Nation - Tuesday

The Senate passed a free trade pact with Peru. Following House approval in Nov., it's the first trade deal finalized since Democrats won back Congress. The White House and Democrats agreed last spring to add enforceable environmental and labor standards to pending trade deals. The pact will end tariffs on most U.S. consumer and agricultural goods imported by Peru.

March aims to pressure lenders

Jesse Jackson announced plans to march on Wall Street on Dec. 10 to pressure lenders and investors to restructure mortgages and avert a rash of foreclosures. The rally will be one of several across the country led by the Rainbow Push Coalition, NAACP and Urban League. Treasury Secretary Henry Paulson said a plan to help homeowners could be finalized this week.

Former President Clinton, in a New Hampshire speech, blasted the news media for getting carried away with politics and ignoring Hillary Clinton's experience edge over top Democratic rivals. Norman Hsu, a Democratic fundraiser, was indicted by a federal grand jury on 15 counts of fraud and campaign finances violations. He is charged with swindling investors out of $60 mil.