International

Volcanic eruption outside Reykjavik officially over

AFP

The eruption of an volcano in Iceland, which drew hundreds of thousands of tourists and was the longest in 50 years, has been declared officially over, the authorities said Monday.

“It’s been three months since lava last came out, so this eruption is now considered over,” Bryndis Yr Tisladottir, specialist in natural hazards at the Icelandic Meteorological Institute (IMO), told AFP.

But the agency, which monitors volcanic activity, nevertheless called on hikers to be cautious, and it will continue to monitor the area.

The eruption of lava began on March 19 on the outskirts of Mount Fagradalsfjall, about 30 kilometres (20 miles) southwest of the capital Reykjavik.

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Lava had not flowed for eight centuries on the Reykjanes peninsula, and for nearly 6,000 years where the eruption occurred, according to vulcanologists.

But this eruption, the sixth in Iceland in the last 20 years, became the longest recorded in half a century as it spewed lava for six months.

Just after claiming that record on September 18, the lava stopped emerging — but only after more than 140 million cubic metres of magma had spilled into the valleys of Geldingadalur.

Relatively easy to access, the eruption became a major tourist attraction, with more than 350,000 visitors, according to the Icelandic Tourist Board.

And the experts have warned that further eruptions in the area are possible. “History tells us that volcanic activity there occurs in cycles,” the IMO said.

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Last week, the institute revised down the risk of an eruption of another Icelandic volcano, Grimsvotn, having raised the eruption alert level to “orange” two weeks ago.

The most active volcano in Iceland, erupting on average every five to 10 years, it sits in a more inaccessible area in the centre of the island nation, under a huge glacier.

“There’s still a chance but it’s lower,” Tisladottir told AFP.

International

Man arrested after deliberately driving into seven children in Osaka

Japanese police arrested a man on Thursday after he rammed his car into a group of seven schoolchildren in an apparent deliberate attack in the city of Osaka.

The children, who were on their way home from school, sustained injuries and were taken to the hospital. All seven remained conscious, according to local authorities.

An Osaka police officer, speaking on condition of anonymity, said the suspect is a 28-year-old man from Tokyo. The officer shared statements the man made after his arrest: “I was fed up with everything, so I decided to kill people by driving into several elementary school children,” the suspect reportedly said.

The man has been arrested on suspicion of attempted murder.

The injured children, aged between seven and eight, included a seven-year-old girl who suffered a fractured jaw. The six other children—all boys—suffered minor injuries such as bruises and scratches and were undergoing medical evaluation.

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Witnesses described the car as “zigzagging” before hitting the children. One witness told Nippon TV that a girl was “covered in blood” and the others appeared to have scratches.

Another witness said the driver, who was wearing a face mask, looked to be in shock when school staff pulled him from the vehicle.

Violent crimes are rare in Japan, though serious incidents do occur from time to time. In 2008, Tomohiro Kato drove a two-ton truck into pedestrians in Tokyo’s Akihabara district, then fatally stabbed several victims. Seven people were killed in that attack.

Internacionales

Clashes erupt during may day protests across France amid calls for better wages

May Day protests in France were marked by a heavy police presence and clashes between demonstrators and law enforcement in several cities.

In Paris, Lyon, and Nantes, thousands took to the streets to demand better wages, fairer working conditions, and to voice their dissatisfaction with President Emmanuel Macron’s government.

While the majority of the demonstrations remained peaceful, isolated confrontations broke out in some areas. Protesters threw objects at the police, prompting the use of tear gas and resulting in several arrests.

Videos showing police crackdowns circulated widely on social media, drawing criticism from labor unions and human rights advocates, who denounced the authorities’ response to the protests.

International

Kristi Noem credits Trump for mass migrant deportations by mexican president

U.S. Secretary of Homeland Security Kristi Noem claimed that Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum has deported “more than half a million” migrants due to pressure from former President Donald Trump.

During a cabinet meeting highlighting the “achievements” of Trump’s administration in its first 100 days, Noem asserted that under the Republican leader’s influence, “Mexico has finally come to the table” to negotiate on migration and fentanyl trafficking.

“The president of Mexico told me she has returned just over half a million people before they reached our border,” Noem stated, criticizing media reports that suggest the Biden administration deported more migrants than Trump’s.

“I wish those deportations were counted,” Noem added, “because those people never made it to our border—she sent them back because you made her.” She went on to thank Trump: “They never made it here because they got the message—because you were so aggressive.”

Noem has made controversial claims about Sheinbaum in the past, prompting the Mexican leader to refute them.

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On April 1, Sheinbaum responded to one such statement by declaring, “The president answers to only one authority, and that is the people of Mexico,” after Noem said on Fox News that she gave Sheinbaum “a list of things Trump would like to see” and that Mexico’s actions would determine whether Trump granted tariff relief.