Nation IN BRIEF : ALASKA : Redoubt Volcano Has Brief Eruption

Redoubt Volcano in Alaska erupted anew, sending a jet of ash and steam nearly seven miles high and scattering grit that led authorities to cancel classes for 2,000 students on the Kenai Peninsula. The “moderate to strong” eruption, the first significant activity since Jan. 15, began around 4 a.m. and was over in minutes. The ash cloud headed for the Gulf of Alaska, a spokesman for the U.S. Geological Survey said, and away from the Anchorage area, 115 miles to the northwest. The Federal Aviation Administration warned aircraft to stay at least 20 miles from the mountain.