MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

Chile in brief.

Headlines:
Gay march; Bachelet's birthday; Military women; Telescope; Neruda

Judge joins gay march.

Judge Karen Atela and her partner, Ema de Ramón, joined 5000 protesters in Saturday's gay rights protest at Plaza Italia in downtown Santiago. Atala became a figurehead in the nation's gay rights movement after Chile's Supreme Court denied her custody over her two young children in 2004 because of her sexual preference. Marco Becerra, president of Bolivian HIV/AIDS prevention group Sidacción, organized the event. Becerra said the protest is asking for rights including "civil unions, adoption, social protection for gay couples and acknowledgment of ?homoparental' families."

Health workers interrupt Presidential birthday.

President Bachelet's 55th birthday celebrations were interrupted by striking health workers on Friday. The protest at the El Llano de San Miguel Stadium drew workers from the Barros Luco and Luis González Cortés hospitals. Protesting with bass drums and chants, they sang "Happy Birthday" four times to the president, who was celebrating inside with 500 public ministers. Most of the songs were more politically pointed. The words of one said, "Señora Presidenta, let's change for a month, you live with my wage, and I with yours." At the end of the event Bachelet praised her government's "sensible" actions regarding the strikes.

Women in Military service to triple by 2010

Defense Minister Vivianne Blanlot predicted last week that the number of women in the Armed Forces will triple by 2010. She estimated that by 2010 the number of females recruited each year will be between 2,500 and 3,000. There are currently nearly 7000 female applicants for the 1000 places for women in the armed services. But Blanlot noted that the cost of adapting facilities (separate accommodation and bathrooms) would mean that increasing places for women would be a slow process. "A realistic increase is from 300 to 500 extra recruits per year," she said. "In the army as in other institutions we know having more women will make this transition worthwhile."

New telescope opens.

A new telescope was unveiled on Thursday, 140 kilometers to the southeast of Antofagasta. It is known as "Hexapod" due to the six mobile supporting legs that allow it to view 60 percent of the horizon. The telescope was made in Germany. The US$5 million Hexapod will be used by scientists and students from the Northern Catholic University and Bochum University in Germany. Hexapod stands over 6 meters tall and has a 1.5 meter lens. The telescope will enjoy visibility approximately 320 days of the year.

2006 Neruda prize awarded.

The Pablo Neruda poetry prize was awarded to Malú Urriola for her poem "Nada" (Nothing). "Nada" won a prize from the National Book and Reading Board, and the Municipal Prize in 2004. The Neruda prize is awarded each year to writers under the age of 40. Urriola, 36, said, "I feel honored. I never expected any of these prizes or the number of enemies it would get me." The judging committee included Jorge del Río from the Neruda Foundation, the poet Rosabetty Muñoz, Matías Rafide from the Chilean Language Academy, and Reynaldo Lacámara of the Writers Society. They called Urriola's work "creative and original."

By Charlie Sanchez The Santiago Times -