All articles tagged with #chile
Unprecedented rainfall from a record-strength El Niño has triggered a massive spring bloom in Chile's Atacama Desert. Over 200 plant species, including the iconic garra de león, are flowering across hills and ravines that had remained barren for decades. The phenomenon, known as Desierto Florido, is expected to draw nearly 300,000 overnight visitors to the region by November, boosting tourism significantly.
The US men’s national team defeated Chile 4-2 at Energizer Park in St. Louis on September 29, 2026, securing a perfect 5-0 record at the venue. The match featured a record-young starting lineup under coach Mauricio Pochettino, with 17-year-old Mathis Albert becoming the youngest goalscorer in USMNT history. The game ended in chaos after a late kick on goalkeeper Brian Schwake triggered a bench-clearing brawl. Longtime captain Tim Ream was honored before kickoff as he officially retired from international soccer after 16 years.
The US men’s national team defeated Chile 4-2 in St. Louis, with goals from Sebastian Berhalter, Julian Hall, Chris Richards, and 17-year-old Mathis Albert. The match featured a late confrontation between players and managers, highlighting the team's defensive fragility but also its emerging collective identity. Pochettino fielded a record-young lineup, with six players making their first starts, as the team continues its youth-focused transition following the 2026 World Cup.
Unprecedented rainfall linked to a record-strength El Niño has triggered a massive 'flowering desert' phenomenon in Chile's Atacama, with up to 15,000 hectares of dormant seeds blooming after months of heavy precipitation.
The World Health Organization validated Chile as the first South American country to eliminate dog-transmitted rabies in humans after decades of vaccination, surveillance and dog population management; the last dog-to-human case occurred in 1972, and regional progress has dramatically reduced human rabies cases while officials highlight sustained vaccination and education efforts as key to the milestone.
A blaze at a Chilean nursing home, El Edén, killed 16 residents and left about 10 others evacuated. The fire began Friday night and was extinguished by Saturday morning. Authorities are investigating the cause, and President José Antonio Kast ordered a review of nursing‑home conditions nationwide to prevent future tragedies.
Researchers in Chile treated injured penguins with copper-infused vests and observed improved healing, with wounds getting better from day to day as noted by Pino, suggesting the copper-based approach aids recovery for these birds.
Genetic analysis of 13 bone samples from the Camarones site in northern Chile uncovered two smallpox infections dating to 1492–1631, providing the strongest evidence yet that smallpox arrived in the Americas after European contact; researchers say the virus could have spread via established Native trade networks or through Africa during the slave trade, and note that smallpox was eradicated in 1980.
New ancient DNA from two Chilean mummies dating to 1492–1631 CE links the smallpox outbreak in the Americas to European contact, with the CAM9 lineage sitting between medieval European strains and later variants, providing genetic proof of early smallpox arrival in South America.
Retired Colonel Nelson Haase Mazzei, the last fugitive in the 1973 Víctor Jara murder, was arrested in Puyehue and ordered to begin a 25-year prison term after being convicted in absentia along with six other ex-soldiers, a case long pursued in the context of Pinochet’s dictatorship that killed or disappeared thousands.
The European Southern Observatory’s Extremely Large Telescope rotated its 3,500-ton structure for the first time on its Chilean mountaintop, marking a major milestone in its assembly. Weighing about 7.7 million pounds now, the ELT will grow larger as mirrors and instruments are installed later, ultimately surpassing 10 million pounds and enabling unprecedented views of the night sky.
A yearslong drought has slashed natural snowfall on Santiago’s Andean slopes, forcing artificial snow and suspending up to 90% of slopes, risking US$283 million in direct tourism impact (including US$228 million from foreign visitors) after 1.24 million skiers in 2025, while authorities push four-season activities as climate trends threaten precipitation; a weekend cold front could bring some snow.
Thousands of Chileans took to the streets in Santiago and 15 other cities on World Water Day to protest President José Antonio Kast’s withdrawal of dozens of environmental protections, including 43 decrees from the Boric era. Activists say 1.4 million Chileans still lack drinking water, while Kast defends deregulation and prioritizing economic goals. The protests underscored widespread opposition to the new administration’s approach to environmental policy.
Chile swore in hardline president Jose Antonio Kast, signaling the sharpest rightward turn in three decades. Kast pledged sweeping reforms, ordered audits of government ministries, and called for tougher crime measures including deploying troops to crime hotspots and building border barriers with Bolivia to curb undocumented migration.
Ultraconservative José Antonio Kast was sworn in as Chile's president in Valparaiso, marking the nation’s sharpest shift to the right since the return to democracy in 1990, with protests on inauguration day and outgoing President Boric greeting supporters as the transfer of power took place.