Chile

• Wednesday, December 30th 2015 - 02:22 UTC

  Busy weekend for Ushuaia: 8.000 cruise visitors

  

  Over 8.000 cruise visitors arrived in Ushuaia over the weekend when the Star Princess (2.600 pax), Norwegian Sun (2.400 pax), Infinity (2.400 pax) and the Seabourn Quest coincided in the extreme south port of Argentina in the peak of the Southern hemisphere season.

• Monday, December 28th 2015 - 08:28 UTC

  Chile approves free university education for 200.000 students, one of Bachelet's campaign promise

  

  Chile’s Congress has approved a law granting free university education to many of the country’s students. The law was approved by both houses of the legislature last week before Christmas. The measure is a pillar of President Michelle Bachelet’s reform promises and is expected to aid about 200,000 students at state universities.

• Tuesday, December 22nd 2015 - 15:29 UTC

  Chile calls for a South American convergence; pledges to bring together Mercosur and Pacific Alliance

  

  Chilean president Michelle Bachelet called for “a convergence among governments” of South America despite the “political and ideological differences”, and anticipated that Chile will strongly promote the rapprochement between Mercosur and the Pacific Alliance.

• Monday, December 21st 2015 - 07:44 UTC

  Chile announces end of airport strike: Lan promises additional flights but does not discard delays

  

  Chile's Defense Minister announced the government and workers tied to the civil aviation authority reached an agreement Sunday, ending a four-day strike that forced airlines to cancel hundreds of flights and left thousands of passengers stranded.

• Wednesday, December 9th 2015 - 08:42 UTC

  Renowned conservationist Doug Tompkins dies during kayak accident in Chilean Patagonia

  

  Douglas Tompkins, 72, the renowned conservationist and co-founder of The North Face, died on Tuesday in a kayaking accident in Lake General Carrera, on the Chilean side of Patagonia. He reportedly capsized in the water and suffered severe hypothermia. A source from Conservacion Patagonica, the non-profit founded in 2000 by his wife Kristine McDivitt Tompkins, confirmed his death.

• Wednesday, December 2nd 2015 - 12:21 UTC

  Largest whale stranding, 337 Sei specimens, reported in extreme south Chile

  

  A total of 337 sei whales have been found beached in the extreme south of Chile in what scientists state is one of the biggest whale stranding ever recorded. Biologist Vreni Häussermann made the discovery along with other scientists in June during an observation flight over fjords in Chile's southern Patagonia region.

• Friday, November 20th 2015 - 07:10 UTC

  Chile's football association chief turns in to US authorities as part of the ongoing FIFA probe

  

  The president of Chile's ANFP national football association Sergio Jadue has gone to the United States to talk to the FBI as part of its ongoing probe into corruption at soccer governing body FIFA, Santiago media reported.

• Monday, November 9th 2015 - 08:30 UTC

  North of Chile rattles with a series of tremors which were felt in Argentina

  

  North of Chile has been rocked by a series of tremors during early Saturday and most of Sunday, but no injuries or damage has been reported, the University of Chile's Seismology Institute said. The earthquake shook an estimated 20 cities, Arica, Cuya, Pocon Chile, Camina, Mamiña and Pisagua, the national emergency management office said.

• Monday, November 9th 2015 - 08:15 UTC

  Border conflict erupts between Chile and Peru over a 10 acre wedge of land

  

  The fragile relations between neighboring Chile and Peru appeared to unwind further Saturday, after Peruvian President Ollanta Humala officially recognized an administrative district in a disputed border area. The Chilean government promptly sent a protest note to Peru “strongly” rejecting the law because it concerns “unquestionably” Chilean territory.

• Thursday, November 5th 2015 - 08:00 UTC

  Chilean judge sentences 64 former Pinochet secret police officers to jail time

  

  Chilean judge Hernán Crisosto sentenced 64 former secret police officers (DINA) to jail time for the detention and disappearance of Washington Cid Urrutia in 1974 during the country’s military dictatorship led by Augusto Pinochet (1973-1990).