Latest measurements from the Icelandic volcano that's caused serious disruption to air traffic for more than a month show a marked drop in activity. They show it’s now only producing steam. Rister Booker reports.

Magnus Tumi Gudmundsson, one of Iceland's leading volcano experts, flew over the Eyjafjallajokull eruption today. He says heat camera footage shot during the fight indicated that the temperature in the crater had fallen to just 100℃. Under such circumstances, only steam is coming from the volcano, no magma is being produced. But Magnus still may warn that it was too early to say that the eruption was completely over. The volcano could just have entered a period of low activity.

The space shuttle Atlantis is on its way back to earth from the International Space Station on its last voyage after a 25-year career. The American space agency NASA is retiring the shuttle fleet for cost and safety reasons. The crew of Atlantis uploaded a new research laboratory there and also a docking port for Russian spacecraft during its week long trip, leaving behind what one called “a palace in space”.

World news from the BBC.

A prominent Cuban dissident says the communist authorities have agreed to improve conditions for political prisoners and move sick inmates to hospital. Guillermo Farinas, who's being on hunger strike to demand the release of sick prisoners, said this followed a meeting between Cuban officials and representatives of the Roman Catholic Church. Michael Voss reports from Havana.