YOUR ONLINE GUIDE TO LATINO L.A.

New Survey Shows Adolescent Latinos in Jeopardy

The Center for Disease Control just released their latest bi-annual federal survey, which shows disturbing results among young Latinos, Latina.com reports. The data discloses Latino high school students use more drugs and attempt suicide at larger rates than black or white students. Furthermore, the figures of sexual activity for Latinos stayed steady while the other two groups of students showed a decline. Experts do not have an explanation for the results, but Howell Wechsler, the director of the CDC’s Division of Adolescent and School Health suggests they could be due to Latinos’ different school environment, and made a point of noting the colossal amount of segregation in schools today. Other specialists believe the statistics could be better understood if parents’ income and education levels were collected as part of the study since it could be attributed to a child’s behavior both in and out of the school. 

U.S, Mexico, Call to End Weapon Smuggling

In recent months levels of violence have skyrocketed as the battle between drug lords and law enforcement officials has turned Mexico into a war zone. Mexican officials say at least 80 percent of all the guns used by drug traffickers have been smuggled in from U.S. border-states, DallasNews.com reports. On Monday, custom investigation officials from both countries revealed their new plan, Armas Cruzadas, which relies on the sharing of databases and the more efficient monitoring of illegal sales at gun shops and shows. In addition, yesterday the U.S. House approved spending $1.6 billion over the next three years to help Mexico and other countries overcome the escalating amount of violence caused by drugs. It is estimated that $74 million of that money will go to the Justice Department to curtail the stream of firearms into Mexico. According to the Department of Alcohol, Tobacco, and Firearms, the largest amount of weapons that were traced came from Houston and Dallas. The action is considered to be an unprecedented event as it marks a newfound cooperation between Mexican and U.S law enforcement agencies. The proposal preceded the inauguration of the Border Enforcement Security Task Force conference in Houston where strategies were drawn out to try and fight cross-border trafficking and gun smuggling.

Salma Hayek to Wed?

Last year Salma Hayek was shopping for baby clothes in preparation for the birth of her daughter, Valentina Paloma. This year she may be shopping for the perfect wedding dress, PeopleEnEspañol.com reports. According to various French publications, the actress and her boyfriend Francois-Henri Pinault are said to be engaged and planning a ceremony in Saint-Tropez for next August. Hayek is currently producing the hit ABC show Ugly Betty while Pinault is the CEO of PPR, a multinational holding company that specializes in retail and luxury brands such as Gucci and Puma. Pinault, who is considered the third richest man in France, began courting Hayek in August 2006, though it was not made public until last year, when Hayek announced her pregnancy.

Thousands of Bolivian Protestors Storm the U.S Embassy

Chaos broke out Monday in La Paz, Bolivia when thousands of protestors rallied together at the U.S Embassy to pressure Washington for the extradition of former Bolivian Defense Minister Carlos Sánchez Berzaín, MSNBC news reports. The outrage occurred over last week’s announcement when Berzaín, (who directed a military crackdown on riots that killed at least 60 people in 2003), told La Paz based Radio Fides that he had been granted political asylum by the U.S more than a year ago. Citizens of El Alto were particularly enraged because a large number of their own family members were gunned down by soldiers in 2003. As they marched onto the grounds of the embassy, demonstrators shot fireworks at the U.S flag that flies just above the building’s wall. Police officers used tear gas to clear the streets, which the Bolivian government deemed an unnecessary act of repression. La Paz’s state police commander along with eight other top policemen in Bolivia were fired Monday night following the riot, but government officials say the change had already been planned and was not in connection with the incident. Howard Gutman, Berzaín’s attorney has declined to discuss whether there is any truth to his client being granted political protection. The only thing he would concede to was the citation of Berzaín’s refuge status in a motion which was filed last month within a Miami federal court to dismiss a U.S. civil case against him.

J-Lo to Debut New Exercise Line