US NATIONAL NEWS

Racist remarks: Hurt, betrayal among LA’s Indigenous people

Published

4 years ago

October 13, 2022

FILE - Los Angeles City Council President Nury Martinez addresses a press conference held at Dodger Stadium on Jan. 15, 2021, in Los Angeles. The president of the Los Angeles City Council resigned from the post Monday, Oct. 10, 2022, after she was heard making racist comments and other coarse remarks in a leaked recording of a conversation with other Latino leaders. Council President Nury Martinez issued an apology and expressed shame. (Irfan Khan/Los Angeles Times via AP, Pool)

LOS ANGELES (AP) — Bricia Lopez has welcomed people of all walks to dine at her family’s popular restaurant on the Indigenous-influenced food of her native Mexican state of Oaxaca — among them Nury Martinez, the first Latina elected president of the Los Angeles City Council.

The restaurant, Guelaguetza, has become an institution known for introducing Oaxaca’s unique cuisine and culture to Angelenos, attracting everyone from immigrant families to Mexican stars to powerful city officials such as Martinez.

But now after a scandal exploded over a recording of Martinez making racist remarks about Oaxacans such as Lopez, the 37-year-old restaurateur and cookbook author said she feels a tremendous sense of betrayal.

Martinez resigned from her council seat Wednesday and offered her apologies. But the disparaging remarks still deeply hurt the city’s immigrants from Oaxaca, which has one of Mexico’s large indigenous populations. Sadly, many said, they are not surprised. Both growing up in their homeland and after reaching the U.S., they say they’ve become accustomed to hearing such stinging comments — not only from non-Latinos but from lighter skinned Mexican immigrants and their descendants.

“Every time these people looked at me in my face, they were all lying to me,” Lopez said. “We should not let these people continue to lie to us and tell us we are less than, or we are ugly, or allow them to laugh at us.”

Following Martinez’ departure, two other Latino City Council members also are facing widespread calls to resign since the year-old recording surfaced of them mocking colleagues while scheming to protect Latino political strength in council districts. Martinez used a disparaging term for the Black son of a white council member and called immigrants from Oaxaca ugly.

“I see a lot of little short dark people,” Martinez said on the recording, referring to an area of the largely Hispanic Koreatown neighborhood. “I was like, I don’t know where these people are from, I don’t know what village they came (from), how they got here.”

Lopez said she heard such racist comments growing up in California but had hoped they would be a thing of the past and that young Oaxacan immigrants would not have to hear them.

“I want people to look at themselves in the mirror every day and see the beauty,” she said.

Oaxaca has more than a dozen ethnicities, including Mixtecos and Zapotecs. The southern Mexican state is known for famously hand-dyed woven rugs, pristine Pacific tourist beaches, a smoky alcohol called Mezcal and sophisticated cuisine including moles — thick sauces crafted from more than two dozen ingredients.

Los Angeles is home to the country’s largest Mexican population and nearly half the city of 4 million people is Latino, census figures show. Informal studies indicate that several hundred thousand Oaxacan immigrants live in California, with the largest concentration in Los Angeles, said Gaspar Rivera-Salgado, director of the University of California, Los Angeles Center for Mexican Studies.

Demeaning language is often used against Mexico’s Indigenous people. It is“the legacy of the colonial period,” Rivera-Salgado said of Spanish rule long ago.

Racism, and colorism — discrimination against darker-skinned people within the same ethnic group — run centuries deep in Mexico and other neighboring Latin American countries. A few years ago, Yalitza Aparicio, the Oscar-nominated actress in “Roma” who is from Oaxaca, faced racist comments in her country and derogatory tirades online over her Indigenous features after she appeared on the cover of Vogue México.

Odilia Romero said the scandal doesn’t surprise her. The Oaxacan community leader is among many who had been pressing for the resignation of Martinez, the daughter of Mexican immigrants, and the two other councilmembers on the recorded conversation.

Romero said she’s also fielded calls since the scandal broke, including from someone urging her not to let the hurtful remarks distract from critical working aiding the immigrant community.

“That is a very paternalist comment,” said Romero, executive director of the group Comunidades Indigenas en Liderazgo or CIELO and a Zapotec interpreter. “How dare you tell us Indigenous people that we are not understanding. Of course we understand — we see this every day.”

Lynn Stephen, an anthropology professor at University of Oregon who researches Mexican migration and Indigenous peoples, said the concept of mestizaje — or being a mixed-race and non-racial unified nation — intended to erase Indigenous communities, not uplift them, and the discrimination persists to this day. It is carried to the United States with those who migrate, she said, while similar divisions also exist in other Latin American countries.

“These kinds of comments directed toward Indigenous people from non-Indigenous people from Mexico, Guatemala, etc., it’s a different kind of layer of racism,” Stephen said. “Folks from Oaxaca they have to contend with anti-immigrant and anti-Mexican backlash and racism often from non-Latino Americans, white Americans, sometimes other folks, and then within that, often where they’re living or in school.”

Ofelia Platon, a tenant organizer, went to the Los Angeles city council chambers recently to demand the officials step down. She said she hasn’t experienced discrimination from within the Latino community as much as from outside it, but there’s no place for such — especially coming from elected leaders the poor count on to help improve their lives.

“They think they have the power to step on people,” she said. “They’re two-faced.”

It’s not just the hurtful remarks that sting Xóchitl M. Flores-Marcial, a Zapotec scholar and professor of Chicana/o Studies at California State University, Northridge. She called it very telling about the officials who make decisions affecting her community. She said she grew up in the United States hearing hurtful words and still faces similar rejection whenever she travels to Oaxaca and people there are surprised she’s the research team leader.

“It’s so painful because those are consequential people,” she said. “This is hurting us — not just our emotions, but our actual life in terms of our jobs and our opportunities.”

Still she said she has hope for future generations in “Oaxacalifornia” — the tight-knit community that has maintained traditions while embracing life in Los Angeles.

Sports

GM Brands Dominate Detroit as Cadillac and Corvette Capture IMSA Chevrolet Detroit Sports Car Classic Wins

Published

4 days ago

May 31, 2026

FNN NEWS

DETROIT (FNN SPORTS) — Cadillac and Chevrolet celebrated a historic hometown sweep Saturday as both General Motors brands captured class victories in the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship’s Chevrolet Detroit Sports Car Classic.

Competing in the shadow of General Motors’ Renaissance Center headquarters along the Detroit Riverwalk, the No. 31 Cadillac Whelen Cadillac V-Series.R driven by Jack Aitken and Earl Bamber dominated the 100-minute race to secure the overall victory and Grand Touring Prototype (GTP) class win.

In Grand Touring Daytona Pro (GTD PRO), Antonio Garcia and Alexander Sims powered the No. 3 Corvette Racing by Pratt Miller Motorsports Corvette Z06 GT3.R to victory, giving Chevrolet a celebrated win on its home turf.

Cadillac Continues Detroit Dominance

The No. 31 Cadillac controlled the race from start to finish, executing a near-flawless performance in front of General Motors executives, employees, and supporters.

The victory marked Cadillac’s fifth IMSA triumph in Detroit, adding to previous wins in 2017, 2018, 2021, and 2022. The result also extended the No. 31 team’s streak to seven consecutive GTP podium finishes.

“To do it here at the home of GM and Cadillac with so many friends and family with us, my team absolutely nailed it,” Aitken said after the race.

The No. 25 BMW M Team WRT BMW M Hybrid V8 finished second in class, while the No. 10 Cadillac Wayne Taylor Racing Cadillac V-Series.R completed the GTP podium.

Meanwhile, the No. 93 Acura Meyer Shank Racing with Curb Agajanian Acura ARX-06 earned the IMSA Michelin Sustainability in Racing Award with its fourth-place finish.

Corvette Capitalizes on Late-Race Drama

While Cadillac’s victory was largely under control, the GTD PRO race featured significant late-race drama.

Garcia nearly lost the lead when Jack Hawksworth attempted a pass entering Turn 1 in the No. 14 Vasser Sullivan Racing Lexus RC F GT3. Contact between the two cars triggered a penalty against Hawksworth, whose Lexus received a drive-through penalty for incident responsibility.

Despite the pressure, Garcia maintained control on the final restart to secure his first IMSA victory in Detroit and the 32nd IMSA win of his career.

“Super happy to be in victory lane in Chevrolet land,” Garcia said. “I think all the big bosses will be very happy, as we are. It was a fantastic drive by Alex, who put the car on pole and opened a big gap early.”

The late-race chaos opened the door for the No. 9 Pfaff Motorsports Lamborghini Temerario GT3 driven by Andrea Caldarelli and Sandy Mitchell to earn the new car’s first podium finish in second place.

The No. 65 Ford Mustang GT3 driven by Christopher Mies and Frederic Vervisch rounded out the GTD PRO podium in third.

Championship Battle Tightens Heading to Watkins Glen

Both class winners started from the Motul Pole Award position and successfully converted pole into victory despite two late caution periods that reshuffled the field and intensified competition during the closing laps.

The victory unofficially moves Aitken into the lead of the GTP championship standings, while the No. 4 Corvette pairing of Nicky Catsburg and Tommy Milner maintains the GTD PRO points lead, though by a reduced margin.

The IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship returns June 28 for the Sahlen’s Six Hours of The Glen at Watkins Glen International, one of the premier endurance races on the North American sports car calendar.

Tech

NASA Rolls Out Massive SLS Rocket Stage for Artemis III Mission to Kennedy Space Center

Published

2 months ago

April 13, 2026

Willie David

Pictured above is the top four-fifths of the SLS (Space Launch System) core stage – the section containing the liquid hydrogen tank, liquid oxygen tank, intertank, and forward skirt. NASA will roll the largest section of the agency’s SLS rocket that will launch the second crewed Artemis mission under the Artemis III mission out of NASA’s Michoud Assembly Facility on Monday, April 20. Credit: NASA

NEW ORLEANS (FNN) — NASA will roll out the largest section of its Space Launch System rocket on Monday, April 20, marking a major milestone for the Artemis III mission.

The section, representing the top four-fifths of the SLS core stage, is being moved from NASA’s Michoud Assembly Facility in New Orleans. It includes the liquid hydrogen tank, liquid oxygen tank, intertank and forward skirt. The structure will be loaded onto NASA’s Pegasus barge for transport to Kennedy Space Center in Florida.

CORE STAGE DELIVERY AND INTEGRATION

Once the core stage arrives at Kennedy Space Center, teams will complete final outfitting and vertical integration. The hardware will then be transferred to NASA’s Exploration Ground Systems Program for stacking and launch preparation.

The Artemis III engine section and boat-tail, which protects the engines during launch, were previously moved to the Vehicle Assembly Building in July 2025. The four RS-25 engines are scheduled to arrive from Stennis Space Center in Mississippi no later than July 2026 for integration.

POWERING THE ARTEMIS III MISSION

Equipped with four RS-25 engines, the SLS core stage will generate more than 2 million pounds of thrust, enabling the launch of astronauts aboard the Orion spacecraft.

Artemis III is currently targeted for launch in 2027, following the successful Artemis II mission, which completed a crewed flight around the Moon on April 10.

NASA’S MOON-TO-MARS STRATEGY

The Artemis III mission is part of NASA’s broader Artemis program, aimed at returning astronauts to the Moon and establishing a sustained human presence.

The mission will test critical capabilities, including rendezvous and docking between the Orion spacecraft and commercial systems needed for future lunar landings, currently planned for 2028.

NASA is working in partnership with Boeing, the SLS core stage lead contractor, and L3Harris Technologies, the lead contractor for the RS-25 engines. The core stage remains the backbone of the SLS rocket and is manufactured at the Michoud Assembly Facilit

Tech

NASA’s Artemis II Astronauts Begin Historic Journey Around the Moon After Key Orion Engine Burn

Published

2 months ago

April 3, 2026

Willie David

Earth's crescent is seen from a solar array camera on the Orion spacecraft on the first flight day of the Artemis II mission. Credit: NASA

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. (FNN) — For the first time in more than 50 years, astronauts on a NASA mission are headed around the Moon after successfully completing a critical burn of the Orion spacecraft’s main engine.

The approximately six-minute firing of Orion’s service module engine Thursday — known as the translunar injection burn — accelerated the spacecraft and its crew beyond Earth’s orbit, placing them on a trajectory toward the Moon.

Aboard the spacecraft are NASA astronauts Reid Wiseman, Victor Glover and Christina Koch, along with Canadian Space Agency astronaut Jeremy Hansen.

“Today, for the first time since Apollo 17 in 1972, humans have departed Earth orbit,” said Dr. Lori Glaze, acting associate administrator for NASA’s Exploration Systems Development Mission Directorate. “Reid, Victor, Christina and Jeremy now are on a precise trajectory toward the Moon. Orion is operating with crew for the first time in space, and we are gathering critical data and learning from each step.”

NASA’s Space Launch System rocket and Orion spacecraft lifted off from Launch Pad 39B at Kennedy Space Center at 6:35 p.m. EDT on April 1, beginning a planned 10-day test mission around the Moon and back.

Successful Launch and Spacecraft Activation

Shortly after reaching space, Orion deployed its four solar array wings, allowing the spacecraft to generate power from the Sun. The crew and mission controllers then began transitioning the spacecraft from launch to normal flight operations while checking critical onboard systems.

About 49 minutes into the flight, the rocket’s upper stage fired to place Orion into an elliptical orbit around Earth. A second burn propelled the spacecraft — named “Integrity” by the crew — into a high Earth orbit extending roughly 46,000 miles above the planet for nearly 24 hours of system testing.

Following the maneuver, Orion separated from the upper stage and began flying independently.

System Tests and Crew Operations in Space

During the early phase of the mission, the astronauts conducted a manual piloting demonstration to evaluate Orion’s handling capabilities using the Interim Cryogenic Propulsion Stage as a docking target.

After the test, Orion executed an automated departure burn to safely move away from the stage. The propulsion stage later performed a disposal burn before re-entering Earth’s atmosphere over a remote area of the Pacific Ocean.

Before its re-entry, four small CubeSats were deployed from the rocket’s Orion stage adapter to conduct separate scientific missions.

Mission teams also transitioned communications to NASA’s Deep Space Network while the crew adjusted to the space environment. Astronauts completed their first rest periods, performed onboard exercise routines, restored the spacecraft’s toilet to normal operations and prepared the spacecraft for the translunar injection burn.

Lunar Flyby and Artemis Program Goals

The crew is scheduled to conduct a lunar flyby Monday, April 6, when astronauts will capture high-resolution images and make observations of the Moon’s surface — including portions of the lunar far side rarely seen directly by humans.

Although the far side will only be partially illuminated during the flyby, the lighting conditions are expected to cast long shadows across the terrain, highlighting ridges, slopes and crater rims that are difficult to observe under full sunlight.

After completing the flyby, the astronauts will return to Earth and splash down in the Pacific Ocean off the coast of San Diego.

The mission marks a major milestone for NASA’s Artemis program, which aims to send astronauts on increasingly ambitious missions to explore the Moon, advance scientific discovery, stimulate economic growth and prepare for the first crewed missions to Mars.