VOLCANO ERUPTS: Colombia’s Nevado del Huila volcano erupted in a shower of hot ash, prompting thousands to leave their homes Tuesday. The remote volcano, 150 miles southwest of Bogota, erupted shortly before midnight Monday and appeared less active at daybreak. About 3,500 people left home or were evacuated.
SCHOOL FIRE: Sobbing Ugandan parents sifted through the ashes of a school dormitory outside the capital, Kampala, on Tuesday, searching for their daughters after a fire swept through the building, killing 19 schoolgirls and two adults. Police said there were signs the fire may have been deliberately set.
NEW OIL TAX: Venezuela moved Tuesday to take a greater cut of windfall oil profits, approving a 50 percent tax on foreign oil companies when crude tops $70 a barrel. The tax rate would rise to 60 percent when the average monthly price for benchmark Brent crude exceeds $100. Revenues from the tax could reach $9 billion annually, Oil Minister Rafael Ramirez said after meeting with lawmakers.
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Page compiled from Tribune news services
