Some key facts on Indonesia’s presidential election

September 17th, 2009 Gabon's opposition challenges election resultsLIBREVILLE, Gabon — Opposition candidates defeated in last month's disputed presidential election say they are challenging the results in court. Over two dozen opposition candidates issued a statement Thursday saying their experts had reviewed the results and found "grave irregularities and fraud" in the vote tallies issued by two-thirds of the country's polling stations.

September 16th, 2009 KABUL - President Hamid Karzai won an absolute majority in Afghanistan's presidential election, the official election commission announced Wednesday. Incumbent Karzai won 54.6 percent of the vote in the Aug 20 poll, nearly double the 27.8 percent of his nearest rival, Abdullah Abdullah, the commission said.

September 15th, 2009 Major market burns in Gabon capitalLIBREVILLE, Gabon — Firefighters battled a blaze at the heart of Libreville, Gabon's capital, as fire consumed the nation's largest market. An Associated Press photographer saw security forces including the elite presidential guard rush to try to help firefighters contain the leaping flames at the Mont-Mbout Market.

September 2nd, 2009 Karzai extends lead in Afghan election with 47 pctKABUL — Afghanistan's election commission says President Hamid Karzai is moving closer to the 50 percent threshold that would allow him to avoid a run-off in the country's presidential election. In results released Wednesday, Karzai has 47.3 percent of votes counted while top challenger Abdullah Abdullah has 32.6 percent.

August 22nd, 2009 KABUL - Election monitors from the European Union Saturday described the Afghan presidential elections as "largely positive". Two days after the elections, the European Union Election Observation Mission to Afghanistan, in a statement, welcomed the elections "as a victory against those who wanted to prevent the Afghan people from deciding their own future".

August 21st, 2009 Obama praises Afghans for turning out to pollsWASHINGTON — President Barack Obama has called the Afghan presidential election an "important step forward" for a country that has seen violence and instability for decades. Obama praised the Afghan people for turning out to vote in Thursday's election "in the face of intimidation" from the Taliban.

August 19th, 2009 Gunfire reported in Kabul on election eveKABUL — Gunfire is being heard in the center of the Afghan capital Kabul on the eve of the country's presidential election. Interior Ministry spokesman Zemeri Bashary tells The Associated Press that three or four armed men have taken over a branch of the Pashtani Bank in the Jadi Maiwand area of Kabul and are battling police.

August 8th, 2009 Clinton: US to work with Afghan election winnerWASHINGTON —Secretary of State Hillary Clinton says the U.S. is ready to work with the winner of Afghanistan's upcoming presidential election.

July 18th, 2009 Obama offers support to Indonesia's presidentWASHINGTON — President Barack Obama has called Indonesia's leader to express support for the Indonesian government and people after suicide attacks at two hotels killed seven people. Obama spoke on Saturday with Indonesian President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono (SOO'-see-loh BAM'-bang yoo-doo-YOH'-noh).

July 8th, 2009 JAYAPURA - Indonesians begin voting Wednesday in only the second direct presidential elections in the country's history, with incumbent Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono is widely expected to win a second five-year term. Voting commenced at 7 a.m.

July 8th, 2009 Indonesians vote calmly in presidential electionJAKARTA, Indonesia — Indonesians voted in their emerging democracy's second direct presidential election, with the incumbent expected to win a single-round victory on the back of recent economic and political stability. An unofficial quick count at 2,000 polling stations with a fifth of ballots counted gave President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono 54 percent of the vote, which would be enough to avoid a runoff in September.

June 20th, 2009 TEHRAN - Iran's Guardian Council will recount 10 percent of the ballot boxes in last week's disputed presidential election, the state television reported Saturday. "The Guardian Council is ready to recount randomly up to 10 percent of the ballot boxes in last week's disputed presidential election," council's spokesman Abbas Ali Kadkhodai said.

June 18th, 2009 Former Democratic chief supports US stance on IranWASHINGTON — Former Democratic Party Chairman Howard Dean gave the Obama administration high marks Thursday for its arms-length response to the disputed presidential election in Iran. "For the United States to overtly interfere with this would be a big mistake," Dean said in a nationally broadcast interview.

June 13th, 2009 White House keeps close watch on Iran campaignWASHINGTON — The White House says it is monitoring Iran's presidential election results, including reports of voter fraud. White House press secretary Robert Gibbs said Saturday the Obama administration is keeping close watch on the election process, "including reports of irregularities." He said the White House was impressed "by the vigorous debate and enthusiasm that this election generated, particularly among young Iranians." Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad (ah-muh-DEE'-neh-zhahd) has claimed victory.

May 10th, 2009 Indonesian president's party named election winnerJAKARTA, Indonesia — Indonesia's election body says President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono's party officially won last month's parliamentary polls. That puts the reform-minded leader in a strong position to be re-elected in the more important presidential race in July.