Latino Daily News: Bringing You the Latest Hispanic Current Events and News Stories 24/7

Hispanic Americans are hit particularly hard by influenza with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reporting that up to 9.5 million Hispanic Americans will suffer from the flu in an average year. Yet, vaccination rates among this population are seriously low.

That is why Lili Estefan, mother of two and host of the popular show “El Gordo y la Flaca” is spearheading the Rostros de la gripe initiative to help educate the public about the importance of influenza immunization for everyone 6 months of age and older. Lili joined the campaign to help educate Hispanic Americans about the risk of developing complications from the flu and the importance of immunization.

“In the past, I didn’t worry about getting influenza - that is, until I was hit hard by the virus and unable to work,” said Lili Estefan. “It made me realize that my family was not protected and that there are many others out there, who like me, may not know how serious the flu can be and that it can be prevented with a vaccination.”

Everyone is at risk of contracting and spreading the influenza virus, but Hispanic Americans in particular are considered at high risk of developing complications from influenza due to increased incidences of certain chronic medical conditions like asthma and diabetes. Despite this increased risk for influenza complications, vaccination rates for Hispanic Americans continue to remain alarmingly low. As of 2009, only about a quarter of all Latinos received their annual influenza vaccination.

“There is a strong need to educate the Hispanic community on the importance of influenza immunization for the entire family,” said Luis Rodriguez, MD, Associate Professor of Pediatrics, NYU School of Medicine, speaking on behalf of the American Lung Association. “Getting vaccinated each year is the best way to help protect yourself and your loved ones from influenza and its complications.”

Through the Rostros de la gripe campaign, Lili is joined by other mothers and families who have had personal experiences with influenza and have lost loved ones to the disease. They want to help prevent the tragedies they experienced from happening to others. Various celebrities and health officials also are part of the campaign to represent the diverse “faces” of influenza.

Read more by HS News Staff →

On the heels of the launch of Apple’s new iPhone 4s its visionary founder, Steve Jobs, passed away.  Jobs, 56 years-old was the co-founder and former CEO of Apple.  The report of his death came from the company itself.  He died from advanced pancreatic cancer that he had been battling for over seven years.  He had recently resigned as Apple’s CEO on August 24, 2011.

The formal announcement read as follows: 

We are deeply saddened to announce that Steve Jobs passed away today.

Steve’s brilliance, passion and energy were the source of countless innovations that enrich and improve all of our lives. The world is immeasurably better because of Steve.

His greatest love was for his wife, Laurene, and his family. Our hearts go out to them and to all who were touched by his extraordinary gifts.

Jobs co-founded Apple Computer back in 1976 with pal Steve Wozniak selling the world’s first personal computer called the Apple II.  Jobs went ahead to create Apple’s iPhone, iPad, iPod, iTunes, to name a few.  On the Apple website you can feel the loss for the man the company is calling a “visionary and creative genius.” 

Read more by HS News Staff →

The first arrest under Alabama’s new harsh anti-illegal immigration law has been made, but many are saying Alabama officials have egg on their face after it was discovered that the man arrested is a legal resident of the United States.

Mohamed Ali Muflahi, 24, was born in Yemen, but now currently resides in the U.S. Friday, he was arrested during a raid in Etowah County, Alabama, and when he couldn’t produce documentation of his legal status, authorities booked him on a misdemeanor immigration offense, and accused him of obstructing a government operation.

Local news reports state that, shortly after learning of the arrest, but before it was found that Muflahi was here legally, Alabama state senators drafted a letter to U.S. Attorney General Eric Holder demanding that the Dept. of Justice drop all challenges of the state’s immigration law.

The letter was said to be scheduled for media release Tuesday, but the conference at which it was to be read was canceled for unspecified reasons. It is I thought that the cancellation was due to finding out Muflahi was not the illegal immigrant they were hoping to point to as proof that the state’s immigration legislation was working.

Under the new law, anyone who does not have documentation to prove they are in the country illegally, once taken into custody for another violation, can be investigated for immigration violations.

Read more at Associate Press →

Contrary to belief, older people in South Africa and Brazil become happier as they age. New research suggests that, with the right policies in place, a developing country can significantly improve the wellbeing of its older citizens.

The average levels of wellbeing experienced by older people in South Africa and Brazil improved between 2002 and 2008, due to a combination of economic growth and enlightened social policies, according to a study from the New Dynamics of Ageing Programme, a unique collaboration between five UK Research Councils.

“Our work contradicts many of the assumptions people have about the fate of older people in developing countries,” said Professor Armando Barrientos, Research Director at Manchester University’s Brooks World Poverty Institute. “It’s often assumed that people will become poorer and increasingly unhappy with life as they become old, but in South Africa and Brazil the opposite seems to have happened,” he said.

The research explored the factors that influence wellbeing among the elderly populations of the two countries. Brazil and South Africa were chosen because of their far-reaching social policies. “They are leading countries in their respective regions, with innovative social policies addressing poverty and vulnerability, such as child and disability benefits, low interest loans for the elderly and non-contributory pension schemes,” explained Professor Barrientos.

This large study included a survey of around 1000 households.  When the new data was compared with data collected in 2002, it suggested wellbeing had improved and that the majority of older people in the two countries felt satisfied or very satisfied with their lives. A majority of older people in each country also said they were satisfied with their relationships with other family members and with the respect they received from others.

The improvement in wellbeing was strongly influenced by economic performance and labour market conditions, but social policy also played a significant role. For low-income families, the pension income received by elderly people was essential to both their objective standard of living and their feeling that that life was getting better.

“The research has important lessons for policymakers in the developing world”, says Professor Barrientos. “Populations in the developing world are growing much faster than they did in the countries that we now consider as developed” he said. “That means governments in these nations have far less time to deal with the challenge of an ageing population, and they cannot just copy the policies used in developed countries.”

There are lessons for the developed world too, he believes. “Many countries in the developed world have been moving towards the idea that the state should provide only a minimal pension”, he said. “But our research suggests governments might want to think more carefully about the wider social value of decent state pension provision.”

Read more at Ageing, Well-being and Development: A comparative study of Brazil and South Africa →

The octogenarian Duchess of Alba finally was able to marry state employee Alfonso Diez at the Las Dueñas Palace in Seville at a high cost to her in terms of money, titles and real estate holdings.  Her marriage was blocked by her children who allegedly required her to give up her enormous wealth in order to marry what the family perceived was a gold digger. 

Cayetana Fitz-James Stuart, the Duchess of Alba is one of the wealthiest people in Spain; if she was to cross Spain North to South, she could do so without leaving her properties.

She’s 85 years old, but that didn’t stop her from finding and marrying for the third time.

The octogenarian bride wore a short, coral-colored Victorio & Luccino dress with lace detail at the shoulder, a green ribbon around the waist and Pilar Burgos shoes.

The wedding took place this morning in the chapel of one of the Duchess’s palaces, the Dueñas Palace in Seville, amid the controversies related to the couple’s age difference, and the different stations in life between the couple.

Watch the video below for more on the wedding, and join us in the forums section for the conversation.

Read more by HS News Staff →

Silvio Horta is in talks to develop a half hour television show, based on quips from the popular internet blog “Texts From Last Night” for Fox.

The man behind “Ugly Betty”, Horta is talking to Fox executives about developing a half-hour comedy based on the internet website “Texts From Last Night,” where users submit funny and embarrassing stories or and unusual text messages they have received.

The comedy will be produced by Happy Madison and Sony Pictures TV, and shown on FOX.

Horta is also in the process of developing for Fox a yet unnamed Latino family “dramedy”, which he is executive producing with Jennifer Lopez.

Read more by HS News Staff →

Nickelodeon stars Victoria Justice of Victorious and Carlos Peña (singer and star of Big Time Rush) share their personal stories with family during Hispanic Heritage Month.

Justice is half Puerto Rican. Her mother’s family she says is 100 percent Puerto Rican.

Peña’s father is of Spanish and Venezuelan descent, and his mother is of Dominican descent.

Victoria Justice - Hispanic Heritage Month Promo from NickPress on Vimeo.

Related Videos

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The new “Doritos Locos” taco is pretty much a Taco supreme, inside a shell that is a giant Dorito, which made us wonder, what else could shells be made out of?

Taco Bell started testing their Dorito taco last Spring, and it is currently available in some parts of California and they are expecting much success with this launch. 

Take a look at the commercial for it.

Though we are a little outraged that this awesome taco is not available nationwide, we want to offer our opinion on what Taco Bell could make their taco shells out of next:

Read more by HS News Staff →

For those looking for a new kind of vacation, one in which you put your time to good use while still having fun, Surf for Life may be for you.

Surf For Life is a non-profit organization designed to connect surfers and non-surfers with community service activities to create impact at an international level. The mission of the organization is to channel the interest and energy of individual surfers into teams that travel internationally to various project sites where they serve as hands-on volunteers.

The trips are open to anyone: Experienced surfers, beginners, people who are interested in taking up the sport and non-surfers. The common point of interest of all participants is their commitment to contribute to the advancement of a social cause. Surf For Life offers an alternative vacation option that combines recreation with community service opportunities. We are matching surf teams with various international destinations that combine world class surfing and opportunities for social philanthropy.

Surf travel is a billion-dollar industry and these trips take advantage of those looking for fun as well as those looking to do good. Surf for Life’s website calls it ‘volun-tourism.’

Current trips being planned include those heading to Puerto Viejo, Costa Rica and El Cuco, El Salvador.

Last month, the surfers were able to break ground on El Cuco’s first high school.

The school’s assistant principal, Raphael Cortez told the San Francisco Chronicle, “All of them are excited about this new school. We are touched. These surfers have nothing to do with us, and they are here helping.”

The two-classroom school will teach students from kindergarten to ninth grade, and is expected to open by January 1.

Read more at Surf for Life →

As it turns out, TV Notas’ is reporting that Shakira and Gerard Piqué had broken up, was just a rumor.

Media sources everywhere reported yesterday that Shakira and Piqué had ended their relationship.  Mexican magazine TV Notas reported that a faithful source told them that the relationship had ended a few weeks ago, after Shakira found out the Barça player had cheated on her with a tween.

As it turns out, it was all made up, according to Shakira’s press manager, Rodrigo Beltrán, who said the couple hadn’t ended their relationship, and they’re still going strong.

To further dissipate the rumors, the Colombian singer twitted last night

“Good luck to the Spanish Team this week, and my number 3, muah! @3gerardpique . Shak,”

Three being the number on the jersey of Gerard Piqué.

Read more by HS News Staff →

Actress JoAnna Garcia Swisher is returning to the ABC network in a new comedy series about a woman who moves in with her husband’s family.

The multi-camera show was apparently the subject of a three-network bidding war Monday, as Deadline has reported that NBC, CBS, and ABC were looking to snatch the show.

Garcia Swisher, was previously the star of the CW’s Privileged and the hit show Reba in which she played Reba McEntire’s on-screen daughter from 2001 to 2007 when the show ended.

The pitch for the so far unnamed show was only released Monday, but buzz about it preceded the release and had networks prepared to make offers.

The show is the brain child of creator/executive producer Shana Goldberg-Meehan, who was behind Better With You, which also starred the Cuban actress, but only lasted 22 episodes.

Garcia Swisher married Nick Swisher in December of 2010.

Read more at Deadline →

A lawsuit filed by the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) alleges a Hampton Inn franchise in Colorado discriminated against white workers by firing them preferring Hispanic workers they deemed worked harder. 

In addition Hampton In is in trouble for not maintaining appropriate records needed to further investigate discrimination allegations.  The actual lawsuit was filed on September 29, 2011. 

According to the EEOC, a class of employees, including Wendy Buckley, Ashlee Flannery, and Dewetta McKnight, was discharged from the Hampton Inn at Craig, Colorado, because the owners of the companies subscribed to stereotypes that White or non-Hispanic workers were indolent. Employers are prohibited from discharging employees because of their race or national origin, including if the action is informed by negative myths and stereotypes.

“An employer cannot discharge or refuse to hire an individual based on derogatory beliefs about that person’s race or national origin,” said Mary Jo O’Neill, regional attorney for the EEOC’s Phoenix District Office. “Employers cannot choose employees based on the color of their skin or their ancestry. This form of blatant discrimination clearly violates federal law.”

The Commission is pursuing back pay and compensatory damages on behalf of Buckley, Flannery, McKnight, and all other employees adversely affected by Hampton’s conduct.

Read more by HS News Staff →

Cinthia Fernández, a contestant in “Bailando Por un Sueño”, which is Argentina’s version of “Dancing with the Stars”, performed a dance routine that ended in total nudity on Live TV.

“Bailando por un Sueño” saw contestant Cinthia Fernández get progressively naked onstage, and ended her routine wearing nothing but pasties on her breasts.  Fernandez, an actress, had been a prior contestant on Bailando and also appeared on “Gran Hermano” (Big Brother).

Fernández tried to downplay twitter criticism, saying that during the routine she got wine inside her eyes, and wasn’t able to see which way was she facing when she removed her last piece of undergarment.  WOW - that’s a new one. 

Take a look at the video below and join us in our forums section for the conversation.

Read more by HS News Staff →

Today, Senator Robert Menendez (D-NJ), Chair of the Democratic Hispanic Task Force, Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-NV) and U.S. Senator Mark Begich (D-AK), Chair of the Senate Democratic Steering and Outreach Committee are hosting a Latino Business Summit to gather business leaders, entrepreneurs, and professionals to discuss businesses’ access to capital and other opportunities for growth.

Hispanic businesses account for over $345 billion in economic output and generate nearly 2 million jobs annually.  The Latino Business Summit will discuss access to capital, contracting and procurement.

U.S. Senator Robert Menendez (D-NJ), Chair of the Senate Democratic Hispanic Task Force is co-hosting along with U.S. Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-NV).

Read more by HS News Staff →

Check out the video for “Loca People,” by Barcelona’s Sak Noel, number one in British Dance charts! (EXPLICIT)

Read more by HS News Staff →

Secretary of Homeland Security Janet Napolitano today met with Honduran President Porfirio Lobo Sosa to discuss aviation and maritime security, and information sharing between the United States and Honduras.

“The United States and Honduras have a shared interest in protecting the security of the region and combating transnational crime,” said Secretary Napolitano. “We are committed to working collaboratively to increase information sharing capabilities and strengthen aviation and maritime security standards to facilitate legitimate travel and trade.”

During the meeting, Secretary Napolitano also discussed U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s (ICE) efforts with their Honduran counterparts to combat human trafficking and smuggling, and the bilateral cooperation with Honduras on the Advance Passenger Information Sharing (APIS) initiative—a U.S. Customs and Border Protection program designed to enhance border security through the collection and review of passenger information.

DHS also currently works with the Honduran government through a transnational criminal investigative unit operated by ICE to fight drug trafficking, transnational gangs, organized crime, and related violence in a joint effort to enhance border security. In addition, the U.S. Coast Guard continues to collaborate, train and operate with the Honduras Naval Force to counter maritime threats in our waters.

In July, Secretary Napolitano hosted a multilateral meeting in Washington where she joined participating officials from Mexico and various Central American countries including Honduras to sign a regional letter of intent, highlighting enhanced support of regional security cooperation and increased information sharing.

Read more by HS News Staff →

Between observance of the 26th anniversary of the September 1985 earthquake in Mexico City and Mexico’s hosting of the global celebration yesterday of the 2011 World Habitat Day under the theme Cities and Climate Change, the municipal government of the capital city has passed a new law on structural safety that will further protect people living with earthquake risk.

Under the new legislation, unsafe property at high risk of damage from earthquakes will be expropriated and the occupants of such buildings provided with safe housing.

Juan José García Ochoa, Under-Secretary of the Government of the Federal District (GDF) of Mexico City said, “Expropriation will be supported with loans for affordable housing to vulnerable families who live throughout the city in unsafe buildings with high seismic risk.”

The 1985 Mexico City earthquake which occurred on September 19 took 9,500 lives and affected 2.1 million people.

Ricardo Mena, Head of the UNISDR Americas Regional Office is pleased with the new legislation and what it brings to the table. “We’ve been providing support to the Government of the Federal District of Mexico City to improve DRR policies and practice. This has partly led to various DRR measures being taken. Preventive actions have been complemented by preparedness initiatives that include training of 10,000 public servants and members of local citizen committees on family disaster preparedness plans.

According to the new law, approval from the Ministry of Works and Services is also no longer required for expropriation, which can now be authorized by the Director for Operations (DRO) as well as the Secretariat for Civil Protection and any Structural Safety Directors appointed in the future.

Read more by HS News Staff →

One week after a historic Immigration Summit hosted by Hispanic Evangelical leaders with delegates from across the nation, including representatives from President Obama’s administration, denominational leaders, pastors, local community leaders and pro-immigrant activists, convened to discuss Biblical solutions for the immigration crisis in America, U.S., District Judge Sharon Blackburn, last Wednesday, refused to block key parts of Alabama’s immigration law including a measure that requires immigration status checks of public school students—and in theory, paving the way for the Supreme Court to rule in favor of states passing their own immigration laws.

Federal law requires public schools to provide K-12 education to undocumented immigrants, but the Alabama law requires that schools verify the immigration status of children enrolling for the first time—Judge Blackburn’s ruling has created an atmosphere of fear within the Hispanic community causing 231 Hispanic children in Montgomery, Alabama’s state capital, and other students throughout the state, to be absent from school on Thursday, the first day the law went into effect.

In addition to the provision that requires public schools to check students’ immigration status, Alabama’s Immigration Law H.B. 56 also criminalizes giving an undocumented immigrant a ride, instructs police to check the immigration status of anyone they stop if they suspect the person of being an undocumented immigrant and requires employers to use E-Verify to check potential employees’ status—which, by most appearances, invites racial profiling not only by law enforcement officers but by landlords and employers.

Rev. Samuel Rodriguez, President of The National Hispanic Christian Leadership Conference (www.nhclc.org), also known as the Hispanic Evangelical Association, the nation’s largest Christian Hispanic organization which represents over 16 million Hispanic Evangelicals, said, “Alabama’s immigration law succeeds not in addressing the immigration crisis or offering a viable and sustainable solution but rather the law succeeds in fostering a spirit of racial and discriminatory practices. This law is anti-Christian, anti-Conservative and anti-American. It resurrects the old spirit of George Wallace and places Pastors and Clergy in peril as they reach out to all in their communities with the love of Christ.”

“The answer is to reconcile Leviticus 19 with Romans 13, compassion with the rule of law,” Rodriguez continued. “The answer is a ‘Just Integration’ solution that stops all illegal immigration, prohibits amnesty, deports those engaged in nefarious activities while facilitating an integration and legalization process for self-sustaining hard working individuals. The anti-immigration rhetoric needs to end and we call upon the Church and the Federal government to stand with a heart of righteousness and justice in approaching this, and other, anti-immigration state laws.”

Read more by HS News Staff →

The U.S.-Colombia Trade Promotion Agreement (Colombia TPA) is a key building block in the U.S. strategy to advance free trade within the Western Hemisphere. The agreement achieves two key trade objectives for the United States: it immediately provides vastly improved access to Colombia’s market, and it levels the playing field with respect to third-country competitors in the Colombian market.

Colombia is already an important market for America’s farmers and ranchers. In 2010, the United States exported $832 million of agricultural products to Colombia. Top U.S. exports were wheat, corn, cotton, soybeans, and corn gluten feed.

Upon implementation of the Colombia TPA, U.S. exporters will receive immediate duty-free treatment on products accounting for almost 70 percent of current trade. Currently, no U.S. agricultural exports enjoy duty-free access to Colombia.

Most Colombian applied tariffs range from 5 percent to 20 percent for agricultural products. In many cases, these tariffs restrict U.S. exports. Moreover, there is no assurance that Colombia will not raise tariffs to its permitted World Trade Organization (WTO) limits (or tariff bindings), which range from 15 percent to 388 percent.

Under the Colombia TPA, Colombia will immediately eliminate its price band system, which affects more than 150 products, including corn, rice, wheat, oilseeds and products, dairy, pork, poultry, and sugar. Under the current price band system, the tariffs on these products vary with world prices and may reach up to Colombia’s WTO bound rates.

Read more by HS News Staff →