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Sen. Harry Reid has said he is going to make another attempt at passing the DREAM Act during the lame duck session of Congress. Reid, who was re-elected last week due to strong support from Latino Voters, will make a push in the final days of the 111th Congress.

The legislation would allow thousands of young people who attend college or join the military to become legal U.S. residents. Under the bill, the young people must have come to the U.S. before age 16 and have lived here for five years. At least two years of military service would be required.

Advocates of the Development, Relief and Education for Alien Minors Act - better known as the Dream Act - say Reid has a better chance of passing the bill in the lame-duck session than he will when the new, divided Congress is sworn in this January.

“The reason the pressure is on Reid to pass it this year is that, starting in January, you’re going to have Republicans running the House who advocate mass expulsions, denying birthright citizenship, encouraging copycat Arizona immigration laws across the country, and fiercely opposing anything they would call ‘amnesty,’ including the Dream Act,” said Frank Sharry, executive director of America’s Voice, a national organization that supports the bill and advocates reform that includes a path to citizenship for the estimated 11 million undocumented immigrants already in the United States.

“This is going to be the battleground for 2012,” Sharry said. “If people like Arizona (Republican) Senators John McCain and Jon Kyl don’t negotiate with Democrats on immigration reform, then I can see Democratic senators offering their own bill just as the Republican presidential primary is heating up. And guess what happens then? The Republican Party lurches to the right in order to pander to their base voters, alienating Latino voters. If the Republican candidate can’t get 40 percent of Latino voters, they won’t win and Barack Obama will be re-elected. I think that’s a powerful incentive for Republicans to do something.”

Read more at KTAR.com →

Brazilian electoral candidate Francisco Everando Oliveira Silva, better known as “Tiririca” the clown, is a step closer to be able to serve as a deputy, after passing a reading/writing test (which current president Lula, once a shoe shiner said to be an idiocy, an insult to those who voted for him) mandated by the Regional Electoral Tribunal of Sao Paulo, following rumors that the clown was illiterate, and thus unable to assume the job.

Titirica had to write a dictation taken from the book “Electoral Justice: A Retrospective” and read aloud the headings and titles of two articles published in a national news paper.

Titirica scored more than 30% in both tests, enough to pass, but prosecutor Maurice Lopes said he wasn’t satisfied with the results, citing that to be qualified as literate, the clown must demonstrate not only reading and writing abilities, but also demonstrate that he comprehends and absorbs what he reads, and can perform mathematical operations.

In Brazil, there are millions of people who are classified as functionally illiterate but who can read and write a few things, albeit often without understanding what they actually mean.

The clown, who captured the most votes of any candidate Twitted “almost there, guys. We will win” and thanked the support expressed by internet users, saying he believes the legal fuss will be over soon.

The president of the court, Walter de Almeida Guilherme, declared that Tiririca took the test, but that it still “cannot be confirmed that he knows how to read and write” since the final verdict will be delivered by Judge Aloizio Silveira.

If Silva is barred from office, the votes he received will be declared invalid and a complex formula will be used to redistribute the congressional seats at stake.

Brazil’s 513-seat lower house is filled using a proportional representation system that allocates seats to parties according to the total number of votes their candidates win, so successful candidates can sometimes pull several allies into office, something that the opposers of the clown (one of the most successful electoral candidates in the history of Brazil) are understandably weary of.

The prosecutors office will have five days to present their closing remarks, before judge Silveira determines if the former entertainer is apt to perform his duties as a deputy, and sit in office with the other newly elected deputies on december 17.

Read more by HS News Staff →

Tlaloque 1 is only 12 by 20 inches and 8 in height. It could be Pixar Wall-e’s little brother, with its 4x4 traction and 2 remote-controlled camcorders that are able to do 360 degree turns; one at the front and the other at the back. Tlaloque 1 has its own illumination source and transmits images to a computer monitor in the exterior.

In an exceptional breakthrough at the famed Teotihuacan ruins in México, this nifty gizmo has discovered a 2000 year old tunnel under an ancient temple; with a perfectly carved arch roof and intact structure, the tunnel appears stable enough to enter, archaeologists of the National Institute of Anthropology and History (INAH) announced Wednesday.

The first images of the interior of the tunnel found under the Feathered Serpent Temple, in Teotihuacan, were presented to the ecstatic media, since this groundbreaking investigation might very well be the first robotic exploration in Mexico, and probably in the Americas.

Studies show the tunnel beneath the temple dates back to AD 200 – 250; it has withstood for almost two millenniums, on the basis of ancient technology.

The robot was designed and built especially for this investigation by engineer in Robotics Hugo Armando Guerra Calva, who obtained his degree at the National Polytechnic Institute of Mexico (IPN). Fifteen days ago the first tests were conducted and it worked well, but we noticed that we needed to reduce the height of the devise and provide it with more potent lamps” said archaeologist Sergio Gomez,  who added that the footage captured by the machine showed the arched-roof tunnel was an example of sophisticated work by the ancient inhabitants of Teotihuacan, which is located just north of modern Mexico City. “All of the passage, more than 100 meters (yards) long was excavated in the rock perfectly, and in some places you can even see the marks of the tools the people of Teotihuacan used to make it,” said Gomez

The scanner images appear to show chambers that branch off the tunnel and archaeologists think they may hold the tombs of some of the ancient city’s early rulers; a discovery of this nature would be significant, because the social structure of Teotihuacan remains a mystery after nearly 100 years of archaeological exploration at the site, which is best known for the towering Pyramids of the Moon and the Sun.

Although the tunnel was intentionally filled up with rocks and debris a long time ago, Tlaloque 1 was able to cover a few meters through a 25 centimeters high space. “In the first test the robot advanced a few meters through a small space between the vault and the debris used to fill the tunnel. Images were very important to determine the conditions of the interior: the conduct was excavated in the rock; in some parts, the marks of tools used by Teotihuacan masons are still evident. The roof presents an arched form, and, at least the part explored by the robot, appears stable, giving us many possibilities to explore it physically in the next weeks”.  Excavations must be conducted in order to clear the entrance, but Gomez is hopeful, “We calculate we will be able to enter the tunnel in early December 2010.”

The tunnel was discovered in late 2003 by archaeologists Sergio Gomez and Julie Gazzola, but its exploration has required years of planning and resource negotiation so the most advanced technology can be used. A laser scanner device, which belongs to the INAH National Coordination of Historical Monuments, has also been used to conduct the 3-dimensional register of the tunnel.

“Studies conducted with geo radar by Dr. Victor Manuel Velasco, from the Geo Physics Institute of the National Autonomous University of Mexico (UNAM), have detected 3 chambers in which the remains of important personages of the city might have been buried; this hypothesis must be confirmed with exploration”.

Read more by HS News Staff →

Last week, Google made a really smart move and hired Mark Lopez to head its U.S. Hispanic efforts. I was thrilled when I saw the announcement. I was not only happy for a good friend, but I also felt that the U.S. Hispanic online market had finally come of age. By hiring one of us to spearhead its Hispanic efforts, the Internet giant has officially recognized the importance of the Hispanic market.

During the past 10 years, I have often reflected on the opportunity that Google was missing in the Hispanic market. Google enjoys unprecedented reach and proprietary insights about the U.S. Hispanic online market that I am sure Mark will leverage to the benefit of both marketers and Google.

According to comScore Media Metrix, in January 2010, Google was the most popular online property among Hispanics, reaching 18.5 million of them or 78% of the U.S. Hispanic online market. What’s more, Google’s partnerships with popular Spanish-language websites such as Univision, AOL Latino, Terra and Starmedia firmly embed them into the browsers of Hispanics. Millions of Hispanics interact with Google’s products and services every day, giving Google access to insights about their unique online behavior.

Marketers looking to reach the growing Hispanic market should be excited about Mark joining Google. His experience and relationships in the space combined with Google’s enormous potential are sure to be an exitazo (huge success).

Here are five things Mark should consider as he begins his new adventure with Google later this month.

1. Bridge the Hispanic digital divide
Hispanics (and other minorities) lag the general market when it comes to technology access. Google should invest in programs that get technology into the hands of Hispanics. This will not only be a solid PR move, but it will also create a new, extremely brand-loyal user base for Google’s products and services.

Read more by HS News Staff →

New comers and old greats shared the stage Thursday at the Latin Grammy. No better example of the mix was Dominican merengue superstar Juan Luis Guerra and Mexican pop group Camila winning three awards each.

Mario Domm of Camila, gave a touching speech on the band’s third trip to the stage, saying, “Three Grammys in one night… Many years, many empty pages, many phrases that are in a drawer and suddenly one has the luck to reach your hearts.”

Juan Luis Guerra opened the Las Vegas show with a duet with famed trumpeter Chris Botti, singing, “Lola’s Mambo” off his award winning CD, “A son de Guerra.”

Guerra’s three trophies from the 2010 awards bring his total Latin Grammy wins to 12.

“‘A son de Guerra’ is an album with romantic characteristics but also social,” Guerra said accepting his third award.

“I think the time has come for us to call things like they are ... and also to reclaim better justice, more honesty and more integrity for the people of Latin America, so this is for a better Latin America.”

Placido Domingo was clearly emotional as Ricky Martin presented the famed tenor with the award for Person of the Year.

The night also saw a number of interesting musical performance pairings. Up-and-comer Prince Royce sang his version of “Stand By Me” with the song’s originator, Ben E. King, and Enrique Iglesias preformed alongside Wisin y Yandel, a reggaeton group. Other performers included Marc Anthony, who lost for Best Pop Album; and Camila, who won Record of the Year, Best Pop Album by a Duo or Group, and songwriter, Domm, won Song of the Year for the trio’s “Mientes.”

Portuguese singer, Nelly Furtado (of Canada) won Best Female Pop Vocal Album for her Spanish CD “Mi plan”, and also performed. Superstar Alejandro Sanz won Best Male Pop Album, though he was up for four awards, and the award for Best New Artist went to Cuban-Canadian, Alex Cuba. Uruguayan, Jorge Drexler, who, like Sanz, has four nominations, went home empty handed.

To see the full list of Latin Grammy winners check out our HS News Library.

Read more by HS News Staff →

According to a new study by BBVA Bancomer Research, there may be as many as 100, 000 fewer Latinos in Arizona than there were before debate over the highly controversial immigration law began earlier this year.

Bancomer used information from the U.S. Current Population Survey to show that the decline could be due, in large part, to Arizona’s Senate Bill 1070 (SB1070) that went into (partial) effect in July, but the researchers say Arizona’s economic struggles could play a big role in the decline.

Released Wednesday, the study also points to Mexican government figures that state 23,380 Mexicans returned to Mexico from Arizona between June and September of 2010.

Census figures from 2008 revealed that about 30 percent of people (1.9 million) residing in Arizona were Latino.

Currently, the state is appealing a ruling that put holds on arts of the SB1070 that would allow police to question a person they suspect to be in the country illegally.

Read more at TIME →

Mega TV, the television entity of Spanish Broadcasting, announced the return of the renowned international journalist, author and host Jaime Bayly to its primetime programming. Starting Monday, November 15 “Bayly” will reach millions of homes across the United States, Latin America, Puerto Rico, and the rest of the Caribbean.

Jaime returns to Mega TV to host a new season of “Bayly”, an entertainment/news show with a “late night show” look and feel.  Bayly interviews top celebrities, presents compelling human stories, and the latest news.

This new phase of Jaime Bayly on Mega TV, marks his triumphant return to American television, promising the viewers to enjoy a distinctive “Bayly”... more amusing, exciting, and wittier than ever… without missing his trademark of controversy and his keen vision of reality.

Jaime Bayly, born in Lima, Peru in 1965 is a respected television presenter with vast credibility throughout Latin America, besides being a writer widely read and praised by critics, his vocation for journalism, has led him to enjoy a cherished career in the field, for more than two decades. He has contributed with weekly opinion columns in major newspapers around the world including “Veintitres” in Argentina, “Correo” from Peru, and “El Nuevo Herald” from Miami.

He has won two literary prizes in Spain, the Herralde publisher prize in 1997 and a finalist of the Planeta award in 2005. As a writer he has published nine novels and a book of poetry in Spain and Latin America.  Two of his novels have been made into films: “No se lo digas a nadie” and “La mujer de mi hermano”.

Read more by HS News Staff →

Argentina has obtained international funding with a $750 million line of credit, of which it has already used $350 million to support science and technological innovation in the nation’s strategic economic sectors. 

The Technology Innovation Program as it is known will result in implementation of at least seven major technological innovation projects in strategic sectors, including agribusiness, energy, health and environment. It will also support 500 research projects in science and technology to address regional problems, support emerging companies, and consolidate scientific gains.

Also included will be 11 projects to improve research and development infrastructure that emphasize greater engagement with the private sector and society at large.

In addition, the initiative will support completion of 15 research programs in strategic areas carried out by consortia of non-profit R&D institutions. Areas of research include the genetic improvement of sunflower and wheat, new therapies and diagnostic systems for cancer, and the development of the use of hydrogen as an energy transport vector. 

Read more by HS News Staff →

Bolivia will expand community-based tourism with $20 million in financing from the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) that will support improvements of tourist attractions, training of microenterprises in poor rural areas and actions to improve social and environmental management of tourism destinations.

The project will give Bolivia’s tourism sector a boost by promoting the country’s living cultures and improving infrastructure at tourism sites as well as the quality of services provided for tourists. The project will increase by 50 percent the number of tourism operators in specific markets that offer Bolivia in their regular packages. In addition, the project will more than triple the number of community members employed in tourism in five touristic areas to 2,500 from 800.

In addition, the Bank will support the marketing of Bolivia as an international tourism destination and finance measures that will improve tourism management at the national, municipal, and community levels. The Bank will help develop regulations and standards with a community approach; design and implement a national registry and system to control the quality of supply and demand; and develop a national tourism information system.
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Read more by HS News Staff →