Uruguay's last military dictator was sentenced to 25 years in prison on Thursday for the role he played in the brutal oppression of the early eighties. On Sunday, the country will decide whether hundreds of others involved can also be brought to justice. Read more...

The day that Ali Ben Bongo was proclaimed the winner of Gabon's presidential poll, opposition supporters set fire to the French consulate in Libreville, underscoring the level of anti-French anger fuelled by Bongo's victory. Read more...

Ali Bongo has just been declared winner of Sunday's presidential election. But his 41.73% majority is unlikely to go unchallenged. Yesterday, our Observer Adriankoto Harinjaka Ratozamanana spoke to Bongo's biggest opponent, Pierre Mamboundou, who said that he would not recognise the victory of late president Omar Bongo's son, who he considers "fraudulent". Read more...

Gabon's presidential election results are to be announced tonight (September 2). One of our Observers in the country explains that the three-day gap between the vote and the results might have given rise to fraudulent activities. He also raises concerns over the unrest that could surge once the results are announced. Read more...

One of our Gabonese Observers voices his concerns over the restrictions placed on journalists covering the presidential election. Read more...

Four of our Afghani Observers, who have been to the polls today, explain how their country has changed since the fall of the Taliban in 2001 and what they're hoping to see from their next president. Read more...

Taraneh was a 28-year-old beautician who was arrested by Basij forces, raped and tortured for 22 days, and then set on fire and left in the desert. At least, that's what dissident Web users say. According to the authorities, the woman in question has been living in Canada for the past two years; and they have evidence to prove it — they've interviewed her family. So who's telling the truth? Read more...

In the run up to Germany's legislative elections Chancellor Angela Merkel's party seem to have given up on political persuasion and instead resorted to sex. This latest poster, revealing ample cleavage, reads: "We have more to offer". Read more...

This video was created by a blogger who's encouraging the Mexican electorate to boycott the midterm polls next month, in whi

For politicians in the Czech Republic, the European elections have turned the country into something of a sticky battleground. For two weeks the country's leaders were faced with increasing numbers of attacks by egg throwers. At first they tried to make a joke of it, but after the assaults became more violent, the politicians were relieved today to see the young activists put down their egg cartons. Read more...