Saudi authorities have said the disaster happened as two waves of pilgrims converged on a narrow road, causing hundreds of people to suffocate or be trampled to death. The bishops are debating how the church can better care for Catholic families at a time when divorce is common and civil unions are on the rise. Chile said Monday that it is protecting more than 200,000 square miles of the Pacific Ocean near Easter Island from commercial fishing and oil and gas exploration. The announcement came as top officials, including U.S.