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The volcanic activity near the town of Grindavík in southwestern Iceland has resumed once again, marking the fifth eruption in the past six months.
The volcano initially erupted in December after over a month of fears across November that an eruption was on the way, and the latest eruption was in mid-March. On Wednesday, lava came bursting out of the nearby fissures for the fifth time, and it quickly rushed towards the town of around 3,600 people. Seismic activity is normally an indicator of a looming eruption, and a lot of it was detected recently. Then, the magma chamber blew, sending dramatic blasts of lava into the air. This was the volcano's most powerful initial eruption yet, as there was a lot more magma built up in the chamber, but thankfully, it has since cooled down.
After the lava came towards the town, most remaining residents scrambled to evacuate. However, three residents refused to leave their homes. Grindavík is still without power and water, as the lava flow has destroyed the power lines coming into the town and taken out the hot and cold water pipes. It has also covered two of Grindavík's three access points, and the lava is closing in on the third one. The flow has slowed down, though, and Grindavík's protective barriers have helped shield the city from the worst of the impacts. Officials stated that if it weren't for the barriers, the lava would have already engulfed a large portion of the area by now. Also, smoke has not become an issue for the country yet, but strong easterly winds are expected to carry some of the dangerous gases to other parts of Iceland.
Grindavík is located on the Reykjanes Peninsula in southwestern Iceland, and the area is known for its famous geothermal spa: the Blue Lagoon. Unfortunately, the spa was evacuated due to the lava flow, making it the third time since December that the Blue Lagoon has been evacuated. These recent eruptions have been detrimental to the travel plans for many tourists, as the geothermal spa is one of Iceland's most popular tourist attractions.
Officials will be eyeing the region to defend the heart of the town from the incoming lava flow, and tourists and residents alike will be hoping that this is the last of the area's eruptions.
On another note, Haiti has chosen another prime minister to lead the country after recent gang violence that has overtaken the Caribbean island country.
The entire capital of Port-au-Prince has become unsafe after gangs launched a planned, coordinated attack on February 29. They broke into both of the city's main jails and released over 4,000 felons, which have since taken over about 80% of the city. Ever since Haitian President Jovenel Moïse was assassinated in 2021, dangerous groups have been using that small, unstable gap in the government to take control of the country. The gangs have been looting entire communities, kidnapping citizens, and attempting to take control of the entire area with no regard for the innocent lives being taken around them. They are also spreading to other cities, slowly moving east from Port-au-Prince and stealing from new cities as well.
Over 2,500 people have been confirmed dead and hundreds of others have been kidnapped. Hundreds of thousands of people have been displaced in the process, and dozens of buildings and cars have also been burned down by the gangs-- specifically police headquarters and other government buildings.
Following the gang takeover and the jail releases, former Prime Minister Ariel Henry stepped down after the United States pressured him into doing so. During the wait for a new prime minister, gangs saw this as an opportunity to strengthen their grip on the already-distraught capital city. They targeted important buildings like Port-au-Prince's international airport to try and bring down the government.
However, Haiti has made it through and have chosen Garry Conille as their new Prime Minister, who will be taking the place of interim Prime Minister Michel Patrick Boisvert. He has a lot of experience in the world of politics, as he has previously worked at the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA), served as the Special Envoy of the Secretary General of the United Nations for Haiti and UNICEF’s regional director for Latin America and the Caribbean, and was previously Prime Minister of Haiti from 2011-2012. Conille also supported the country in healthcare after studying medicine in college and using his knowledge to help impoverished communities after Haiti's devastating 7.0 magnitude earthquake in 2010.
He has pledged to promote unity and peace across the country to help restabilize, but he has a lot of work to do. Thankfully, the upcoming 2026 presidential elections will fill the void that has been sitting empty ever since the assassination of Jovenel Moïse, and getting a president back into the game to help him out will be crucial to truly getting things back on track.
Fact of the Day (Reader's Digest): In Ancient Egypt, if someone had a toothache, they would use a dead mouse and put it in their mouth to help with the pain.
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In a Sentence: The team’s draft picks reflected the ownership’s strategy of building a long-term football dynasty.
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