30 Inmates Killed in Ecuador Prison Riot
INTERNATIONAL: Ecuadorian officials have confirmed that the number of inmates killed in a prison riot in the southwest port city of Guayaquil has risen to 30, while the number of injured has climbed to 52. It was the third deadly uprising this year in the Andean nation's prison system.
The incident took place at the Penitenciaria del Litoral in Guayas province, a facility that has in recent months witnessed bloody fights between gangs for control of the prison. According to authorities, the riot was sparked by rival gangs vying for control of criminal operations planned from the prison, including drug trafficking.
An alert was activated after gunshots and explosions were heard in several areas of the prison.
Guayas Governor says that authorities were able to regain control of the facility following an earlier evacuation of personnel and the deployment of police officers inside the prison and military officers to guard the exterior. Outside the jail, prisoners' relatives fought with the police and blocked the way of ambulances and police vehicles, demanding safety for their loved ones.
In February, a series of coordinated riots at four prisons, which house some 39,000 inmates claimed the lives of at least 79 inmates. The Inter-American Commission on Human Rights has condemned the violence and Human Rights Watch has urged Ecuador's government to fully investigate the prison violence and bring those responsible to justice.
Rookie Cop Praised for Bravery
Rookie police officer Pedro Garcia has been praised for his bravery after reacting fast in saving a man’s life, captured in dramatic footage from inside a San Jose Fire Department Truck with the officer rushing to the scene, opening the car door and pulling the man from the burning car. The officer came upon a collision on Highway 101 with one vehicle engulfed in flames and the driver still inside. Without hesitation, and even with fire department personnel moments away, the officer did not hesitate to risk his life and pull the man from the vehicle.
New Dinosaur Species Unearthed
And, paleontologists in Brazil have discovered a new carnivorous dinosaur species that roamed the country some 70 million years ago. The bones found were the pelvic bone, three vertebrae, and some that have not yet been identified. A phylogenetic analysis was done with those pieces, identifying which species the animal belonged to. Palaeontologist Fabiano Vidoi has confirmed it's a bipedal dinosaur. It was at the top of the food chain in the period in which it lived, at the end of the cretaceous period.
Named the Kurupi Itaata, this bipedal predator is characterised by its strong legs and short arms. It was reportedly five metres tall, about 16 feet long and had a strong, rigid tail.
Kurupi Itaata's fossilised remains were found in Monte Alto in Sao Paulo state, one of the country's richest sites for dinosaur finds. Excavation work in Monte Alto discovered the first piece of Kurupi itaata's fossil in 2002. Further digging at the site allowed researchers to piece together more information on the new dinosaur species.
A model of Kurupi Itaata and its fossilised remains will be on show at Monte Alto's Museum of Palaeontology, with the museum's work on dinosaur discovery acclaimed the world over.
