Reykjavik (AFP) Dec 9, 2022 In a dark auditorium in Reykjavik, bubbling orange lava flows down a slide to within inches of awe-struck visitors. The flow, contained on both sides by black sand, lights up the room like a sunrise. This is the Lava Show, Iceland’s latest tourist attraction, that uses reheated lava from a real eruption of the island’s Katla volcano more than 100 … Continue reading Let the lava flow! Iceland’s volcano show is a hit

Sydney (AFP) Dec 9, 2022 Deep-sea mining could have a “catastrophic” impact in the Pacific, the president of Palau told AFP, as companies forge ahead with plans to hoover up millions of tonnes of seabed in the hunt for valuable metals. Mining companies want to scrape vast sections of the Pacific Ocean for metals such as nickel and cobalt – used in electric car batteries … Continue reading Palau leader warns of ‘catastrophic’ consequences of deep-sea mining

Beijing (AFP) Dec 8, 2022 China is finally beating a retreat from its strict zero-Covid policy, but low vaccination rates among its elderly have seeded fears that the coronavirus could kill as many as 2.1 million people. Around a third of Chinese aged 80 and above have not yet received a full course of vaccines, compared with under 10 percent of the population as a … Continue reading Challenging last mile for China’s vaccine push after zero-Covid retreat

Huangshan, China (AFP) Dec 9, 2022 Global economic leaders on Friday hailed China’s move away from its hardline zero-Covid policy, with the IMF chief saying the “decisive actions” would help revive growth both in the country and globally. The relaxation would help to shore up a world economy struggling with the impact of the pandemic and Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, the head of the World … Continue reading Global economic chiefs laud China’s ‘decisive’ zero-Covid reversal

Washington DC (UPI) Dec 7, 2021 Australian paleontologists said on Wednesday they have discovered the complete skeleton of an ancient large, long-necked marine reptile in the Queensland desert that is about 100 million years old. The researchers from the Queensland Museum Network said the ancient plesiosaur was discovered in the remote McKinley region and said it could help unlock other evolutionary mysteries.http://dlvr.it/Sf7VRZ Continue reading Australian researchers find 100 million-year-old fossil in Queensland

Kourou, French Guiana (ESA) Dec 08, 2022 As preparations to launch Europe’s first Meteosat Third Generation Imager satellite continue, the team at Europe’s Spaceport in Kourou, French Guiana, has bid farewell to their precious satellite as it was sealed from view within the Ariane 5 rocket’s fairing. This all-new weather satellite is set to take to the skies on 13 December. Since its arrival at … Continue reading MTG-I never to be seen again

Prague (AFP) Dec 8, 2022 The Czech foreign minister said Thursday that China had closed two “police stations” in Prague after international uproar over claims that such centres may have been used to harass dissidents. Spanish-based NGO Safeguard Defenders said in September that China had set up 54 such police facilities around the world. Critics say they were used to silence Beijing’s political opponents. Chinahttp://dlvr.it/Sf7VQF Continue reading Czechs say China shut two ‘police stations’ in Prague

Washington (AFP) Nov 23, 2022 The United States will extend exemptions from punitive tariffs for some medical products from China, the US Trade Representative said Wednesday. The exclusions were originally set to expire on November 30 and have been extended for three months, said the USTR in a statement. Such exemptions were first announced in December 2020, and the latest move comes “in light of … Continue reading US extends tariff exclusions on medical goods from China

Cianjur, Indonesia (AFP) Nov 23, 2022 Survivors of an Indonesian earthquake that killed at least 271 people, many of them children, appealed for food and water Wednesday as heavy rain and aftershocks hampered rescue efforts among the rubble of devastated villages. The calls for help came as authorities warned that debris from landslides caused by the strong quake near the town of Cianjur in West … Continue reading Indonesia quake survivors appeal for supplies as rain hampers rescue

Honiara (AFP) Nov 22, 2022 A 7.0-magnitude earthquake struck the Solomon Islands on Tuesday, swaying buildings, hurling items off shelves and briefly knocking out power in parts of the capital Honiara. There were no reports of serious injuries or major structural damage. “This was a big one,” Joy Nisha, a receptionist with the Heritage Park Hotel in the capital, told AFP. “Some of the things … Continue reading Strong quake rattles Solomon Islands