Chile asks for international aid
Top story: Chile's government is now asking for aid after initially declining outside help in the wake of Saturday's massive earthquake. The country's government has reportedly asked the United Nations for generators, water filtration equipment and field hospitals. U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, who is visiting Chile today, says that Michelle Bachelet's government has asked the United States for satellite phones to help overcome damaged telephone networks.
While Chile's
strict building codes saved modern areas from devastation, poorer towns and neighborhoods where buildings are constructed out of adobe rather than reinforced concrete were badly damaged. Despite the country's extensive earthquake preparedness program, the severity of the quake has badly damaged the country's communication and transportation networks, complicating the aid effort.
Troops
continued to patrol the badly damaged city of Concepcion to prevent looting on Tuesday. Food and medical aid was distributed to many of the city's residents but prices for staples like bread and milk continued to skyrocket.
The latest estimates put the cost of the quake to Chile's economy at around $15 billion.
Economy: Global trade continued to
rapidly recover with a 4.8 percent jump in in December.
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Asia Africa - Niger's military junta named a new transitional government.
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By Joshua Keating
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MARTIN BERNETTI/AFP/Getty Images
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