South Africa local elections: ANC suffers major setback
South Africa's governing African National Congress (ANC) has suffered its worst electoral setback since apartheid ended in 1994.
With 94% of the votes counted after Wednesday's municipal elections, the party has lost the key battleground of Nelson Mandela Bay to the opposition Democratic Alliance (DA).
The two parties are in a close fight for Johannesburg and Pretoria.
But the ANC is still in the lead nationally, with 54% of the vote.
The ANC has won more than 60% of the vote at every election since the end of apartheid more than two decades ago.
Unemployment and corruption scandals surrounding President Jacob Zuma have tarnished the ANC's image.
US criticises China's 'political' trials as fourth activist punished for subversion
Rights lawyer Gou Hongguo given a three-year suspended prison sentence after state media says he tried to ‘subvert state power’
A Chinese human rights activist was on Friday given a three-year suspended prison sentence for subversion, state media said – the fourth such case this week as authorities crack down on dissent.
Christian activist Gou Hongguo had gone abroad to be trained in “subverting state power”, the second intermediate people’s court in the northern city of Tianjin said on Friday on a verified social media account.
He also sought to turn public opinion against the government and attempted to overthrow the socialist system, among a litany of other offences, it said.
He was given three years in prison, suspended for three years, the official Xinhua news agency said, adding that he had pleaded guilty and said he would not appeal.
Isis 'captures 3,000 civilians' trying to escape its territory in Iraq
UN says militants killed at least 12 of the captured men, women and children
The UN Refugee Agency said militants had killed at least 12 people, who had been moving from villages in al-Hawija district to seek safety in Kirkuk city on Thursday.
A security source told the Iraqi News website they died when Isis fighters “fired openly” on families as they tried to flee
“Three thousand civilians, including women, men, children and elders tried to escape this afternoon from Hawija,” he added.
Failed coup fallout transforms Turkish politics
The fallout from the failed coup attempt that almost toppled the Turkish government last month is reshaping the landscape of Turkish politics, as Tom Stevenson reports from Istanbul.
Turkey's president, Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, is not a man who is used to apologizing. A plain-speaking natural orator, Erdoğan is better known for forcing his opponents into tight spots than for navigating himself out of them.
But Erdoğan expressed contrition in an address on August 3 when he discussed his own past support for the Gulenists, a secretive religious movement now believed by a majority of Turkish society and many observers to have orchestrated an attempted military coup in July.
"For a long time, we couldn't see that this group was an instrument and cover of other goals and sinister calculations... I ask forgiveness from my god and nation for this," Erdoğan said, in a tone two steps removed from his usual rhetoric.
Marriage of 6-year-old girl in exchange for goat shocks Afghans
A video of a crying 6-year-old Afghan girl is being widely shared on social media in Afghanistan. Her name is Gharibgol, and she was sold into marriage to Seyed Abdolkarim, a 55-year-old mullah from her village.
According to Afghan law, women can be married from age 16 and men from age 18. According to our Observers, it is not rare for underage girls to get married in Afghanistan, but such a huge age gap is unusual. On social media, many Afghans expressed shock at this union, as well as by the fact that the child was sold in exchange of a goat and some food.
Our Observer Fawad Ahmady, a journalist in Herat, filmed the videos below and published them on Facebook as well as in local media.
According to Afghan law, women can be married from age 16 and men from age 18. According to our Observers, it is not rare for underage girls to get married in Afghanistan, but such a huge age gap is unusual. On social media, many Afghans expressed shock at this union, as well as by the fact that the child was sold in exchange of a goat and some food.
Our Observer Fawad Ahmady, a journalist in Herat, filmed the videos below and published them on Facebook as well as in local media.
"The girl’s father said that he was having trouble making ends meet"
Brazil's political crisis deepens violence against indigenous peoples
Alex Spengler, Izabela Sanchez and Rafael de Abreu
Caarapo, Brazil: "I like drawing and playing. I dream of becoming a teacher so I can educate the children," says Josiel, speaking in the Guarani language. Then he lifts his shirt to expose bullet wounds.
Josiel Benites is 12. The pain of his wounds means he is unable to walk or attend school in the indigenous reserve of Tey Kue, where he is designated to live with his family in the agribusiness town of Caarapo, in the western Brazilian state of Mato Grosso do Sul.
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