Wednesday's top 5 headlines: what you should know

South African Olympic athlete Oscar Pistorius has been sentenced to six years in prison for the murder of his girlfriend in 2013. He had faced a 15-year sentence, but both the prosecution and defense can appeal. President Barack Obama, saying the Afghan security situation remained precarious announced on Wednesday that he would keep U.S. troop levels in the country at 8,400 through the end of his administration rather than reducing them to 5,500 by year's end. The United States for the first time has put North Korean leader Kim Jong Un on the U.S. sanctions list for human rights abuses. The U.S. Dept. of Justice has been called upon to investigate a shooting in Baton Rouge where a black man was shot multiple times by police during a confrontation at a Louisiana convenience store, the state's governor said. The Barcelona and Argentina football star, Lionel Messi who is on trial for alleged tax fraud in Spain has been sentenced to 21 months in prison. Messi and his father Jorge, who manages his finances are accused of defrauding Spain of €4.1m (£3.2m; $4.6m).