World News Quick Take

President Gustavo Petro on Thursday criticized US President Donald Trump over his support of a candidate to succeed him, saying that Washington was endorsing “drug traffickers” with “genocidal” roots. Petro was reacting to Trump’s endorsement of lawyer Abelardo de la Espriella over Senator Ivan Cepeda in the June 21 presidential runoff. De la Espriella, 47, made a fortune representing drug-trafficking paramilitaries, fraudsters and soccer stars. He has accused Petro of being too soft on cocaine-smuggling guerrillas and vowed to crack down on them. “Their [US] allies in Colombia come from the narco-paramilitary regime; they are genocidal and drug traffickers,”Petro told reporters in an interview at the presidential palace.

An “extremely intelligent” bear that injured four people in northern Japan was at large as of yesterday after apparently unlatching a window while evading capture and turning on a water tap, officials said. After attacking four people at two factories in Fukushima on Tuesday, the bear took shelter inside one of the buildings, local media reported. It dodged capture despite efforts by hunters and responders equipped with traps and anesthetic guns, and escaped late on Wednesday. Fukushima City Mayor Yuki Baba on Thursday told reporters that evidence suggested the animal “unlocked the window on its own” to flee, adding that claw marks had been found near the exit. It is also believed the bear “turned on the water tap” to drink, Baba said, describing it as “extremely intelligent.” He added: “With the cooperation of hunters, police and firefighters, I believe we took all possible measures available to us” to catch it. That we failed to achieve our goal despite our best efforts is extremely regrettable.”

A volcano erupted several times yesterday, spewing towering ash columns into the sky and forcing a local airport to close, authorities said. Mount Lewotobi Laki-Laki on Flores Island erupted at 11:15am, sending volcanic material 2.5km into the air, the national volcanology agency said in a statement. It came after several other eruptions earlier yesterday. Lewotobi Laki-Laki falls under the nation’s second-highest alert level for volcanic activity, with a 5km exclusion zone in force around its crater. The volcanology agency said residents near rivers should also remain on alert for hazardous floods of volcanic material, known as lahar, if heavy rain occurs. Authorities suspended operations at a local airport in the town of Maumere, about 60km west of Lewotobi Laki-Laki, affecting five domestic flights, airport head Partahian Panjaitan told reporters.