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By Ruth Comerford
BBC News
Lava flows into the Icelandic town of Grindavik appeared to be slowing, authorities said Monday, after several houses were destroyed by fires.
A volcano on the Reykjanes peninsula erupted in the early hours of Sunday, spilling lava into the fishing town.
The entire population of the town was evacuated and no casualties have been reported.
Defences built after an eruption in December have partially contained the lava, but some have been breached.
The main road into the town has been cut off by the flow of lava.
The Icelandic Meteorological Office (IMO) said the barriers had been breached in some places, allowing lava to reach the town which then set houses and buildings on fire.
"Seeing your home burn down on live television is something you cannot easily handle," Unndpr Sigurthsson told the MBL news website. She said her family had left almost all their items when they were evacuated, leaving them only with clothes and essential items.
Reuters
There was no indication of disruption to domestic or international flights following the eruption. The IMO's aviation colour code for the Reykjanes peninsula was orange on Monday morning, indicating an ongoing eruption with "no or minor ash emission".
Flights from nearby Keflavik Airport were operating as normal.
Addressing the nation in a live broadcast on Sunday evening, President Gudni Johannesson urged people to "stand together and have compassion for those who cannot be in their homes".
Volcanologist Evgenia Ilyinskaya told BBC Breakfast that the peninsula was likely entering a period of frequent eruptions, known as the New Reykjanes Fires.
Prof Ilyinskaya said eruptions could take place "every few months or once a year for several decades or several centuries."
The Reykjanes Fires were a series of intense volcanic activity on the peninsula in the 12th Century.
Strong earthquake tremors preceded the December eruption in the Svartsengi volcanic system. In the weeks since, walls were built around the volcano to direct molten rock away from Grindavik, home to some 4,000 people.
Prime Minister Katrin Jakobsdottir said the eruption was a "black day for all of Iceland," but added that "the sun will rise again".
"Together we will deal with this shock and whatever may come. Our thoughts and prayers are with you."
Reuters
The country's alert level has been raised to "emergency" - the highest of the three-level scale which signals there could be a threat of harm to people, communities, property or the environment.
Sunday's eruption is the fifth to have taken place along the Reykjanes peninsula since 2021.
Iceland sits over what's known as the Mid-Atlantic Ridge, the boundary between the Eurasian and North American tectonic plates - two of the largest on the planet. Iceland has 33 active volcano systems.
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By Ruth Comerford
BBC News
Houses have been set on fire in the Icelandic town of Grindavik after two volcanic fissures opened nearby.
A volcano on the Reykjanes peninsula erupted in the early hours of Sunday, spilling lava into the fishing town.
The eruption is proving to be "the worst case scenario" according to one expert, with the entire population of the town being evacuated.
Defences built after an eruption in December have partially contained the lava, but some have been breached.
The main road into the town has been cut off by the flow of lava.
Addressing the nation in a live broadcast on Sunday evening, Iceland's President Gudni Johannesson urged people to "stand together and have compassion for those who cannot be in their homes".
He said he hoped the situation would calm down, but that "anything can happen", the AFP news agency reported.
Strong earthquake tremors preceded the December eruption in the Svartsengi volcanic system. In the weeks since, walls were built around the volcano to direct molten rock away from Grindavik, home to some 4,000 people.
The Icelandic Meteorological Office (IMO) said the barriers had been breached in some places, allowing lava to reach the town which then set houses and buildings on fire.
There was no indication of disruption to domestic or international flights following the eruption. The IMO's aviation colour code for the Reykjanes peninsula was orange on Monday morning, indicating an ongoing eruption with "no or minor ash emission".
Flights from nearby Keflavik Airport were operating as normal.
Reuters
People who had returned to Grindavik, in south-west Iceland, after the previous eruption were forced to leave their homes once again.
Science journalist and volcanologist Robin Andrews said the ongoing eruption is an "extremely perilous and deleterious situation" now that lava has made its way into the town.
Speaking to the BBC, he pointed out that the outpour of lava from the two current fissures shows "no sign of slowing down".
"In terms of duration and severity of damage its impossible to map at this moment," he said.
He warned that the aftermath of the eruption could prove "fairly problematic" for people with pre-existing respiratory problems, because volcanic activity releases gasses such as sulphur dioxide, which is an irritant to the skin, eyes, nose and throat.
Reuters
Prime Minister Katrín Jakobsdóttir said the government will be meeting on Monday to discuss housing measures for the evacuated residents.
"Today is a black day for Grindavik and today is a black day for all of Iceland, but the sun will rise again," she said.
"Together we will deal with this shock and whatever may come. Our thoughts and prayers are with you."
The country's alert level has been raised to "emergency" - the highest of the three-level scale which signals there could be a threat of harm to people, communities, property or the environment.
Sunday's eruption is the fifth to have taken place along the Reykjanes peninsula since 2021.
Iceland sits over what's known as the Mid-Atlantic Ridge, the boundary between the Eurasian and North American tectonic plates - two of the largest on the planet. Iceland has 33 active volcano systems.
The incident occurred off the coast of Hodeidah, a port city in the west of Yemen whose international airport was targeted in joint US-UK airstrikes last week.
Speaking on condition of anonymity, the New York Times reported that the two officials said only about 20 to 30 per cent of the Houthis’ offensive capability had been destroyed.
They said the difficulty was that many of the Houthis’ offensive weapons were on mobile platforms and could be moved or hidden.
Houthi site damage before and after US-led airstrikes captured by satellite
New satellite images show the before and after of the Houthi sites hit by US-led airstrikes, which come as the group continually disrupt cargo in the Red Sea.
The Houthis claim to be targeting Red Sea vessels which are either owned by or heading to Israel, in support for Hamas in Gaza.
The group have already promised both the UK and US will face ‘retaliation’ for this week’s strikes, which they say has killed five and injured at least six.
Joe Biden has already said the US would “not hesitate to direct further measures to protect our people and the free flow of international commerce as necessary.”
New satellite images show the before and after of the Houthi sites hit by US-led airstrikes, which come as the group continually disrupt cargo in the Red Sea. The Houthis claim to be targeting Red Sea vessels which are either owned by or heading to Israel, in support for Hamas in Gaza. The group have already promised both the UK and US will face ‘retaliation’ for this week’s strikes, which they say has killed five and injured at least six. Joe Biden has already said the US would “not hesitate to direct further measures to protect our people and the free flow of international commerce as necessary.”
‘Intention was to send a very clear message to the Houthis,’ Grant Shapps
Grant Shapps has said Britain’s strikes against Houthis in Yemen were carried out to send a “very clear message” to the Iranian-backed rebels.
The defence secretary denied that the UK had any intention of invading Yemen “or anything like that”.
“It was simply to send a very clear message to the Iranian-backed Houthis that their behaviour in the Red Sea was completely unacceptable,” he said.
Mr Shapps said that Britain will strike against the Houthis again if they do not stop attacking cargo ships in the Red Sea, adding that ministers will “take the decisions that need to be taken”.
Britain’s Defence Secretary Grant Shapps said the UK had no intention to move into Yemen
Recap: Why are Britain and US attacking Yemen’s Iran-backed Houthi rebels?
The attacks came after the Houthis launched their largest attack on Red Sea shipping, one of 27 such assaults since 19 November.
Officials said that 21 missiles and drones were fired at warships and commercial vessels near the Bab al-Mandab Strait earlier this week, the southern bottleneck of the Red Sea, with US and UK warships blowing them out of the sky.
Houthis: The Iran-backed rebels attacking ships in the Red Sea
The Islamist group claims it began striking a narrow strip of sea between Yemen and east Africa, which is a key international trade route, in a bid to end Israel’s air and ground offensive against Hamas.
But who are Yemen’s Houthi rebels? How are they linked to the conflict between Israel and Palestine, and why are they attacking western ships now?
ICYMI: Trump lashes out at ‘worst president’ Biden over Houthi airstrikes
“Remember, this is the same gang that ‘surrendered’ in Afghanistan, where no one was held accountable or FIRED,” Mr Trump claimed. “It was the most embarrassing ‘moment’ in the history of the United States. Now we have wars in Ukraine, Israel, and Yemen, but no ‘war’ on our Southern Border. Oh, that makes a lot of sense. Crooked Joe Biden is the worst President in the history of the United States!”
When it comes to US military strikes, the UK is used to being a loyal, junior helper – but after coordinated action against Iran-backed Houthis in Yemen, London should be asking Washington: what’s the plan… and how do we get out of this one?
When it comes to US military strikes, the UK is used to being a loyal, junior helper – but after last night’s co-ordinated action against Iran-backed Houthis in Yemen, London should be asking Washington: what’s the plan… and how do we get out of this one?
Trump stopped to pick up pizza from Casey’s in Waukee, Iowa, after his rally
ANDREW HARNIK/AP
Donald Trump retains a commanding lead before the crucial first vote on Monday night to choose the Republican presidential nominee, according to the “gold standard” poll of Iowa caucus-goers.
Trump has a 28-point lead over Nikki Haley, the former South Carolina governor who has overtaken Ron DeSantis, the Florida governor, into second place, according to the survey of Iowans by NBC News, the Des Moines Register and Mediacom.
Extreme weather is forecast for the state’s in-person caucuses, with temperatures of minus 28C and a wind chill factor making it feel as low as minus 40C, raising questions about turnout.
Denmark has a new king following the historic abdication of the country's longest-reigning monarch Queen Margrethe II.
Thousands of people converged on central Copenhagen for the succession where the 83-year-old passed on the throne to her eldest son with the signing of a declaration in parliament.
King Frederik X is now the head of Europe's oldest monarchy.
Image:Denmark's Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen proclaims the new King Frederik
Image:The monarch and his wife, Queen Mary, are greeted by the crowds
The former crown prince, 55, was then formally proclaimed king by the prime minister on the balcony of Christiansborg Palace in the heart of the Danish capital.
Unlike in the UK, there is no coronation ceremony in Denmark.
King Charles and and Queen Camila have sent their "very best wishes" to the royal couple.
Charles wrote: "I look forward to working with you on ensuring that the enduring bond between our countries, and our families, remains strong, and to working together with you on issues which matter so much for our countries and the wider world."
He also paid tribute to "the many years of service" of Frederik's mother.
Margrethe stunned the nation of nearly six million on New Year's Eve when she announced her decision to abdicate after 52 years as queen, becoming the first Danish sovereign in nearly 900 years to do so.
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She cited health reasons having undergone major back surgery last February.
Danish royal expert Thomas Larsen said: "The queen has been here and she has been on the throne for more than 50 years. And she is an extremely respected and popular figure, so people hadn't expected this and they were in shock."
Karen Holk Jeppesen, 31, a communications consultant who had travelled to Copenhagen for the royal occasion, said: "I was in shock and started crying when the queen said on New Year's Eve she would abdicate.
"It's very rare to witness a real historical moment that you know will be written about in the history books."
The abdication comes 52 years to the day after Margrethe ascended the throne following the death of her father, King Frederik IX.
It leaves Denmark with two queens. Margrethe will keep her title while Frederik's Australian-born wife will become Queen Mary.
Frederik and Mary's eldest son Christian, 18, will become crown prince and heir to the throne.
The last time a Danish monarch voluntarily resigned was in 1146, when King Erik III Lam stepped down to enter a monastery.
Residents forced to evacuate as volcano erupts in Iceland
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A volcano had erupted in southwest Iceland, posing an immediate threat to a nearby fishing town that had been evacuated over fears of an outbreak, authorities said.
Early-morning live streams from the site showed fountains of molten rock spewing from fissures in the ground, the bright orange lava flow glowing against the dark sky.
The eruption began north of the town of Grindavik, which on Saturday was evacuated for a second time over fears that an outbreak was imminent amid a swarm of seismic activity, authorities said.
Iceland in recent weeks sought to build barriers of earth and rock to prevent lava from reaching Grindavik, but the latest eruption appeared to have penetrated the defences.
“According to the first images from the Coast Guard’s surveillance flight, a crack has opened on both sides of the defences that have begun to be built north of Grindavik,” the Icelandic Meteorological Office (IMO) said in a statement.
A new fissure has opened up just 50-100 metres away from the town of Grindavik, with more lava flowing towards the town.
The RUV reports the crack is 150m but it could be longer.
The evacuated Icelandic town of Grindavik (R) is seen as smoke billow and lava is thrown into the air from a fissure during a volcanic eruption on the Reykjanes peninsula 3 km north of Grindavik, western Iceland on December 19, 2023
The Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office have issued new advice amid the imminent volcanic eruption.
In a statement they said: “A volcanic eruption started on the Reykjanes peninsula in south-west Iceland on 14 January, north of the town of Grindavík.
“All roads to Grindavík are closed and you should stay away from the area. Keflavik International Airport is operating as normal, but you should check for latest updates. Reykjavik and the rest of Iceland have not been impacted. You should monitor local media for updates and follow the authorities´ advice.”
This Nov. 18, 2023 image provided by Beth Harpaz shows visitors amid mini-icebergs on Diamond Beach on Iceland's South Coast
Huge search for man who fell into crack that opened in Grindavik after Iceland earthquakes
A manhunt has been launched after a worker fell into an enormous crack created by the earthquakes and volcanic eruptions in Iceland.
The missing man was working to fill in crevasses formed by earthquakes and volcanic activity in the fishing town of Grindavik when he fell on Wednesday, according to local media.
The search, involving hundreds of rescue workers, had to be called off overnight on Thursday after landslides dropped tonnes of rocks on the area.
The director of Civil defence has urged sightseers to leave the area, saying their team have wasted ample time in directing people away from the danger zone.
He told the RUV: “Unfortunately, as always at the beginning of an eruption, people gather and want to go look at this, but I just think that people must realise the reality of the matter and what is going on.
“People must, please, give us a break to try to save what is possible to save.”
People watch as the night sky is illuminated caused by the eruption of a volcano in Grindavik on Iceland's Reykjanes Peninsula, Monday, Dec. 18, 2023
(Copyright 2023 The Associated Press. All rights reserved.)
Magnús Tumi Guðmundsson told RUV: “We were able to estimate the size of the crack that grew while we flew over. It is around one kilometre long. It is very similar to the lava from the last eruption, but approx. 1/4 of the size. “If the eruption continues with a similar force, it will be several hours until lava reaches the first houses.”
Workers scrambled to rescue their machinery which was being used to build defensive walls against lava flow into Grindavik, report RUV.
Víðir Reynisson, head of Civil Defence highlighted the importance of saving the machinery to the broadcaster, saying it was needed to build other defence structures around the country.
He insisted the protection of human lives was their biggest priority and the successful mission did not endanger workers.
Sadly for Grindavik residents, the lava is flowing quickly towards town.
“We’re basically just looking at the fact that there’s lava flowing on both sides of the defensive wall. There is a volcanic fissure that has opened up inside it. Lava is flowing a few hundred meters north of the town, this is 400 to 500 meters. Lava flows towards Grindavík,” Kristín Jónsdóttir from the Icelandic Meteorological Office told RUV.
According to the meteorologist the lava will take just hours to reach the town,
Global leaders have congratulated Lai Ching-te for winning Taiwan’s presidential election, praising the high turnout and democratic process – and drawing ire from Beijing, which had hoped to see Taiwan’s ruling party ousted.
Lai won an unprecedented third term in power for the pro-sovereignty Democratic Progressive party (DPP) in Saturday’s election, with more than 40% of the vote. Lai is taking over from the DPP’s Tsai Ing-wen, who has been president since 2016, promising to continue her foreign policy efforts in resisting China’s plans to annex Taiwan.
A spokesperson for the US state department congratulated the Taiwanese people “for once again demonstrating the strength of their robust democratic system and electoral process”.
Speaking to reporters shortly after the result, US president Joe Biden, who plans to send an unofficial delegation to Taiwan next week, reiterated that the US does not support Taiwanese independence.
Nonetheless, China’s foreign ministry said on Sunday that the US state department statement “seriously violated US promises that it would only maintain cultural, economic and other non-official ties with Taiwan”. The Chinese ministry said it had lodged “solemn representations” with the US over the comments.
The US, the UK, the European Union and Canada also offered their congratulations to the DPP. The UK’s foreign secretary, David Cameron, said the result was “testament to Taiwan’s vibrant democracy”.
But the Chinese embassy in the UK said it “firmly opposed the wrong practices of the British side”, and urged the UK government to “stop any words or deeds that interfere in China’s internal affairs”.
A congratulatory statement by Japan’s foreign minister, Yoko Kamikawa, describing Taiwan as “an extremely crucial partner and an important friend,” was also blasted by Beijing’s embassy in Tokyo as “a serious interference in China’s internal affairs”.
Beijing said it had made “solemn representations” to Tokyo over the statement, which largely reiterated Japan’s previous statements.
Japan “shares fundamental values and enjoys close economic relations and people-to-people exchanges [with Taiwan],” Kamikawa had also said.
A hostile reaction to Lai’s victory from China has been widely expected. The ruling Chinese Communist party views Taiwan as part of its territory, despite never having ruled over the island. Xi Jinping, China’s ruler, has made it clear that “re-unifying” China and Taiwan is a priority, and has not ruled out the use of force to achieve that aim. It despises the DPP, which it views as separatists, and launched rhetorical and cognitive warfare efforts in an ultimately failed attempt to influence voters into ousting the party.
Speaking after the result on Saturday, Chen Binhua, the spokesperson for China’s Taiwan Affairs Office (TAO) repeated its claim that “Taiwan is China’s Taiwan”, and reiterated its commitment to the “inevitable trend” of annexation.
“This election cannot change the basic pattern and direction of development of cross-strait relations … that the motherland will eventually be reunified.”
On Sunday Taiwan’s foreign ministry condemned the comments as “fallacious”, “absurd”, and “not worthy of rebuttal”.
It said claiming Taiwan was an “internal Chinese matter” was “totally inconsistent with the international perception and the cross-strait situation, and goes against the expectation of the global democratic community, and the will of the people of Taiwan in insisting on the value of democracy”.
Dali Yang, a professor of political science at the University of Chicago, said the TAO also faced criticism from nationalists in China who felt that efforts to influence public sentiment in Taiwan to become more pro-China had failed.
In recent years, Beijing has ramped up military and economic pressure on Taiwan, prompting concerns from international observers that a conflict could be on the horizon. The CCP’s People’s Liberation Army (PLA) said on Friday it was on “high alert” and ready to “smash” plots of Taiwanese independence, but its activity was quiet on the actual election day.
Amanda Hsiao, a Taipei-based senior China analyst with the International Crisis Group, said Beijing was likely to react to Lai’s victory with increased pressure, particularly in the lead-up to his inauguration in May. But the activity was probably going to be less overtly aggressive than the large-scale military drills seen in recent years.
“They labelled Lai as a troublemaker, so there is some expectation that they respond,” she said.
China urges its allies to support its territorial claim over Taiwan. On Saturday, Russia’s foreign ministry spokesperson Maria Zakharova said that Moscow continued to view Taiwan as an integral part of China.
In response, Taiwan’s foreign ministry said Russia had “willingly become a thug of the Chinese Communist regime” deliberately promoting its “One China principle”, Beijing’s domestic policy claiming Taiwan as a Chinese province.
Lai has called his win a “victory for the community of democracies” around the world. Almost 72% of eligible voters turned out on Saturday to give the DPP a third term, but it came without a majority mandate.
The entrance of a third party – the Taiwan People’s party (TPP) and presidential candidate Ko Wen-je – split the opposition vote, with the TPP winning 26.4% and the Kuomintang (KMT) 33.5%.
The TPP also won eight legislative yuan seats, giving Ko extraordinary power in the 113-seat parliament where neither the DPP or KMT won a majority of seats, taking 51 and 52 respectively.
“Taiwan has finally officially entered into a three-party system, which further complicates consensus-building especially for major legislations,” said Wen-Ti Sung, a China expert at the Australian National University.
Yang, the University of Chicago professor, said: “each participating party got less than they desired, but a little bit more than they prepared for”. Yang said the same applied to China: Beijing was opposed to a Lai victory, but welcomed the fact that the DPP lost control of parliament, which will constrain Lai’s policymaking.
