Internacionales
Indonesia warns of a potential tsunami following the eruptions of the Ruang volcano
Indonesia warned on Thursday about a potential tsunami affecting the central region of the Asian archipelago as a result of the continued eruptions of the Ruang volcano, in the Cebel Islands, while continuing with the evacuation tasks of its inhabitants.
“Residents of the island of Tagulandand, especially those who live near the coast, should be cautious about the potential expulsion of incandescent rocks, smoke columns and a possible tsunami caused by the collapse of parts of the volcano into the sea,” says the Department of Vulcanology of Indonesia in a statement published on its portal.
Authorities seek to prevent a scenario similar to that caused by the eruption of the Anak Krakatoa volcano, located in the Sonda Strait between the islands of Java and Sumatra, which on December 22, 2018 caused a landslide and a subsequent tsunami that caused at least 426 deaths.
The Ruang volcano, 725 meters high and located on a small homonymous island about 5 kilometers wide, has recorded great activity in recent days, including four strong eruptions detected in the early hours of this Thursday.
Emergency teams have evacuated at least 1,600 people, including the entire population of the island-volcano and some residents on the coast of the neighboring island of Tagulandang, located about 4 kilometers north of the Ruang crater and inhabited by about 22,000 people.
“People who live in the Tagulandang island area and are within a radius of 6 kilometers (from the crater) must be evacuated immediately to a safe place,” the Indonesian Disaster Management Agency said in a statement.
The volcanology agency raised the volcano’s alert last night to the maximum level of IV, after the Ruang launched ash clouds up to 3,000 meters high and caused small earthquakes.
According to the Zoom Earth portal, which follows the development of meteorological phenomena, one of the eruptions recorded in the last few hours was so large that it could be captured by satellite images and created a large cloud that affected the neighboring islands.
Images captured this Thursday show the foothills of the volcano covered by a gray mantle of ash.
For its part, the Meteorological Agency of Japan is studying whether a potential tsunami could impact the west coast of the country, almost 4,000 kilometers away from the volcano.
However, he has not observed “significant changes in the tide level” after last night’s eruptions.
In Australia, the Darwin Volcanic Ash Advisory Center pointed out in its latest statement that the material expelled by the Ruang can reach 16,700 meters in height.
The expulsion of ashes has forced the closure of the international airport of the city of Manado, capital of the province of Northern Celebes and located about 70 kilometers southwest of the volcano, affecting at least a dozen flights, most of them domestic.
“All arrival and departure flights have been canceled until 23:59 (local time, 15:59 GMT),” a spokesman for Sam Ratulangi airport, which operates international flights to Singapore and the Philippine city of Davao, told EFE by phone.
Indonesia is home to more than 400 volcanoes, of which at least 129 are still active and 65 are classified as dangerous.
Internacionales
The United States opens an investigation into Harvard for its sponsorship of international visas
The US Department of State announced on Wednesday that it opened an investigation at Harvard University for its admission and sponsorship of international visas to students and teachers as part of the Exchange Visitor Program.
According to the statement of the Secretary of State, Marco Rubio, the Government requires all sponsors of this program “full compliance with the regulations on exchange visitors, transparency in the presentation of reports and a demonstrated commitment to the promotion of the principles of cultural exchange and mutual understanding”.
In addition, he adds that its exchange programs must be carried out “in a way that does not undermine foreign policy objectives or compromise the interests of US national security,” so educational centers are expected to “defend national security, comply with the law and provide safe environments for all students.”
“The investigation will ensure that the State Department’s programs are not contrary to the interests of our nation,” he said.
This is the latest attack by President Donald Trump’s Administration on one of the most prestigious and oldest universities in the country, in a battle in which the tension between both parties has been escalating for months.
This Monday, the hearing on the legality of the Trump Administration’s funding blockade for Harvard took place, which was concluded in a Boston court without a ruling on the matter. However, the federal judge who took the case openly questioned the government measure.
Previously, Trump tried to ban the enrollment of foreign students in this educational center, a measure that this same federal judge blocked indefinitely.
Last June, the Republican said that “it was possible” that his government would announce an agreement with Harvard and assured that he was working closely with the institution, although there are still no details about these negotiations.
The US Government had previously announced the opening of an investigation against five universities in the country, including Miami, to determine whether they award their scholarships exclusively to undocumented young people or beneficiaries of the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program, known as ‘dreamers’.
Specifically, the Department of Education set the University of Miami, Louisville, Nebraska Omaha, Michigan and West Michigan in its sights.
Internacionales
U.S. plans five new ‘Alligator Alcatraz’-style migrant detention centers
The U.S. government announced plans to build five new mega detention centers for migrants, modeled after the controversial facility recently opened in Florida, nicknamed ‘Alligator Alcatraz’ by activists and opponents.
Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem confirmed that President Donald Trump’s administration is already in talks with five Republican-led states to replicate the model used in the wetlands of southern Florida. “We are working to expand this strategy to more territories with state governments committed to border security,” she said.
These statements follow remarks by Stephen Miller, Trump’s chief immigration advisor, who urged Republican governors in a Fox News interview to contact the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) to facilitate the construction of new centers.
“Pick up the phone, call DHS, work with us to build facilities in your state so we can remove illegals and criminals,” Miller said.
The Florida detention center has faced strong criticism from Democratic lawmakers and human rights organizations due to the inhumane conditions faced by detained migrants. Located in a reptile-infested wetland reserve, the site has become highly controversial.
Last Saturday, a group of Florida federal and state legislators reported that about 750 migrants were “in cages” at the facility after inspecting the site. While Congress members were allowed access, the press remains banned.
Early reports from detainees at ‘Alligator Alcatraz’ describe extreme heat, high humidity, scarce potable water, spoiled food, and makeshift tents used as confinement areas. These conditions have been labeled “inhumane” by migrants themselves and civil organizations.
Internacionales
Jalisco’s grim discovery: drug cartel mass grave found in construction site
A mass grave was discovered in a residential area under construction in the municipality of Zapopan, part of the metropolitan area of Guadalajara, the capital of the Mexican state of Jalisco.
“After analyzing the recovered remains, they correspond to 34 individuals,” said a state official during a press conference. Jalisco has one of the highest numbers of missing persons in Mexico, largely due to the activity of drug cartels.
As of May 31, official data shows that Jalisco has recorded 15,683 missing persons, according to the state prosecutor’s office. Authorities attribute most of these cases to criminal organizations, which often bury or cremate their victims clandestinely.
“The construction company notified us at the end of February after discovering some remains,” explained the official, González, adding that excavation efforts have been ongoing since then.
The Jalisco New Generation Cartel (CJNG) operates in the region and was designated as a foreign terrorist organization earlier this year by the administration of U.S. President Donald Trump. Washington has accused CJNG and the Sinaloa cartel of being the main sources of fentanyl trafficking, a synthetic opioid responsible for tens of thousands of overdose deaths in the U.S.
Mexico has accumulated more than 127,000 missing persons, most of them since 2006, when the federal government launched a heavily criticized military-led anti-drug offensive.
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