Weekly news round-up: Iceland volcano grounds flights, Lance Armstrong doping accusations, and the end of the world… not

AND we’re back with our weekly news round-up. This week, we bring you updates of the Icelandic volcanic eruptions, Lance Armstrong at the centre of yet another doping controversy, and how the end of the world isn’t so near after all.

Iceland volcano grounds flights again

Iceland’s most active volcano Grimsvotn erupted over the weekend, the first since 2004.

The volcano began erupting late on Saturday (early Sunday Australian time), sending a plume of smoke and ash as high as 20 kilometres into the air.

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=86L_K9p14Lw[/youtube]

The volcano forced the main international airport to close, as planes were grounded due to the ash cloud hanging over Iceland’s airspace.

But officials do not expect a repeat of the widespread travel disruption which occurred in April last year, when another Icelandic volcano, the Eyjafjallajokull erupted, leaving about 10 million travellers stranded and more than 63,000 flights cancelled.

Lance Armstrong in Prolog, Tour de France 2004. Source: Wikimedia

Lance Armstrong doping accusations

Seven-time Tour de France winner and cancer survivor Lance Armstrong is at the centre of another controversy, this time with a former teammate who says he saw him use performance-enhancing drugs.

The interview with cyclist Tyler Hamilton was aired Sunday on CBS’ “60 Minutes”.

It is not the first time the cyclist has been accused of doping. A year ago, Floyd Landis, who admitted to doping, said he and Armstrong were part of a systematic doping scheme.

Armstrong has always vehemently denied using drugs, but this report may prove foundational to a federal investigation and potential case against him.

Are you a supporter or fan of Lance Armstrong? Has this changed your image of him?

End of the world not so near after all

Saturday May 21 came and went, and if the end of the world did occur, it was a very peaceful one.

The predictions of doomsday prophet and American televangelist Harold Camping, 89, failed to come true for the second time. He previously predicted the world would end on September 6, 1994.

According to Camping, the end was supposed to have begun at 6pm on Saturday with a series of terrible earthquakes, the ascent of believers to heaven, while the rest would be left to suffer hell on earth until October 21, when everything would come to a fiery end.

The failure of the prediction has left Camping “flabbergasted” and “looking for answers”.