Police Fires Tear Gas and Water Cannons to Aggressive Protesters in Brussels

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INTERNATIONAL: ‘Vaccines don’t make you free’: These is what thousands of protesters are shouting against COVID-19 measures in Brussels.

Thousands of protesters took to the streets of Brussels on Sunday to march against vaccines and coronavirus restrictions as Europe remains gripped by a resurgence of COVID-19 infections and national authorities fear demonstrators are becoming more radical.

Police have said some 8,000 took part, a sharp decline from the 35,000 estimated at in a similar protest two weeks ago.Groups of protesters clashed with police as the group reached its destination in the Cinquantenaire Park, near the neighborhood housing European Union institutions. Police officers have used water cannons and fired tear gas against projectile-throwing protesters.

In the EU quarter a group of protesters wearing black hoods and chanting "liberte" have started to throw stones at the police, who reacted with teargas and water cannons.Demonstrators were protesting rules imposed in October that oblige people to show COVID-19 passes to access bars and restaurants.

Belgium’s government last Friday has tightened sanitary measures against the pandemic, in a bid to contain the surge in cases overwhelming the country’s hospitals once again and landing Belgium among the worst-hit countries in the Europe. The latest measures include making mask-wearing mandatory for children over the age of 6, and closing kindergartens and primary schools from 20 December.Several protesters, including some accompanied by children, have carried placards with slogans such as “our children will not be your guinea pigs.”

Indonesia’s Mount Semeru Violently Erupts

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A footage shows deserted Indonesian residential town, barren landscape covered in volcanic ash, homes were almost completely submerged, after Mount Semeru violently erupts on Saturday.

Indonesia's Mount Semeru smouldered on Sunday morning, a day after it has erupted sending hot ash clouds billowing out of it and killing at least 14 and injuring 98, including two pregnant women who had suffered burn injuries as the volcano spewed out huge clouds of smoke and ash. Hundreds are displaced in East Java province.

The deputy chief of Lumajang district, Indah Masdar, have confirmed the fatalities and injuries in a virtual conference.Ten people were trapped after the eruption and have been evacuated to safety, the country's disaster mitigation agency (BNPB) have said. Around 1300 families have been evacuated.Hundreds of houses have been totally destroyed and 33 schools have been damaged by the eruption.

Officials say the situation at Mount Semeru remains dangerous due to the risk of pyroclastic flows -- a mix of ash, rock and volcanic gases that can be much more dangerous than lava.Mount Semeru is about 12,000 feet high, and one of Indonesia's nearly 130 active volcanoes. It has also erupted in January, causing no casualties.

In the Sumberwuluh area, thick, grey ash coated damaged houses, while volunteers tried to turn away motorists who wanted to go back to their homes near Semeru. Heavy rain is expected for the next three days, which could complicate evacuation efforts, a meteorological agency official has announced late on Sunday.

Young Motorcross Star and His Friends Killed in Avalanche

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Young motocross star among three skiers killed in avalanche while trying to ascend a mountain in Austria. Rising sports star Rene Hofer, 19, and two friends have been killed in Salzburg province.

Eight members of an 11-strong skiing tour group were hit by a 200-yard-wide slab of snow on Saturday in the Tweng area.

Rene Hofer has died in the snow while two of his friends were partly buried and able to free themselves, police have said. The two were rescued but later died at a hospital in Klagenfurt. Rescuers were able to locate the others with the help of their search devices.