World News Roundup: Indonesia hunts for survivors as volcano tsunami toll nears 400; Israel to hold early election in April; Election fears dim Christmas cheer in Congo

Following is a summary of current world news briefs.

Gunmen kill at least 28 in raid on Afghan government building

Gunmen who raided a government building in the Afghan capital killed at least 28 people - mostly government employees - and wounded more than 20 others in a seven-hour standoff with police that ended on Monday night, Afghan authorities said. Others killed included a policeman and three of the attackers who were shot dead by Afghan security forces, Interior Ministry spokesman Najib Danish said.

Indonesia hunts for survivors as volcano tsunami toll nears 400

Indonesian military and rescue teams fanned out across a stretch of coastline on Monday, hoping to find survivors of a tsunami triggered by a landslide from a volcano that killed at least 373 people. Thick clouds of ash spewed from Anak Krakatau, a volcanic island where a crater collapse at high tide late on Saturday set off waves that smashed into coastal areas on both sides of the Sunda Strait between the islands of Sumatra and Java.

Nicaragua is assaulting freedom of expression, journalist says

An influential Nicaraguan journalist critical of the country's government said on Monday that local journalism was living its worst moment under repression by President Daniel Ortega. In recent days, Ortega's government shut down a broadcaster, arrested two reporters on terrorism and hate-incitement charges, while a judge ordered the arrest of three more and others fled the country in fear.

After Gatwick chaos, UK minister says detection systems can combat drones

Britain's security forces have detection systems that can be deployed throughout the country to combat the threat of drones, security minister Ben Wallace said on Monday, after three days of disruption at London's Gatwick airport last week. "I can say that we are able to now deploy detection systems throughout the UK to combat this (drone) threat," Wallace said in a tweet http://bit.ly/2QQO72E. The tweet did not give further details.

Israel to hold early election in April, Netanyahu says

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu announced on Monday a snap election in less than four months, appealing directly to voters for a fresh political mandate that could help him weather possible charges in corruption investigations. The government cited differences within Netanyahu's coalition over a new military conscription bill affecting exemptions for ultra-Orthodox Jews as the main reason for the early ballot.

Guatemalan family mourns 'irreparable loss' of migrant girl at wake

Shortly before daybreak on Christmas Eve, Claudia Maquin wept silently when she was finally reunited with the still body of her daughter Jakelin Caal, two weeks after the Guatemalan girl died in U.S. custody at the age of 7. An indigenous Maya who had been hoping to begin a new life in the United States with her father, Jakelin came down with a fever while in the hands of U.S. Customs and Border Protection authorities, and died in an El Paso hospital on Dec. 8.

Mexican governor, senator killed in helicopter crash: reports

A Mexican governor and her husband, a former governor of the same state, were killed in a helicopter crash in the center of the country on Monday, local media and politicians said. Martha Erika Alonso, the new governor of the central state of Puebla, and her husband, Senator Rafael Moreno, died when their helicopter came down not far from the state capital Puebla, according to Reforma newspaper.

Remember the poor and shun materialism, pope says on Christmas Eve

Pope Francis led the world's Roman Catholics into Christmas on Monday, urging people in the developed world to seek a simpler, less materialistic life and condemning the yawning gap between the rich and the poor. Francis, 82, marking the sixth Christmas of his papacy, led a solemn service for nearly 10,000 people in St. Peter's Basilica for his traditional Christmas Eve Mass.

Mexico vows to end 'horror' migrants face, seeks more detail on U.S. plan

The Mexican government on Monday pledged to end the "horror" migrants face crossing the country en route to the U.S. border, and pressed Washington for more details of its plan to send asylum-seekers to Mexico while their requests are processed. Mexico's government had said it would on Monday set out its position on the Trump administration's radical policy change, announced last week, that migrants seeking refuge in the United States would be sent to Mexico while their cases are pending.

Election fears dim Christmas cheer in Congo

It's Christmas in Democratic Republic of Congo, but the atmosphere is more uneasy than festive as frustrated citizens wonder if a postponed presidential vote will take place as promised on Dec. 30. Last week the opposition accepted the authorities' decision to push the long-anticipated vote back by seven days, but have warned of mass protest and upheaval if there is a further delay.

(With inputs from Reuters)