Thursday, July 08, 2004
(COPA News at the Bottom of Today’s Summary)
Trans-Oceanic Highway: National Geographic asks, "Can Tourists Save a Peruvian Rain Forest?" in an article about Amazon Center for Environmental Education and Research (ACEER) and their work in Madre de Dios. One of ACEER's goals is "a controversial road project that aims to connect the Pacific and Atlantic Oceans. The highway is expected to run through Puerto Maldonado soon and promises to increase development in the region." CITED: Roger Mustalish (ACEER's president), Diego Shoobridge (director of the ParksWatch's Peruvian division). ALSO: "The National Geographic Society is helping fund the facility, which ACEER operates in partnership with the Peruvian ecotourism company Inkaterra. The facility, called ACEER-Tambopata at Inkaterra (ATI), is open to tourists and scientists from around the world." NOTE: "As plans for the paved road—known as the Transoceanica—take shape, ACEER is creating a series of computer models that demonstrate potential impacts of the project based on varying levels of conservation." WHAT? "ACEER is constructing a canopy walkway in the cloud forest between the Andes mountains and the Amazon Basin. Partners in the project include Amazon Conservation Association and the National Geographic Society."
CGTP Union Leader Threatened: The Voice of America reports (based on Reuters) that Mario Huaman Rivera, head of the Confederación General de Trabajadores del Perú, "says a package containing a hand grenade was sent to his home" a week before the planned July 14 national strike he is organizing." NOTE: "He says the government or other unspecified groups could have been responsible." DETAILS: "Mr. Huaman says a man delivered the package and a flower arrangement to his house on Tuesday. He says his wife later received a phone call warning not to open the package because it contained an explosive device." SEE ALSO: This June 21 interview Huaman gave to Reuters.
BEER Wars: Dow Jones (last item) and Just Drinks report that Brazilian brewer "Ambev has said that its battle to show that the Peruvian brewer Union de Cervecerias Peruanas Backus & Johnston (Backus), has alledgedly abused its monopoly position hasn't been decided yet. Ambev and Backus are in a legal fight that centres around the demand by Ambev to be able to use the bottles that Backus also uses in the local market." SEPARATELY: Dow Jones reports that Colombian brewer Bavaria "has again denied paying any bribes to help it win control of Backus." According to company president Ricardo Obregon: "In the name of the Bavaria group I have to express my absolute indignation for the campaign that has started to damage our image. Bavaria hasn't paid any bribe to any official in Peru nor anywhere else in the world."
Mining Las Bambas, cont.: Dow Jones reports on the five companies who "remain very interested in the Las Bambas copper project [in Apurimac] now that the bidding regulations and the date for the auction have changed," according to Ministry of Mines and Energy Jaime Quijandria, who "declined to name the five companies." NOTE: "The bidding rules have been changed to include the $40 million base price but no minimum royalty." SEE ALSO: 'Mining Las Bambas' in yesterday's Peruvia.
More Mining:
- Reuters reports that Peru's copper output in May "rose to 77,392 tonnes, up 14.1% compared with the same month in 2003, on the back of a 2-1/2 fold production increase at Tintaya mine, a unit of BHP Billiton," according to the Ministry of Mining and Energy.
- Bloomberg reports that Monterrico Metals shares "rose to a record high in London after its partner in the Pico Machay gold project in Peru, Absolut Resources Corp., said it found gold during exploratory drilling."
- Dow Jones reports that "gold output totaled 13,340 kilograms in May, down 6.3% compared with the same month a year before," according to the Ministry of Mines and Energy. NOTE: "The decline was due mainly to weaker production at Barrick Gold Corp.'s Pierina mine due to lower grade ore, and at Minera Yanacocha, due to a reduction in mineral treated.
- Canadian Press reports that "Canadian Shield Resources has struck a deal to acquire most of the Peruvian gold and copper exploration assets of Gallant Minerals ... for cash and shares worth about $1.1 million US. As well, Canadian Shield will have to spend $1.5 million US on the properties over the next two years."
P-PK On the Economy, cont.: Reuters reports that "Peru wants to issue $1 billion in 10- to 15-year bonds to prepay obligations to its biggest creditor, the so-called Paris Club," according to the Minister of Economy Finances Pedro Pablo Kuczynski who said, ""We owe about $700 (million) to $800 (million) a year in amortizations (to the Paris Club) for the next five years, and what we'd like to do is reduce this by around $200 million ... refinancing this in the market." NOTE: "As of March, Peru owed $8.543 billion to the Paris Club ... of that, $1.09 billion falls due in 2005, the crunch year for Paris Club repayments." ALSO: When asked about this year's GDP, P-PK responded, "This is a bit like the Romans looking at chicken livers to see what the weather will be like. Who knows, maybe we'll reach 5%; the last quarter looks very good." SEPARATELY: Reuters follows up on yesterday's Bloomberg piece on the Central Bank's possible lifting of "interest rates to keep its annual inflation goal on track," according to severl analysts including Guillermo Diaz (Banco Wiese Sudameris) and Pablo Secada (Peruvian Institute of Economy). NOTE: The Central Bank's board next meets in early August. ALSO: "Economy Minister Pedro Pablo Kuczynski this week expressed concern over rising prices, but said it was a temporary blip and he was sure the Central Bank would take necessary steps."
Diez Canseco at MercoSur: Reuters notes through a photograph that Minister of Commerce Alfredo Diez Canseco attended the Mercosur economic bloc summit official photo, at their hotel in Puerto Iguazu, Argentina.
Yankee Says Telefonica Doesn't Charge Enough The Yankee Group editorializes: "Peru Pushes Too Far with Tariff Decreases." Included: OSIPTEL's May revision of Telefónica del Perú’s productivity factor which will determine tariffs from 2004 to 2007. NOTE: "There are significant risks if price cap formulas are wrong. If set too high, price caps open opportunities for incumbents to reap excessive profits, with no guarantee that cost savings will be passed onto consumers. If set too low, price controls act as disincentives for market entry." The Yankee Group provides telecommunications strategies for Latin American companies. SEE ALSO: 'Peruvia to Telefonica: 'No Deal' in June 10's Peruvia.
Is Peru the Economic Model?: The Manila Bulletin reports on the debate in the Philippine's national congress about whether taxes are needed to "prevent fiscal crisis" and states that Rep. Jesli Lapus, vice chairman of the House committee on ways and means, "suggested that the government may consider adopting the measure taken by the Peruvian government, which started with making its citizens aware of the importance of the issuance of official receipts. Through that measure, Peru was able to track down tax cheats like doctors, entrepreneurs, and other professionals who misdeclare their incomes. [Said] Lapuz, "I suggest that the Philippine government adopt the Peru model, which was proven to be effective." SEPARATELY: The Economist has an article on 'How Alejandro Toledo became Latin America's least popular president.' The Answer: "Strikes, Sleaze and Violence."
Red Cross Honours Documentary on Peru: The International Red Cross announced in a press release that they awarded their Press Prize at the 44th Monte Carlo Television Festival on 3 July to director Daniel Pera, journalist Andrés Luque and cameraman Jesús Mata of the Spanish television network TVE for their documentary entitled Perú, la verdad sobre el espanto (Peru: the truth about the horror). "The 52-minute film reports on the tragic consequences of the armed conflict between the Peruvian armed forces, the Tupac Amaru Revolutionary Movement and the Shining Path. ALSO: "The ICRC Press Prize encourages television networks to promote international humanitarian law in their programming and to draw attention to “forgotten” conflicts. This was skilfully managed by the winning team, who pieced together the accounts of many individuals to reveal the horror experienced by Peru’s civilian population." IN SPANISH: See TVE's press release.
Peruvian Complains in the Philippines: The Philippines' Freeman runs a whole article on Ana Maria Espinoza, a Peruvian delegate to the international meeting of veterinarians in Cebu who "complained to Philippine Airlines about her luggage having been pilfered" at the Mactan Cebu International Airport. Espinoza is the Directora General at the Centro de Produccion Biologicos which is part of the Instituto Nacional de Salud. MISSING: Her set of jewelry - necklace, earrings and ring. Yet while the other foreigner was being reimbursed for the damaged baggage, Espinoza’s request for reimbursement was denied.”
Scholarship for Journalists: International Journalists' Network notes that there are scholarships for Peruvian journalists (among others) for an Internet seminar in the Netherlands from May 9 to June 17, 2005. Scholarships "cover travel, accommodation and course fees."
Peruvian Stopping Chagas: The Science and Development Network reports that researchers in Peru and Spain "say they have taken an important step towards developing a vaccine against Chagas disease, which infects an estimated 12 million people in Latin America, killing tens of thousands each year." A protein "being used in the potential vaccine controls ... was identified by Ofélia Magdalena Córdoba, of the University of Trujillo.
Peruvian with Zampoña in USA Airforce: The USA Air Force Link reports on Airman Fredy Pasco, of the 22nd Maintenance Operations Squadron, may be "the only zampoña player" in the Air Force. (The piece has run in other media including the last page of this newsletter.) NOTE: "Airman Pasco touched American soil for the first time April 16, 1998." ALSO: “I’m a Hispanic; I came from the very bottom of the United States,” he said. “I lived in a trailer and sometimes didn’t have food to eat.”
Movies at Leoncio Prado: The [North] Korean Central News Agency "Korean documentary films "'Iron-Ranks, Korean People's Army" and "Panmunjom" were shown at Leoncio Prado Military School of Peru on June 28."
Other Sports:
- Denver's Rocky Mountain News reports on jockey Rafael Bejarano, "the 22-year-old rider from Peru [who] won the spring meet riding title at Churchill Downs, bringing home more winners than Hall of Famer Pat Day."
- The Los Angeles Times previews the Honda Element U.S. Open of Surfing and notes that "in the women's field, more big names are entered like Sofia Mulanovich, the World Championship Tour ratings leader from Peru. Mulanovich won three in a row in Fiji, Tahiti and France and looks like a shoo-in for the women's world title this year. She also surfs Huntington well."
________________________________________________
COPA America
NOTE: Official Schedule; Reuters has the leading scorers.
Game of the Day: Argentina's 6-1 victory over Ecuador is 'a rout' (Bloomberg), 'agoalfest' in the Washington Post, 'a thrashing' (CNA), 'a romp' in Miami Herald and 'a smash' (VOA and Australia's news agency.) See also Agence France Press, Reuters, Xinhua, and FIFA reviews and a separate Reuters story which ponders the resignation of Ecuador's coach and yet another Reuters story on the Argentine version of the story. The Los Angeles Times focuses on Uruguay's 2-2 tie with Mexico in Chiclayo (see also Reuters).
More Photos Surrounding the Copa: Reuters offers several photos of the ceremonies surrounding the Copa in Lima and The Northern Report has F-O-T-O-S of street celebrations in Chiclayo.
Round Up of News:
- Peru v. Venezuela: SquareFootball says the odds are 8/15 for Peru. The Times of London thinks Venezuela can pull it off.
- Colombia 1 - Venezuela 0: Reuters
- Brazil v. Chile: Reuters #1 and Reuters #2
- Mexico v. Uruguay: Associated Press
- Paraguay v. Costa Rica: Associated Press
________________________________________________
|
Trans-Oceanic Highway: National Geographic asks, "Can Tourists Save a Peruvian Rain Forest?" in an article about Amazon Center for Environmental Education and Research (ACEER) and their work in Madre de Dios. One of ACEER's goals is "a controversial road project that aims to connect the Pacific and Atlantic Oceans. The highway is expected to run through Puerto Maldonado soon and promises to increase development in the region." CITED: Roger Mustalish (ACEER's president), Diego Shoobridge (director of the ParksWatch's Peruvian division). ALSO: "The National Geographic Society is helping fund the facility, which ACEER operates in partnership with the Peruvian ecotourism company Inkaterra. The facility, called ACEER-Tambopata at Inkaterra (ATI), is open to tourists and scientists from around the world." NOTE: "As plans for the paved road—known as the Transoceanica—take shape, ACEER is creating a series of computer models that demonstrate potential impacts of the project based on varying levels of conservation." WHAT? "ACEER is constructing a canopy walkway in the cloud forest between the Andes mountains and the Amazon Basin. Partners in the project include Amazon Conservation Association and the National Geographic Society."
CGTP Union Leader Threatened: The Voice of America reports (based on Reuters) that Mario Huaman Rivera, head of the Confederación General de Trabajadores del Perú, "says a package containing a hand grenade was sent to his home" a week before the planned July 14 national strike he is organizing." NOTE: "He says the government or other unspecified groups could have been responsible." DETAILS: "Mr. Huaman says a man delivered the package and a flower arrangement to his house on Tuesday. He says his wife later received a phone call warning not to open the package because it contained an explosive device." SEE ALSO: This June 21 interview Huaman gave to Reuters.
BEER Wars: Dow Jones (last item) and Just Drinks report that Brazilian brewer "Ambev has said that its battle to show that the Peruvian brewer Union de Cervecerias Peruanas Backus & Johnston (Backus), has alledgedly abused its monopoly position hasn't been decided yet. Ambev and Backus are in a legal fight that centres around the demand by Ambev to be able to use the bottles that Backus also uses in the local market." SEPARATELY: Dow Jones reports that Colombian brewer Bavaria "has again denied paying any bribes to help it win control of Backus." According to company president Ricardo Obregon: "In the name of the Bavaria group I have to express my absolute indignation for the campaign that has started to damage our image. Bavaria hasn't paid any bribe to any official in Peru nor anywhere else in the world."
Mining Las Bambas, cont.: Dow Jones reports on the five companies who "remain very interested in the Las Bambas copper project [in Apurimac] now that the bidding regulations and the date for the auction have changed," according to Ministry of Mines and Energy Jaime Quijandria, who "declined to name the five companies." NOTE: "The bidding rules have been changed to include the $40 million base price but no minimum royalty." SEE ALSO: 'Mining Las Bambas' in yesterday's Peruvia.
More Mining:
- Reuters reports that Peru's copper output in May "rose to 77,392 tonnes, up 14.1% compared with the same month in 2003, on the back of a 2-1/2 fold production increase at Tintaya mine, a unit of BHP Billiton," according to the Ministry of Mining and Energy.
- Bloomberg reports that Monterrico Metals shares "rose to a record high in London after its partner in the Pico Machay gold project in Peru, Absolut Resources Corp., said it found gold during exploratory drilling."
- Dow Jones reports that "gold output totaled 13,340 kilograms in May, down 6.3% compared with the same month a year before," according to the Ministry of Mines and Energy. NOTE: "The decline was due mainly to weaker production at Barrick Gold Corp.'s Pierina mine due to lower grade ore, and at Minera Yanacocha, due to a reduction in mineral treated.
- Canadian Press reports that "Canadian Shield Resources has struck a deal to acquire most of the Peruvian gold and copper exploration assets of Gallant Minerals ... for cash and shares worth about $1.1 million US. As well, Canadian Shield will have to spend $1.5 million US on the properties over the next two years."
P-PK On the Economy, cont.: Reuters reports that "Peru wants to issue $1 billion in 10- to 15-year bonds to prepay obligations to its biggest creditor, the so-called Paris Club," according to the Minister of Economy Finances Pedro Pablo Kuczynski who said, ""We owe about $700 (million) to $800 (million) a year in amortizations (to the Paris Club) for the next five years, and what we'd like to do is reduce this by around $200 million ... refinancing this in the market." NOTE: "As of March, Peru owed $8.543 billion to the Paris Club ... of that, $1.09 billion falls due in 2005, the crunch year for Paris Club repayments." ALSO: When asked about this year's GDP, P-PK responded, "This is a bit like the Romans looking at chicken livers to see what the weather will be like. Who knows, maybe we'll reach 5%; the last quarter looks very good." SEPARATELY: Reuters follows up on yesterday's Bloomberg piece on the Central Bank's possible lifting of "interest rates to keep its annual inflation goal on track," according to severl analysts including Guillermo Diaz (Banco Wiese Sudameris) and Pablo Secada (Peruvian Institute of Economy). NOTE: The Central Bank's board next meets in early August. ALSO: "Economy Minister Pedro Pablo Kuczynski this week expressed concern over rising prices, but said it was a temporary blip and he was sure the Central Bank would take necessary steps."
Diez Canseco at MercoSur: Reuters notes through a photograph that Minister of Commerce Alfredo Diez Canseco attended the Mercosur economic bloc summit official photo, at their hotel in Puerto Iguazu, Argentina.
Yankee Says Telefonica Doesn't Charge Enough The Yankee Group editorializes: "Peru Pushes Too Far with Tariff Decreases." Included: OSIPTEL's May revision of Telefónica del Perú’s productivity factor which will determine tariffs from 2004 to 2007. NOTE: "There are significant risks if price cap formulas are wrong. If set too high, price caps open opportunities for incumbents to reap excessive profits, with no guarantee that cost savings will be passed onto consumers. If set too low, price controls act as disincentives for market entry." The Yankee Group provides telecommunications strategies for Latin American companies. SEE ALSO: 'Peruvia to Telefonica: 'No Deal' in June 10's Peruvia.
Is Peru the Economic Model?: The Manila Bulletin reports on the debate in the Philippine's national congress about whether taxes are needed to "prevent fiscal crisis" and states that Rep. Jesli Lapus, vice chairman of the House committee on ways and means, "suggested that the government may consider adopting the measure taken by the Peruvian government, which started with making its citizens aware of the importance of the issuance of official receipts. Through that measure, Peru was able to track down tax cheats like doctors, entrepreneurs, and other professionals who misdeclare their incomes. [Said] Lapuz, "I suggest that the Philippine government adopt the Peru model, which was proven to be effective." SEPARATELY: The Economist has an article on 'How Alejandro Toledo became Latin America's least popular president.' The Answer: "Strikes, Sleaze and Violence."
Red Cross Honours Documentary on Peru: The International Red Cross announced in a press release that they awarded their Press Prize at the 44th Monte Carlo Television Festival on 3 July to director Daniel Pera, journalist Andrés Luque and cameraman Jesús Mata of the Spanish television network TVE for their documentary entitled Perú, la verdad sobre el espanto (Peru: the truth about the horror). "The 52-minute film reports on the tragic consequences of the armed conflict between the Peruvian armed forces, the Tupac Amaru Revolutionary Movement and the Shining Path. ALSO: "The ICRC Press Prize encourages television networks to promote international humanitarian law in their programming and to draw attention to “forgotten” conflicts. This was skilfully managed by the winning team, who pieced together the accounts of many individuals to reveal the horror experienced by Peru’s civilian population." IN SPANISH: See TVE's press release.
Peruvian Complains in the Philippines: The Philippines' Freeman runs a whole article on Ana Maria Espinoza, a Peruvian delegate to the international meeting of veterinarians in Cebu who "complained to Philippine Airlines about her luggage having been pilfered" at the Mactan Cebu International Airport. Espinoza is the Directora General at the Centro de Produccion Biologicos which is part of the Instituto Nacional de Salud. MISSING: Her set of jewelry - necklace, earrings and ring. Yet while the other foreigner was being reimbursed for the damaged baggage, Espinoza’s request for reimbursement was denied.”
Scholarship for Journalists: International Journalists' Network notes that there are scholarships for Peruvian journalists (among others) for an Internet seminar in the Netherlands from May 9 to June 17, 2005. Scholarships "cover travel, accommodation and course fees."
Peruvian Stopping Chagas: The Science and Development Network reports that researchers in Peru and Spain "say they have taken an important step towards developing a vaccine against Chagas disease, which infects an estimated 12 million people in Latin America, killing tens of thousands each year." A protein "being used in the potential vaccine controls ... was identified by Ofélia Magdalena Córdoba, of the University of Trujillo.
Peruvian with Zampoña in USA Airforce: The USA Air Force Link reports on Airman Fredy Pasco, of the 22nd Maintenance Operations Squadron, may be "the only zampoña player" in the Air Force. (The piece has run in other media including the last page of this newsletter.) NOTE: "Airman Pasco touched American soil for the first time April 16, 1998." ALSO: “I’m a Hispanic; I came from the very bottom of the United States,” he said. “I lived in a trailer and sometimes didn’t have food to eat.”
Movies at Leoncio Prado: The [North] Korean Central News Agency "Korean documentary films "'Iron-Ranks, Korean People's Army" and "Panmunjom" were shown at Leoncio Prado Military School of Peru on June 28."
Other Sports:
- Denver's Rocky Mountain News reports on jockey Rafael Bejarano, "the 22-year-old rider from Peru [who] won the spring meet riding title at Churchill Downs, bringing home more winners than Hall of Famer Pat Day."
- The Los Angeles Times previews the Honda Element U.S. Open of Surfing and notes that "in the women's field, more big names are entered like Sofia Mulanovich, the World Championship Tour ratings leader from Peru. Mulanovich won three in a row in Fiji, Tahiti and France and looks like a shoo-in for the women's world title this year. She also surfs Huntington well."
________________________________________________
COPA America
NOTE: Official Schedule; Reuters has the leading scorers.
Game of the Day: Argentina's 6-1 victory over Ecuador is 'a rout' (Bloomberg), 'agoalfest' in the Washington Post, 'a thrashing' (CNA), 'a romp' in Miami Herald and 'a smash' (VOA and Australia's news agency.) See also Agence France Press, Reuters, Xinhua, and FIFA reviews and a separate Reuters story which ponders the resignation of Ecuador's coach and yet another Reuters story on the Argentine version of the story. The Los Angeles Times focuses on Uruguay's 2-2 tie with Mexico in Chiclayo (see also Reuters).
More Photos Surrounding the Copa: Reuters offers several photos of the ceremonies surrounding the Copa in Lima and The Northern Report has F-O-T-O-S of street celebrations in Chiclayo.
Round Up of News:
- Peru v. Venezuela: SquareFootball says the odds are 8/15 for Peru. The Times of London thinks Venezuela can pull it off.
- Colombia 1 - Venezuela 0: Reuters
- Brazil v. Chile: Reuters #1 and Reuters #2
- Mexico v. Uruguay: Associated Press
- Paraguay v. Costa Rica: Associated Press
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|
