Operation Odyssey Dawn began Saturday with coalition missiles targeting Moammar Gadhafi's tanks and air defenses. Is the United States leading this effort? Meanwhile, relief and rescue efforts continue in Japan and time is of the essence as over 12,000 people are still missing and 8,000 have been confirmed dead so far. 

The Brazilian government is trying a new scheme to cut its carbon emissions and slow down the rate of deforestation in the Amazon. It's planning to do that by PAYING local communities to protect forests and stop cutting down trees. BBC Brazil reporter Paulo Cabral has been to visit the first trial project in the Juma reserve, which contains 1 million acres and is home to over 300 families.

During a visit there, he found the approach is changing the attitudes of local people. "The key drivers of deforestation are poverty and lack of education," Amazonas State Governor Eduardo Braga told him. "Don’t ask for one mother and one father to keep one standing tree if their kid is crying because they’re going to say ‘I’m going to save my kid and I don’t care about this tree.'"

A judge blocked Latin America's first gay marriage at the last minute today in Buenos Aires, Argentina. The last-minute reversal highlights the divided opinion on gay marriage in predominantly Catholic Latin American culture. We get the latest from BBC’s South America correspondent, Candace Piette, live from Buenos Aires.

Colombia will sign a deal with the United States today to give the American military access to seven of its military bases. The deal has been in the works for months, and it has raised concerns among several South American countries. BBC correspondent Jeremy McDermott joins us from Bogota, Columbia, to talk about the implications of this deal.

The political crisis in Honduras may soon be coming to an end. After weeks of negotiations, ousted President Manual Zelaya could soon return to power. We speak with Marcelo Justo in the BBC's South America bureau.

With shrinking budgets and expanding populations, cities across the globe are desperate for cheap mass transit. From Johannesburg to Jakarta to Cleveland, city governments are choosing Bus Rapid Transit (BRT)— a bus system that acts like a train but with no tracks or rails. The Takeaway talks to freelance reporter Steven Dudley, who explored the successful BRT system in Bogota, Colombia, and to Dan Moulthrop, reporter for WCPN, Cleveland Public Radio, where the city has been making the transition to a Bus Rapid Transit system.

To see the buses in action, watch the film below:

After a fifteen-month long trial, a verdict is expected today in the trial of former Peruvian President Alberto Fujimori on charges of human rights abuses. This is the first time an elected Latin American president has been tried for human rights abuse. Fujimori is accused of ordering two massacres that killed 25 people. He denies the charges, but faces up to 30 years in prison if convicted. Mr. Fujimori is currently serving a six-year prison term for abuse of power. Joining us for more is James Painter, Latin American analyst for the BBC's World Service.

Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez has won a controversial referendum that allows him to stand for re-election for his third term in office and since few candidates are willing to run against him, it may be permanent. Chavez would like to stay in office beyond his second term to secure his so-called Venezuelan socialist revolution. As Venezuelans voted yesterday to lift term limits, Chavez will most likely get his wish. For more we’re joined by the BBC’s Latin American analyst, James Painter.

A high point of Chavez's international career: