Rebels slaughtered hundreds of civilians when they seized the South Sudan oil hub of Bentiu, hunting down men, women and children who had sought refuge in a hospital, mosque and Catholic church, the United Nations said on Monday.

A hostage kidnapped from the Tunisian embassy in Libya was seen sobbing in a video released on Monday by a jihadist group claiming his capture.

Muhammad Qutb, the brother of the founder of the Muslim Brotherhood Sayyid Qutb, has passed away in hospital in Mecca at the age of 95.

Libya’s General National Congress has passed a no-confidence motion against Prime Minister Ali Zeidan and designated the defence minister as acting prime minister.

A former Islamist fighter who joined Libya’s government was among 11 people killed when a Libyan military plane crashed in Tunisia, officials say.

Following weeks of unrest, Bangladeshis went to polling stations for general elections on Sunday, January 5, amid heavy security following the arson of at least 120 polling stations across the impoverished country.

Bangladesh’s opposition began enforcing a 48-hour general strike on the eve of elections as its leader remains confined to her home.

The United Nations Security Council has approved plans to almost double the number of UN peacekeepers in South Sudan.

A suicide bomb attack at an army base outside Benghazi in eastern Libya killed at least six people and wounded up to 15 on Sunday, medical and security sources said.

Hundreds of people are believed to have died in clashes between rival South Sudan army factions, the UN says, quoting unconfirmed reports.