Politics

• Tuesday, January 27th 2009 - 20:00 UTC

  HMS Manchester leaves UK on South Atlantic deployment

  

  The Lord Mayor of Manchester, Councilor Mavis Smitheman, bid farewell to the sailors of HMS Manchester on Monday as the ship departed on a seven-month deployment to the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans. The Lord Mayor sailed from Portsmouth on board HMS Manchester and has been given a full demonstration of the ship's capabilities prior to departing later today.

• Tuesday, January 27th 2009 - 20:00 UTC

  Morales “encouraged” with US attitude to Sunday's referendum

  

  Bolivian president Evo Morales described as “encouraging” the congratulation message from President Barack Obama administration on Sunday's referendum for the approval of a new constitution, according to reports in the Cuban television.

• Tuesday, January 27th 2009 - 20:00 UTC

  Brazil to compensate cheap energy with investments

  

  Brazil has offered investments in Paraguay in exchange for not claiming a fair price and free availability of the surplus energy produced at South America's largest hydroelectric dam Itaipú shared by the neighbouring countries.

• Tuesday, January 27th 2009 - 20:00 UTC

  Obama reaches out to the Muslim world in Arabic network

  

  President Barack Obama chose an Arabic satellite TV network for his first formal television interview on Monday as president, part of his drive to repair relations with the Muslim world.

• Monday, January 26th 2009 - 20:00 UTC

  Exit polls show Bolivians approved new constitution

  

  Bolivian voters approved a new constitution on Sunday to give the indigenous majority more power, let President Evo Morales (first elected indigenous president) run for re-election and give him a tighter control over the economy.

• Monday, January 26th 2009 - 20:00 UTC

  Cuba calls for “a first step” from the Obama administration

  

  Cuba has again urged the new US administration of President Barack Obama to act fast towards improving relations between Washington and Havana according to press reports from Guatemala City at the meeting of Non-Aligned Movement foreign affairs ministers meeting.

• Monday, January 26th 2009 - 20:00 UTC

  Brazilian helicopters for the release of Colombian hostages

  

  The Brazilian army will provide support to groups working on the planned release of six hostages (two politicians, three policemen and a soldier) by the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia, or FARC, guerrilla group, Defence Minister Nelson Jobim said Sunday.

• Monday, January 26th 2009 - 20:00 UTC

  UN Human Rights Commissioner warns of genocide threat

  

  Cautioning that the threat of genocide still remains over half a century after millions of lives were brutally cut short by the Holocaust, the United Nations human rights chief said the memory of its victims should serve as a reminder of the need to act quickly and decisively at the first signs of such crimes.

• Monday, January 26th 2009 - 20:00 UTC

  Four Lords involved in alleged cash-for-influence row

  Britain's Leader of the Lords has pledged to toughen up anti-sleaze rules after four peers were engulfed in a cash-for-influence row. Baroness Royall launched two parliamentary inquiries in the wake of “deeply shocking” allegations that Labour members were ready to change legislation in return for money.

• Monday, January 26th 2009 - 20:00 UTC

  After victory Bolivian government calls on opposition

  

  The government of Bolivia called on the opposition to accept the results of Sunday's constitutional referendum which are considered a huge victory for President Evo Morales, although the first official results (18% vote count) indicate a similar number of Ayes and Nays.