Page One Daily News - July 30, 2010

* U.S.

Univision Posts Big 2nd Quarter Earnings
Univision scores goal with World Cup, posts huge gains in 2nd quarter earnings

Revenues spiked 23% to $640 million, and operating profits jumped 20% to $272 million compared to the same period last year. Univision's revenue for the first 6 months of the year also climbed 17% to $1.09 billion. Revenues related to Univision's World Cup coverage came in at $74 million, with about $5 million stemming from the network's online coverage. This is the 4th consecutive year Univision ranked No. 3 in primetime ratings, and the company announced it would sweep all broadcast or cable networks in July in the coveted 18-34 segment.
Jul-29-2010 05:07pm

Law to Reduce Crack/Powder Cocaine Sentencing Disparity
New law to significantly reduce the current disparity in sentencing between crack and powdered cocaine offenses

The new law reduces the sentencing disparity from 100-1 to only 18-1, and will also reduce racial disparities and save tax dollars, say advocates of drug policy reform. The Senate passed an identical bill in March and the legislation is now heading to President Obama, who is believed to support the reform effort. Before the changes, a person with just five grams of crack received a mandatory sentence of five years in prison. That same person would have to possess 500 grams of powder cocaine to earn the same punishment. This discrepancy was enacted in the late 1980s and was based on myths about crack cocaine being more dangerous than powder, according to the Drug Policy Alliance, which has campaigned for a change to the law. “This is a historic day, with House Republicans and Democrats in agreement that U.S. drug laws are too harsh and must be reformed,” said Jasmine L. Tyler, deputy director of national affairs for the Drug Policy Alliance. “The tide is clearly turning against the failed war on drugs.” Critics say the old law said it unfairly targeted low-level offenders instead of dangerous criminals. African Americans comprise 82% of those convicted for federal crack cocaine offenses but only 30% of crack users, and 62% of people convicted for crack offenses were low-level sellers or lookouts. The new law also eliminates the five year mandatory minimum sentence for simple possession of five grams of cocaine, the first time a mandatory minimum sentence has been lifted since the 1970s. The new law is expected to reduce the federal prison population by thousands of offenders and save an estimated $42 million in criminal justice spending over the first five years, says the Drug Policy Alliance.  
Jul-29-2010 05:07pm

* MIAMI

Wealthy Miamians Concerned About Economy
According to a Merrill Lynch report, even Miami's affluent residents worry about certain parts of the economy

The investment bank's quarterly report on wealthy Americans with investable assets of more than $250,000, found that 69% of Miami's elite lose sleep over the rising costs of health care, compared to 65% nationally, the South Florida Business Journal reported. Affluent Miamians also said they were concerned about their retirement savings (62%), whether they would be able to maintain their lifestyle (59%), and half (50%) said they would hold off on retiring, up from 30%. Conversely, only 33% are concerned about boosting their savings to prerecession levels and 35% are worried about rising education costs.
Jul-29-2010 05:07pm

Report: Bacteria in Waters off Sunny Isles Beach
Pelicans to blame for high levels of bacteria in the water off Sunny Isles Beach

The report released Wed. by the Natural Resources Defense Council said Sunny Isles Beach had above-average levels of dangerous bacteria in its waters more often than any other beach in Miami-Dade or Broward counties in 2009, The Miami Herald reported. The NRDC, which measured levels of bacteria near beaches around the country, said the beach water in Sunny Isles was polluted with above-average levels of bacteria 41% of the time. That tied for last in Florida with 7 other beaches. A city spokeswoman told the herald that the bacteria most likely came from pelican droppings and that the city would organize a cleanup effort. The NRDC said in its report that bacteria could cause health problems such as skin rashes, respiratory problems, dysentery, hepatitis, even eye and ear infections. Miami Beach at 53rd street and at 21st street, and Crandon Park in Key Biscayne had levels between 10 to 16%. South Beach, on the other hand, got a 4-star rating.
Jul-29-2010 05:07pm

* MEXICO

Anti-Immigrant Law Blocked
A U.S. judge temporarily suspended Arizona law SB1070 to go into effect today

Federal judge Susan R. Bolton partially blocked anti-immigrant Arizona law SB1070 which goes into effect today, July 29. The judge suspended some of the law's regulations, thereby stopping police from having to detain individuals in order to check their immigration documents and suspending immigrants' obligation to always carry their residency documents. These suspensions are based on the principle of returning to federal institutions their traditional role in regulating immigration policy, Bolton said. The suspensions can be interpreted as a victory for the Obama administration and its immigration policies and a defeat for Arizona's Gov. Jan Brewer.
Jul-29-2010 05:07pm

Electricians to the Airport
The electricians union threatens to occupy Mexico City's airport if negotiations with the government fail

If there is no progress at the negotiation table at which sit the federal government and the Mexican Electricians Union there would be more demonstrations, warned union leader Martin Esparza who did not rule out occupying facilities at Mexico City's Benito Juárez International Airport. At a meeting with the leadership of the National Union of Workers (UNT), attended by Agustin Rodriguez of the UNAM union, and Francisco Hernandez Juarez of the telephone workers union, Esparza recalled that during the "truce" achieved some days ago with the head of the capital city's government, Marcelo Ebrard -- which involved an agreement not to block roads -- Esparza warned Ebrard of the union's intention to occupy Mexico City's airport.
Jul-29-2010 05:07pm

Carlos Slim in Manhattan
The Mexican tycoon acquired a mansion in New York City's Central Park for $44 million

Mexican tycoon Carlos Slim acquired the only private mansion left on Fifth Avenue in Manhattan, New York City, for $44 million. The residence is located almost directly in front of the Musuem of Modern Art in Central Park and was constructed in 1901. Its owners were heirs of tobacco businessman Benjamin Duke.
Jul-29-2010 05:07pm

* COLOMBIA

Obama Passes on Santos Swearing In Ceremony
The U.S. leader will send his national security advisor to Juan Manuel Santos's swearing in ceremony

President Barack Obama announced this Wed. that National Security Advisor James Jones, representing the U.S. government, will attend the swearing in ceremony for Colombia's President-elect Juan Manuel Santos. The White House reported that, as well as Jones, the U.S. delegation will include the U.S. ambassador in Bogota, William Brownfield.
Jul-28-2010 06:07pm

Harsh Criticism
Possible naming of ex presidential candidate German Vargas Lleras as defense minister stirs great controversy

Faced with increased rumors that German Vargas Lleras would be named defense minister, Vice President Francisco Santos rejected this possibility saying that naming the former presidential candidate would be a mistake by President-elect Juan Manuel Santos. The official emphasized that naming Vargas to lead that department would be like "having the mouse guard the cheese." He added that naming Vargas would send the following message to President Alvaro Uribe: "Well, you can go to hell. Such an appointment says to the coalition or to Uribe supporters, 'I don't care if this person has betrayed President Uribe and the coalition twice, I don't care and I'm going to name him defense minister.'" These statements generated various reactions among diverse political sectors in the country. According to the chairman of Congress, Armando Benedetti, the high ranking official's appointments represent a political position, adding that the person who names the ministers is the president. Other legislators said that the vice president's remarks were irresponsible and imprudent. Some analysts maintain that the vice president's position seeks only to prevent Vargas's nomination to the new Cabinet and warned that this could unleash the first political crisis for President-elect Juan Manuel Santos who has yet to assume his post.
Jul-28-2010 06:07pm

* PERU

Operations Still Stuck
Despite promises, Doe Run fails to resume operations

Despite promising the government it would do so today, the Doe Run Peru (DRP) company did not resume operations at its facility located in La Oroya. In a press release issued yesterday, the mining firm revealed that it would not resume activities because it is still negotiating with its creditors in order to comply with the agreements it has made with the executive branch last year. According to the deal signed between both parties, DRP should have turned in to the government, last Thurs., trust contracts and an estimate of its agreements with creditors. Presently, DRP owes $110 million to complete its Environmental Requalification Program (PAMA). The failure to fufill these obligations will mean that the refinery in La Oroya will remain closed for weeks.
Jul-27-2010 07:07pm

Ormeno Seizure
Sunat seizes 140 buses from the Ormeno transportation firm

The National Superintendent of Tax Administration (Sunat) seized 140 buses used for inter-province transportation and owned by the Ormeno firm. The seizure is part of a legal collections action taken by Sunat against companies in the transportation sector which have failed to pay their taxes. Ormeno, a well-known company in the sector, owes S/. 24 million in taxes.
Jul-27-2010 06:07pm

* ECUADOR

Galapagos Off Endangered List
UNESCO's Heritage Committee withdraws the Galapagos Islands from its endangered list

With 14 votes in favor, 5 against, and one abstention, the United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) chose to remove the Galapagos Islands from its endangered world heritage list. The organization specified that UNESCO made the decision "after analyzing reports on the state of conservation in the Galapagos Islands and confirming that Ecuador's government is committed to continuing to improve the state of the archipelago."
Jul-28-2010 07:07pm