World News Roundup: Ethiopia eyes Tigrayan capital as surrender ultimatum passes; UK's Johnson says devolving powers to Scotland was 'a disaster' and more

"The final critical act of law enforcement will be done in the coming days." Iran says U.S. move against it would face 'crushing' response Any U.S. attack on Iran would face a "crushing" response, an Iranian government spokesman said on Tuesday, following reports U.S. President Donald Trump asked for options for a strike on Iran's main nuclear site last week but decided against doing so.

Following is a summary of current world news briefs.

Pakistani Islamist group calls off protests over Mohammad's cartoons

An Islamist group on Tuesday called off violent protests over cartoons of Prophet Mohammad saying the Pakistani government has endorsed boycotting French products, a spokesman for the group said. Thousands of Islamists clashed with police on the main road into Pakistan's capital city on Monday following protests over the recent use of cartoons of the Prophet Mohammad in France.

Ethiopia eyes Tigrayan capital as surrender ultimatum passes

Ethiopia's prime minister warned on Tuesday that a deadline for rebel northern forces to lay down arms had expired, paving the way for an advance on the Tigray region's capital in a two-week conflict shaking the Horn of Africa. "The three-day ultimatum given to Tigray Special Forces and the militia to surrender ... has ended today," Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed said on Facebook. "The final critical act of law enforcement will be done in the coming days."

Iran says U.S. move against it would face 'crushing' response

Any U.S. attack on Iran would face a "crushing" response, an Iranian government spokesman said on Tuesday, following reports U.S. President Donald Trump asked for options for a strike on Iran's main nuclear site last week but decided against doing so. "Any action against the Iranian nation would certainly face a crushing response," spokesman Ali Rabiei said, in remarks streamed on an official government website.

Three detained in Germany over $1 billion Green Vault jewel heist

Police raided apartments across Berlin early on Tuesday and detained three people suspected of involvement in a jewel heist at a museum housing one of Europe's greatest collections of treasures, officers said. Thieves forced their way into Dresden's Gruenes Gewoelbe or Green Vault Museum, in November last year and got away with at least three sets of early 18th century jewellery, including diamonds and rubies.

At least six dead after suicide bomber attacks restaurant in Somali capital

Six people died on Tuesday in Somalia's capital Mogadishu when a suicide bomber blew himself up in a restaurant near a police academy, a police spokesman and a witness said. It was unclear who was behind the attack.

UK's Johnson says devolving powers to Scotland was 'a disaster'

British Prime Minister Boris Johnson called the devolution of powers to Scotland "a disaster", a comment that played into the hands of Scottish nationalists pushing for an independence referendum that opinion polls suggest they could win. The bonds holding the United Kingdom together have been severely strained over the last five years by Brexit and the government's handling of the COVID-19 pandemic, and 14 recent polls have shown a majority of Scots now support independence.

After Trump, Europe aims to show Biden it can fight for itself

The Donald Trump era may be coming to an end. But European Union ministers meeting this week to discuss the future of the continent's defence will say the lesson has been learned: Europe needs to be strong enough to fight on its own. EU foreign and defence ministers meeting by teleconference on Thursday and Friday will receive the bloc's first annual report on joint defence capabilities, expected to serve as the basis for a French-led, post-Brexit, post-Trump effort to turn the EU into a stand-alone military power.

Locked down Greece quietly marks 1973 revolt anniversary as marches banned

Greek President Katerina Sakellaropoulou laid a wreath at the empty Athens Polytechnic University on Tuesday to honour the dozens killed during a bloody 1973 student uprising against the then military junta. On a day like this in any other year, the campus in central Athens would be teeming with people queuing to pay homage to those killed, a defining moment in modern Greek history. But the coronavirus pandemic changed things.

U.S. warship successfully destroys ICBM target in test off Hawaii

A U.S. warship has intercepted and destroyed an intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) target in a test conducted northeast of Hawaii, the U.S. Missile Defense Agency (MDA) said. The test, conducted on Nov 16, involved an Aegis Ballistic Missile Defense-equipped destroyer which the MDA did not identify.

Japan, Australia reach 'landmark' security agreement

Japan and Australia agreed a breakthrough defence pact on Tuesday facilitating reciprocal visits for training and operations. The Reciprocal Access Agreement strengthens defence ties between the two U.S. allies at a time when China is asserting its role in the region and the United States is going through a leadership transition.