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Coup in slow motion

Efforts to prevent the inauguration of the president-elect Bernardo Arevalo In Guatemala and the malicious litigation conducted by his opponents in the courts, the Board of Directors of Congress and the Public Ministry have been classified as a slow-motion coup d'état.  

The courts do not have electoral jurisdiction, but they decide to suspend the Semilla party and Congress then leaves the members of its bench without a party, so that as independents they cannot access positions on the Board of Directors controlled by the corrupt.  

President Giammattei appeared before the cameras acknowledging Arévalo's victory, but hinted that on January 14, 2024, he will hand over the presidential sash not to the winner of the elections, but to his cronies in Congress, who would appoint a provisional president and call for new elections.  

The operation is being led by, among others, the Foundation against Terrorism, prosecutor Consuelo Porras, alias "doctora comosiama", and prosecutor Rafael Curruchiche, who are in charge of covering up the thefts of Giammattei and his partner Miguel Martínez. 

Nervous about the ghost of former Honduran President Juan Orlando Hernández, extradited to the United States, Martínez and Giammattei were caught in a telephone conversation in which, distressed, Martínez calls the "doctor comosiama" an "old whore" and prosecutor Curruchiche an "idiot."  

This is the level of institutional deterioration of the State, and evidence of the wear and tear suffered by a model of domination that is living its final days.  

It is difficult for the "clique" of oligarchs, military personnel, narco-politicians and evangelical pastors to give in and accept Arévalo's victory in a civilized manner. They seem to care little about the uncertainty and social irritation generated by the malicious litigation that could end up turning into popular anger.  

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Newsom signs executive order to improve access to high-paying careers

Newsom signs executive order to improve access to high-paying careers
Newsom signs executive order to improve access to high-paying careers. Photo: Office of Governor Gavin Newsom

Gov. Gavin Newsom signed an executive order Thursday launching a new career education effort to prepare students and adults for the workforce of the future while seeking to reduce employment barriers to state jobs, including college degree requirements that are unnecessary for job duties. 

The executive order directs the state to align and integrate the implementation of programs supported by billions of dollars in funding to prepare students and workers for high-paying careers.

This action launches the development of a new Master Plan on Vocational Education as the economy evolves and the unmet need for diverse types of skilled labor grows in the trades, green energy, and health care sectors.

“All families, students, and workers deserve the freedom to succeed – to develop real-life skills and pursue careers, including those that don’t require college degrees. California is leveraging billions of dollars in investments to prepare students and workers for well-paying, long-lasting, and fulfilling careers,” Governor Newsom said.

For her part, California First Lady Siebel Newsom said that "all Californians deserve a path to pursue their dreams and reach their full potential."

In this regard, he said that "by expanding opportunities to acquire tangible skills and work experience essential for employment, we are training students and workers to succeed in any career they choose."

Notably, the executive order mandates state leaders in education, workforce and economic development to work collaboratively with leaders of the state's public education systems and employers, along with legislative partners and stakeholders representing diverse students, parents, education professionals, workers, businesses and community groups, to develop a Career Education Master Plan. 

The Career Education Master Plan will guide the state in its efforts to strengthen career pathways, prioritize hands-on learning and real-life skills, and promote universal access and affordability for all Californians through streamlined collaboration and partnership between government and the private sector.

For students, the Master Plan will allow the state to identify opportunities for alignment and coordination between sectors, both public and private, to ensure more professional and skills development opportunities for students and workers.

Career pathways will also be strengthened by encouraging all students, starting in high school, to discover and explore well-paying, fulfilling and long-lasting careers, including those that do and do not require college degrees, and guiding them toward pathways to those careers.

This will be complemented by prioritizing practical learning and real-life skills with paid opportunities to “learn by doing” and receive training that can be certified.

The agreement details that California will reduce the costs of education and vocational training and simplify access to support, including financial aid, career counseling and disability services.

The executive order also directs the California Department of Human Resources (CalHR) to evaluate whether a college degree is required for a particular position each time its classification is reviewed.

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Young cultural ambassadors from San Mateo County will bring art and poetry to the community

Seven area high school students will be San Mateo County's first youth cultural ambassadors.

The inaugural seven will seek to “build community through arts and culture with the goal of greater youth engagement in the community,” the county said in a statement.

The county's Office of Arts and Culture named the seven after a competitive application process. 

Photos: San Mateo County

The students are: Alejandro Carreon, a 17-year-old visual artist from Foster City; Amelia Lauren Chen, a 17-year-old ballet dancer from Daly City; Mikaela George, a 16-year-old classical vocalist from Foster City; Lauren Lin, a 17-year-old who is currently the Burlingame-Hillsborough Youth Poet Laureate. Lin will be the inaugural Youth Poetry Ambassador; Claire Sonnenburg, a 17-year-old visual artist from Redwood City; Daniel Strebulaev, a 15-year-old pianist from Atherton; and Keiya Wada, a 15-year-old cellist from Foster City.

According to county information, each ambassador will develop and execute a community engagement project and help organize an ambassador meeting for middle and high school students in spring 2024.

As a Youth Poetry Ambassador, Lin will be invited to attend Board of Supervisors meetings to read poetry. Each Youth Cultural Ambassador will receive $500 for their participation.

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Redwood City gets $10,000 in support to expand its economic mobility

Redwood City gets $10,000 in support to expand its economic mobility

The City of Redwood City wins $10,000 in support to expand its efforts to drive equity and affordability for residents, helping them maintain stable employment and save for the future.

The city was one of the eight municipalities selected by the National League of Cities ‒NLC‒ to participate in the Rapid Grants program for the Promotion of Economic Mobility.

Following a competitive process, eight U.S. cities will receive a total of $100,000 to support local initiatives aimed at improving the economic mobility of their residents. 

The City will use the funds to support its Inclusion, Diversity, Equity, Accessibility and Leadership (IDEAL) efforts, which aim to help create a fair and safe city, full of opportunities for all members of the community, regardless of their identity, background or income. 

Additionally, grant funds will strengthen the efforts of the Redwood City Together community collaborative and other community organizations to promote economic mobility and support partnerships with the City. 

Planned activities include job fairs, youth outreach activities related to employment needs, and initial research into a citywide economic mobility plan.

“This grant is a great example of the City’s creativity in funding programs that improve economic vitality in Redwood City,” said City Manager Melissa Stevenson Diaz. “The grants help us stretch the City’s funding, a critical effort as we face budget shortfalls. In order for all Redwood City residents to thrive, we need to increase economic mobility efforts.”

Each of the eight cities is receiving grants of up to $15,000 along with coaching and peer learning opportunities through NLC’s Economic Mobility Peer Network. 

The National League of Cities will present grant implementation updates from Redwood City, as well as Dallas, Gaithersburg, Honolulu, Nashua, New Haven, Redmond and South Bend, at an Economic Mobility Convention prior to the NLC Summit of Cities conference in Atlanta, Georgia, this November.

The funds awarded to cities will be used to launch or expand solutions in one of three key areas: creating quality employment opportunities for residents, providing equitable support to strengthen or start small businesses, or helping residents connect to public services or benefits. These funds have been made possible by the continued support of the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation.

 

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Redwood City Police Request Help Identifying Child Harassment Suspects

Redwood City Police Request Help Identifying Child Harassment Suspects

The Redwood City Police Department has requested the community's support in locating and identifying two adults suspected of child bullying near Sequoia High School and #1 James Study Centers.

Last week, authorities learned of two separate cases of young women being harassed by unidentified men. 

On August 18, they said, at around 3:40 p.m. at the bus stop located at #1 James, a 13-year-old girl was approached by a white adult of approximately 50 years old and with only one eye. The subject offered her candy and marijuana cigarettes. The minor got on the bus without further incident.

The other case occurred on August 23 at around 3:50 p.m. A 16-year-old female student at Sequoia High School was walking on the sidewalk in the 100 block of Arch Street when she was approached by a Hispanic adult in his late 20s or early 30s with a mid-length beard and paint-spattered clothing. 

The suspect was driving an older white minivan. The unidentified suspect asked the student for a massage in exchange for $150, then left the area and immediately went to Sequoia High School.

The Redwood City Police Department said in a statement that there does not appear to be any connection between the two cases at this time. 

Therefore, if you have information about any of the suspects, please contact the Redwood City Police Department at 650-780-7100.

If you are a student and you are being harassed by a stranger, or if you are the parent of a child in such circumstances, authorities have requested that you notify law enforcement as soon as possible, as the sooner the information is received, the quicker investigators can be assigned to work on it.

 

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Two arrested for the theft of several bicycles in Redwood City

Two arrested for the theft of several bicycles in Redwood City

Two adult men were arrested for stealing several bicycles in Redwood City, after local police found enough evidence that they had stolen more than $50,000 worth of high-end bicycles.

Authorities said that on June 1, the Chain Reaction bike shop in Redwood City was robbed. Thieves made off with more than $50,000 worth of high-end bikes, but detectives were able to determine the involvement of two suspects.

The two arrested are Redwood City residents: José Guadalupe Gómez, 32, and Joe Rivera, 27. 

Both subjects were arrested and booked into the San Mateo County Jail.

The Redwood City Police Department is still investigating this crime as they believe there are additional suspects involved and most of the stolen bikes are still missing. 

They have asked anyone with information about this case to contact Detective Schneider at 650-780-7607.

For tips on any Redwood City case, residents can call 650-780-7110.

 

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Redwood City man arrested on suspicion of hate crime and assault with a deadly weapon

Redwood City man arrested on suspicion of hate crime and assault with a deadly weapon

By Bay City News.

Redwood City police arrested a man Monday on suspicion of a hate crime for violently assaulting a person while making homophobic slurs.  

At approximately 1:38 p.m., Cipriano Munoz, 43, of Redwood City, was allegedly loitering and drinking in the area of 4th Avenue and Spring Street when he swore homophobically at a man and then punched him in the face multiple times, then attacked him in the neck with an aluminum pipe. 

Police said the pipe was part of a crutch that belonged to another person.  

The man suffered minor injuries to his face and neck but refused medical attention, police said.  

Muñoz was arrested and jailed on suspicion of assault with a deadly weapon and a felony hate crime. 

 

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4 arrested in San Mateo on suspicion of theft of fragrances at Sephora

4 arrested in San Mateo on suspicion of theft of fragrances at Sephora

By Keith Burbank. Bay City News.

Four suspects, including two teenagers, were arrested Sunday after a fragrance robbery at Sephora in San Mateo that left more than $3,500 stolen, police said Monday.

The four were arrested at 2:35 p.m. on suspicion of robbery and conspiring to commit a crime.

A loss prevention officer called 911 Sunday to report that three people stole several bottles of fragrance and ran out of the store at the Hillsdale Mall.

The three got into a vehicle waiting in the mall parking lot before it left the area. The loss prevention officer was able to obtain the vehicle's license plate and a description, which he provided to police.

Officers located the suspects in the vehicle attempting to merge onto US Highway 101 and detained them.

They were arrested and officers located 26 bottles of fragrance valued at approximately $3,509. The two adult offenders were taken to the San Mateo County Jail.

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New respiratory syncytial virus vaccine recommended to help babies

New respiratory syncytial virus vaccine recommended to help babies

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention ‒CDC, por sus siglas en inglés‒ están recomendando, a partir de este otoño, para ayudar a proteger a todos los bebés menores de 8 meses y a algunos de más edad en mayor riesgo de enfermarse gravemente, la vacuna contra el virus respiratorio sincitial ‒VRS o RSV, por sus siglas en inglés‒.

La directora de los CDC, Mandy Cohen, adoptó la recomendación del Comité Asesor sobre Prácticas de Vacunación ‒ACIP‒ para el uso del nirsevimab, cuya marca comercial es BeyfortusTM, un producto de anticuerpos monoclonales de acción prolongada, que se ha demostrado que reduce el riesgo de hospitalización, así como las visitas de atención médica debidas al VRS en bebés en aproximadamente un 80 por ciento.

Los anticuerpos son parte de nuestro sistema inmunitario y nos ayudan a luchar contra las infecciones. Sin embargo, los anticuerpos monoclonales son proteínas fabricadas por el ser humano que imitan a los anticuerpos que nuestro cuerpo produce de manera natural. 

Hacer que esta vacuna esté disponible significa que los bebés podrán recibir anticuerpos para prevenir la enfermedad grave por el VRS, lo que proporciona una herramienta crucial para proteger contra un virus que es la principal causa de hospitalización entre los bebés en EE. UU.

El VRS es una de las causas más comunes de enfermedades respiratorias infantiles y causa brotes anuales en todos los grupos de edad. 

Se estima que, entre 58 y 80 mil niños menores de 5 años, la mayoría de ellos bebés, son hospitalizados cada año a nivel nacional debido a la infección por el VRS, y algunos requieren oxígeno, líquidos intravenosos o ventilación mecánica ‒una máquina que ayuda con la respiración‒. 

Cada año, se estima que entre 100 y 300 niños menores de 5 años mueren debido al VRS.

«Esta nueva vacuna contra el VRS les proporciona a los padres una herramienta poderosa para proteger a sus hijos contra la amenaza», dijo la doctora Cohen. «El VRS es la principal causa de hospitalizaciones para los bebés más pequeños y los de más edad en mayor riesgo, y hoy hemos dado un paso importante para hacer que este producto que salva vidas esté disponible», agregó.

Los CDC recomiendan una dosis de nirsevimab para todos los bebés menores de 8 meses, nacidos durante —o que estén pasando por— su primera temporada de VRS, y para un pequeño grupo de niños de entre 8 y 19 meses que estén en mayor riesgo de enfermedad grave por el VRS, como los niños que estén gravemente inmunodeprimidos, se recomienda una dosis en su segunda temporada.

El nirsevimab, que fue aprobado el mes pasado por la Administración de Alimentos y Medicamentos de EE. UU. ‒FDA‒, se administra como una inyección y les proporciona anticuerpos a los bebés y niños pequeños para protegerlos contra la enfermedad grave por el VRS. 

Los CDC señalaron que está previsto que el nirsevimab esté disponible este otoño. Los padres que estén esperando el nacimiento de su bebé y los padres de bebés menores de 8 meses, así como los que tienen bebés de más edad, deberían hablar con los proveedores de atención médica y pedir esta capa adicional de protección contra el VRS esta temporada.

«A medida que nos aproximamos a la temporada de virus respiratorios este otoño, es importante usar estas nuevas herramientas disponibles para ayudar a prevenir la enfermedad grave por el VRS”», puntualizó Cohen. «Aliento a los padres de bebés a que hablen con los pediatras sobre esta nueva vacuna y la importancia de prevenir el VRS grave», afirmó.

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Entertainment industry seeks greater diversity and representation

Entertainment industry seeks greater diversity and representation

La industria del entretenimiento en Hollywood busca romper las barreras presentes en el cine y la televisión, así como en los trabajos creativos de interpretación, escritura, dirección, producción y contenidos, pero principalmente en la forma de cómo se cuentan las historias, pues más allá de lo que vemos en la pantalla existe un mundo de personas que buscan ser representadas y valoradas.

En muchas ocasiones no se toma en cuenta a la comunidad latina, asiática o afrodescendiente por la idea de no ser un buen mercado para invertir en proyectos que terminarán en pérdidas económicas,señaló Michael Tran, coautor del Informe sobre la Diversidad en Hollywood durante una conferencia organizada por Ethnic Media Services.

Los estudios señalan que si se debe considerar la diversidad, porque genera ventas y ganancias, sin embargo, para Tran, la industria del entretenimiento está lejos de la diversidad, no por temas económicos sino por falta de oportunidades.

«Hemos visto más cambios frente de la cámara que detrás, vimos que los actores étnicos si se incrementan, pero los que realmente cuentan las historias, los que entregan los proyectos, son lo que están detrás de las cámaras y no tenemos un cambio verdadero. Si hay un crecimiento visible, pero hay menos diversidad donde se toman las decisiones, eso está cambiando lentamente y estamos en el proceso", he said.

Si bien en la industria del entretenimiento se quedo parada debido a la pandemia y se tuvo que adaptar a la nueva forma de vida, otro tema que comenzó a preocupar es la inteligencia artificial, pues representa una gran revolución en la manera de hacer y pensar los proyectos de cine y televisión, explicó.

Fanny Grande, directora general de Avenida Productions, es una cineasta y actriz que ha vivido dentro de esta industria, por lo que sabe las fallas y los puntos clave para abrir los espacios que están faltando.

Ella explica que los latinos representan el 20 por ciento de la población de Estados Unidos, pero solo reciben el 2.3 por ciento de representación en la televisión y muchos de los espacios solo muestran estereotipos.

Para la cineasta esto no es justo, ya que también venden esos espacios a la comunidad latina y la industria genera ganancias. Los latinos son los mayores consumidores de medios por lo que deberían ser considerados en sus contenidos.

«Existe una percepción de que somos migrantes permanentes y eso no es verdad, estamos siendo representados como él otro o la otra,y cada vez que exigimos representación en Estados Unidos nos dicen que ya tenemos a Televisa, cuando es de otro país».

Los productores que no tienen apoyo se ven obligados a probar suerte por si solos, pues ellos quieren mostrar a las diversas comunidades que viven en Estados Unidos tal cual son, y de esa manera poder conectar la parte creativa con la comunidad, pero el apoyo mutuo se vuelve la única opción.

«Entre los mismos latinos nos apoyamos para hacer crecer la industria del entretenimiento con historias que sí nos representan», puntualizó Fanny Grande.  

Takashi Cheng, director ejecutivo de Chime TV, la única cadena de entretenimiento AAPI en inglés de Estados Unidos, explicó que el progreso es muy lento, pero ya está presente, por eso tomó la oportunidad de crear ese espacio para poder abrir las puertas a la diversidad y que su comunidad sea realmente representada, con sus problemas y sus carencias, con sus esperanzas y sus sueños. 

«Our commitment is to work with each community to highlight their creators, their stories and bring these stories to American platforms, we will cross these communities and help them work together»he said.

Takashi Cheng habló de las barreras que tiene Estados Unidos por el idioma, si bien la lengua que se habla mayormente es inglés, existen muchas comunidades que aún hablan sus propios idiomas, por eso los contenidos en la industria del entretenimiento no conectan con otras comunidades. Es un tema que aún se debe de abordar para encontrar la manera de generar proyectos disponibles en más idiomas. 

Adargiza de los Santos, an Afro-Latin actress and director, seeks to represent Latinos and Afro-Americans. She works hard to show a different reality than the one that they have tried to impose on her.

Para la actriz, hoy se está revolucionando la manera de entretener, se pone la mesa para las generaciones que vienen, se están abriendo las oportunidades para hacer un cambio revolucionario y poder mostrar a las comunidades como realmente son, de esa manera ser comprendidos, representados y escuchados.

Los expertos coinciden en que el apoyo de todas las comunidades será fundamental para impulsar una representación real y abrir los espacios en toda la industria del entretenimiento para mentes nuevas y creativas.

Poner una persona afroamericana, latina o asiática como un objeto visible no es suficiente para hablar de diversidad, debemos mirar a través de sus ojos y sentir a través de su corazón de una manera empática para poder comprender su mundo frente a una pantalla y ese, es el verdadero reto. 

 

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