Ayoola Atitebi

A volcano has erupted on Iceland's Reykjanes Peninsula in the southwest, forcing evacuations of the nearby town of Grindavík and the popular tourist destination Blue Lagoon spa. Iceland's Meteorological Office reported the eruption began around 09:45 local time (10:45 BST) just north of Grindavík. Within an hour, the ground fissure had widened to 700m (2296ft) and was continuing to expand. The volcanic activity followed earthquakes that struck the Sundhnúk crater range around 06:30 local time. Authorities had already ordered evacuations of Grindavík and Blue Lagoon before the eruption occurred. While roads to and from the town remain closed, flight operations have not been affected. The Blue Lagoon announced on its website that it would remain closed through Tuesday. By 11:20 local time, Iceland's Meteorological Office (IMO) reported that the original fissure had extended southward and a new crack had formed. […]

A devastating explosion at a mine in Spain's northern Asturias region has killed five workers and injured four others, emergency services reported. The accident occurred Monday morning at the Cerredo mine in Degana, approximately 450km northwest of Madrid. All five victims, whose ages ranged from 32 to 54 years old, were from the neighboring Leon region. Adriana Lastra, central government representative in Asturias, told reporters at the scene that preliminary evidence suggests methane may have formed an explosive mixture in the mine, a dangerous phenomenon known as firedamp. "Police are already investigating what happened; they are already at the scene," Lastra stated. The injured miners were transported to hospitals in nearby cities, with two requiring helicopter evacuation. They suffered burns and, in one case, a head injury. As news of the tragedy spread, families of the workers gathered at the […]

A national protest aimed at forcing Zimbabwean President Emmerson Mnangagwa to resign instead resulted in a widespread shutdown as citizens stayed home rather than demonstrating in the face of heavy security deployments. The planned march, organized by disgruntled war veterans accusing Mnangagwa of corruption and power-clinging, saw minimal participation with only a handful of protesters appearing before being quickly dispersed by police. After reports of low turnout emerged, protest leader Blessed Geza challenged Zimbabweans "not to be cowards" in a social media post on X. Geza had previously called for citizens to "fill the streets" in what he described as a final push to remove the president. Mnangagwa, who assumed power in 2017 following a coup against long-time leader Robert Mugabe, is currently serving his second and final term in office. The protest organizers, particularly Geza, have expressed support for […]

A 56-year-old unnamed man is under investigation in South Korea for allegedly starting a devastating wildfire that claimed 30 lives. The suspect was reportedly performing an ancestral ceremony at a family grave on a hillside in Uiseong county, North Gyeongsang province, when the fire began. He has been booked but not yet arrested, and authorities plan to question him after completing their investigation of the site. The man has denied responsibility for the blaze. Officials announced Sunday that the main fires had finally been brought under complete control, ten days after they initially ignited and caused extensive damage to buildings, including historic temples. According to investigators who spoke with the suspect's daughter, the fire allegedly started when her father attempted to burn tree branches hanging over the graves using a cigarette lighter. The Korea Forest Service reports that the fires […]

Donald Trump has declared he "couldn't care less" if automobile prices increase after implementing 25% tariffs on foreign-made vehicles. While analysts warn these import charges could lead to temporary shutdowns of major US car production, price increases, and strained international relationships, Trump remains unmoved. In an NBC News interview Saturday, the US president stated he actually hopes foreign carmakers raise prices because then "people are gonna buy American-made cars. We have plenty." On Wednesday, Trump announced new 25% import taxes on cars and parts entering the US from overseas, effective April 2. Charges on imported vehicles are expected April 3, with taxes on parts beginning in May or later. When questioned about his message to automobile executives, Trump responded: "The message is congratulations, if you make your car in the United States, you're going to make a lot of money." […]

Walk through a US grocery store and you'll find European imports like St Dalfour strawberry spread and Bonne Maman preserves—part of Europe's $200 million annual jam exports to America. Yet American-made jellies remain virtually nonexistent in Europe, with US exports to the bloc totaling less than $300,000 yearly. JM Smucker, a major US producer, blames this imbalance on the EU's 24%-plus import tax on American fruit spreads. In a recent letter to the White House, the company urged the Trump administration to address this disparity as it prepares "reciprocal" tariffs against major trading partners. "The miniscule value of US exports to the European Union is entirely attributable to the high EU tariff," Smucker argued, noting that US jam tariffs max out at just 4.5%. "Reciprocal US tariffs on EU jams and jellies would serve to level the playing field." While […]