Artist named Fried Potatoes removed tuition contracts he says were worth up to $500m from private university and burned them For a whole year, a Chilean artist using the name Fried Potatoes (Papas Fritas) planned his revenge. Saying he was collecting material for an art project, the 31-year-old visual artist sneaked into a vault at a notorious private, run-for-profit university and quietly removed...
Church leaders admit to knowing about scheme in which single mothers were pressured to give up their newborns for adoption The Catholic church in Chile is under investigation over allegations that priests played a central role in a network that stole newborn babies from single mothers. Police investigators are now probing dozens of cases in which unmarried women who became pregnant were pressured by...
Debate to start in July to repeal Augusto Pinochet's 1989 legislation and allow termination when a woman's life is at risk Chile is one of six countries that bans abortion even if a woman's life is in danger. In July, however, the country's MPs are expected to consider legalising it in certain circumstances. Complications from illegal abortions performed in Chile account for about 40% of maternal deaths,...
An earthquake has hit Northern Chile, causing thousands of people to be evacuated. Here's a collection of resources to teach students about the science behind the quake Northern Chile was hit by an earthquake last week, causing thousands of people to be evacuated from coastal areas after it triggered a tsunami alert. Fortunately, despite the quake measuring 8.2 on the richter scale, it has inflicted...
Seven confirmed dead in port of Valparaíso as thousands evacuated and city declared catastrophe zone A fire raging in the Chilean port city of Valparaíso has killed at least seven people and destroyed 500 homes, according to officials. Thousands of residents have been evacuated, including more than 200 inmates at a women's prison. Firefighters struggled as high winds rained hot ash over the...
Fears of local tsunami after fresh tremor measured at 7.8 strikes just south of port of Iquique A powerful 7.6-magnitude aftershock hit Chile's far-northern coast late on Wednesday night, shaking the same area where a magnitude-8.2 earthquake hit just a day before causing some damage and six deaths. Chile's emergency office and navy issued a tsunami alert and ordered a precautionary evacuation of...
President Michelle Bachelet was among those evacuated when the second earthquake in two days hit Chile on Wednesday. Bachelet had been visiting areas affected by Tuesday's earthquake when the second one hit with a magnitude of 7.6 and tsunami warnings were briefly issued. No one is believed to have died in the second earthquake...
Deaths reported and people on coast spending night in the hills after magnitude 8.2 undersea quake triggers emergency An earthquake of magnitude 8.2 has jolted northern Chile, triggering a tsunami alert and the evacuation of thousands of people from coastal areas. At least five people were killed and more than 300 women escaped from a coastal prison. The quake was centred under the Pacific Ocean 61...
Six reported dead and only light damage as president Michelle Bachelet travels to region Authorities in northern Chile have discovered surprisingly light damage and just six reported deaths from the magnitude-8.2 earthquake that hit the country on Tuesday a remarkably low toll for such a major event. President Michelle Bachelet flew to the region to review damage in daylight after declaring a state...
Earthquake triggers tsunami warning for Chilean coastline Authorities have called for 'preventative evacuation' Coasts of other South American countries may also be at risk 1.23pm AEST A video has been posted of the coastline that shows Chilean residents taking part in the evacuation. 1.08pm AEST The Guardian's John Franklin has just sent through this update about events on the ground: First waves...
Evacuations ordered after US Geological Survey records quake only 6.2 miles below seabed and not far off shore A powerful magnitude 8.2 earthquake struck off Chile's northern coast on Tuesday night, causing landslides and sparking a tsunami alert that led to an evacuation of coastal areas. In the city of Arica the mayor reported some minor injuries and said some homes were destroyed. The quake shook...
What can a growing middle class and narrowing gap between rich and poor in Latin America teach policymakers? Join our live Q&A on Thursday 3 April, 1-3pm Emerging economies and the middle class is one of the topics at this week's World Economic Forum on Latin America (1-3 April) in Panama City. The event, bringing together the public, private and civil sectors, hopes to focus on inclusivity, sustainability...
Richard Wike: The numbers are in, and the people want their internet freedom – no matter what Putin and Erdogan say Richard Wike ...
Myrella Arcelis says that conflict over the dam has caused rifts in her close family and that the division of settlement money has led to major social conflicts in the broader community Myrella Arcelis's family were at the heart of the dispute over the El Mauro dam near Caimanes, Chile, for eight years. While she and her son Angelo fought against the project, her other son worked for Antofogasta Minerals....
Residents say the dam linked to the Los Pelambres copper mine 'created so much inequality that it broke the town' • There are 16g of copper in the average smartphone. Explore our interactive to find out more about the environmental and social impacts of the contents of your smartphone Visitors to the small Chilean village of Los Caimanes are greeted by a row of black flags and graffiti marking opposition...
Young people under 30 are the majority in many countries in the Middle East and South America, yet politicians do little or nothing for them. Is the demographics of the 'youth bulge' enough to explain the huge rise in disaffection? • A youth heatmap of the world Towards the end of January, Egyptian activists shared a picture on social media of some of their grey-haired countrymen. The people pictured...
Smartphones are owned by one in five people and have changed how many of the world's most important industries work – from journalism to farming. But their production carries a cost; using more than 40 elements that are mined with untold environmental and social effects on every inhabited continent on earth. Use our interactive to take a detailed look at positive and negative impacts your smartphone...
Authorities say more than 100,000 people asked to vacate some coastal areas following 6.7 magnitude earthquake A strong 6.7-magnitude earthquake shook Chile's northern Pacific shore on Sunday, and authorities said more than 100,000 people were evacuated from some coastal areas as a precaution. Only minor damage was reported. The US Geological Survey originally reported the quake at a 7.0 magnitude...
10 - 14 March 2014: Catch up with our selection of this week’s development-related news, images and key reports Anna Leach ...
Risks can be exciting, says 48-year-old, one of youngest and least-known architects selected for gallery's programme A cow's udder stuffed with newspaper and wrapped in strips of masking tape might not sound like your average architectural model. But then Smiljan Radic , the Chilean designer chosen for this summer's Serpentine Gallery Pavilion , is no ordinary architect. This bandaged bladder, along...