Daily Headlines: September 9, 2016

* Mexico: Oscar-winning director Alfonso Cuarón will purportedly return to Mexico to shoot his first film there since “Y Tu Mamá También” in 2001.

* Brazil: Police in Brazil want to question International Olympic Committee chief Thomas Bach over a suspected plan to resell Rio Olympics tickets, which may explain why he opted to skip attending the Paralympics opening ceremonies held on Wednesday night.

* United States: Despite the sometimes-toxic rhetoric in the U.S. presidential race regarding immigration, a new study found that the Latino population growth has slowed due lower fertility rates and less migrants coming from Latin America.

* Uruguay: Uruguayan authorities are seeking another country, “especially in the Arab world”, to house ex-Guantanamo detainee Abu Wa'el Dhiab who is going through a hunger strike in order to be reunited with his family.

YouTube Source – Movieclips 

Online Sources – ABC News, BBC News, NBC News, The A.V. Club

Daily Headlines: June 26, 2015

* U.S.: New Census Bureau data revealed that the U.S. Hispanic population increased to 55.4 million people last year with growth seen in nearly all states.

* Argentina: An Argentine court confirmed the indictment against Vice President Amado Boudou on charges of bribery and conflict of interest while investigators are looking into allegations of embezzlement.

* Venezuela: A Brazilian government delegation traveled to Venezuela in order to promote dialogue and calm political tensions between officials and the opposition.

* Cuba: The U.S. State Department denounced human rights abuses in Cuba including harassment against dissidents, restricting Internet access and the government’s control of the media.

YouTube Source – The Economist (“The city’s Latino population has grown 13-fold since 1990, making it one of the fastest growing Hispanic cities in America and a harbinger of the country’s changing demography.”)

Online Sources – Latin American Herald Tribune, MercoPress, Reuters, BBC News

Daily Headlines: April 30, 2014

* Mexico: An estimated sixty-four people have died mostly as a result of drug-related violence in the northern Mexican state of Tamaulipas this month including fourteen in a shootout yesterday.

* U.S.: A new report concluded that there has been a steady increase of Latinos born in the U.S. and entering adulthood while the rate of Latinos immigrating to the U.S. has diminished.

* Argentina: A seventeen-year-old girl was attacked and killed in what was described as “an extreme case of bullying.”

* Honduras: Did Honduras qualify for the World Cup by fixing matches with the help of a Singaporean criminal syndicate?

Video Source – teleSUR via YouTube (Residents of Tamaulipas, Mexico marched earlier this month to repudiate the spike in violence over the last few weeks).

Online Sources – Fox News Latino; The Guardian; ABC News, CNN

Daily Headlines: April 1, 2014

* Venezuela: A Venezuelan military commander claimed that security forces have retaken the city of San Cristóbal though unrest still continues in other major cities where opposition protesters keep demonstrating against the government.

* U.S.: A new report found that children of African-American, Latino and Native American background face greater obstacles in areas like education and health compared to white and Asian minors.

* Panama: A Panamanian law went into effect last week that prohibits the importation of wild animals as part of "circuses, shows, exhibitions, entertainments, audience interactions and similar events."

* Puerto Rico: Puerto Rico’s economic woes and high rates of homicide could explain why the island’s population dropped by 3% between April 2010 and July 2013.

Video Source – Associated Press via YouTube (“Masked protesters clashed with police in eastern Caracas on Monday night following a resumption of anti-government protests.”)

Online Sources- Reuters; GlobalPost; LAHT; BBC News

Daily Headlines: September 4, 2013

* Mexico: Press group Reporters Without Borders called for the immediate release of four journalists who were recently arrested while covering protests against the Mexican government’s plans for educational reform.

* U.S.: A new report from the Pew Research Center found that nine of the top ten U.S. states where the Latino population has grown the fastest are located in the South.

* Chile: Three men who claimed to have been sexually abused by “prominent priest” Fernando Karadima in the 1980s have filed a $900,000 lawsuit against him.

* Argentina: Another day, another trial for ex-Argentina president and convicted arms trafficker Carlos Menem. 

Video Source – YouTube via user panamericanavideos (“Thousands of protesters (on Monday) took to the streets of Mexico City to protest against the reforms proposed by President Enrique Peña Nieto”).

Online Sources- LAHT; Huffington Post; GlobalPost; Businsesweek

Daily Headlines: August 30, 2013

* Guatemala: According to new Guatemalan government data at least 62 children under the age of 5 have died thus far this year due to malnutrition while some 9800 kids have been diagnosed with chronic malnutrition.

* Latin America: Latin American and Caribbean members of the U.N. such as Argentina and Brazil are advocating that military intervention in Syria should only occur with approval from the Security Council.

* Brazil: The population in Brazil is expected to pass the 200 million mark for the first time by the end of this year instead of 2015 as was originally estimated.

* Dominican Republic: The country’s first legal non-Catholic marriage took place was held on Wednesday when an evangelical couple tied the knot.

Video Source – YouTube via The Pulitzer Center (Video uploaded in 2009).

Online Sources- Bloomberg; Washington Post; GlobalPost; Miami Herald

Daily Headlines: May 16, 2013

* El Salvador: Officials launched a violence prevention program in areas where the country’s two largest street gangs – the Mara Salvatrucha and Barrio 18 – have honored a fourteen-month truce.

* Venezuela: The government’s plans to import fifty million rolls of toilet paper as Venezuelans complain of shortages in basic commodities and foods.

* Brazil: Defending Copa Libertadores titleholder Corinthians of Brazil were ousted from this year’s version of the tournament by six-time champions Boca Juniors of Argentina.

* U.S.: A new Census Bureau report found that an influx of immigrants is expected to outpace U.S. population growth from births within thirty years.

Video Source – Video via Al Jazeera English (Video uploaded in May 2012).

Online Sources- The Guardian; infosurhoy.com; SBS; Reuters

Daily Headlines: March 28, 2012

* Latin America: Latin America’s elderly population is expected to increase over the next few decades and overcome the number of children in the region by 2040 according to the U.N.

* Venezuela: A new poll showed that President Hugo Chavez has a double-digit lead over Henrique Capriles though a sizeable number of respondents remain undecided.

* U.S.: A study by the human rights group Amnesty International USA found that Latino residents in the border area near Mexico “are disproportionately affected by a range of immigration-control measures, resulting in a pattern of human rights violations.”

* Dominican Republic: Police arrested six suspected members of a local Anonymous group accused of infiltrating the websites of the government and private companies.

Image Source – Flickr via Inti (CC BY 2.0)

Online Sources- LAHT, euronews, Reuters, Dominican Today

Daily Headlines: March 21, 2012

* Brazil: The Brazilian government is urging a thorough investigation into the recent death of a Sao Paulo-born student shot with a Taser gun by police in Sydney, Australia.

* U.S.: According to the Pew Hispanic Center nearly half of all Latinos reside in Texas and California, and the Latino population in the U.S. is “now more dispersed than a decade ago.”

* Cuba: A U.S. judge allowed one of the convicted “Cuba Five” spies to return to his homeland for two weeks and visit his ailing brother.

* Argentina: A strike by grain truckers seeing higher pay will enter its third day with little hope for a prompt resolution.

Image Source – Flickr via Cea. (CC BY 2.0)

Online Sources- Reuters, NPR, Fox News Latino, ABC Online

World Watch: Money Woes

* Europe: European Union leaders are supposedly close to reaching a deal for greater regional fiscal discipline as well as an agreement over a second Greek bailout.

* Iraq: Several Iraqi government officials are none too pleased over the alleged use of "unarmed aerial vehicles" (also known as drones) by the U.S. in Iraq’s territory.

* Canada: Three members of a family where convicted of murdering four female siblings in a 2009 “honor killing” that was described by a judge as "cold-blooded (and) shameful".

* Japan: New government data revealed that the Japanese population would decrease by one-third by 2060 due to low birth rates coupled with a rapidly aging populace.

Image Source– Flickr via Images_of_Money (CC BY 2.0)

Online Sources – ABC News, UPI, CBS News, The Guardian

Daily Headlines: October 27, 2011

* Brazil: The country’s Supreme Appeals Court overturned a pair of lower court rulings banning same-sex couples from marrying.

* Mexico: Hurricane Rina may've weakened but that hasn’t prevented residents along Mexico’s Gulf coast to be on high alert.

* Latin America: According to a U.N. panel foreign direct investment in Latin America and the Caribbean rose by 54% in the first half of this year compared to the same period in 2010.

* Cuba: A newly released government has reportedly raised concerns over a rapidly aging Cuban population that could impact the island’s economy.

Image Source – Via Flickr user Beraldo Leal (Photo taken during this year’s Sao Paulo gay pride parade). (CC BY 2.0.)

Online Sources – ABC News, Bloomberg, Fox News Latino, LAHT

Daily Headlines: July 15, 2011

* U.S.: A Pew Hispanic Center released yesterday found that births and not newly arrived immigrants are boosting growth in the burgeoning Mexican-American population.

* Brazil: Brazil will head a security operation next month that will boost the number of unmanned aircraft above the country and several of its neighbors.

* Guatemala: Pedro Pimentel Rios, a former Guatemalan military member suspected of participating in the 1982 Dos Erres massacre, was deported from California.

* Argentina: President Cristina Fernandez decreed a ban on prostitution ads in various forms of media including newspapers.

Image – AP via CBS News (“A Spanish version of a Nevada voter registration form is seen in Las Vegas Aug. 22, 2008.” Mexican-Americans make up nearly 60% of the U.S. Latino population.)
Online Sources- UPI, ABC News, USA TODAY, Pew Hispanic Center

Daily Headlines: June 2, 2011

* U.S.: Will the growth in the Latino population in the U.S. be more political beneficial to the Democrats or the Republicans?

* South America: Santos of Brazil is the first finalist of this year’s Copa Libertadores after holding on to beat Paraguay's Cerro Porteno by a 4-3 aggregate score.

* Bolivia: Iranian defense minister Ahmad Vahidi was booted out of Bolivia after strong objections from Argentine officials and Jewish groups.

* Guatemala: Otto Perez, who lost in in the previous presidential race in 2007, is the favorite in the polls to win the presidency in September’s elections.

Image – CNN
Online Sources- Huffington Post, Politico.com, The Telegraph, Reuters

Today’s Video: The mami and papi diner

Today is Memorial Day, a date in the U.S. that commemorates service members who died during military combat. Today's video doesn't focus on Latinos in the military, but instead we want to feature the following report from KBPS set in Oceanside, California. (The city is located just south of the Marine Corps Camp Pendleton).

Grandma's Diner traditionally caters to a varied clientele including military veterans and elderly residents. But the restaurant represents the changing demographics in the U.S.; a population that has gotten increasingly younger and more ethnically diverse. The diner, which was first owned by a "Caucasian couple", was sold to Mexican-born Faustino Hernandez who originally started as a cook at Grandma's. Hence, the clientele has grown to include Latino families and the diner's menu includes "Italian pasta, huevos rancheros and chicken fried steak and grits".

From KBPS here is the story of Grandma's Diner:

Online Source - Time
Video Source - KBPS via YouTube

World Watch: Nuptials

* Britain: An estimated global television audience of two billion people watched Friday’s British royal wedding between Prince William and his longtime girlfriend, Kate Middleton.

* China: Could the “one-child” policy be relaxed after census figures showed that the Chinese elderly population is growing?

* Morocco: Al-Qaeda may’ve been behind the bombing of a café in Marrakech that killed at least sixteen people.

* Syria: Approximately 62 people were killed in another day of unrest in numerous Syrian cites.

Image – AP via the Houston Chronicle (“Newlyweds Kate and Will leave Westminster Abbey after the ceremony.”)
Online Sources- Malaysia Star, Al Jazeera English, The Guardian, BBC News

Daily Headlines: October 20, 2010

* Latin America: The International Monetary Fund warned that Latin America’s growing economy could “overheat” due to increased domestic demand.

* U.S.: According to the Census Bureau 12% of the U.S. population (36.7 million people) is foreign born with nearly half of them coming from Latin America.

* Paraguay: Retired soccer star Jose Luis Chilavert was accused of attacking an Argentine agent at Asuncion’s main airport.

* Mexico: President Felipe Calderon proposed modifying the law so that military suspects involved in cases of forced disappearance, torture and rape get tried in civilian courts.

Image – MercoPress
Online Sources- CNN, Canadian Press, Bloomberg, UPI

Haiti: Population “booming” says Census

Last January’s massive earthquake in Haiti claimed 230,000 to 300,000 lives and left the country reeling. Yet the country is going through a population “boom” according to U.S. Census Bureau estimates released Monday.

The current population of Haiti based on the agency’s figures stands at about 9.6 million and this is expected to increase by four million by 2050. By 2012 it is estimated that Haiti’s population will reach pre-earthquake levels and that the growth is expected to rise at the same rate as that of neighboring Dominican Republic.

The expected growth in Haiti’s population could hinder rebuilding efforts that have been progressing very slowly. In addition, it could mean that immigration across the border into the Dominican Republic and further away to the U.S. may not diminish any time soon.

Image- news.com.au
Online Sources- UPI, AP, Miami Herald

Report: Census workers botch race/ethnicity queries

In the months leading up to the 2010 Census the Census Bureau carried out a p.r. campaign so that Latinos would participate in the national count. Despite calls by a few groups to boycott the Census most of the Latino community seemed to have done their duty and filled out the forms.

An interesting conundrum appeared for numerous Latinos who tried to fill the census papers: how to accurately answer the questions pertaining to race and ethnicity. If one is of a mixed racial background such as mestizo, for instance, then how should one classify his/her race for the Census? What about the person in this article who claimed that “"I would consider myself Hispanic or Mexican-American, but definitely not White”?

A report from the U.S. Commerce Department Office of the Inspector General found that some Census workers have ignored similar troubles during their door-to-door visits. Rather than clarify concerns some of the workers in the study made things worse:

Upon their visits, census workers are supposed to read aloud the 10 census questions, including those on race and ethnicity. Yet, according to the report, 71 workers incorrectly communicated the race and Hispanic-origin question to respondents. Some census workers made assumptions about individuals' race and filled in boxes without asking the respondent the ethnic background questions, while others failed to ask their respondents if they wanted the questions read aloud.

Only 15% of the 480 observed workers in the report made mistakes during their door-to-door visits and a Census spokesman told CNN that the bureau would "take corrective actions where appropriate." But these mistakes could be costly when so much is on the line like apportioning congressional districts and deciding where some federal funds go.

Image- nj.com
Online Sources- U.S. Commerce Department Office of the Inspector General, CNN, azcentral.com, Vivirlatino, USA TODAY, The Latin Americanist

Report: Latinos help college enrollment boost

Latinos and other ethnic minorities are behind an increase in college enrollment according to a study released by the Pew Research Center.

The report found that the number of freshmen students in college has grown by 6% between 2007 and 2008, the first year of the U.S. recession. During that period Hispanic freshman enrollment grew by 15%, outpacing blacks (8%), Asians (6%) and whites (3%). Though the boost in first-year enrollment was across al levels of colleges, researchers found that minority students tended to be bunched in community colleges and trade schools rather than four-year institutions.

Why has this minority enrollment surge occurred? One reason according to the study is the demographic change in the Latino population. Indeed, last week we mentioned that Census data found an increase in the number of Latinos, which tends to be younger than the general populace. In addition the study cited a larger number of Latinos competing high school, a record high of 70% in October 2008. Another factor not mentioned by researchers is that Latino youth seeking jobs have been hit very hard by the recession and their unemployment rate in January reached 13.9%. Hence, going to college becomes a more favorable option.

Not all was good news for Latinos in the Pew study, as the AP noted:

(...) while Hispanics have seen recent gains in college enrollment, they still lag overall. Hispanics make up roughly 12 percent of full-time undergraduate and graduate students, compared to their 16 percent representation in the total U.S. population.

"These findings are only half reassuring," (Pew researcher Richard) Fry said. "Many Hispanic teens still are not graduating high school, and the high school gains may not be sustained when the teen labor market revives. It also remains to be seen how many of these additional minority freshmen will actually complete degrees."

Image- avstop.com
Online Sources- Pew Research Center, AP, Washington Post, The Latin Americanist

Arizona, Latinos, and the Census

Could Arizona’s recently signed immigration law have a negative effect on collecting accurate Census information? It depends on whom you ask.

Representatives of several community groups in the border state alleged that the law would lead to a fear of Latinos in participating in the Census count. Though the Census Bureau spearheaded a major campaign to Latinos via ads and presentations to civic groups some Arizonans worry that the local immigration measure will ultimately lead to a false count. "I've talked to friends and people in the community, and they're saying -- whatever they think of the law, wherever they stand on the issue: 'I'm not going to open the door to anyone right now,'" said one Tucson legislator in an article originally from USA TODAY.

On the other hand, one Census official told Marketplace that possible fears from the immigration law have yet to show up in the count:

Census Spokesman Leo Cardenas says he was concerned that Arizona's law would send the Latino community into hiding -- a fear which has not played out so far. "When we go door-to-door, the cooperation continues to be enthusiastic and we continue to cross our fingers."

Cardenas also says Census takers are finding an unusually high number of vacant properties in Hispanic communities. "Clearly in response to the legislation, people are moving to where they can find jobs."

The Census tally is vital in the allocating of billions of dollars in federal funds and the assigning of seats to the House of Representatives. (According to one estimate Arizona is expected to gain one seat). Therefore, it is in the best interest of all Arizonans- regardless of race, ethnicity, immigration status, etc.- to cooperate and participate in the Census count.

Image- New York daily News
Online Sources- ABC News, The Latin Americanist, Marketplace,