Indonesia volcano spews 18-kilometer ash tower: agency

Villagers observe Mount Lewotobi Laki-laki as it erupts, as seen from Nangahale village in Sikka, East Nusa Tenggara on July 7, 2025. (AFP)
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Updated 07 July 2025
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Indonesia volcano spews 18-kilometer ash tower: agency

  • Mount Lewotobi Laki-Laki, a 1,584-meter-high twin-peaked volcano on the tourist island of Flores, erupted at 11:05 a.m. local time
  • Mount Lewotobi Laki-Laki erupted multiple times in November, killing nine people and forcing thousands to evacuate

JAKARTA: A volcano in eastern Indonesia erupted, spewing a colossal ash tower 18 kilometers into the sky on Monday, authorities said, just weeks after it caused dozens of flight cancelations to and from the popular resort island of Bali.

Mount Lewotobi Laki-Laki, a 1,584-meter-high twin-peaked volcano on the tourist island of Flores, erupted at 11:05 a.m. local time (0305 GMT), the volcanology agency said in a statement.

“An eruption of Lewotobi Laki-Laki Volcano occurred... with the observed ash column height reaching approximately 18,000 m above the summit,” the agency said.

It warned of the possibility of hazardous lahar floods – a type of mud or debris flow of volcanic materials – if heavy rain occurs, particularly for communities near rivers.

There were no immediate reports of damages or casualties.

Last month dozens of flights to and from Bali were canceled after the volcano erupted. Volcanic ash rained down on several communities around the volcano and forced the evacuation of at least one village.

Mount Lewotobi Laki-Laki erupted multiple times in November, killing nine people and forcing thousands to evacuate, as well as the cancelation of scores of international flights to Bali.

There were no immediate reports of canceled flights after Monday’s eruption.

Laki-Laki, which means man in Indonesian, is twinned with the calmer but taller 1,703-meter (5,587-foot) volcano named Perempuan, after the Indonesian word for woman.

Indonesia, a vast archipelago nation, experiences frequent seismic and volcanic activity due to its position on the Pacific “Ring of Fire.”


Swiss interior minister open to social media ban for children

Updated 56 min 14 sec ago
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Swiss interior minister open to social media ban for children

  • Detailed discussions will begin ‍in the new year, supported by a report on the issue

ZURICH: Switzerland must do more to shield children from social media risks, Interior Minister Elisabeth Baume-Schneider was quoted as ​saying on Sunday, signalling she was open to a potential ban on the platforms for youngsters.
Following Australia’s recent ban on social media for under-16s, Baume-Schneider told SonntagsBlick newspaper that Switzerland should examine similar measures.
“The debate in Australia and the ‌EU is ‌important. It must also ‌be ⁠conducted ​in Switzerland. ‌I am open to a social media ban,” said the minister, a member of the center-left Social Democrats. “We must better protect our children.”
She said authorities needed to look at what should be restricted, listing options ⁠such as banning social media use by children, ‌curbing harmful content, and addressing ‍algorithms that prey on ‍young people’s vulnerabilities.
Detailed discussions will begin ‍in the new year, supported by a report on the issue, Baume-Schneider said, adding: “We mustn’t forget social media platforms themselves: they must ​take responsibility for what children and young people consume.”
Australia’s ban has won praise ⁠from many parents and groups advocating for the welfare of children, and drawn criticism from major technology companies and defenders of free speech.
Earlier this month, the parliament of the Swiss canton of Fribourg voted to prohibit children from using mobile phones at school until they are about 15, the latest step taken at ‌a local level in Switzerland to curb their use in schools.