Living in Peru : your everyday companion

LivinginPeru.com
Isabel Guerra

The United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) appointed Peruvian chef Gaston Acurio as Goodwill Ambassador, according to Unicef representative in Peru, Guido Cornale.

Cornale remarked that National Goodwill Ambassadors are chosen not only for their public recognition, but also for the respect they receive in their country and for their humanitarian commitment.

"Gastón Acurio has gladly accepted this nomination,” said Cornale, adding that some of his duties will be “the defense of children and adolescents rights, promoting social change and public policies to ensure mandates established by the Convention on the Rights of the Child." 

Acurio's formal appointment will probably be held the second week of September in a public event.

Have other topics you'd like to see in our news section? If you or someone you know would like to contribute a news article to Living in Peru, whether it's translated or based on a personal investigation, send it to editor@livinginperu.com.

LivinginPeru.com
Isabel Guerra

“Thanks to everyone for their concern and their love. This has been only a bad moment, an isolated fact,” states the Peruvian chef Gaston Acurio in his Facebook page.

With this message, Acurio is minimizing the assault he was victim of during an excursion, while he was touring the Amazon river along with his family and his friend, the photographer Walter Wust.

The owner of “Astrid and Gastón” restaurants also wrote in his Facebook page “The Amazon is a MAGIC place, that no one can ever miss. Visit it; you won't regret. As for us, we will come back.”

It is worth mentioning that Acurio's Facebook Page has more than 18,000 fans (followers) and Acurio uses it mostly to comment about his TV programs and his culinarian ideas.

Have other topics you'd like to see in our news section? If you or someone you know would like to contribute a news article to Living in Peru, whether it's translated or based on a personal investigation, send it to editor@livinginperu.com.

Andina

Peruvian tennis player Luis Horna has joined “Recycle, do your job” campaign promoted by the National Society of Industries (SNI) and Kimberly-Clark Peru in a bid to protect the environment and support children of Foundation for Supportive Development (Fundades) and Aldeas Infantiles SOS.

The Roland Garros doubles champion is the seventh "ambassador" of this nationwide campaign which seeks to increase public awareness and education about recycling

Peruvian Environment Minister Antonio Brack was the campaign's first promoter in January this year while former Premier League star Nolberto Solano joined the initiative last month.

Wearing a sleeveless jacket made 100% from recycled paper during a press conference held Saturday, "Lucho" Horna stressed the importance of recycling for a cleaner environment.

“The campaign aims to raise awareness concerning recycling and at the same time to help children of Fundades and Aldeas SOS,” he said.

Have other topics you'd like to see in our news section? If you or someone you know would like to contribute a news article to Living in Peru, whether it's translated or based on a personal investigation, send it to editor@livinginperu.com

LivinginPeru.com
Isabel Guerra

With the intention to have a short vacation and to learn more about our culture, the former actor and film director Ron Howard arrived in Peru and visited Machu Picchu citadel, which has been recently nominated as one of the new wonders of the world.

The popular "Richie Cunningham" (his character in "Happy Days" TV series) took the train from the station of Ollantaytambo, but he went completely unnoticed there, like any other tourist.

However, after a while he was recognized by some of the passengers, who asked him to pose for some photographs.

The director of "Apollo" did not refuse, and agreed to share some moments with his fans.

Once they arrived in Machu Picchu, he started the tour with the help of a guide, and was seen recording and taking notes carefully of all the explanations.

Have other topics you'd like to see in our news section? If you or someone you know would like to contribute a news article to Living in Peru, whether it's translated or based on a personal investigation, send it to editor@livinginperu.com.

LivinginPeru.com
Isabel Guerra

Japan’s Prince Hitachi (73), younger brother of Emperor Akihito, is visiting Peru, to mark the 110th anniversary of the start of Japanese emigration to the South American nation.

Prince Hitachi, along with his wife Princess Hanako, put a flower arrangement on the Japanese Immigration Centennial Monument, located at the Campo de Marte in Lima.

The monument, known as the Bridge of Friendship, contains the names in Spanish and Japanese of the first 790 Japanese emigrants who arrived in Peru on April 3, 1899, aboard the Sakura Maru.

Princes and Princess Hitachi pay an official visit to Peru on the occasion of the 110th anniversary of the Japanese immigration to Peru as well as the 20th anniversary of the Peruvian immigration to Japan.

Peru’s Japanese community is one of the largest in Latin America, numbering some 100,000 people.

Have other topics you'd like to see in our news section? If you or someone you know would like to contribute a news article to Living in Peru, whether it's translated or based on a personal investigation, send it to editor@livinginperu.com.

LivinginPeru.com
Isabel Guerra

All the fans of racing cars, very especially Formula 1 (F1) ones, will have an unforgettable afternoon today, because a 750HP F1 will perform an exhibition at La Marina Avenue (in the Limean district of San Miguel), starting 2pm.

The Formula 1 will be driven by former champion David Coulthard.

Some 100,000 people are expected to attend this event in special locations available with numbered tickets, but since attendance is free, probably a lot more people will show up to enjoy the show, organized by Red Bull.

It will be the first time that a F1 runs along Lima streets.

David Coulthard run his last Grand Prix last year in Brazil, and at present he's a consultant for Red Bull Racing.

Have other topics you'd like to see in our news section? If you or someone you know would like to contribute a news article to Living in Peru, whether it's translated or based on a personal investigation, send it to editor@livinginperu.com.

LivinginPeru.com
Isabel Guerra

If the natives are not heard by the Peruvian Government, Q'orianka Kilcher (the German actress from Peruvian descent) will let them speak in her new TV show.

"She is preparing a television show, 'The people are speaking' which will be on the Discovery Channel before December," said the actress's mother, Saskia Kilcher.

Q'orianka came to Peru to check on the native communities from Bagua (Amazonas), after the recent bloody clashes, and she says she will hand in 50 videocameras to the natives so that they can "record the reality."

Saskia Kilcher, Q'Orianka's mother, did not specify how long they will stay in Peru but remarked they don't have much time due to Q'orianka's full schedule.

However, it the actress is traveling in the early hours of Saturday to take a closer look at the natives' current conditions.

Have other topics you'd like to see in our news section? If you or someone you know would like to contribute a news article to Living in Peru, whether it's translated or based on a personal investigation, send it to editor@livinginperu.com.

LivinginPeru.com
Isabel Guerra

The young Hollywood actress Q'orianka Kilcher, who became famous after after her role of Pocahontas in the film “The New World " with Colin Farrell, is arriving in Lima in order to travel to Bagua and see for herself the real situation of the Aguaruna people.

Kilcher, of Peruvian descent, known for her solidarity with indigenous people, has not hesitated to express publicly his annoyance about the recent happenings in Bagua (Peru's Amazonas region).

She even criticized the government of Alan García's government, because of the violence used with the natives.

Q'orianka has recently created -with the support of Amazon Watch- the “Alliance for Indigenous Rights in Peru,” an organization that has the solidarity of other Hollywood stars.

Have other topics you'd like to see in our news section? If you or someone you know would like to contribute a news article to Living in Peru, whether it's translated or based on a personal investigation, send it to editor@livinginperu.com.

by
Gruenbeck & Vogeler

IRVINE – A state appeals court has ruled against Kobe and Vanessa Bryant for trying to stop their former housekeeper from receiving unemployment benefits.

The California Unemployment Insurance Appeals Board affirmed the decision of Administrative Law Judge Mary McInerny, who said that Maria Jimenez quit because her employer repeatedly addressed her in a disrespectful and assaulting tone.

“(The Bryants) required her to perform tasks that were repugnant and demeaning,” the judge said. “The claimant found working in this environment stressful and ultimately decided after a particularly upsetting incident with the supervisor that she could not return to the employment.”

Jimenez, in a separate civil suit against the Bryants, claims that Vanessa Bryant continuously berated her and ordered her to put her hand in dog feces. Jimenez also alleges in the civil suit that the Bryants reneged on their duty to provide health insurance and to pay overtime wages.

“I am happy about the judge’s decision because I need unemployment,” Jimenez said.

Under state and federal laws, Jimenez may draw up to 26 weeks of unemployment with extensions for another 56 weeks. She receives $326 a week.

The Bryants, through their attorneys, fought the unemployment claim in three different proceedings. After losing two hearings, they appealed to the unemployment insurance appeals board. That decision became final on May 1, 2009.

For more information on this case, click here.

LivingInPeru.com
Isabel Guerra

Yanet Carazas Garay, the Court Relator who read aloud the 247 fundamental principles of Alberto Fujimori's sentence for almost 3 hours, whithout pausing even for a drink, explained today why she refused even a glass of water.

"I didn't drink anything because I was afraid of having the urge of going to the restrooms," she said. "As workers, we are very careful, unbiased and professionals" remarked Carazas, who's been working for more than 10 years for the Justice Department.

Carazas also confessed she's fond of reading literature during her free time, especially the poetry of Cesar Vallejo, Pablo Neruda and Federico García Lorca.

This was not the first time Carazas reads a sentence, but Fujimori's sentence has 711 folios, 8,390 paragraphs, 1,258 footnotes, and it was written on Century font size 11.

However, the record for the longest judicial sentence read would correspond to relator Erasmo Benavides, who read aloud during 7 hours (in 2005) the sentence to the 20 accused for the "prensa chicha" (tabloids) scandal.

Caraza's performance has made her suddenly very popular in Peru, and Facebook users have created a fans' group to honor her notable talent for reading aloud.

Have other topics you'd like to see in our news section? If you or someone you know would like to contribute a news article to Living in Peru, whether it's translated or based on a personal investigation, send it to editor@livinginperu.com.