PANDEGLANG, Indonesia, Dec. 23 (Xinhua) -- The death toll from a volcano-triggered tsunami in Indonesia rose to 222 with at least 843 others injured, the disaster management agency said on Sunday.

The tsunami hit at 9:27 p.m. Jakarta time (1427 GMT) on Saturday, after the eruption of the Anak Krakatau volcano, or Child of Krakatoa volcano in English, sparked underwater landslides, leading to the rise of the sea level, according to the agency.

BEIRUT (AP) — A Syrian war monitor and Turkish media say Turkey is massing troops near a town in northern Syria held by a U.S.-backed and Kurdish-led force.

Turkey said it would delay a promised offensive in Syria following U.S. President Donald Trump’s decision to withdraw U.S. troops.

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has vowed to dislodge the Kurdish fighters, who Turkey views as an extension of the insurgency within its borders. The U.S. had partnered with the Syrian Kurdish militia to drive out the Islamic State group.

CAIRO (AP) — On the Giza Plateau outside Cairo, thousands of Egyptians are laboring in the shadow of the pyramids to erect a monument worthy of the pharaohs.

23 Dec 2018; DW: Toll booths on the A9 motorway were blocked by demonstrators for several hours. However, fewer than 2,000 people turned out across Paris to protest against rising living costs and the government's pro-business stance.

The French "yellow vest" protest movement was reduced from a roar to a whimper on Saturday as fewer than 2,000 people rallied in central Paris against President Emmanuel Macron's government.

The figure was less than half the number who turned out in the French capital over the previous weekend.

WASHINGTON, Dec. 22 (Xinhua) -- U.S. Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin denied Saturday that President Donald Trump was considering firing the country's central bank chief, after the latest rate hike sparked such rumors.

Mnuchin tweeted that Trump told him in a conversation that he "never suggested firing" Federal Reserve Chairman Jerome Powell. "Nor do I believe I have the right to do so," Mnuchin quoted Trump as saying.

WASHINGTON (AP) — The federal government is expected to remain partially closed past Christmas Day in a protracted standoff over President Donald Trump’s demand for money to build a border wall with Mexico.

With Trump’s insistence on $5 billion for the wall and negotiations with Democrats in Congress far from a breakthrough, even a temporary measure to keep the government running while talks continued seems out of reach until the Senate returns for a full session Thursday.

MUMBAI, Dec. 23 (Xinhua) -- Visiting Chinese State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi met with Indian National Security Advisor Ajit Doval here Sunday.

The two sides exchanged views on bilateral relations as well as on regional and international issues of common concern.

Wang is on a visit to India to co-chair the first meeting of China-India high level people-to-people exchanges mechanism with Indian External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj.

23 Dec 2018; AFP: A man and a woman arrested over the drone disruption that brought Christmas getaway flights to a standstill at London's Gatwick Airport were released without charge on Sunday, police said.

A 47-year-old man and a 54-year-old woman from the town of Crawley, near Britain's second-busiest airport, were arrested on Saturday.

The police swooped after three days of disruption from Wednesday to Friday, affecting 140,000 passengers.

23 Dec 2018; DW: The Vatican has given Rome's homeless people the Christmas gift of a health clinic near St Peter's Square. The Mother of Mercy health office reflects Pope Francis' determination to help society's weakest people.

The Holy See on Saturday opened a health clinic caring for homeless and needy people living amid the opulence of the city state. The new facility, located beneath the landmark St Peter's Square, will offer free medical assistance three days a week — Monday, Thursday and Saturday.

TOKYO (AP) — Japan’s Emperor Akihito, marking his 85th birthday — his last before his upcoming abdication — said he feels relieved that his reign is coming to an end without having seen his country at war and that it is important to keep telling younger people about his nation’s wartime history.

Jaipur, Dec 23 (PTI) A 32-year-old woman was allegedly stoned to death by her husband in the Rajsamand district of the state, police said Sunday.

Police have detained Narsingh Rawat for allegedly killing his wife of 12 years, Rekha Devi, following a heated argument, police said, adding that the couple has four children.

"The accused (Rawat) following a dispute with his wife, stoned her to death," SHO Bheem Police Station Labhu Ram said.

Samastipur (Bihar), Dec 22; GANASHAKTI: Senior CPI(M) leader Sitaram Yechury on Saturday asserted that no clean chit has been given to the Narendra Modi government in the Rafale deal by the Supreme Court, which has "merely stated" that it did not have the jurisdiction to intervene in the matter.

The former Rajya Sabha member said the Opposition has, therefore, been seeking a probe by Joint Parliamentary Committee, but the government appears to be wary of the same.