27 dead in fire at Indian amusement park | The Arkansas Democratic Gazette

India: 27 dead in amusement park fire

NEW DELHI — A major fire broke out at an amusement park in the western Indian state of Gujarat on Saturday, killing at least 27 people, police and media said.

The park is located in the city of Rajkot in the state of Gujarat. Superintendent of Police Raju Bhargava said the fire was brought under control and rescue operation was underway.

Police officer Vinayak Patel said it was difficult to identify the bodies.

“So far, we have confirmed the death of 27 people in the fire,” Patel was quoted as saying by the Press Trust of India news agency, adding that the dead included four children under the age of 12.

The park is usually full of families with children enjoying the summer school holidays on the weekends.

Footage shows firefighters clearing debris around collapsed tin roof structures which media reports said were used for bowling, go-karting and trampoline attractions.

The amusement park was owned by Yuvraj Singh Solanki and Bhargava said the police would file a case of negligence against him.

The investigation is looking into the causes of the fire.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi wrote on

Kenyan advance team returns from Haiti

NAIROBI, Kenya — An advance team of Kenyan police officers who were assessing readiness before the deployment of a multinational force to quell violence in Haiti is returning home after the planned deployment was delayed due to logistical problems.

The team is expected to return from Haiti on Monday after recommending a deployment delay that was later announced by the president.

A senior Kenyan official, who declined to be named because he is not the official spokesperson, said the bases are still under construction and that crucial resources, including vehicles, are needed before the deployment of Kenya's first 200 police officers can take place.

The rollout was due to begin last week, but President William Ruto said it would be delayed by three weeks.

The base from which the police will operate is about 70 percent built and there is a need for secure stores for the armory, according to the senior official who was part of the advance team.

Officials arrived in Haiti on Tuesday and met with Haitian police on Thursday and the presidential transitional council on Friday.

Former Colombian president indicted

BOGOTA, Colombia — Former Colombian President Álvaro Uribe was indicted Friday as part of a long-running investigation into witness tampering.

Uribe was formally charged with witness tampering and corruption for his efforts to discredit a political opponent who sought to uncover Uribe's family ties to right-wing paramilitary groups. If convicted, Uribe faces up to 12 years in prison.

The case dates back to 2012, when Uribe filed a complaint with the Supreme Court accusing a left-wing lawmaker, Iván Cepeda, of slander. In 2018, the High Court – the only authority authorized to investigate lawmakers – closed the investigation against Cepeda and, in a dramatic turnaround, announced it was opening a new investigation against Uribe, then a senator, for fraud and manipulation of testimonies. .

Uribe, who governed Colombia with strong U.S. support from 2002 to 2010, has denied any wrongdoing and accused Colombia's attorney general's office of “political vengeance.”

There are wiretapped phone conversations in which the former president can be heard discussing with one of his lawyers efforts to overthrow two former paramilitary fighters who were scheduled to testify against him. Uribe said his conversations were illegally intercepted.

Friday's hearing was conducted via video conference and Uribe played a limited role, leaving most of the discussions to his attorney.

Attorney General Gilberto Ivan Villareal said the former president “abused his distinguished position in society” to turn witnesses and get them to denounce Cepeda.

5 dead in illegal gold mine collapse

NAIROBI, Kenya — An illegal gold mine has collapsed in northern Kenya, killing at least five people, police said Saturday.

The collapse of the Hillo mine in the Dabel region near Kenya's border with Ethiopia was attributed to a landslide on Friday. Marsabit County Police Cmdr. Patrick Mwakio said the miners died on the spot after being covered by debris.

No other miners were found and it was unclear if anyone else was missing in the collapse.

In March, Interior Minister Kithure Kindiki declared the area disturbed and banned mining activities after clashes over a mining conflict led to the deaths of seven people.

The mining activities were also in violation of the law as no environmental impact assessment had been carried out and the tunnels were described as fragile and on the verge of collapse. Residents told media that mining continued despite the March ban and criticized authorities for allowing it.