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Spain's Canaries Volcano Lava Bigger Than 25 Football Pitches; Raises Concerns

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Lava flow from Cumbre Vieja volcano falls into the Atlantic Ocean on the Canary island of La Palma.
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Las Palmas, Spain:
Lava from the erupting volcano on La Palma in Spain's Canary Islands that began cascading into the ocean two days ago has already covered an area bigger than 25 football pitches, with concerns rising over worsening air quality in nearby residential areas, experts said on Thursday.
The newly wrought peninsula had doubled in size to 20 hectares (50 acres) since the morning, according to the Volcanic Institute of the Canaries (Involcan).
While the feared explosion and clouds of toxic gases released as the molten rock hit the ocean have not materialised, a forecast change in wind may bring new hazards, the Pevolca volcanic emergency committee warned.
"With the weather we are going to have from tomorrow," marked by a possible change in the direction of winds that have so far dispersed the gases towards the sea, it is possible "the smell of sulphur" will be felt "with greater intensity", Pevolca official Ruben Fernandez said.
Sulphur dioxide levels increased for the first time on Thursday afternoon in Tazacorte, while the ash particles increased in density in Santa Cruz de La Palma, according to the National Institute of Toxicology.
Since it began on September 19, the dramatic eruption has forced thousands out of their homes, while lava has destroyed hundreds of houses, businesses and huge swathes of banana plantations.
The volcano spewed out rivers of lava that slowly crept towards the sea, eventually pouring into the Atlantic Ocean late on Tuesday.
Since then, the rivers of molten rock have not stopped cascading into the sea, creating a growing lava delta.
While the initial impact on the flora and fauna of being submerged under the river of molten rock is devastating, over the longer term, it may prove beneficial -- bringing minerals from the Earth's core to the surface and providing a habitat both underwater and on land for colonisation by species, experts said.
Fernando Tuya, a biodiversity researcher at the University of La Palma, said: "The lava will form a rocky platform that will become a substrate for numerous marine species in the future, that is to say in three to five years."
As the white-hot lava poured into the sea, it sent plumes of acid fumes into the air that experts said could irritate the skin, eyes and respiratory tracts.
But fears it could affect the local population were quickly allayed as strong winds dispersed the vapours over the sea.
However that could change with the wind direction predicted to turn around on Friday.
Disaster zone
Some 300 residents in the nearby town of Tazacorte have been told to stay at home to avoid any chance of inhaling the gases and a 3.5-kilometre (two-mile) exclusion zone remained in place, which also extends two nautical miles out to sea.
"Until we know that these areas are not at risk, these measures will be maintained," Pevolca's Ruben Fernandez said on Wednesday evening.
La Palma has been declared a natural disaster zone, with the lava scorching its way across 476 hectares of land, the local government said on Twitter.
It has so far destroyed 855 buildings, an increase of more than 200 in just over 24 hours, the EU's Copernicus observation programme said on Twitter.
The eruption of La Cumbre Vieja has forced some 6,000 people to flee their homes but so far, nobody has been injured or killed.
Although the volcano is still erupting, La Palma's airport resumed operations on Wednesday after flights were suspended at the weekend due to the ash.
On Thursday, farmers were allowed to access their plantations outside the security zone to collect bananas -- the chief cash crop on the island.
La Cumbre Vieja lies about 15 kilometres (nine miles) west of the airport as the crow flies, although the lava has only spilt down the western side of the volcano.
(This story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
 
 
source <a href="https://www.ndtv.com/world-news/spains-canaries-volcano-lava-bigger-than-25-football-pitches-raises-concerns-2559803">https://www.ndtv.com/world-news/spains-canaries-volcano-lava-bigger-than-25-football-pitches-raises-concerns-2559803</a>

news world Spain's Canaries Volcano Lava Bigger Than 25 Football Pitches; Raises Concerns

Lava flow from Cumbre Vieja volcano falls into the Atlantic Ocean on the Canary island of La Palma. Las Palmas, Spain: Lava from the er...

On North Korea, Joe Biden's "No Urgency" Policy Differs From Trump, Obama

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Joe Biden administration has repeatedly said it is willing to resume talks with North Korea.
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Washington:
During their only meeting, Barack Obama warned Donald Trump that North Korea would be the most pressing problem, setting the new president on a whiplash policy course that went from threatening war to wooing young leader Kim Jong Un.
Four years later, President Joe Biden is showing no such urgency -- and much more predictability -- even as the authoritarian state steps up both rocket launches and rhetoric.
The Biden administration has repeatedly said it is willing to resume talks without preconditions but it also shows little interest in enticing North Korea, which wants an end to sweeping sanctions.
North Korea for Biden is "still a priority issue but also a no-win kind of scenario," said Jenny Town, a senior fellow at the Stimson Center.
More proactive diplomacy would open Biden to accusations either that he is rewarding "bad behavior" or that he went too far or not far enough.
"If you're looking at how much political capital is the administration willing to spend on this issue, especially after Afghanistan, it's probably not very high," she said.
North Korea said recent tests included a new hypersonic missile, whose speed would be a potential game-changer, and Kim called the US offer of talks a "petty trick."
Trump had sought a wide-ranging agreement with North Korea, with which the United States remains technically still at war, but his three meetings failed to produce more than promises by Kim to hold off on nuclear and long-range missile testing.
"The last thing Kim Jong Un is going to want is another high-profile diplomatic failure at a time when they're having economic hardships and Covid-related hardship," Town said.
Small steps?
In an April policy review, the Biden administration said it was willing to engage North Korea and be flexible.
The policy appeared to be different both from Trump's pageantry and, at least on paper, from Obama's concept of "strategic patience," or waiting indefinitely until North Korea budges.
Few North Korea watchers believe that Kim will accept US demands to give up the nuclear arsenal, seen as an ultimate guarantor of security.
But Jacob Stokes, a fellow at the Center for a New American Security, said the Biden administration could still negotiate an end to provocative behavior such as tests.
The challenge "is can you shelve the long-term question long enough to make interim progress," Stokes said.
If North Korea wants to keep up "aggressive provocations until the United States and South Korea provide a bunch of unilateral upfront concessions as the price of even getting to the negotiating table, that's very unlikely to work," he said.
North Korea has nonetheless taken small steps to ease tensions with South Korea, including restoring a military hotline.
The Biden administration has put a priority on allies South Korea and Japan and backed efforts by the South's dovish president, Moon Jae-In.
Secretary of State Antony Blinken said Thursday he supported any South Korean efforts that can "reduce the risks," even as the United States prepared to take North Korea before the UN Security Council.
Looking for new ways
Ken Gause, who directs the adversary analytics program at the CNA research organization, said North Korea appeared to be following a two-track approach of raising the stakes with the United States while hoping South Korea can push diplomacy forward.
"North Korea has a game plan -- to push the US off strategic patience and to get them to put sanctions relief on the table. That's why they reject unconditional talks," Gause said.
He said that the previous administration -- "completely for reasons that had to do with Trump's mindset" -- found a more productive way to engage North Korea, but ultimately failed by focusing on pressure rather than incentives.
He feared that the Biden administration, filled with veteran policymakers, will not "think out of the box."
"For the last 40-50 years, we have framed this problem as a bilateral, black-and-white zero-sum game on the Korean peninsula -- you win, we lose, we win, you lose. That's where we are now."
(This story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
 
 
source <a href="https://www.ndtv.com/world-news/north-korea-us-relations-as-north-korea-escalates-biden-tries-policy-different-from-trump-playing-it-cool-2559796">https://www.ndtv.com/world-news/north-korea-us-relations-as-north-korea-escalates-biden-tries-policy-different-from-trump-playing-it-cool-2559796</a>

news world On North Korea, Joe Biden's "No Urgency" Policy Differs From Trump, Obama

Joe Biden administration has repeatedly said it is willing to resume talks with North Korea. Washington: During their only meeting, Bar...

Iran To Set Date In "Weeks" To Return To Nuclear Talks "With Friends In Europe"

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<div class="ins_instory_dv_cont"><img alt="Iran To Set Date In 'Weeks' To Return To Nuclear Talks 'With Friends In Europe'" src="https://c.ndtvimg.com/2019-05/6c7epapg_iran-flag-reuters-650_625x300_20_May_19.jpg" title="Iran To Set Date In 'Weeks' To Return To Nuclear Talks 'With Friends In Europe'" /></div>
Iran's new government will decide on nuclear talks in Vienna in a few weeks, spokesman said.
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Tehran:
Iran's new government will in the next few weeks decide on a date to return to nuclear talks in Vienna, a spokesman said on Thursday.
"I assume that in a few weeks we are in a position to set a date with our friends in Europe," Saeed Khatibzadeh said at a gathering in the French city of Caen.
"Then possibly we can start negotiations in Vienna."
The analytical work will end "maybe in a few days, less than a few weeks", he said.
"We are not going to waste even a minute to get back to Vienna," he said.
Khatibzadeh had earlier told Le Monde newspaper that the new Iranian administration would return to the talks more quickly than Biden's did.
Negotiations had resumed on 6 April in Vienna, 77 days after Joe Biden took office on 20 January.
However, "it has only been 50 days since the new Iranian government took office", he said.
The 2015 nuclear deal with Iran offered to lift sanctions in return for Tehran committing to abandon any ambition to develop nuclear weapons and for a drastic reduction in its atomic programme and submission to tighter UN control.
But after the unilateral withdrawal of the Americans from the agreement in 2018 under Donald Trump, Tehran has gradually abandoned most of its commitments.
(This story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
 
 
source <a href="https://www.ndtv.com/world-news/iran-nuclear-talks-iran-to-set-date-in-weeks-to-return-to-nuclear-talks-with-friends-in-europe-2559794">https://www.ndtv.com/world-news/iran-nuclear-talks-iran-to-set-date-in-weeks-to-return-to-nuclear-talks-with-friends-in-europe-2559794</a>

news world Iran To Set Date In "Weeks" To Return To Nuclear Talks "With Friends In Europe"

Iran's new government will decide on nuclear talks in Vienna in a few weeks, spokesman said. Tehran: Iran's new government will...

European Union, Australia Trade Talks Postponed Amid Submarine Row

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Submarine Row: Australia-EU free trade talks have been postponed, official said. (File)
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Sydney:
A long-planned round of Australia-EU free trade talks have been postponed, a European official confirmed Friday, after fury over Canberra's decision to cancel a major French submarine contract.
"The FTA trade round has been postponed for a month until November," an EU official in Canberra told AFP, throwing the future of the far-reaching pact into doubt.
Australia last month abruptly cancelled a multibillion-dollar contract for 12 French submarines, opting to buy nuclear-powered US-designed vessels instead.
The decision prompted a major diplomatic spat with one of the European Union's largest members and now appears to have hit ties with the entire bloc.
France has publicly said it can no longer trust Australia's government, accusing officials of lying and questioning whether the trade agreement can go ahead.
Australian Trade Minister Dan Tehan, who was scheduled to travel to Europe for the talks, played down the decision in a statement to AFP.
"We understand the French reaction to our submarine decision but ultimately any nation must act in its national interest -- which is what Australia has done," he said.
Tehan indicated he plans to meet EU Trade Commissioner Valdis Dombrovskis next week to discuss what would be the 12th round of negotiations.
"We will continue preparing for the 12th round of negotiations and working towards concluding a free trade agreement that is in the interests of both Australia and the EU."
The EU is Australia's third-biggest trading partner.
In 2020, the trade in goods between the two economies was valued at 36 billion euros ($42.4 billion) and at 26 billion euros in services.
The next round of talks was due to cover areas including trade, services, investment and intellectual property rights.
(This story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
 
 
source <a href="https://www.ndtv.com/world-news/submarine-row-european-union-australia-trade-talks-postponed-amid-submarine-row-2559792">https://www.ndtv.com/world-news/submarine-row-european-union-australia-trade-talks-postponed-amid-submarine-row-2559792</a>

news world European Union, Australia Trade Talks Postponed Amid Submarine Row

Submarine Row: Australia-EU free trade talks have been postponed, official said. (File) Sydney: A long-planned round of Australia-EU fr...

"Modest Gains": 2% Or Fewer In Many African Nations Covid Vaccinated, WHO Says

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<div class="ins_instory_dv_cont"><img alt="'Modest Gains': 2% Or Fewer In Many African Nations Covid Vaccinated, WHO Says" src="https://c.ndtvimg.com/2021-07/op395kok_vaccine-generic_625x300_14_July_21.jpg" title="'Modest Gains': 2% Or Fewer In Many African Nations Covid Vaccinated, WHO Says" /></div>
Coronavirus: 15 of Africa's 54 nations have managed to vaccinate 10% people, WHO said.
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Brazzaville, Congo:
Just two percent of the population, or fewer, have been fully vaccinated against coronavirus in half of the countries in Africa, the World Heath Organization said on Thursday,
Fifteen of the continent's 54 nations have managed to vaccinate at least 10 percent of their people, thereby achieving the global goal for September 30, set in May by the World Health Assembly, the world's highest health policy-setting body.
"The latest data shows modest gains but there is still a long way to go to reach the WHO target of fully vaccinating 40 percent of the population by the end of the year," said Richard Mihigo, the World Health Organization's vaccination coordinator in Africa.
Shipments of the vaccine have been increasing "but opaque delivery plans are still the number one nuisance that hold Africa back," said Mihigo.
A total of 23 million vaccine doses arrived in Africa in September, a 10-fold increase from June.
Half of the 52 African countries that have received COVID-19 vaccines have fully vaccinated just 2 percent or less of their populations, the WHO said.
Most of the African countries that have met, or bettered the 10 percent goal have relatively small populations.
The islands of Mauritius and the Seychelles have managed to fully vaccinate over 60 percent of their populations, according to the WHO data.
In Morocco 48 percent of the population have received two Covid-19 jabs while the figures are above 20 percent in Tunisia, Comoros and Cape Verde.
"All these countries have enjoyed sufficient supplies of vaccines, and many could access doses from separate sources in addition to those delivered through the global Covax facility, the WHO said.
Covid-19 case numbers in Africa dropped by 35 percent to just over 74,000 in the week to 26 September.
Almost 1,800 deaths were reported across 34 African countries in the same period.
"Despite the declining case numbers we must all remain vigilant and continue to adhere to the proven public health and safety measures that we know save lives, such as wearing a mask, washing our hands regularly and physical distancing, especially while vaccination rates remain low," Mihigo told a virtual press conference.
(This story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
 
 
source <a href="https://www.ndtv.com/world-news/coronavirus-2-or-fewer-in-many-african-nations-covid-vaccinated-who-says-2559779">https://www.ndtv.com/world-news/coronavirus-2-or-fewer-in-many-african-nations-covid-vaccinated-who-says-2559779</a>

news world "Modest Gains": 2% Or Fewer In Many African Nations Covid Vaccinated, WHO Says

Coronavirus: 15 of Africa's 54 nations have managed to vaccinate 10% people, WHO said. Brazzaville, Congo: Just two percent of the ...

UK Military Wants to Spy on Social Media to Detect “Change in Population Sentiment”

The UK Ministry of Defence has inadvertently revealed its plan to spy on social media platforms in order to detect “change(s) in population sentiment.”
Despite ostensibly being about “better use of existing silos,” the MoD’s Data Strategy for Defence document explains how the military should move towards “Automated scanning of social media platforms” to detect “change in population sentiment.”
“Nowhere does the document explain why a strategy paper has gone so far off the beaten track that it promotes collecting data the MoD doesn’t have and using it for decidedly non-military purposes,” reports <a href="https://www.theregister.com/2021/09/30/mod_data_strategy_social_media_surveillance/">the Register</a>.
Since the beginning of the COVID pandemic, the military has increasingly turned its attention inward towards its own citizens rather than doing what it should do, which is fighting foreign adversaries.
As author Laura Dodsworth revealed, GCHQ has embroiled itself in anti-vaccine and anti-lockdown messaging by targeting people who challenge the official COVID narrative online.
“She says some people believe they have been targeted by the 77th Brigade, part of the 6th Division of the Army,” reported <a href="https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2021/05/20/life-inside-fear-factory-government-keeps-us-high-alert/">the Telegraph</a>.
According to the Ministry of Defence, the 77th Brigade uses “legitimate non-military levers as a means to adapt behaviours of the opposing forces and adversaries.”
The military’s main “adversaries” are now apparently British citizens who complain about lockdown while questioning the efficacy and safety of vaccines.
Dodsworth said she “hit a brick wall” when attempting to get answers about the unit’s activities, noting, “and I find that when someone puts up a brick wall, it’s because that’s where the real story lies.”
The unit played its role in the broader agenda, facilitated by government-affiliated behavioral psychologists, to terrify the public into mass obedience to lockdown rules by exaggerating the threat posed by COVID.
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source <a href="https://summit.news/2021/09/30/uk-military-wants-to-spy-on-social-media-to-detect-change-in-population-sentiment/">https://summit.news/2021/09/30/uk-military-wants-to-spy-on-social-media-to-detect-change-in-population-sentiment/</a>

revolution summit UK Military Wants to Spy on Social Media to Detect “Change in Population Sentiment”

The UK Ministry of Defence has inadvertently revealed its plan to spy on social media platforms in order to detect “change(s) in population ...