In a Feb. 12 Capitol Hill hearing that stretched more than three hours, Census Bureau Director Steven Dillingham updated the 2020 effort and fielded questions from the House of Representatives’ Oversight and Reform Committee.

His long-scheduled appearance coincided with the nonpartisan Government Accounting Office releasing its latest report on census preparations and what needed action according to its recommendations previously agreed upon by the Census Bureau. Overall, it said, deemed Census Bureau readiness for 2020 operations is “mixed.”

Since 2017, the GAO has deemed the census a “high-risk” operation.

Topping the concerns at the hearing was the finding that the Census Bureau is behind on its hiring goals. About a half-million people will be needed to help get a full count, and for each position, Dillingham said, he would like to have six applicants. But 202 of the bureau’s 248 regional offices are still understaffed, with the first of five mailings targeting 95% of U.S. households due to be sent out in less than a month.

Dillingham said he believes concerns about the rate of hiring are premature. He expects to be fully staffed by April when the people knocking on doors to get questionnaire responses from households that haven’t responded either online or by telephone will be needed.

Citing the low unemployment rate as a challenge, he promised, “We will continue to recruit all through the census.” Besides, he said, “20 million college students are out there with student loans and needing money.”

Also of concern to committee members was the report’s description of the Census Bureau falling behind on forming partnerships with the community organizations, businesses and nonprofits that will be crucial in educating the public and maximizing survey response rates, particularly among hard-to-count populations.

Fraud and cybersecurity form the other key concern in the GAO report.

California Rep. Katie Porter entered into the hearing record a fund-raising mailing from the Republican National Committee that gives every appearance of being the census questionnaire.

Porter said the RNC sent a similar mailing in 2010, that led to legislation outlawing such misrepresentations.

Committee Chair Carolyn Maloney, of New York, called the RNC mailing “outrageous” and vowed to revisit that legislation and add enforcement mechanisms to it.

“Clearly, people are violating that,” Maloney said, looking at the mailing both Porter and California Rep. Jimmy Gomez had brought to the hearing. “The census is one of the sacred things in our Constitution.”

The adequacy of the Census Bureau’s preparations for prioritizing online responses also came up. Echoing his reassurances about the pace of hiring, Dillingham said that other targets the Census Bureau hasn’t met had been set higher than he expected would be necessary.

Although the Census Bureau decided on Feb. 7 to change the computer system it will use for online responses, Dillingham said it’s being set up to accommodate up to 600,000 users at once. But realistically, said his deputy, Al Fontenot, traffic at any one time is likely to be perhaps only a third of that.

Many committee members worried that their constituents lack adequate access to computers to ensure they’ll be counted. Dillingham and Fontenot described various plans, such as working with community libraries, but Michigan Rep. Brenda Lawrence pointed out that some libraries in her district have limited hours.

Missouri Rep. Lacy Clay noted historic census undercounts of African Americans — 718,000 people in 2010, he said — and noted the Census Bureau itself estimates that 60% plan to wait until someone visits their home before they’ll respond to the census.

Clay asked what outreach the bureau is planning, and specifically if it includes weekly newspapers and radio. Fontenot said a black advertising agency has partnered with the census’ primary advertising firm, Young & Rubicam, to help in communication efforts.

Michigan Rep. Rashida Tlaib complained about the reversal of the Census Bureau’s decision after 2010 to add “Middle Eastern/North African” as an option for the final question on the census questionnaire, about ethnicity. If, instead, people of that ethnicity have to identify themselves as white, she said, it will affect health research, language assistance, civil rights, minority businesses’ ability to get loans and more.

Writing in an identity, “doesn’t have the same impact and you know that. You’re making us invisible. You’re erasing us,” Tlaib said.

California Rep. Harley Rouda, whose Orange County district includes “Little Saigon,” home to the country’s largest Vietnamese population, including many refugees, asked how the census will enumerate those with limited or no English language skills.

Besides the census questionnaire being printed in English and Spanish, online forms are in 12 languages and, Fontenot said, materials including instructional videos total almost 60. But, he said, the primary way the census plans to meet people’s language challenges is by hiring partnership specialists with language fluency.

“We do count on our partners for language assistance,” Dillingham said.

New Mexico Rep. Deb Haaland shared an estimate that for every 1% of New Mexico’s population not counted in the census, the state loses $600 million of federal funding per decade. That’s money badly needed for “schools, health care programs, roads, so many other services,” particularly for Hispanic, Native and other communities of people of color, she said.

Unemployment is relatively high among the Spanish- and Navajo-speaking people Haaland represents, yet job applicants from her district have waited weeks to hear back from the census, she said.

“I know what it means for people to open the door and see someone who looks like them,” she said.

Dillingham said the bureau has boosted pay rates in response to unemployment and cost-of-living considerations in different communities. Fontenot cited the approval just last week of a $2 million budget for local advertising in “low-count areas.”

“If there’s more recruitment needed, we will make those efforts,” Dillingham said.

Culture Clash Returns with Their Latest Sketch Anthology!

February 28, 2020

Compiled by the El Reportero‘s staff

The missionaries of mayhem are back with their unique, badass brand of Chicano satire theater!

In this powerful, pointed, and downright hilarious update they turn their razor-sharp wit to everything from pussy hats to MAGA caps, laying down outrageous, biting, and thought-provoking monologues and sketch comedy about the immigrant experience in America right now.

Bay Area Born Chicano Group, Culture Clash, Returns to Berkeley Rep with Their Latest Sketch Anthology, Culture Clash (Still) in America

Born here in the Bay and Los Angeles-based, Culture Clash first brought their dangerous and subversive version of documentary theatre to Berkeley audiences with Culture Clash in AmeriCCa, gleefully skewering American culture through the lens of the Latino experience.

The play, written and performed by Culture Clash and directed by Obie Award winner Lisa Peterson, marks the fifth time the satirical group has performed at Berkeley Rep.

Running time: 90 minutes, no intermission. Written and performed by Culture Clash
Richard Montoya, Ricardo Salinas, and Herbert Siguenza, directed by Lisa Peterson

Main Season at Peet’s Theatre. now–April 5, 2020 at 2025 Addison St, Berkeley.

At Peet’s Theatre, 2025 Addison St, Berkeley.

Current ticket prices: Premium: $57–97 · Section A: $50–81 · Section B: $30–65. Running time: 90 minutes, no intermission.

A new multidisciplinary theater with theater and Latin jazz

Paul S. Flores, Rosalba Rolón and Yosvany Terry explore the true stories of immigrant Cuban artists living in the US in their National Performance Network and Creative Capital project WE HAVE IRÉ.

Experience theater with live Latin jazz and timba beats, dance, and spoken word to explore Cuban artists, immigration, and Afro-Cuban themes. Developed with jazz composer Yosvany Terry, DJ Leydis, choreographer Ramón Ramos Alayo, and director Rosalba Rolón. We Have Iré is a play about blessing, good fortune, balance, and destiny.

“We Have Iré celebrates Cuban immigrants while giving them space to tell their stories on their own terms, through dance, music, and theater.

The work stars many of the artists themselves onstage—including Flores, Terry as well as Ramon Ramos Alayo and DjLeydis DeCuba. It opens at MACLA / Movimiento de Arte y Cultura Latino Americana in San Jose March 13-15.

Friday, March 13 – Doors Open: 7:30 p.m. / Show: 8 p.m.
Saturday, March 14 – Doors Open: 7:30 p.m. / Show: 8 p.m.
Sunday, March 15 – Doors Open: 1:30 p.m. / Show: 2 p.m.

A Bohemian night you don’t want to miss

Local promoters have organized to bring you this month of March a lovely night full of quality music with quality musicians, an event you don’t want to miss.

Composer and singer, Arturo Leyva, will sing songs that you will fall in love with; and additionally, Sergio Serrano, Rafael Ramos, Zarcos Rios and many surprise artists will fill the repertoire for you and your love one to enjoy. There will be food and wine.

At 6 p.m., March 14, at the Oakland Aviation Museum, 8252 Earhart Rd, Oakland. For more info call at 510-938-9637.

The Adrián Aréas Quartet at Art House Gallery & Cultural Center

Latin jazz percussionist, Adrián Aréas will be performing with his Latin Jazz Quartet at 2905 Shattuck Ave, Berkeley, California, don’t miss this great three-hour show full of quality music. Adrian Aréas brings his whole school from his father Chepito Aréas, co-founder of the Santana group, and something more contemporary. On Saturday, March 28 at 7 p.m. – 10 p.m., at 2905 Shattuck Ave., Berkeley.

Placido Domingo cancels functions in Spain following sexual scandal

February 28, 2020

by the El Reportero‘s news services

Spanish tenor Placido Domingo has given up on performing at the Teatro Real in Madrid and other stages, after being accused by several female performers of inappropriate sexual behavior.

In a press release sent to the media last Tuesday, the famous singer apologized to the women who accused him of sexual harassment last summer, and assumed responsibility for his actions.

In a new statement released on Thursday, Domingo announced the cancellation of his performance of ‘La Traviata’ at the Teatro Real, planned for May, ‘so to prevent my situation, from affecting, harming or causing any additional inconvenience.’

The artist also said that the apologies offered two days ago to the affected women gave a ‘false impression’, and stressed that he never behaved ‘aggressively with anyone’.

According to Domingo, throughout his artistic career he dedicated himself to supporting the industry and promoting the career of countless singers.

The Spanish Ministry of Culture has suspended the performances of the tenor at the Teatro de la Zarzuela, scheduled for May 14 and 15 in Madrid, in solidarity with the women who were allegedly affected by his sexual conduct.

Allegations of sexual harassment against some twenty women came to light last August, most of them anonymously.

Mexico City’s 36th Historic Center Festival to span cultural spectrum

Shows and other events are spread out over 20 emblematic sites in the centuries-old community

Mexico City’s historic center becomes the stage for theater, opera, electronic music, dance, gastronomy and more at the 36th edition of the Festival Centro Histórico, to be held March 19 to April 5.

Shows and other events are spread out over 20 emblematic sites in this centuries-old community, such as the Palace of Fine Arts, the Metropolitan Cathedral, the Esperanza Iris Theater, the Justo Sierra Historic Synagogue and the San Ildefonso College. In addition, free events will be held in public parks and plazas.

This year’s event will honor both the 250th anniversary of the birth of Beethoven and the 350th of Italian Baroque composer Antonio Caldara.

Another musical highlight is the Kuba Wiecek Jazz Trio, headed by saxophonist and composer Wiecek, one of Poland’s best-known young musicians. It’s on March 20 at the Claustro de Sor Juana University.

The most important theatrical event will be a performance of the opera Dido and Aeneas by Henry Purcell. With costumes and choreography inspired by the surrealist work of artists Remedios Varo and Leonora Carrington, it’s at the Esperanza Iris Theater on March 27 and 28.

Romantic music, social contingency focus Chile’s song festival

Romantic music and allusions to the social crisis Chile is experiencing was the focus of the fourth day of the 61st edition of Viña del Mar Song Festival, which is already about to conclude.

Not only Spanish singer Pablo Alboran first, but also Argentine singer Luciano Pereira before concluding the show, literally pleased the audience attending the Quinta Vergara amphitheater with their songs during two concerts in which in tune with their respective styles, the romantic song prevailed.

Alboran, in a simple performance, sang his main hits and especially the songs of his most recent album ‘Saturno’ (Saturn) leaving his fans more than pleased that bestowed him with Gold and Silver Seagulls, the highest honors of the festival.

After receiving them, the Spanish singer got rid of praises to Viña del Mar, a festival that opened him Latin America’s doors when he was still almost unknown.

On the other hand, Pereira started singing at two in the morning, to please an audience that was waiting for him and also bestowed him the two seagulls. He was enraged when broadcasts were cut by the festival’s organizers when the singer had a live 50-minute performance.

When saying goodbye, the Argentine singer joined the list of artists who have referred to the social crisis in Chile, pointing out that ‘I am very sad about the violence we have to live in different countries, but I am very happy and celebrated when a people leaves to speak for what it needs.’

That expression generated an immediate reaction from the audience, with the slogan ‘the people united will never be defeated.’

Domestic violence against men: no laughing matter

February 28, 2020

New research indicates high-rates of domestic abuse against men

by Rob Whitley, Ph.D.

Talking About Men

Today is international men’s day. This is an opportunity to shed light on issues faced by men that typically lie in the shadows of society. One of these issues is Intimate Partner Violence (IPV) against men.

The popular image of IPV is based on the familiar gender stereotype of a male villain and a female victim. But that stereotype paints an incomplete picture, with new research indicating a high number of male victims of domestic abuse.

Research on Domestic Violence

A recent UK government survey indicated that 9 percent of males had experienced some form of partner abuse, which amounts to around 1.4 million men. This includes stalking, physical violence and sexual assault. Indeed, a seminal US study found that male IPV victims are often slapped, kicked, punched, grabbed or choked by their partners.

Interestingly, a growing body of international research indicates that men and women experience IPV in similar proportions. For example, a recent survey from Canada’s national statistical agency concluded that “equal proportions of men and women reported being victims of spousal violence during the preceding 5 years (4 percent respectively).”

The aforementioned surveys indicate that small proportions of men (less than 20 percent of victims) will tell the police or a health professional about their victimization. This may be due to well-grounded fears that they will be scorned, ridiculed, or disbelieved by these authorities.

Indeed, a recent research paper by Dr. Elizabeth Bates from the University of Cumbria found that the overarching experience of male IPV victims was that “no one would ever believe me.” One victim noted “I told friends, they laughed while another stated … the police, they laughed.”

Incredulously, laughter is a common response to male victims of IPV. This is illustrated in the short “social experiment” video here, examining public reactions to a male being abused by a female on a street. This video has over 8 million views on YouTube and is a powerful educational tool.

The Mankind Initiative

The above video was created by the Mankind Initiative, a leading British charity supporting male victims of domestic abuse. Led by the indefatigable Mark Brooks OBE, the Mankind Initiative held its national conference on male victims of domestic abuse last week, which I attended.

This event attracted around 100 people. Attendees heard a range of engaging presentations from researchers, service-providers and IPV victims. The presentations overlapped with the research literature, with IPV victim Tim noting how the police and others tended to dismiss his story.

Likewise, Dr. Nicola Graham-Kevan from the University of Central Lancashire reported her latest research indicating that male IPV victims are often pathologized, and sometimes regarded with suspicion by the very agencies that should be helping them.

Nevertheless, there was a palpable air of optimism pervading the event. The conference was attended by a variety of senior figures including police officers, health care providers, lawyers, community workers, military representatives, and local government employees. This indicates a growing awareness of the seriousness of the issue among key stakeholders.

Moreover, the conference heard how the mainstream media is starting to take this issue seriously. For example, the BBC produced a poignant documentary earlier this year entitled “abused by my girlfriend.” A short-version has received over 5 million views on YouTube.

This documentary reports the painful story of 22-year-old Alex Skeel, who was repeatedly knifed, scolded, and hammered by his then-girlfriend. The police supported Alex throughout his ordeal, and his ex-girlfriend recently received a 7-year prison sentence.

All this may reflect a turning of the tide, at least with regards to growing public awareness and increased media interest in IPV against men.

The Way Ahead

The momentum must be maintained to further prevent and address IPV against men. Three discrete actions could assist in this regard.

First, official service provision for male victims of IPV remains scant. Indeed, a recent government report noted that there were 627 shelters for abused women in Canada, but only 6 percent of these admitted men, with zero shelters solely for men. In the UK, it has been reported that only around 1 percent of refuge beds are reserved for men. This demands more provision for male victims, without detracting from current provision for female victims.

Second, there is a pressing need for education and training in these issues for key stakeholders including the police, health-care providers, and the judiciary. Such efforts should enlighten stakeholders about the realities of IPV against men, while challenging gendered stereotypes built on the false dichotomy of a male villain and a female victim.

Third, there is an acknowledged need for interventions aimed at women who abuse men. Indeed, the British charity Respect notes that “Most domestic violence perpetrator programmes have been designed for men in heterosexual relationships.” More research and action should focus on developing, validating and disseminating prevention programs aimed at female domestic abusers.

Domestic violence against men is no laughing matter. It is a deadly serious issue in need of concerted action. Let’s hope the tide begins to turn.

“Trump faces an impossible trade-off”: why a global recession is now inevitable

February 28, 2020

NOTE FROM THE EDITOR

Dear readers:

The coronavirus news without doubt has taken the central stage worldwide. It putting governments on their knees begging for a prompt solution to stop the spread of the disease or most world economies could collapse – and their governments.

And we don’t know if every most of the information we’ve been getting from the mainstream media, independent news sources, and social media gossips are telling us the truth – or if they really know what the real truth is. But one thing is for sure, as Tyler Durden says it in his article below, this is a serious stuff since the economic instability of our nation is at play. – Marvin Ramírez.

by Tyler Durden

Fri, 02/28/2020 – With California reporting late on Friday that a second coronavirus case of “unknown origin” has been uncovered, prompting Santa Claria’s Health Department to caution that “now is the time to prepare for the possibility of widespread community transmission” echoing similar warnings from the CDC, the Trump administration’s response to what now appears an inevitable surge in US-based coronavirus cases is becoming an increasingly politicized topic, and not without justification: after all, it is hardly a secret that Trump’s favorite “job approval” barometer has been the stock market – which hit an all time high as recently as last week – and it is also hardly a secret that Trump hardly wishes to inspire a stock market panic by disclosing the full extent and severity of any potential domestic epidemic (which ironically, aligns Trump ideologically with China, which is now willing to sacrifice its population in the pursuit of restarting the Chinese economy).

Yet the more Trump, or various domestic institutions, appears evasive over the full extent of the corona crisis inside the US, the more markets get hit. Worse, the longer Trump avoids addressing the potential domestic epidemic, the more likely it is that the market crash that saw stocks plunge this week at the fastest rate since the financial crisis, will persist.

This brings us to an absolutely spot-on observation made by Bank of America’s rates strategist Ralf Preusser, who explains why for Trump, and US stocks, it may only get worse, before it gets even worse. That reason is that markets now seem to be taking the view that authorities – i.e., Trump – face an impossible trade-off:

– On one hand, they can adopt the Draconian quarantine measures seen in China and trigger a global recession as worldwide economic activity grinds to a halt

– Or, they can risk a pandemic by failing to take more aggressive action on Covid-19, also resulting in a global recession

China initially tried the first only to watch its economy grind to a halt, and then flipped in pursuit of the second option (while covering up the full extent of the ongoing coronavirus crisis within its borders) in hopes of rebooting the economy (the results of this diabolical approach are dismal at best as the following charts show), at least until the wave of new infections overruns the system and forces Beijing to once again “come clean”, while blaming it on a definition “glitch.”

Similar to China, the Trump administration realizes the “Catch-22” nature of the dilemma it is facing and is hoping to delay making a decision for as long as possible, knowing well that either choice could trip the US into a recession and with the November elections looming, a recessionary outcome could devastate Trump’s odds for reelection.

Of course, there will come a moment when even Trump will have to pick an approach, and if it is the first, the US economy would grind to a halt on short notice, similar to China, while the second will not only spark risks of an even greater epidemic over in the long run but trigger an aggressive popular response against Trump (one spearheaded by the resistance media), and which will paint the US President as the American version of Xi Jinping – one willing to sacrifice US citizens just to keep stock prices elevated.

While we wait to see which option in this Faustian bargain Trump picks, BofA writes that while it is hopeful that we are ” faced with a situation where the epidemic remains under control with clusters of outbreaks that are contained” even there it “cannot rule out recession risks given possible supply chain disruptions and the extent to which the global recovery is dependent on the consumer.”

Moreover, Preusser adds, “we need to acknowledge that even after recent corrections in risk assets (equities, credit, EM, periphery), allocations to risk remain meaningful and markets are short of hedges.” From that perspective, Bank of America warns that the “30-50% recession risks implied by the market do not seem extravagant to us.”

So is a recession looming, and when will we know? According to Preusser, “the question is to what extent next week’s data will incorporate this week’s deterioration in Covid-19.” One place that should give a sense of the supply disruptions is China PMIs, although this data has been notoriously massaged in the past. Separately, the US ISM print may show the sentiment effect of the China element of the outbreak, but would fail to reflect this week’s realization that the virus may be spreading meaningfully beyond Asia. Likewise the labor market report will be backward looking at this stage. Finally, German January factory orders and the details of the European PMI prints will not tell us much about the risks to the European recovery from the outbreak in Italy.

In short, the lack of any clear confirmation that the global economy is stalling may give Trump just the ammo to keep his head stuck in the sand, pretending there is no trouble and that only Powell is to blame for the market’s woes. The irony, of course, is that the longer Trump delays picking an approach, leading to what Bank of America calls a state of “Schrodinger’s Recession”…

… the more likely it is that a very real recession will be the inevitable outcome, and this week the stock market, whose discounting abilities have been crushed by the Fed’s central planning in the past decade but still function if just barely, finally realized that.

Improve sleep quality by increasing your intake of these 8 vitamins and minerals

February 28, 2020

by Darnel Fernández

Many Americans get less than the recommended amount of sleep. In fact, according to the National Sleep Foundation‘s inaugural Sleep Health Index, about 35 percent of Americans have poor sleep quality. Meanwhile, 20 percent of Americans say that they do not wake up feeling refreshed on any day of the week. Not getting enough sleep has been linked to a variety of chronic diseases, such as heart disease, obesity and Type 2 diabetes.

But new research suggests that poor-quality sleep may be linked to nutrient deficiency. In a study presented at Nutrition 2019, the annual meeting of the American Society for Nutrition, researchers found that people who get less than seven hours of sleep each night also consume less calcium, magnesium, zinc and niacin. In addition, these people were deficient in vitamins A, B1 and D.

“This work adds to the body of growing evidence associating specific nutrient intake with sleep outcomes,” said Chioma Ikonte, one of the authors of the study. “Our findings suggest that individuals with short sleep duration might benefit from improving their intake of these nutrients through diet and supplementation.”

The link between sleep and nutrition

The term “micronutrients” refers to vitamins and minerals that the human body requires but cannot naturally produce. People, therefore, need to obtain these nutrients from external sources, such as the food that they eat or dietary supplements. (Related: Sleep deprivation may cause weight gain.)

According to studies, micronutrients play important roles in human growth and development, as well as in disease prevention. However, the World Health Organization reports that a staggering two billion people worldwide suffer from a micronutrient deficiency. To find out how micronutrients affect sleep, a team of nutritionists looked at correlations between vitamin and mineral intake and sleep quality.

The researchers analyzed data from the U.S. National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES), a research program conducted between 2005 and 2015 to assess the health and nutritional status of Americans. Compared to those who got seven hours of sleep — the amount recommended by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention for adults — the researchers found that adults who slept fewer hours tended to consume lower amounts of micronutrients.

They also observed that in women, more micronutrients were associated with poor sleep than in men. However, the use of dietary supplements significantly reduced this number, suggesting that people with poor diets can meet their daily nutritional requirements by taking dietary supplements.

While their findings have significant implications, the researchers noted that more research is needed to clarify things.

“Whether chronic short sleep causes nutrient insufficiency or the nutrient insufficiency causes short sleep still needs to be determined,” Ikonte said. “A clinical study that investigates [the impact of] supplementation with these nutrients on sleep outcomes is needed to demonstrate cause and effect.”

Tips for getting good-quality sleep

When it comes to good health, getting a good night’s sleep is just as important as healthy eating and regular exercise. Besides consuming the right amounts of essential nutrients, there are other things you can do to optimize your sleep quality.

Increase exposure to bright lights during the day. The human body has an internal clock called the circadian rhythm that helps you stay awake and tells your body when it’s time for bed. Exposing yourself to natural sunlight during the day, but not at night, can help keep your circadian rhythm in check, improving daytime energy as well as nighttime sleep quality and duration.
Avoid caffeine consumption late in the day. While coffee can give you a quick boost in focus, energy and even physical performance, consuming caffeine late in the day can stimulate your nervous system and make it difficult for you to relax at night. According to a study published in the Journal of Clinical Sleep Medicine, caffeine intake six hours before bedtime has disruptive effects on sleep.

Be consistent with your sleep and waking times. Research has found that having irregular sleeping patterns can alter your biological clock and mess with your melatonin levels. As melatonin regulates your sleep-wake cycle, changes in its concentrations can affect your circadian rhythm and result in poor sleep. Sleep plays an important role in your overall health. Improve the quality of your sleep by incorporating more micronutrients into your diet. (Natural News).

Sources include:

NutraIngredients-USA.com

Over 240,000 people displaced in Honduras

February 28, 2020

by El Reportero‘s wire services

More than 247,000 Hondurans, mainly women and children, are today suffering the consequences of forced displacement, a study says.

The main causes of this phenomenon are threats of a family member murder, extortion and gender violence, the newspaper El País reported.Yolanda Zapata, head of the Land Office, said women and children have been displaced by force, seeking some protection mechanisms within the municipalities.

She also stated these people suffer the most as they are forced to leave their homes and children of school age who end dropping out of school.

¨Work must be done to guarantee the rights of the population, protection and care, since there must be lasting solutions for these people,¨ Zapata stated.

¨We reviewed some figures and 38 percent of the population had an impact on the education sector, seven percent of children had to drop out school and 41 percent were affected by health.

AMLO rejects congressional bid to bring back capital punishment

He was responding to a proposal to reinstate the death penalty for perpetrators of femicide

President López Obrador announced his opposition to a proposal to reinstate the death penalty at his morning press conference on Wednesday.

“I don’t believe in the death penalty and I also don’t think it’s an option, an alternative,” he told reporters.

His declaration came in response to a proposal on Tuesday by federal deputies from the Green Party and his own Morena party to put up for discussion the amendment of four articles of the constitution, as well as the country’s withdrawal from two international treaties by which is it bound not to reinstate the punishment.

They proposed the death penalty for those found guilty of femicide and homicide of people under 18 years of age, saying that the measure would be temporary “until Mexico returns to times of peace and tranquility.”

Green Party national director Carlos Puente and the party’s parliamentary leader in the Chamber of Deputies, Arturo Escobar, also suggested that the Supreme Court be the entity to decide on the matter.

Last week, National Action Party (PAN) Senator Víctor Fuentes Solís proposed a debate on the issue after the widely publicized femicides of Ingrid Escamilla and 7-year-old Fátima in Mexico City.

Morena party Senate leader Ricardo Monreal spoke against it, calling the death penalty a “barbarity.”

“We cannot, for the circumstances and crises which we’ve experienced in this country in recent years, establish this type of barbarous penalty,” he said.

The death penalty was abolished in Mexico in 1929 and the country signed the American Convention on Human Rights, also known as the “Pact of San José,” in 1969.

Article 4 of the treaty, which deals with the right to life, stipulates that “the death penalty shall not be reestablished in states that have abolished it.”

Source: El Financiero (sp)

López Obrador backs arrival of cruise ship rejected in other countries

President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador approved today the arrival in Mexico of a cruise ship that was denied entry to other countries because it carried on board a person suspected of having the coronavirus COVID-19.

In his morning press conference at the National Palace, the president, in response to a question on the subject, said that there is no tourist on board with a COVID-19 coronavirus and for humanism, passengers will not be prevented from getting off the ship.

Tourists on the Meraviglia cruise ship, which is stranded off the coast of Quintana Roo, will be able to disembark on Mexican soil, announced Lopez Obrador.

‘The information we have is that there are no sick people,’ the president reiterated, and recalled that this cruise ship was denied arrival at two ports, but in Mexico instructions were given to carry out an inspection so that they could be in the country, complying with health regulations.

We cannot reject those who transit through the country, he added, and there is already a review protocol on the cruise

Mexico regrets US court ruling over youth shot by border patrol

February 28, 2020

US Supreme Court justices argued that the boy’s family cannot sue the agent who killed him

by Mexico News Daily

The federal government has expressed regret about a ruling by the United States Supreme Court that prevents the family of a teenage boy who was killed in Ciudad Juárez, Chihuahua, in 2010 from suing the U.S. border patrol agent who shot him.

In a statement issued by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (SRE), the government said that it was deeply concerned about the effects that the February 25 ruling will have on similar cases in which Mexicans died on their side of the border after being shot by border patrol agents from the U.S. side.

“With this precedent, such cases could now face limitations in demanding justice and compensation in courts of that country,” the SRE statement said.

Sergio Adrián Hernández Güereca, 15, was shot in June 2010 by Jesús Mesa, a border patrol agent who was on duty in El Paso, Texas. Mesa was on a bicycle patrol when he was alerted to the presence of people smugglers, the BBC reported.

Hernández and a group of his friends were in the dried-up concrete bed of the Rio Grande at the time.

According to the youth’s family, Hernández and his friends were daring each other to run across the unmarked international border in the middle of the culvert built to contain the river, and touch a fence on the U.S. side.

Mesa detained one of the boys for illegally crossing the border but Hernández and another youth returned to the Mexican side and hid behind a pillar. The 15-year-old was shot twice as he peeked out from behind the pillar.

U.S. authorities ruled that the border agent had acted in self-defense even though they found no evidence that Hernández had thrown stones at him as he claimed.

Mexican authorities charged Mesa with murder but the United States refused to extradite him. Hernández’s parents subsequently attempted to sue the border agent in the United States for violating the U.S. Constitution by using excessive force.

Lower courts dismissed their claim before the case reached the U.S. Supreme Court on Tuesday. The justices divided five to four along conservative-liberal lines to uphold the lower courts’ decision.

The conservative justices argued that “a cross-border shooting is by definition an international incident” and therefore should be solved diplomatically rather than legally. Allowing the boy’s parents to pursue compensation in the United States would have implications on foreign relations and national security, they said.

Writing for the majority, Justice Samuel A. Alito Jr. said that Hernández’s parents couldn’t sue Mesa without congressional approval.

Ruth Bader Ginsberg, one of the dissenting judges, said that the border agent’s “allegedly unwarranted deployment of deadly force occurred on United States soil” and that it did not make sense to dismiss the parents’ claim because the bullet ended up on the Mexican side of the border.

A lawyer for the family said that the ruling would “promote a Wild West attitude” on the U.S.-Mexico border.

“To be left with no remedy … given such a violent and unprovoked shooting, weakens the constitutional foundation of America’s house,” Robert Hilliard said.

In the SRE statement, the government said that it would continue to provide assistance to all Mexicans affected by cross-border incidents. It also noted that Mexico and the United States formed a border violence prevention group in 2014 that has met on six occasions and made progress on issues such as accountability and transparency.

Source: Milenio (sp), BBC (en)

AMLO rejects congressional bid to bring back capital punishment

He was responding to a proposal to reinstate the death penalty for perpetrators of femicide

President López Obrador announced his opposition to a proposal to reinstate the death penalty at his morning press conference on Wednesday.

“I don’t believe in the death penalty and I also don’t think it’s an option, an alternative,” he told reporters.

Last week, National Action Party (PAN) Senator Víctor Fuentes Solís proposed a debate on the issue after the widely publicized femicides of Ingrid Escamilla and 7-year-old Fátima in Mexico City.

Morena party Senate leader Ricardo Monreal spoke against it, calling the death penalty a “barbarity.”

“We cannot, for the circumstances and crises which we’ve experienced in this country in recent years, establish this type of barbarous penalty,” he said.

The death penalty was abolished in Mexico in 1929 and the country signed the American Convention on Human Rights, also known as the “Pact of San José,” in 1969.

Article 4 of the treaty, which deals with the right to life, stipulates that “the death penalty shall not be reestablished in states that have abolished it.”

Source: El Financiero (sp)

The Trump administration can withhold grants from ‘sanctuary cities,’ Court rules

February 26, 2020

Seven states sued after the Justice Department said in 2017 that it would not award grants from a federal program to local governments that withheld information about undocumented immigrants in their jails

by Pete Williams

A federal appeals court ruled Wednesday that the Justice Department can refuse to give crime-fighting money to cities and states that consider themselves sanctuaries and refuse to share information with federal immigration authorities.

The unanimous ruling from a three-judge panel of the Second Circuit Court of Appeals was a defeat for New York City and seven states — Connecticut, Rhode Island, Massachusetts, New Jersey, New York, Virginia, and Washington. They sued after the Justice Department said in 2017 that it would not award grants from a federal program to local governments that withheld information about undocumented immigrants in their jails.

“It recognizes the lawful authority of the Attorney General to ensure that Department of Justice grant recipients are not at the same time thwarting federal law enforcement priorities,” A Justice Department spokesman said in praising the ruling.

Three other federal appeals courts have come to the opposite conclusion, ruling that the government was wrong to withhold the grants from sanctuary jurisdictions including San Francisco, Chicago, and Philadelphia.

Federal law has long prohibited local governments from refusing to share information about the citizenship status of people they arrest or jail after convictions. Immigration agents say they need to know who in local jails is in the US illegally, so those people can be deported after they’ve served their sentences.

But many cities and states have declined to provide that data or to allow immigration agents to visit their jails. They argue that in order to maintain the cooperation of immigrant communities, police must not be seen as extensions of federal immigration authorities.

The grant program at issue provides around $250 million a year to help fund investigative task forces, improve 911 call systems and crime laboratories, and reduce gang violence in prison. Wednesday’s ruling says the law setting up the grant program gives the attorney general authority to set the conditions for qualifying to receive the money.

While the Trump administration, beginning under then-Attorney General Jeff Sessions, accelerated the fight over federal aid to sanctuary cities, the lack of cooperation with immigration agents has been a subject of bipartisan concern. The Obama administration said cities and states must comply with the law about information sharing to qualify for the grants.

The crackdown under Sessions, the Second Circuit said, put into effect “the same condition announced by DOJ under the preceding, Democratic administration.” But the Trump administration’s tougher line on immigration has sparked several legal battles, still ongoing, over the obligation of cities and states to cooperate.

Source: NBC News

San Jose Jazz Winter Fest 2020 with Miguel Zenón Quartet

February 26, 2020

Compiled by the El Reportero‘s staff

Following the 30th Anniversary of their signature Summer Fest, Bay Area arts and culture institution San Jose Jazz kicks off 2020 with dynamic music programming honoring the jazz tradition and ever-expanding definitions of the genre with singular winter concerts curated for audiences within the heart of Silicon Valley.

San Jose Jazz Winter Fest 2020 features some of today’s most distinguished artists alongside leading edge, emerging musicians with an ambitious lineup of more than 25 concerts.

The event, which started on Feb. 14, will continue through 29, 2020.

Tickets to San Jose Jazz Winter Fest 2020 are now on sale ranging in price from $15 – $40, and an array of Next Gen Youth shows at Cafe Stritch are free admission. For detailed ticket information as well as updates on the artists and performance schedule, please visit: sanjosejazz.org/winterfest.

Among the dozen of the national headliners include Miguel Zenón Quartet: “Sonero.”

Multiple Grammy nominee and Guggenheim and MacArthur Fellow Miguel Zenón is widely considered as one of the most groundbreaking and influential saxophonists of his generation. He has developed a unique voice as a composer and as a conceptualist, concentrating his efforts on perfecting a fine mix between Latin American folkloric music and jazz.

Born and raised in San Juan, Puerto Rico, Zenón has released 12 recordings as a leader, including the Grammy nominated Yo Soy La Tradición (2018) and Típico (2017), as well as his latest Sonero: The Music of Ismael Rivera (2019).

Presented by AARP Friday, through Saturday, Feb. 29, 2020, at Downtown San Jose and Palo Alto.

Concert tickets are $15 (Advance) $20 (Door) – $35(Advance) $40 (Door); All Concert Fest Pass: $320 (Pass includes GA seating only); Next Gen student ensemble shows are free.