Daily Headlines: May 27, 2010

* Peru: Seven-year-old Daisy Cuevas’ question on immigration to first lady Michelle Obama last week has caught the attention of her family and supporters in her mother’s native Peru.

* Brazil: Move over Telesur? President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva lunched an international TV channel that will broadcast in 49 African countries and soon throughout the Western Hemisphere.

* Venezuela: A group of ten U.S. senators sent a letter to Secretary of State Hillary Clinton supporting the designation of Venezuela as a “state sponsor of terrorism.”

* Latin America: Mexico, Costa Rica, and Paraguay all lost to European teams in warm-up matches ahead of the upcoming World Cup.

Image –The Telegraph (“First lady Michelle Obama, right, talks with students, including the second-grader, far left, who told Obama during the first lady's visit to her gym class that her mother said President Obama was 'taking everybody away that doesn't have papers'”).
Online Sources - ESPN, AFP, Reuters, LAHT, BBC News, CNN,

Michelle Obama semi-public comments on drugs

First Lady Michelle Obama stopped in Mexico as part of her first solo trip abroad and focused on youth issues including the need for a solid education. She refrained from publicly speaking on the dangers of drugs or the rampant violence in parts of Mexico. While it may’ve been diplomatically prudent from mentioning such topics it also meant that youth missed the chance to hear the following:

First lady Michelle Obama said Wednesday that reducing the demand for illegal drugs needs an approach much broader than just warning young people to stay away from them.

"If young people don't have an alternative in their lives, whatever country they're in, they're going to choose drugs, they're going to choose (the) drug trade. That's the way they make money," Mrs. Obama told reporters from six U.S. media outlets after a speech to several thousand young people during her first international trip as first lady.

Obama will continue in Mexico on Thursday where she’s scheduled to meet with a group female business leaders.

Image- Houston Chronicle (“First lady Michelle Obama finds a moment Wednesday to play with children at a public school in Mexico City.”)
Online Sources- Los Angeles Times, Reuters, AP

Daily Headlines: April 14, 2010

* Haiti: First Lady Michelle Obama made a surprise visit to Haiti yesterday though that overshadowed the announcement that U.S. troops would leave the earthquake-ravaged country by June 1st.

* Honduras: Is Central America embracing the post-Zelaya Honduran government? Costa Rica president-elect Laura Chinchilla wants Honduras to be reinstated into the OAS while Nicaraguan President Daniel Ortega “warmly welcomed” the visit of Porfirio Lobo last week.

* Venezuela: Defense Secretary Robert Gates denied that Venezuela is a “military threat” to U.S. interests but also accused the Chavez administration of using Iran to “distract” Venezuelans.

* Brazil: The death toll caused by nearly two weeks of heavy rains, floods, and mudslides in the Rio de Janeiro area rose to 229.

Image – Guardian UK (“Michelle Obama shakes hands with children during her visit to a child welfare project in Port-au-Prince.”)
Online Sources- CNN, Christian Science Monitor, Americas Quarterly, taiwannews.com, Reuters

Today's Video: Behind the threads

Aside from the brief interludes of really cheesy Latino-like music, check out this great interview with fashion designer Isabel Toledo:

If the Cuban-American's name sounds familiar it's most likely due to her designs for First Lady Michelle Obama.

Several ensembles designed by Toledo are currently on exhibit at New York's Fashion Institute of Technology museum.

Online Source- YouTube, New York Daily News, Time

Today’s Video: The golden dress

We end today’s posts focusing on Inauguration Day with a look at First Lady’s Michelle Obama’s dress.

Obama wore a shimmering “lemongrass yellow” ensemble designed by Cuban-American designer Isabel Toledo. As Toledo told the New York Times:

“I wanted to pick a very optimistic color, that had sunshine,” she said. “I wanted her to feel charmed, and in that way would charm everybody.” Ms. Toledo sounded overwhelmed. “This is so wonderful,” she said.

About thirteen people in her studio worked on the outfit over the Christmas holidays. “Chinese ladies, Polish ladies, Spanish ladies—I have a picture of everyone working on her clothes,” Ms. Toledo, who is 48, said. She added, “We’re all grateful for this opportunity, and we don’t even have a PR person!”

Here’s a brief clip on Obama and her Inauguration Day dress:

Online Sources- YouTube, New York Times