News in Brief(19-02-2018)

February 19, 2018 00:00:00

13 die in Mexican quake zone helicopter crash

SANTIAGO JAMILTEPEC, Feb 18: Thirteen people were killed in southern Mexico when a minister's helicopter crash-landed on its way to the epicenter of a powerful earthquake that rattled the region, officials said Saturday. The 7.2 magnitude quake caused only material damage when it struck late Friday, but it triggered a tragedy in the town of Santiago Jamiltepec in Oaxaca state, where the chopper landed on its side, crushing a van. — AFP

Australia issues red alert on cyclone warning

CANBERRA, Feb 18: Authorities have issued a red alert cyclone warning for Western Australia (WA) state. Tropical cyclone Kelvin made landfall on Sunday morning, bringing with it winds of up to 250 km per hour (kph). In a warning issued on Sunday, the Department of Fire and Emergency Services told residents of northern WA that they were "in danger and need to act immediately." — Xinhua

Brazilian president to create public security ministry

SAO PAULO, Feb 18: Brazil's president says he wants a public ministry to coordinate security operations in the entire country. President Michel Temer spoke briefly Saturday in Rio de Janeiro after talking to local authorities about the implementation of a decree that has placed the military in charge of the state's security operations amid a spike in violent crime. — AP

Nigeria frees 475 Boko Haram suspects for lack of evidence

ABUJA, Feb 18: Nigeria has freed another 475 Boko Haram suspects following a series of mass trials in which most cases were dropped for lack of evidence, the justice ministry said Sunday. Over the course of the week, hundreds of suspected Boko Haram extremists have appeared before a court at the Kainji military base in central Niger state. — AFP

Earthquake hits Britain

LONDON, Feb 18: Britain was hit by its biggest earthquake in a decade on Saturday, the British Geological Survey (BGS) said on Saturday, with tremors felt across parts of Wales and southwest England but no notable damage reported. — Reuters