British spies in U.S. terror trial must be faceless in sketches: judge
NEW YORK (Reuters) – Five British MI-5 officers expected to testify anonymously in wigs and makeup in the U.S. trial of an accused al Qaeda operative may be portrayed in courtroom sketches with only “blank faces” and “generic hair,” a federal judge sai…
Seven killed in Egyptian air strikes on Libyan city: Amnesty
TRIPOLI (Reuters) – Seven civilians were killed when Egyptian jets attacked suspected Islamist militant targets in the eastern Libyan city of Derna last week, Amnesty International said on Monday, citing eyewitnesses.
Hollande urges Internet firms to help fight online hate speech
PARIS (Reuters) – French President Francois Hollande urged Internet companies like Google and Facebook on Monday to fight hate speech online, but his address to a Jewish group was marred by a spat between leaders of France’s Jewish and Muslim communiti…
Kiev says cannot withdraw heavy weapons as attacks persist
KIEV/DONETSK, Ukraine (Reuters) – Kiev accused pro-Russian rebels of opening fire with rockets and artillery at villages in southeastern Ukraine on Monday, all but burying a week-old European-brokered ceasefire deal.
Egyptian court jails leading activist for five years
CAIRO (Reuters) – An Egyptian court sentenced a prominent activist to five years in jail on Monday for violating limits on demonstrations, amid one of the toughest crackdowns on dissent in Egypt’s history.
U.N. panel urges increased use of drones in peacekeeping missions
UNITED NATIONS (Reuters) – A United Nations panel assessing the future technological needs of peacekeeping missions has recommended dramatically expanding the use of unmanned surveillance drones in U.N. military operations, the head of the panel said o…
Family of U.S. aid worker: Bergdahl deal emboldened her captors
(Reuters) – The family of Kayla Mueller, the U.S. aid worker who died while a captive of Islamic State militants in Syria, said a prisoner swap deal cut by Washington to get back a U.S. Army Sergeant held by the Taliban hurt efforts to free her.
Syria says must be part of fight against antiquities theft
DAMASCUS (Reuters) – The world will have to cooperate with Syria to halt the trade in looted antiquities that helps fund jihadist groups, Syria’s culture minister said, putting the onus on Turkey to stop the smuggling across their shared frontier.
Afghan chief executive backs Taliban peace effort ‘in coming days’
KABUL (Reuters) – The head of Afghanistan’s power-sharing government lent his support on Monday to a tentative push to begin peace talks with Taliban insurgents, an effort he said “will begin in coming days”.
Ivory Coast’s former first lady rejects charges over election violence
ABIDJAN (Reuters) – Simone Gbagbo, Ivory Coast’s former first lady, on Monday rejected charges of rebellion and xenophobia, in her first public statements at a trial over her role in a conflict that erupted after a contested 2010 election.




