Death toll from volcano-triggered tsunami climbs in Indonesia

A man stands in front of his destroyed house after it was hit by a tsunami in Pandeglang, Banten province, Indonesia, on Monday. The tsunami triggered by a volcanic eruption has killed 281 people and wounded 1,016 others along the coastal areas of Sunda Strait between Java and Sumatra islands, the national disaster agency said on Monday.SD-Agencies

Bombing death toll rises to 20 in Somalia

The death toll from a double car-bomb attack near the presidential palace in Somalia rose to 20 on Sunday, police said.

Police said on Saturday seven people were killed following the two blasts in Mogadishu, which were claimed by the jihadist Shabaab group.

“The number of victims who were killed in the blasts increased to 20 and more than 40 others have been wounded,” said a Somali police official, Ibrahim Mohamed. He said the toll had risen after some of those wounded on Saturday died in hospital.

US envoy to anti-IS coalition resigns over Syria plan

Brett Mcgurk, the U.S. envoy to the global coalition fighting the Islamic State group, has resigned in protest over President Donald Trump’s abrupt decision to withdraw U.S. troops from Syria, joining Defense Secretary Jim Mattis in an administration exodus* of experienced national security figures. McGurk described Trump’s decision as a “shock.”

Only 11 days ago, McGurk had said it would be “reckless” to consider IS defeated and therefore would be unwise to bring American forces home. McGurk decided to speed up his original plan to leave his post in mid-February.

UK police arrest 2 over drone disruption

Police have arrested a man and a woman after rogue drone operators crippled* London’s Gatwick Airport for three days by repeatedly flying onto the airfield, sparking a major security response.

Britain’s second-largest airport was back in operation on Saturday after it was forced to close its runway in the run up to Christmas when drones flew near the site south of London in the most disruptive incursion* from unmanned aerial vehicles at any major airport.

Police said they had made two arrests on late Friday, a 47-year-old man and a 54-year-old woman.

Hamas rejects Abbas plan to dissolve parliament

Hamas on Sunday denounced Palestinian President Mahmud Abbas’ plan to dissolve* the largely defunct* Palestinian parliament that it controls, calling it a move to “serve his partisan* interests.”

Abbas said on Saturday he intended to dissolve the Palestinian Legislative Council after a court decision that ordered the move and elections to be held within six months.

Ousted Pakistan PM Sharif jailed for graft

A Pakistan court on Monday jailed former Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif for seven years on graft charges that he says were politically motivated.

The anti-corruption court said in its ruling that the three-time prime minister was unable to prove the source of income that led to his ownership of a steel mill in Saudi Arabia.

Sharif was sentenced in July to 10 years in prison, on charges related to the purchase of upscale apartments in London, after the Supreme Court removed him from power. He was released in September pending an appeal.(SD-Agencies)