack on a village in eastern Congo, a regional official and a local human rights group said on Monday, the latest in a 60-day counter-offensive that has killed nearly 200 civilians. The attack occurred in Apetina, in a remote forested area a few miles from the Ugandan border where attacks by the Allied Democratic Forces (ADF), a Ugandan Islamist group, have increased since Oct. 30, when the army launched a campaign to root them out.

Sudan to deploy troops to West Darfur after deadly unrest

Sudan's authorities said on Monday they would deploy military forces to West Darfur and suspend peace talks with rebel groups for 24 hours after an outbreak of deadly violence around the regional capital. There were no details of the scale of the deployment or the clashes around el-Geneina, but information minister Faisal Saleh said the head of Sudan's transitional ruling council and the prime minister would visit the city. Aircraft would be sent to evacuate the wounded to the capital, Khartoum, he said.

Hong Kong to end year with multiple protests, kick-off 2020 with big march

Hong Kong will end 2019 with multiple protests planned for New Year's Eve and New Year's Day aimed at disrupting festivities and shopping in the Asian financial hub, which has seen a rise in clashes between police and protesters since Christmas. Events dubbed "Suck the Eve" and "Shop With You" are set for New Year's Eve on Tuesday in areas including the party district of Lan Kwai Fong, the picturesque Victoria Harbour, and popular shopping malls, according to notices on social media.

Al Qaeda ally claims responsibility for Somalia blast that killed 90 people

Islamist group al Shabaab on Monday claimed responsibility for a bomb blast in Mogadishu that killed at least 90 people over the weekend while Somalia said a foreign government that it did not identify helped plan the attack. The bombing was the deadliest in more than two years in a country wracked by nearly three decades of Islamist violence and clan warfare.

Turkey may send allied Syrian fighters to Libya: sources

Turkey is considering sending allied Syrian fighters to Libya as part of planned military support for the besieged government in Tripoli, senior Turkish sources said on Monday, potentially bringing more foreign influence into the complex conflict. President Tayyip Erdogan said last week Turkey would deploy troops to Libya after Fayez al-Serraj's internationally-recognized government requested support to fend off an offensive by General Khalifa Haftar's eastern forces.

Iraq condemns U.S. airstrikes as unacceptable and dangerous

Iraqi Prime Minister Adel Abdul Mahdi on Monday condemned U.S. airstrikes on bases of Iranian-backed Iraqi militia, a move that could plunge Iraq further into the heart of a proxy conflict between the United States and Iran. The U.S. military carried out airstrikes on Sunday against the Kataib Hezbollah militia in response to the killing of a U.S. civilian contractor in a rocket attack on an Iraqi military base, officials said.