Chile Steps Up Patrols Near Bolivia Border in Migrant Crackdown

INTERNATIONAL: Chile has stepped up patrols near its shared border with Bolivia, as authorities seek to stem an increase in migrants crossing this frontier desert area illegally.

It comes about a week since Santiago brought in a new immigration law that regulates cross-border movement.

According to local officials, hundreds of migrants without proper documentation have been detained in recent days to be send back across the border.

Officers say their presence at the border is also helping to tackle crime such as people trafficking.

Tensions between migrants and Chilean citizens have spilled over in recent weeks. Migrants have set up tent camps in public spaces for temporary shelters, drawing the ire of locals. Also, some residents blame the newcomers for a spike in crime.

Migration and crime were big voter concerns in presidential elections late last year, which were won by Gabriel Boric, 35, a leftist lawmaker and former student protest leader who comes into office in March.

U.S. Built F-5 Fighter Plane Crash, Kills Three

A U.S.-built F5 jet in use by the Iranian military crashed into the wall of a school in the northwestern city of Tabriz on Monday,February 21, killing the two pilots and a person on the ground.

The school was closed at the time of the crash just before 9 a.m., army spokesman Shahin Taqi-Khani has said.

The army spokesperson has also said,technical failure appeared to be the cause of the crash, but that an investigation was underway.

The pilot and a trainee pilot were killed, as well as a civilian passing by in a car, he has confirmed.

Experts say Iran has a poor air safety record, with repeated crashes, many involving U.S.-built aircraft bought before the 1979 Islamic revolution.

The United States, which broke diplomatic ties in 1980 after Iranian students took U.S. diplomats hostage, has imposed sanctions on Iran making it difficult for Tehran to buy spare parts for its military and civilian aircraft.

At Least Three Injured in a Fire which Rips through Apartment Complex

And…A large fire has destroyed a five-storey apartment building with around 50 units early on Monday, February 21 in the western German city of Essen, injuring at least three people, according to the local fire department.

Around 100 residents had to flee the building after being woken up by the fire in the middle of the night. The flames were reportedly fanned by storm Antonia.

Residents described a chaotic scene that began at approximately 2:00am , as someone yelled "fire, fire," prompting people to leave their homes as quickly as possible.

Spokesman Christoph Risse has said residents have raised the alarm at 2:15 a.m. and that when the first fire-fighters have reached the scene, the fire had already spread at very high speed over a large area of the building.

Those who were injured have suffered from gas poisoning and were taken to the hospital.

The fire took place in the Westviertel neighborhood, which lies directly west of the Essen city center. The cause is still unknown, but police have said that as soon as the blaze is brought under control, an investigation will be carried out.

Three people have been reported injured by the fire so far due to smoke inhalation.

Eyewitnesses say that the fire spread within the span of 20 minutes.

The flames were reportedly fueled in large part by strong winds from storm Antonia, which battered parts of western and southern Germany on Sunday night.

Antonia is the third severe weather event in Germany in less than a week.