Jean-Pierre Bemba has been banned from running in the Democratic Republic of Congo's presidential election later this year by the country's electoral commission. Bemba, a former vice president, was considered one of the top

ISIL has taken a group of at least 27 people hostage in the sparsely populated Sweida desert in southern Syria, according to Human Rights Watch (HRW). Among those kidnapped, who are mostly of members of

Turkey's foreign minister is warning against a possible Syrian government offensive in Idlib province. It's the last remaining opposition stronghold and home to the world's largest population of internally displaced people. As the rebel

Spain's government has passed a decree to remove the remains of the country's former dictator Francisco Franco from a grand mausoleum where he has been buried for 43 years. Transforming the Valle de los

Four armed men have been killed in an operation by the Egyptian police in the city of Arish in northern Sinai. Egyptian security source told Arabic-language media that four Egyptian policemen were also killed

Nigeria has shut down its busiest bridge for maintenance. The Third Mainland Bridge links Lagos Island to the shores of the capital, a city of nearly 20 million people. Al Jazeera's Ahmed Idris looks

Five airlines that fly to the flooded Indian province Kerala have said they will deliver relief goods for free to the affected areas. Three of the airlines are from India; Air India, Jet Airways

The year was 1395. Tokhtamysh and his Tatar Muslim army were rushing to the northeast across the vast steppes of Ukraine, unsure of what was to come.  The journey was long and strenuous, but

The International Monetary Fund (IMF) has warned Saudi Arabia against increasing public spending as oil prices rise. In a report issued on Friday, the IMF said that a rise in spending would leave the Saudi budget exposed,

On The Listening Post this week: Google's planned Chinese search app comes under fire - not least from its own staff. Plus, surveillance and censorship in the Occupied Palestinian Territories (OPT). Bowing to Beijing?