Santiago

Pope focuses on migrants at final Chile mass

Santiago - Muslimchronicle

Pope Francis highlighted the plight of vulnerable immigrants on Thursday and robustly defended a bishop accused of covering up sexual abuse at the end of a visit to Chile overshadowed by controversy. In the northern border region of Iquique, which he said was "the land of dreams" for so many, the pope hit out at human traffickers and others who seek to takeRead more

Pope in Chile expresses 'pain' and 'shame' over abuse scandal

Santiago - Muslimchronicle

Pope Francis publicly expressed "pain and shame" on Tuesday over the rape and molestation of children by priests in Chile and later listened, prayed and cried at a private meeting with victims. Vatican spokesman Greg Burke said the meeting took place in the Vatican embassy in Santiago. "No one else was present. Only the pope and the victims," the spokesman said. "ThisRead more

Pope in Chile seeks forgiveness for sex abuse scandals

Santiago - Muslimchronicle

Pope Francis met alone Tuesday with a small group of victims of sexual abuse by priests in Chile, after he publicly asked for forgiveness and riot police broke up a protest near the first public mass of his South American visit. During the "strictly private" meeting at the Vatican's Apostolic Nunciature embassy in Santiago, the victims "spoke of their suffering to PopeRead more

Pope in Chile calls for respect of 'rights' of indigenous people

Santiago - Muslimchronicle

Pope Francis called Tuesday for respect of the rights and culture of indigenous peoples, as he made his first speech during a visit to Chile. It is necessary to listen to native peoples, "often forgotten and whose rights and protected culture must be taken into account," said the pontiff in an address to political authorities. He made no specific mentionRead more

Billionaire ex-president Pinera leads in Chile election

Santiago - Muslimchronicle

Chile's billionaire ex-president Sebastian Pinera is on track to return to office, according to partial results from a runoff election held Sunday. Electoral authorities said the 68-year-old conservative, who previously ruled 2010-2014, had 54 percent, with nearly half the ballots counted. That placed him comfortably ahead of leftist challenger Alejandro Guillier, a TV presenter turned senator who ran as anRead more

Billionaire Pinera to return as Chile's president: results

Santiago - Muslimchronicle

Billionaire former president Sebastian Pinera will return as Chile's leader next year, according to near-complete official results from a runoff election held Sunday. Pinera's leftist rival in the race, senator and former TV presenter Alejandro Guillier, recognized his "tough defeat." Electoral authorities said Pinera won 55 percent of the vote, based on a count of 92 percent of the ballots.Read more

Polls open in Chilean presidential election

Santiago - Muslimchronicle

Polls opened on Sunday in Chile's presidential election to choose a successor to Michelle Bachelet. About 14 million people are eligible to cast ballots at more than 43,000 polling stations in a contest whose outcome is uncertain after a surge from the left. source: xinhuaRead more

Polls open in Chilean presidential election

Santiago - Muslimchronicle

Southern Chile iceberg splits from glacier, threatens navigation

Santiago - Muslimchronicle

The recent calving of a large iceberg from a southern Chilean glacier threatens local ship navigation and could result in flooding for coastal communities, experts said. An iceberg measuring some 350 by 380 meters (1,150 by 1,250 feet) broke from the Grey glacier in far southern Chile in late November. The size of the break surprised local scientists who monitorRead more

Leftist surge throws Chile presidential race wide open

Santiago - Muslimchronicle

A strong showing by the radical left threw Chile's presidential race wide open and left billionaire Sebastian Pinera with a fight on his hands to secure victory in a runoff, analysts said Monday. Center-right ex-president Pinera emerged from the first round in front as expected, albeit with a much lower than anticipated 36.6 percent, as Chileans went to the pollsRead more