A volcano on Japan's major western island of Kyushu, called Sakurajima, erupted at about 8:05 pm (local time) on Sunday, the Japanese Meteorological Agency (JMA) said, but media said there were no immediate reports of damage.
There were reports of volanic stones raining down at a distance of 2.5 km from the volcano, NHK public television said. The eruption alert level has been raised to 5, the highest, with some areas advised to evacuate, it added.
Sakurajima is one of Japan's most active volcanoes and eruptions of varying levels take place on a regular basis. In 2019 it spewed ash 5.5 km high.
Video footage from Sunday's eruption showed what appeared to be a red mass flowing down one side of the volcano, with red projectiles shooting out while smoke, hard to see in the darkness, billowed up.
Most of the city of Kagoshima is across the bay from the volcano but several residential areas within about 3 km (1.9 miles) of the crater may be ordered to evacuate, NHK said.
Officials at Prime Minister Fumio Kishida's office were gathering information about the situation, it added.
Russia and Ukraine completed the exchange of 1,000 prisoners each on Sunday, the Russian Defence Ministry and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said, in the largest such swap since the war began three years ago.
Russian forces launched a barrage of 367 drones and missiles at Ukrainian cities overnight, including the capital Kyiv, in the largest aerial attack of the war so far, killing 13 people and injuring dozens more, officials said.
Russia and Ukraine each exchanged 307 of their service personnel on Saturday on the second day of a prisoner exchange that, when completed, is set to be the largest such swap in the three-year war between the two countries.
U.S. President Donald Trump has suggested the prisoner swap - which should see 1,000 prisoners released on each side over three days - could herald a new phase in stop-start efforts to negotiate a peace deal between Moscow and Kyiv.
Saturday's swap was announced by Russia's defence ministry, and separately by Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy in a post on social
French police were investigating a possible arson attack as being the main cause for a power outage which hit the Alpes-Maritimes region in southern France on Saturday, including Cannes which is hosting its world-famous annual film festival.
Russia launched dozens of attack drones and ballistic missiles at Kyiv overnight in one of the biggest combined aerial attacks on the Ukrainian capital of the three-year war, damaging several apartment buildings and injuring at least 15 people.
Dubai’s Roads and Transport Authority (RTA) has announced the completion of 70 per cent of the Umm Suqeim Street Improvement Project, which extends from the intersection with Al Khail Road to the junction with Sheikh Mohammed Bin Zayed Road.
The World Silk Road Forum has named His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE, and Ruler of Dubai, as the Inspirational Literary Figure for Silk Road Poets.
Russia and Ukraine complete largest prisoner swap
At least 13 killed in Russian air attack on Ukraine
Russia, Ukraine swap 307 soldiers on second day of POW exchange
Police probe arson attack in France power outage
Ukraine says 15 people hurt in 'massive' Russian attack on capital
