Chile is facing a polarising presidential runoff on Sunday. The ultraconservative frontrunner Jose Antonio Kast is promising to deport undocumented migrants and seal the country's borders with Peru and Bolivia.

Pisiga

In the border town of Pisiga, Bolivia, large numbers of migrants—primarily Venezuelans—are making arduous journeys through Colombia, Ecuador, and Peru before attempting to cross into Chile. Many avoid the heavily policed Peru-Chile border, instead opting for the more remote and less guarded Bolivian route, where they face exploitation by smugglers and inflated travel costs.

Migrants are hurrying to enter Chile before the presidential election scheduled for December 14, anticipating that a new government may implement tougher restrictions on undocumented migration. Despite the dangers, including harsh terrain and the risk of apprehension by the Chilean army, an estimated 300 migrants attempt the crossing each night, hoping to blend into Chilean society upon arrival.

Migrants try to get into Chile before presidential election

The desert town of Pisiga on the Bolivian border with Chile, a magnet for cargo trucks and coyotes, or human smugglers, who prey on undocumented migrants, like this family. The majority are Venezuelans who travel first to Colombia, from there to the mountains of Ecuador, then down again through Peru to the border with Chile. But police controls there are too strong, so they journey into Bolivia to eventually reach Pisiga, a more desolate frontier to their desired destination, Chile. They're in a rush to arrive before a new government cracks down further on undocumented migration. They say it's better to reach Chile before the election on December 14th, so the plan is to arrive first. We meet Jorge Tomas Susana and their four-year-old daughter, not their real names, at the bus station in Tacna, Peru. Tomas says everyone exploits them. They charge you triple for the bus fare to the border with Bolivia, because the bus companies don't sell to migrants. A travel agent offered to sell us a ticket that costs 70 soles for 280. We had to pay to get this far. They take off with other migrants. And a few hours later, they send us this video showing how they've been smuggled into a smaller bus in Bolivia to avoid police controls, paying bribes all along the way. Meanwhile, we make it to the next border before they do. This trench divides Bolivia and Chile, and very late at night when the migrants are trying to cross, if they're not careful, they can fall in. But those who know the way can just use paths like this and get to the other side very easily. This is the second trench, the one that was built by the Chilean government. It's much deeper, wet, very, very dirty. But there are always ways to get over it. But the worst part is that the smugglers generally leave the migrants on the other side. And that's when the Chilean army can grab them. Come nightfall, we meet up with the Venezuelan family again, as they make their way into the desert to meet with a smuggler with whom they've made arrangements. They pick us up in a vehicle to take us to the other side of the desert, where another bus with a Chilean license plate picks us up. Of course we're afraid, but we're more afraid to stay in Venezuela and not be able to make a living. Our children have no future there right now. We're at nearly 4,000 meters above sea level, and it's bitter cold right now. But this is the best bet for undocumented migrants and drug traffickers to try to cross over into Chile undetected. At this point, they ask us to follow no further. The smuggler wants no witnesses, especially journalists. An estimated 300 migrants try their luck every night. And the majority usually make it, especially those who can afford to pay traffickers to take them all the way to the Chilean city of Iquique. From there, they'll try to merge into the population without papers, hoping that their luck will hold up no matter the plans of Chile's next government. Lucia Newman, Al Jazeera, Pisiga, Bolivia.

U.S. House Democrats released new images from the estate of the late convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein that feature U.S. President Donald Trump and other high-profile people previously linked to Epstein.

Washington

House Democrats release more Epstein estate photos

For the first time, Amnesty International has accused Hamas and its allies of committing crimes against humanity, following an investigation into the 7 October 2023 attacks on Israel. The organization found that 1,221 people were killed and said the mass killing of civilians amounted to extermination.

Jerusalem

Middle East Conflict

Amnesty accuses Hamas of 'crimes against humanity' for Oct. 7 attack

The “Architects of AI” were named Time's person of the year Thursday, with the magazine citing 2025 as when the potential of artificial intelligence “roared into view” with no turning back.

Rise of AI

Time magazine names 'Architects of AI' as person of the year for 2025

Message board website Reddit filed a lawsuit on Friday (December 12) asking Australia's High Court to overturn the country's social media ban for people under 16 as well as its inclusion in it, calling the law an infringement of free political expression.

Council of the City of Sydney

Reddit sues to overturn Australian social media ban

As tensions rise with Venezuela, U.S. President Donald Trump said land operations could start "pretty soon." Sources tell CBS News the administration is also planning more tanker seizures.

Trump says Venezuela land operations could begin 'pretty soon'

One day after capturing an oil tanker off Venezuela's coast, the U.S. has sanctioned three of Nicolas Maduro's nephews, along with six other oil tankers.

Trump ramps up pressure on Maduro with new sanctions

The EU has decided to keep the assets of the Russian Central Bank immobilised for the foreseeable future. The ban, which is based on a provision for economic emergencies, pushes back against external attempts to release the €210 billion in assets before Ukraine is compensated.

Moscow

Ukraine Invasion

EU triggers emergency clause to indefinitely immobilise Russian assets

Nobel Peace Prize laureate and Venezuelan opposition leader Maria Corina Machado said she planned to take her award back to Venezuela, but declined to say when she would return to her home country after leaving in great secrecy to receive the honor.

Caracas

Nobel peace laureate Machado vows to take award home to Venezuela

Japanese authorities are assessing damage after a 7.5 magnitude earthquake struck northern Japan, followed by multiple aftershocks. In response, officials have issued a warning about the possibility of a megaquake, defined as a magnitude 8.0 or higher event.

Tokyo

Japan alerts citizens about possible megaquake

A Maryland judge has ordered the Trump administration to immediately release Kilmar Abrego Garcia from ICE custody. Abrego Garcia was wrongfully deported to El Salvador and was later detained for potential deportation to another country.

Judge orders Kilmar Abrego Garcia's immediate release from ICE custody

About 500,000 people are fleeing renewed clashes on the Thailand-Cambodia border. Over a dozen were killed as fighting shatters a US-Malaysia-brokered peace deal amid a decades-old temple land dispute.

Samraong

Half a million flee as Thailand-Cambodia border clashes escalate

The U.S. has seized an oil tanker off the coast of Venezuela, President Donald Trump said on Wednesday, ratcheting up tensions with Caracas.

Trump confirms seizing of Venezuelan oil tanker

The U.S. House has approved a bill to end all Caesar Act sanctions on Syria, sparking cautious optimism in Damascus as the measure moves closer to becoming law.

U.S. House votes to lift Caesar Act sanctions on Syria

Myanmar's military bombs a hospital in western Rakhine state, at least 31 people are killed and dozens injured.

Rakhine

Air strike in Myanmar killed at least 31 people, dozens injured

The U.S. military seized a large oil tanker off the coast of Venezuela. Attorney General Pam Bondi said the ship had been used to violate sanctions on oil from Venezuela and Iran.

U.S. seizes oil tanker off Venezuela coast

The daughter of Venezuelan opposition leader Maria Corina Machado has accepted the Nobel Peace Prize on her mother's behalf in Oslo, Norway. Machado, who lives in hiding in Venezuela, is set to make an address on Thursday.

Oslo

Venezuela's Machado awarded Nobel Peace Prize in absentia

President Volodymyr Zelenskyy is commenting on potential elections in Ukraine under certain conditions. Former U.S. ambassador to Ukraine John Herbst joins CBS News with more on the war against Russia.

Kyiv

Zelenskyy prepared to hold elections after Trump questions motive

A renewed outbreak of fighting between Thailand and Cambodia has derailed a US-brokered peace agreement, with cross-border shelling and air raids forcing more than half a million civilians to flee their homes.

Bangkok

Border dispute between Thailand and Cambodia flares up again

U.S. immigration agents used pepper spray against protesters in Minneapolis on Tuesday as residents blocked the officers’ vehicles and forced them to leave the area.

Minneapolis

Minneapolis protests erupt over ICE operation targeting Somalis

In Australia, millions of kids' social media profiles are going dark, as the country's new social media ban takes effect for anyone under 16. Jo Ling Kent reports.

Canberra

Australia's social media ban takes effect for kids under 16

President Trump, in recent months, has dismissed concerns about affordability, but this evening, in the battleground state of Pennsylvania, he is focusing on the crisis and touting his administration's efforts to lower the cost of living. Nancy Cordes has more.

Pennsylvania

Trump tries to flip the script on affordability

Dozens of protesters blocked a highway near Tel Aviv to demonstrate against moves by the Israeli government to force some ultra-Orthodox Jews into mandatory military service, something they are currently exempt from so they can study the Torah full time.

Tel Aviv-Yafo

Bill over ultra-Orthodox military conscription sparks protests in Israel

President Trump has told Politico that Nicolas Maduro's "days are numbered" in Venezuela. Political strategists Kevin Sheridan and Hyma Moore join with analysis.

Trump says Maduro’s “days are numbered”

The FBI has released a new photo of former Olympian Ryan Wedding, whom the bureau’s director has described as a “modern day iteration of Pablo Escobar.” The ex-skier and snowboarder remains at large as agents continue their search.

FBI releases new photo of alleged drug kingpin Ryan Wedding

Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelenskyy met Pope Leo XIV and Italian Premier Giorgia Meloni in Rome on Tuesday (December 9), meanwhile voicing his refusal to surrender territory to Moscow despite pressure from Washington for territorial concessions.

Rome

Zelenskyy seeks backing from Pope Leo XIV, Italian PM Meloni

A federal judge said Tuesday (December 9) that the Department of Justice can unseal the Ghislaine Maxwell sex trafficking case records. CBS News' Scott MacFarlane has more details.

Judge says DOJ can unseal Ghislaine Maxwell trafficking case records

Prosecutors on Monday (December 8) released new evidence seized from Luigi Mangione on the day of his arrest. He is accused of killing UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson a year ago and has pleaded not guilty.

Manhattan

New evidence introduced in Luigi Mangione case

The EU antitrust enforcer has opened an investigation into the U.S. tech giant over its use of online content to power its AI services, a move that threatens to ratchet up transatlantic relations.

Brussels

EU Commission opens probe into Google over AI

The U.S. government said the approval, which comes in exchange for a 25% surcharge, would also be available to other chipmakers like Intel and AMD.

Trump gives Nvidia green light to sell H200 chips to China

Ukraine is set to present a revised peace plan to the United States on Tuesday following President Volodymyr Zelenskiy’s talks in London with the leaders of France, Germany, and Britain.

Breakdown