Venezuela's disputed election

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Max Pearson introduces correspondents' and writers' dispatches from Venezuela, Zimbabwe, Turkey and France. For the third time, Nicolas Maduro has been announced as the winner of Venezuela's presidential election. But many voters - and outside observers - say the electoral process was neither free nor fair. Ione Wells describes what it was like to report from Caracas on the election and its aftermath. Zimbabwe has just begun a series of public hearings on the events of 1983-87 in its southwestern Matabeleland region - a time when government-trained troops killed thousands of people as part of a move to root out the ZAPU movement, a rival to then-President Mugabe's ZANU-PF. Shingai Nyoka talked to witnesses to and survivors of the carnage and considers whether the new enquiry can really bring healing. Turkey's parliament this week passed new laws which could have drastic consequences for the country's street dogs. Under the new rules, they must be caught and kept in shelters - and put down if they're diseased, injured or dangerous. Victoria Craig has had her own close encounters with aggressive strays in Ankara, and hears from campaigners for animal and human safety on the streets. And after a grumpy - and bumpy - start, says Andrew Harding, the Paris Olympics have found their fizz. Despite the controversies - over drag-queen tableaux, a French-Malian singer or the water quality in the Seine - the experience has reflected a new image of France, and projected it to the world. Producer: Polly Hope Editor: Tom Bigwood Production Co-Ordinator: Katie Morrison (Image: Demonstrators bang pots during protests against election results in Venezuela, in Puerto La Cruz. Credit: REUTERS/Samir Aponte)