AU - Africanews

1. 'I begged them': the Guinean mother deported from Belarus without her baby

   23-year-old Mariam Soumah initially came to Belarus in the hope of getting to Europe. There, she gave birth to her daughter - and was deported back to her home country without her child. The Guinean embassy in Moscow, which oversees Belarus, is reportedly following the case.

2. Museveni votes as Uganda election unfolds amid delays and crackdown

   The election is taking place under an internet blackout imposed earlier this week and a heavy police presence. Museveni faces his strongest challenge from opposition leader and pop star Bobi Wine, who has warned of mass protests if the vote is rigged.

3. United States completes first sale of Venezuelan oil

   The United States has completed its first sale of Venezuelan oil, generating around $500 million, a US official said Wednesday, the first major energy transaction since Washington’s dramatic intervention in Venezuela earlier this month.

4. Violent thunderstorms trigger flash flooding along Australia's Great Ocean Road

   Severe thunderstorms caused flash flooding in Victoria, Australia, with over 170 mm of rain. Cars were swept away, but no injuries were reported.

5. Mourners attend mass funerals in Tehran as protest death toll exceeds 2,500

   Tens of thousands of mourners thronged the streets of Tehran for a mass funeral of security forces and civilians on Wednesday. Activists say more than 2,500 people have been killed in the protests, the vast majority demonstrators.