 Edición Semanaria de Noticiero Latino |
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February 2005
February 4th | Listen to the program
BUSH’S 5th STATE OF THE UNION - This week, President Bush offered his first State of the Union address for his second term. As anticipated, Bush made an urgent call to reform Social Security and vowed that U.S. troops will remain in Iraq. A reform proposed by the president was barely mentioned on his speech, but it has stirred the controversy within his own party. Patricia Guadalupe shares details from Washington, D.C.
ENGLISH ONLY - In Arizona, English may become the official language. This, if a group of legislators succeed in taking the issue to polls next year. The state legislature is expected to make a decision in the coming weeks. Our correspondent in Phoenix, Arizona, Elvia Diaz offers two points of view on the controversial initiative.
PACO HUERTA DIES - “Mr. President: today you delivered a speech on an issue that I consider very important, however, truthfully we did not understand a thing.” This was the first editorial read by Francisco “Paco” Huerta in the Mexican radio, in 1970. According to his friends and colleagues, his journalistic mission was to allow the voice of the common citizen to be heard through the mass media, and for this reason he was often penalized with the cancellation of his show. The journalist Paco Huerta, died a few days ago from a heart attack. Family and friends trust that his journalistic work is still alive, as Citlali Saenz reports.
February 11th | Listen to the program
FEDERAL BUDGET 2005-2006 - This week President Bush sent his budget proposal for the upcoming fiscal year to Congress. The White House described it as the leanest budget since the Reagan Administration, and absolutely essential in order to tackle the deficit. Nevertheless, Democrats warn that the enormous cuts to social spending will hurt the Latino community. Patricia Guadalupe shares details from Washington, DC.
BINATIONAL HEALTH PROMOTERS - Community health promoters from Mexico and California met, as every year, to share experiences on treating patients from both sides of the border. By this interaction, health workers seek improved solutions to help migrants and their families to step away from the shadows and gain access to healthcare. Our correspondent, Marco Vinicio Gonzalez attended the Mexico California Health Initiative forum, of the University of California, and files the report.
PRI DEFEAT - After more than 70 years, the Institutional Revolutionary Party is no longer governing one of the country’s poorest states. Now the southern state of Guerrero will be headed by a leftist governor: the businessman Zeferino Torreblanca. This was the second victory for the Democratic Revolutionary Party during the three state elections realized a few days ago. Citlali Saenz explains why Guerrero’s election outcome is considered key for the big upcoming political contentions.
February 18th | Listen to the program
REAL ID - The U.S. Senate must decide whether to approve the REAL ID Act, recently approved by the U.S. House of Representatives, which bans driver’s licenses and other official documents to undocumented immigrants. As our correspondent in Washington, DC Patricia Guadalupe reports, immigrant groups are carrying out a intense uphill lobbying against the measure in the Senate.
MULTI-MILLION DOLLAR VICTORY - Thousands of janitors in California anxiously wait for the execution of an agreement made with supermarket chains Vons, Ralphs, Albertsons, and Safeway. In the largest lawsuit of its kind the supermarkets agreed, in an out-of-court settlement, to pay more than twenty million dollars for accusations of labor rights violations within their premises. Ruben Tapia shares details from Los Angeles.
ENVIRONMENTAL BATTLE IN GUERRERO, MEXICO - Seven years ago, the mountains of the southern Mexican state of Guerrero, received international attention after a group of farm workers detained a lumber shipment belonging to a U.S. logging company. The incident resulted in the imprisonment of several farm workers. International organizations protested the detentions, and the farm workers were eventually released. Now, the same group of farm workers is facing new court proceedings. From Petatlan, Guerrero our correspondent Kent Paterson files the following report narrated by Maria Eraña.
February 25th | Listen to the program
CONSCIENTIOUS OBJECTOR FREED - After serving more than eight months in prison for refusing to return to Iraq, Florida National Guard Sergeant Camilo Mejia is ready to continue supporting peace efforts. This is what Mejia said to Radio Bilingue’s News Director Samuel Orozco, in an exclusive interview, the first one to be aired in the national airwaves since his February 15th release from prison. Mejia, a Central American immigrant, jumped to the national spotlight as the first veteran from the Iraq war to declare himself a conscientious objector. The following is an interview summary. The entire interview can be read on our website, www.radiobilingue.org.
MCDONALD’S MUST PAY - McDonald’s Corp. must pay $7 million to the American Heart Association to fund a marketing campaign to warn the public about the dangers of consuming partially hydrogenated oils. Such oils mainly used to cook fries and other fried foods have been compared to cholesterol in causing heart problems, diabetes and obesity. The settlement is part of an agreement reached in a legal battle in which the restaurant giant is accused of breaking its promise to eliminate the use of these cooking oils. Marco Vinicio Gonzalez shares details.
VOTE ABROAD GETS GREEN LIGHT - The lower house of Mexico’s Congress approved a reform that will grant voting rights to Mexican nationals living abroad. The measure, approved by an astonishing majority is now headed to the Senate and it remains to be seen whether this legislative body will allow Mexican expatriates to vote on time for the upcoming 2006 presidential elections. Citlali Saenz attended the legislative session and files the report from Mexico City.