Madrid offered as host of UN meeting amid Chile strife

MADRID - Spain's interim leader has offered to have Madrid host an international United Nations climate conference next month that was originally scheduled to be held in riot-struck Chile.

Chilean President Sebastian Pinera on Wednesday canceled plans to host the Dec 2-13 climate gathering, as well as a summit of Asia-Pacific leaders, to focus on restoring security in his country, where at least a dozen people have died.

A statement on Thursday from Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez's office said he offered the space because he understands why the Chilean government needs to prioritize its "national social agenda" and how pressed organizers of the COP25 meeting are, given the last-minute switch.