TODAY'S HIGHLIGHTS:

• The US Senate Finance Committee passes the Peru/USA Free Trade Agreement on a voice vote
• Somehow the only item on Peru in the Council on Foreign Relation's 'Daily Brief' is the Los Angeles Times piece on Ecuador's drug challenges.

[Send corrections, questions, and submissions to peruvia @ gmail.com.]

CLASH OF CIVILIZATION?

• LETTER: 'Uncontacted Tribes' (Guardian, Stephen Corry, Survival International) "As your article clearly states, the idea of uncontacted tribes living in the Peruvian Amazon is not absurd at all."
  

FREE TRADE?

• 'Finance Committee Completes Consideration Of Peru Trade Agreement' (US Senate Finance Committee, press release) "By voice vote today, the Senate Finance Committee approved the Peru Free Trade Agreement and the customs, procurement, illegal logging, and other provisions it implements."
• US SENATE: Description of the Chairman's Mark of the "U.S.-Peru Trade Promotion Agreement"
• US SENATE: A Bill to implement the "U.S.-Peru Trade Promotion Agreement Implementation Act"
• US SENATE: Statements for Administrative Action for the U.S.-Peru Trade Promotion Agreement Implementation Act
• Estimated Revenue of the "U.S.-Peru Trade Promotion Agreement Implementation Act" JCX9307
• 'Peru Free-Trade Agreement backed By Senate Finance Committee' (Bloomberg, Mark Drajem)
• 'US Senate Panel Clears Peru Free Trade Agreement' (Dow Jones, John Godfrey)
  
• 'US Increases Pressure Over Doha Talks' (Financial Times, Eoin Callan) "Democrats prepare for watershed votes on a trade pact signed with Peru, which has been amended to include tougher labour and environment protections and is expected to be approved by the Senate finance committee today. The votes will be a test of Democratic support for trade policy."
• 'Trading Down' (National Review, Stephen Spruiell) "In terms of moving the other [free-trade agreements] — Peru, Panama, and Columbia — I don’t know that [the WSJ poll] will make that much of a difference."
• 'Senate Committee Approves US-Peru Trade Deal' (Reuters, Doug Palmer) "The deal locks in Peru's duty-free access to U.S. market under a longstanding Andean trade preference program."
• 'Washington Wire' (Wall Street Journal, John Harwood) "As prospects brighten for passing Peru agreement, the administration turns to pact with Colombia. ... Gender gap: Seven in 10 Republican women call foreign-trade bad for economy, compared with half of men."
• 'Interview With World Bank Vice President Pamela Cox re: Peru' (World Bank translation of El Comercio) Question: How can Free Trade Agreements contribute to Peru’s growth? Answer: Trade agreements, such as the FTA with the United States and other countries, are very important for Peru because they create opportunities for growth."

QUAKE UPDATE:

• 'Climate Change Disaster Is Upon Us, Warns UN' (Guardian, Julian Borger) "The only one of this year's emergency appeals not connected to the climate was an earthquake in Peru, in August."

MICRO/MACRO ECONOMICS:
Macro

• 'Peruvian Central Bank Leaves Overnight Reference Rate Unchanged' (Bloomberg, Alex Emery) " Signaling core inflation is under control. Policy makers kept the country's reference rate at 5 percent, a six-year high. The move surprised some economists."
• EARLIER: 'Peru Central May Raise Rate On Higher Inflation' (Bloomberg, Alex Emery)
• 'Peru's Finance Minister Sees Inflation Weakening' (Dow Jones, Robert Kozak)
  
• 'Record Breaking Run In Price Of Lead Continues' (Financial Times, Chris Flood) "Copper fell 1.1 per cent to $8,210 a tonne as the market awaited the outcome of negotiations between striking workers and management at Southern Copper in Peru, the world's fifth largest producer."
• 'Inflation and Strong Currency Threaten Peruvian Economy' (MercoPress) "Peru's economy is booming growing at an estimated 8%, following last year’s 7.6%. However this success and the massive influx of US dollars is distorting monetary policy and delaying an improved wealth distribution."
• 'Peru Central Bank May Raise Rates More - Minister Carranza' (Reuters)

Micro

• Peru Wins Lucchetti Case, Again (Latin America Press) "The World Bank’s International Center for Settlement of Investment Disputes ruled Sept. 5 for the second time in favor of Peru in a case brought by the Chilean company Lucchetti. The firm was seeking US$150 million in damages after Peru revoked its license and shuttered its factory on a nature reserve in Lima."
• 'Two of the Company's Projects Designated as Projects of National Importance by the Government of Peru' (Panoro Minerals, press release)
  

DEFENCE SECRETARY GATES TO PERU:

• 'Gates: US Must Speed Up Weapons For Iraq' (Associated Press, Lolita C. Baldor)
• 'Peru Defence Upgrade Plan Shifts Focus' (Jane's Defence Weekly) "Peru has realigned its defence modernisation programme, shifting investment to air force modernisation."
  
• 'US Defence Secretary Gates Visits Chile' (MercoPress)
  
• 'Venezuela Responds To US Secretary Of Defence' (Venezuela Analysis, Chris Carlson)

DRUGS:

• 'Smugglers Try To Use Bugs As Drug Mules' (Associated Press; see photograph) "A customs officer who took a close look at a consignment of more than 100 large, dead bugs sent from Peru to the Netherlands discovered cocaine had been stashed in their backs."
• 'Cocaine Culture Creeps Into Ecuador' (Los Angeles Times, Chris Kraul) "Could Ecuador become a major coca-growing country like its neighbors, Colombia and Peru?"
  

ARTS & LITERATURE:

• Jorge Caballero at Tuscon Guitar Society (Arizona Star) "The classical guitarist, who was just 19 when he became the first guitarist — and youngest person — to win the Naumburg International Competition in New York City in 1996, hails from Lima."
• 'Take Musical Journey To Peru' (Flint Journal, Doug Pullen) Inca Son in Michigan
  

FOOD:

• 'La Limeña' (Washington Post) "You have to get in early to snag grilled anticuchos at this home-style Peruvian/Cuban quick stop; they're popular."

SPORTS:

• 'Aston Villa v. West Ham' (BBC Sport) tomorrow, 1500 BST
  
• 'Andean Nations Protest FIFA High-Altitude Ban' (CCTV, China)
  

OTHER:

• 'Wedding Breakfast Was a Dog's Dinner' (ITN, UK) see accompanying video; "Peruvian pooches Dana and Puki have tied the knot in a doggy wedding designed to promote better treatment of animals. All to celebrate International Animal day in Peru and this was one of many events designed to promote a serious message: the better and good treatment of pets."