Wednesday, October 17, 2007
TODAY'S HIGHLIGHTS:
PERUVIANS IN IRAQ:
ScotiaBank
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- The Associated Press and Foreign Policy each have new stories about Peruvian private security forces in Iraq
- The Virginia Quarterly Review has a special issue on South America which features Daniel Alarcón
- A blog posting from the Legal Times report on a ruling yesterday from the US Court Of Appeals for the 4th Circuit about funny business in Peru's 200 election
- ALSO: updates on Toledo, several editorials in USA newspapers on free trade with Peru, and an environmental award for Q'orianka Kilcher
PERUVIANS IN IRAQ:
- 'UN Report Describes New Mercenary Activity' (Associated Press, Alexander G. Higgins) "The report is to be presented to the UN General Assembly next month. ... In Peru, the panel heard that hundreds of Peruvians had been recruited and trained by private security companies to work in Iraq and Afghanistan as security guards and that at least 1,000 remained in Iraq."
- 'Latin America's Hidden War In Iraq' (Foreign Policy, Kristina Mani) "No less than 1,000 Peruvians ... have taken up security work in Iraq. Indeed, when the security firm Triple Canopy landed a U.S. government contract in 2005 to provide security in the Green Zone, it recruited security personnel almost exclusively from Latin America."
- REVIEW: 'The Bad Girl' by Mario Vargas Llosa (New York Sun, Chloe Schama) "a joyful romp through a torturous relationship. ... His characters — from Fukuda, the evil Japanese gangster, to Mrs. Stubard, the English guardian angel — are almost Dickensian in their dimensions, unabashed stereotypes of their native lands. The love affair is painful, perverse, and perpetual, relying entirely on unlikely coincidences."
- Virginia Quarterly Review's special issue on South America; online they present an interactive map of the continent with links to the full content of the issue and six online exclusives—plus videos, slideshows, author readings, and more.
- Daniel Alarcón In Virginia Tonight (Virginia Quarterly Review Event) Charlottesville
- 'Vallejo Ignites Poet's 'Fuse' (UConn Daily Campus, Joanna Arpie) Clayton Eshleman, the editor/translator reading from his 'César Vallejo, The Complete Poetry: A Bilingual Edition'
- 'The Challenge Of Cultural Diversity In Contemporary Peru' (Embassy, Toronto) Today at noon at University of Toronto; Claudia Balarin Benavides from the National University of San Marcos, Lima, will discuss "Andean Crafts and the Challenge of Cultural Diversity in Contemporary Peru."
- 'Fourth-Grade Students Performed an Afr0-Peruvian Dance in Arkansas' (Northwest Arkansas Times, Brett Bennett)
- 'Country Shutdown Set For Census Count' (Associated Press)
- 'Peruvian Fugitive Loses Extradition Fight' (Legal Times blog, Brendan Smith) "The U.S. Court of Appeals for the 4th Circuit ruled yesterday that Oscar Eliseo Medelius-Rodriguez can be extradited to Peru to face charges stemming from his alleged involvement in a massive election fraud scheme. He allegedly forged the signatures and fingerprints of voters to register a political party that supported the re-election of Peruvian President Alberto Fujimori during the 2000 presidential campaign. ... Now being held in a federal prison, Medelius-Rodriguez was arrested by the U.S. Marshals Service last year in Wilmington, N.C., after being tracked in a fugitive investigation across the East Coast."
- 'Witness Protection Against Fujimori Requested' (Prensa Latina, Cuba) re: Barrios Altos and La Cantuta; "The lawyer of relatives of the victims of two slaughters under the government of Alberto Fujimori asked for protection for the witnesses who would state against him. Defender Gloria Cano demanded strong security for the witnesses in the most important trial against Fujimori that will start on November 26." ALSO: "Fujimori's son, Kenji, repeatedly calls to a 'war' against the government and the former president's accusers, to achieve his freedom. The president of the Supreme Court of Justice, Francisco Tavara, noticed that the attitude of Keny Fujimori should be adjusted to the legal classification, and it rejected any form of violence."
- EDITORIAL: 'Let's Make Deal To Guard Free Trade' (Indianapolis Star, Indiana) "
So why is free trade with Peru -- the South American nation, not the north-central Indiana city -- so important to Hoosiers? It's about creating and retaining jobs. ...The Peru agreement is good for Indiana. Even more important, congressional approval of the pact would help stem the rise of protectionism, a trend that if unchecked could dramatically undermine the nation's economy ." - EDITORIAL: 'Trade Agreements With The Americas Should Not Be Put Off Until 2009' (Sun-Sentinel, Florida) "The ugly rancor and vitriol attached to the U.S. immigration debate certainly hasn't helped America win friends in the Americas, either."
- 'Strong Youth Turnout For Obama' (Wisconsin State Journal, Matt DeFour) "Some activist groups, such as the Wisconsin Fair Trade Council, distributed flyers outside the event challenging Obama's stance on a free trade agreement with Peru and statements he has made about the war in Iraq."
- 'Toledo Talks Faith In Democracy' (Stanford Daily, Patrick Fitgerald) "Speaking in conversation with Hoover Senior Fellow Larry Diamond as part of the School of Education’s Cubberley Lecture Series, Toledo Ph.D. ‘93 stressed the importance of investing in nutrition, health and education to ensure that democratic governments meet the needs of their citizens in the face of populist challenges from the left."
- 'Controversial Appointment Prompts Stanford Senate Vote To Meet With Hoover Director' (Stanford News Service, Kathleen J. Sullivan) Stanford Faculty questions whether Donald Rumsfeld is 'Distinguished' enough to be on par with Toledo and 13 other Fellows
- 'Latin America Granting More Power To Localities' (Miami Herald, Tyler Bridges) reporting from Lambayeque; "The mayor of Huayre, a wind-swept town of about 10,000 in the Andes 100 miles northeast of Lima, spent $158,000 to build an erotic sculpture park in the central plaza, complete with outsized images of genitalia and of the maca root, which has been called the Andean version of Viagra. The mayor said he hoped to attract tourists, but Huayre still lacks paved streets and a sewage system in the meantime."
- 'US-Based Press Group Warns Of 'Grave Obstacles' To Americas Media' (Associated Press, Gisela Salomon) see related articles in 'Press Dangers In Peru' in Oct 15's Peruvia
- 'Slovakia Aids Earthquake-Hit Peru' (Slovak Spectator) "A package of humanitarian aid from Slovakia to Peru, which was hit by a major earthquake on August 15, reached Hamburg on October 12, where it was handed over for shipping to South America, the Slovak interior ministry said on October 16. Peru's diplomatic mission in Vienna asked Slovakia to provide the aid, which consisted of $180,000 worth of tents, blankets, field beds, clothes and medicine."
- 'Responding To Dogs In Need' (The Record, Canada, Valerie Hill) "She was deeply touched by how much the Peruvians love their dogs. Pecak smiled at the memory of so-called "inside dogs," dressed up in T-shirts or dresses to signify their elite status."
- 'Group Encourages Literacy With Every Step' (Rutgers Daily Targum, New Jersey, Cassie Bobotas) "Our money will go toward the emergency relief effort to help support the rebuilding of a learning center in Ica, Peru, where they were devastated by an earthquake in August."
- '1 in 3 Kids Part Of Immigrant Family' (The Record, New Jersey, Richard Cowen and James Yoo) "Now they're mostly Mexican, Dominican and Peruvian."
- REPORT: 'New Jersey Immigrant Kids Count 2007' (Association For Children Of New Jersey) 29pp
- Brower Youth Award To Q'orianka Kilcher (Brower Youth Award, press release) event on Oct 24 in San Francisco; "Q'orianka Kilcher, 17, of Santa Monica, CA is one of this year's awardees. Kilcher is an actress of Peruvian indigenous ancestry who has appeared in major studio films such as "The New World" (2005) opposite Colin Farrell and Christian Bale. ... On a trip to Peru to promote a recent film, Kilcher invited indigenous leaders to participate in a red carpet event, toured communities, conducted interviews with affected peoples for a documentary, collaborated with U.S.-based campaigners Amazon Watch, and met with employees of oil companies."
- 'Professor Studies Army-Ant-Following Birds' (Louisiana State University, press release) "nearly 20 years after that first trip to Peru, Brumfield has again teamed up with Rosenberg, who is now at Cornell University’s Laboratory of Ornithology, along with Jose Tello of the American Museum of Natural History and three other LSU researchers – Matt Carling, Zac Cheviron and Nanette Crochet – to study the evolution of army-ant following."
- The Interethnic Association Of Developent Of The Peruvian Raniforest Declaration (International Institute for Sustainable Development)
- 'LeadDog Releases Comprehensive City Street Maps For 10 Peruvian Cities' (GeoPlace) "detailed city street geographic databases for the Peruvian cities: Lima, Arequipa, Trujillo, Chiclayo, Piura, Iquitos, Cusco, Chimbote, Huancayo, and Pucallpa. LeadDog maps are in use in a wide range of applications from military and government emergency and defense support to commercial fleet management and location based services. ... In addition to the cities named, LeadDog has detailed City Street Maps for 26 other Peruvian cities."
- 'Ethical Fashion Slow To Take Off' (Agence France Press) "Judith Condor-Vidal, a Britain-based specialist of alpaca wool from coops in Peru and Bolivia whose shawls, hats and gloves are knitted by 390 women there."
- 'Paris Fashion Industry Not Convinced By Ethical Show' (Female First, Caz Moss) "One of these designers was Judith Condor-Vidal, a Britain-based specialist of alpaca wool from Peru."
ScotiaBank
- ScotiaBank Conference on Building Sustainable Growth (Scotiabank press release) Oct 16 and 17 in Lima; watch video stream (not always online)
- 'Bank Of Nova Scotia To Enter Credit Card Venture in Mexico' (Bloomberg, Sean B. Pasternak)
- 'Bank of Nova Scotia Sees Many International Acquisition Targets' (Dow Jones, Monica Gutschi)
- 'Scotia Holds Investor Conference In Peru' (National Post, Canada, Duncan Mavin)
- 'Southern Copper Unions To Strike In Peru For Mediator' (Bloomberg, Alex Emery)
- 'Southern Copper Unions Say Peru Stalling On Wages' (Reuters) "Peru's Labor Ministry waited until Tuesday to say which of its staffers will set the new labor accord, and unions leaders said that was too long. 'We entered into this agreement in good faith but we are seeing the government isn't fulfilling its part,' Roman More, head of the union at the Cuajone mine, told Reuters."
- 'Sumitomo Metal Announces New Subsidiary In Peru' (Reuters) "Sumitomo Metal Mining Co., Ltd. announced that it has set up a new subsidiary in Peru on October 15, 2007. The new subsidiary, Sumitomo Metal Mining Peru S.A., is engaged in the mining activities."
- 'Duran Reports Positive Results From Hole 5 in Transition Zone Between Aguila and Aguila East' (Duran Ventures, press release) "pleased to report the results from Hole 5 of the 2007 Phase 1 diamond drilling program at the Aguila Cu-Mo Project, Ancash, Peru. Duran is earning a 50% interest in the Aguila Project from MacMillan Gold Corp."
- 'Miners Pull Footsie Lower' (ShareCast) "Peru-based precious metals producer Hochschild Mining said it is confident of coming close to its 2007 production target of 26m silver equivalent attributable ounces."
- IDB To LEnd At Least US$125 Million For Waterworks In 2008' (BNAmericas) "The bank will become one of the main financing sources of the country's Water for All program, the executive added, while the IDB representative in Peru, Ana María Rodríguez, added that water and sanitation has become a top priority for the financial entity."
- 'Peru's Poor Speak Up: Tourism Is Good, Law School Is Better' (National Catholic Reporter) the article is behind a subscription wall; this is a September article from New American Media by Andrés Tapia)
- 'Petroperú launched bidding on EIS tender for Talara refinery' (Petroleum World)
- 'Inca Trail's Secret City' (Herald Sun, Australia, Jennifer Grimwade)
- News On Arequipa, Tarapoto, Inka Terra, and Lufthansa (Travel Video) several items including closing of airport in Tarapoto until Oct 31; new Eco Inn in Cuzco; and "Lufthansa Commits itself to considering resuming direct flights ... The Minister of Production informed that Lufthansa has committed itself to seriously considering the possibility of resuming its direct flights to Peru, after it ceased to do so in 2002."
- VIDEO: Bus Accident (Fox News) first spot of five in Fox's 'Around the World in 80 Seconds'
- 'High Alert For Chile-Peru Qualifier (Reuters) "Chile defeated Peru in the 1879-1883 War of the Pacific and seized a chunk of mineral-rich territory from their northern neighbours. Although the two countries have strong economic ties, relations are still rocky and a dispute over their sea border has bubbled anew over the last two years."
- 'Nobby Has A Ball At Farewell' (Evening Chronicle, UK, Alastair Craig) a goodbye to Newcastle; watch accompanying video; "The Toon favourite played one last time for the Gallowgate End. The film, recorded for the BBC’s Inside Out programme, shows the winger entertaining the crowd like he always did – but this time with his band the Geordie Latinos."
- Peru Draws Spain In First Round, Davis Cup (TSN, Canada) February 8-10, 2008
- Juan Carlos Rebaza in Arizona (State Press, Arizona) "For ASU men's tennis extraordinaire Juan Carlos Rebaza, making the most of new opportunities in foreign places is just a part of his everyday routine. ... His father's employment at the Peruvian embassy in Washington, D.C., was the impetus to enter the new culture, but it's Rebaza's play that has helped him feel more a part of it. He returned to Peru to finish high school and was the country's national champion in 1998, 1999 and 2002."
- 'John Severson -The Original Surfer Artist' (Surfers Path) "As a surfer, Severson was known for his innovative performance style in big surf.In 1961, he won the Peru International, and was a finalist in US and Hawaiian Championships."
- 'From The Andes To The World - The Conquistadora Potato' (Agence France Press) "No other plant had to travel so far and so long before winning the popularity it has today," said Peruvian historian Sara Beatriz Guardia, author of a history of the potato titled "The Violet Flower of the Andes" (La flor morada de los Andes).
- 'Breast-Cancer Survivor Receives An Honor' (Gazette, Maryland, Patricia M. Murret) re: Laura Clymer
- 'Dominican Power Companies Shed The Foreign Managers' (Dominican Today) "Two weeks ago in Edenorte Felix Tavárez replaced the Peruvian Eloy Suárez Mendoza, who had been dismissed when he confronted legal problems in his country, and though acquitted wasn’t reinstated."
- David Vico Whestoff Murdered In Canary Islands (Tenerife News) In El Hierro; Vico, "a professional airman stationed there had been murdered at the door of the La Pedra disco-pub in the capital, Valverde. ... He was of Peruvian birth with a German father and held a Spanish passport. He had gone out on the town last Saturday with a colleague."
- 'Medical Team Travels To Peru To Help Children's Heart Ailments' (UCLA Health Care) "Dr. Juan Alejos, a pediatric cardiologist from Mattel Children's Hospital UCLA, will lead a team of more than 40 volunteers traveling to Peru to help several hundred children suffering from heart conditions from Oct. 20 to Nov. 4. ... The group will offer their services at two hospitals in Arequipa — the Carlos Aberto Seguin Escobedo National Hospital and Hospital Goyeneche. They will also send a small team to Cuzco to see patients. In addition, the volunteers will perform evaluations on children from several orphanages in both areas. ... Alejos, whose family is originally from Peru, founded the nonprofit Corazones Con Esperanza (Hearts With Hope) Foundation."
- Hernani Cesar In Aichi Prefecture, Japan (Yomiuri Shimbun)
- A Financial Times press release announced a "special report on October 17 titled 'Latin America'. This reportwill provide an overview of the enormous opportunity and looming challenges that face the region. This report will be distributed as a specialsupplement in all four print editions of the FT with additional distribution at the 2007 Annual Meetings of the World Bank Group and the International Monetary Fund."
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