(BBC News) Indonesia's Mount Semeru volcano has erupted, sending ash billowing into the sky and sparking evacuations on the country's main island, Java.
Authorities raised the volcano's warning status to the highest level, meaning its activity had escalated.
No injuries have been reported, but nearly 2,000 people were evacuated from the area around the volcano.
People have been urged to keep at least 8 km away, as "hot avalanches" of lava poured from Semeru.
The increased threat level...
(The Wall Street Journal) Iran’s attorney general said the country had disbanded its so-called morality police and is considering altering the requirement that women cover their heads in public, a move that analysts said was aimed at peeling away support for anti-government protests.
Mohammad-Jafar Montazeri outlined the steps Saturday, saying the law requiring veils, known as hijabs, was under review by Iran’s Parliament and judiciary, and that the morality police had been abolished, according to government-run...
(University of California, Berkeley) During World War II, U.S. citizens came together. They ate less meat and planted victory gardens. They lowered thermostats and rationed their gasoline. Republican, Democrat – it mattered little; against a common enemy, civilians were willing to sacrifice on behalf of U.S. interests.
That was 80 years ago, when the political climate was less rife with partisan animosity. In 1960, 10% of parents said they would be uncomfortable if their child married...
(BBC News) Around 10,000 troops have surrounded the city of Soyapango in El Salvador as part of a massive crackdown on gangs, President Nayib Bukele has announced.
All roads leading to the city have been blocked, and special forces have been searching houses for gang members.
Officers have also been stopping everyone attempting to leave the city and checking identity papers.
The operation is part of a massive crackdown on gangs after a surge in violence earlier...
(BBC News) The European Union looks set to approve a cap on the price of Russian oil after Poland gave its backing.
The plan, which stops countries paying more than $60 USD a barrel, needed the agreement of all EU states.
Poland announced its support on Friday after being reassured the cap would be kept at 5% lower than the market rate.
A price cap put forward by the G7 group of nations in September aims to...
(BBC News) Indonesia's parliament is expected to pass a new criminal law this month that will punish sex outside marriage with imprisonment of up to a year.
Bambang Wuryanto, a politician involved in the draft, said the code could be passed as early as next week.
The law, if passed, would apply to Indonesian citizens and foreigners alike.
Punishment for adultery can only take effect if there are parties who lodge complaints to the authorities.
For those who...
(University of Southern California) In a study published today (Nov. 30) by Nature, scientists from the University of Southern California, Washington University in St. Louis, and Stanford University have demonstrated that by chemically linking fentanyl to the sodium pockets that exist within nerve cell receptors, they could block the drug's harmful side effects and still reduce pain.
Further study is needed, but the results hold promise – not just for drug development but for addressing the nation's crisis of addiction...
(University of California, Davis) The COVID-19 pandemic changed the social and school world for teens as virtual learning or hybrid learning became the norm in 2020-21. The unprecedented shutdown of classroom learning caused undue stress, low levels of social inclusion, and low satisfaction with school for many – and mental health issues for some, according to a new study led by researchers at the University of California, Davis.
Problems were especially pronounced for youth identifying...
(BBC News) The world's largest active volcano, Hawaii's Mauna Loa, has erupted for the first time in almost 40 years.
The lava flow is mostly contained within the summit, but residents have been placed on alert and were earlier warned about the risk of falling ash.
The U.S. Geological Service (USGS) has said the situation could change rapidly.
The volcano's alert level has also been upgraded from an "advisory" to a "warning" — the highest classification.
No evacuation...
(BBC News) Angry protests across China have compounded the financial sector's fears of rising COVID cases and the continuation of Beijing's strict "zero-COVID" policy.
Stocks: Hong Kong's Hang Seng shed 4% as markets opened on Monday. China's CSI 300 index is down more than 2%. Stocks in Australia, South Korea, and Japan were also experiencing losses.
Oil: Oil reached its lowest level of the year. Benchmark brent crude is down 2% at $81.70 per barrel. West Texas Intermediate...
