News / News Bulletin

ANC leading rivals in S Africa municipal vote

Thursday, 04 August 2016 1:27 PM [ Last Update: Thursday, 04 August 2016 1:30 PM ]

A woman casts her ballot at a polling station in Imizamo Yethu, an impoverished informal settlement in Hout Bay, during South African municipal elections, on August 3, 2016, in Cape Town. (AFP)

Here is a round-up of global news developments:

A new poll shows that Black and Hispanic communities in the United States are prone to police violence across the country. In a GenForward poll, two-thirds of young African Americans and about half of the Hispanics said they had personally experienced violence or harassment at the hands of the police.
The Bank of England has cut its key interest rate to a record low 0.25 percent to prevent recession after the Brexit. This is the first time the bank takes such a measure since 2009. Britain’s central bank is also expanding its stimulus program to pump an additional 60 billion pounds into the economy.
South Africa's ruling African National Congress is leading its rivals as vote counting is underway following municipal elections. With nearly half of the votes counted so far, the ANC has a 50 percent lead over its rivals. Final nationwide results are expected Friday.
Militants in western Afghanistan have ambushed a vehicle carrying foreign tourists and injured several of them. No one has claimed responsibility for the attack but it bears the hallmarks of the Taliban. The militant group has frequently targeted Afghan security forces, civilians and foreign troops.
The Bahraini regime steps up its crackdown on dissidents and protesters after top Shia cleric Sheikh Isa Qassim was stripped of his citizenship over allegations of fanning extremism in the country. Reports say internet access has been slowed down near Qassim's home. This is aimed at disrupting communication among demonstrators.
The Israeli army has demolished the homes of two Palestinians in the occupied West Bank. The Israeli military says the homes of Mohammed Mahamra and Khaled Mahamra were destroyed on Thursday. The two were allegedly involved in a June attack in Tel Aviv. Critics believe the demolitions amount to collective punishment.
Saudi Arabia’s grand mufti Abdul Aziz bin Abdullah al-Sheikh has urged his followers to financially support the Kingdom’s troops in fighting against Yemen. The grand mufti said helping the soldiers with money is a great deed. Saudi Arabia has been waging a devastating war against Yemen since March 2015.
Amnesty International has criticized world leaders for their slow response to the global refugee crisis. Amnesty says world leaders have failed to bear the responsibility to tackle the worst crisis in 70 years. Over 20 million people have been forced across international borders by conflict, violence and persecution since 2015.