The election of former Roman Catholic bishop Fernando Lugo as president of Paraguay is a further sign of a left-wing shift in Latin America, according to long-term observers of the region's sometimes volcanic political scene.

The Anglican Bishop of Taiwan and one of his senior priests say they are saddened by the failure of the electorate on the island to pass two referendums asking whether Taiwan should enter the United Nations.

The auxiliary bishop of the Chaldeans in Baghdad, Shlemon Warduni, has called on fellow-believers to “continue to pray for peace across the world and today especially in Iraq” following the execution of former dictator Saddam Hussein at 6.10am today.