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Well, the latest terror headlines brought dread; another U.S. citizen has been detained and accused of collaborating with al-Qaeda. Among Latinos that dread went even deeper when it was revealed that the accused 31 year old was Jose Padilla, a Puerto Rican born in New York and raised in Chicago. Padilla had been held by the FBI for a month before details of his detention were made public. According to authorities Padilla is a former gang member who converted to Islam and took on the name Abdullah al-Muhajir. Padilla is accused of not only receiving training from the al-Qaeda network in Pakistan and Afghanistan, but is also suspected of planning to construct and discharge a radioactive dirty bomb, possibly in the Washington D.C. area. Very little is known about Padilla who grew up on the northwest side of Chicago. Latino USA correspondent Yolanda Perdomo went to Padilla's home barrio and prepared this report.

The General Accounting office, which is the non-partisan research arm of the federal government, recently studied claims of racial and sexual discrimination at the nation's three top weapons labs: Los Alamos National Laboratory, Sandia National Laboratory, and Lawrence Livermore Lab. the GAO found evidence of discrimination in the workplace in a study that looked at years 1995 thru 2000. KUNM's Leslie Clarke recently spoke with retire Latino workers from Los Alamos national laboratory who say that for years they endured lower wages and fewer promotions than their white male counterparts.

In Mexico, the recent discovery that genetically modified corn is growing in remote parts of the country is raising concerns about protecting the world's food supply. Now scientist, ecologist, and farmers are concerned that the genetically modified corn could spread and eventually wipe-out the planet's most important bank of corn DNA. Latino USA's Franc Contreras traveled to Oaxaca and file this report.

Encantado is Spanish for pleased to meet you. And 'Encantado' is also the title of the debut recording by the Chuchito Valdes Afro-Cuban ensemble. Now of course his name might sound familiar, that's because Jesus Chuchito Valdes, jr. represents the third generation of great Cuban pianist. His grandfather is Bebo Valdes, who at age 84 is still considered one Cuba's best. His father Chucho Valdes is a keyboard master and founder of the legendary Cuban band Irakere. And although Chuchito also led his fathers band Irakere for two years, 'Encantado' is his first recording as a band leader. Joining us now on Latino USA is Chuchito Valdes.

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Part of the Benson Latin American Collection, The University of Texas at Austin Repository

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