Egypt said Thursday that Libyan Airlines will resume flights to the country after a 16-month hiatus.

Egyptian Civil Aviation Authority Director Ashraf Noyer said flights "will start today, Thursday, from Benina airport in Benghazi to Burj Al Arab airport in Alexandria."
-This will be followed next week by the departure of flights from Mitiga airport in Tripoli to Burj Al Arab airport- he said.
Libyan Airlines suspended flights to Egypt In November 2019 after one of its planes was forced to land by forces loyal to Libyan warlord Khalifa Haftar after it took off from Benina International Airport in Benghazi.
A Libyan Airlines plane from Tripoli landed at Benina airport last week to resume flight operations between the two cities after a hiatus of nearly two years.
Egyptian delegations visited Tripoli and met with Libyan officials up until 2014, but visits were stopped after Haftar forces were expelled from the capital.
Libya's rival political groups agreed earlier this month to form an interim unity government that will lead the country until elections are held in December.
Mohammad Younes Menfi was elected president of the interim setup with Abdul Hamid Dbeibeh as prime minister.

First flight to depart from Benina airport in Benghazi and to fly to Burj Al Arab airport in Alexandria

Libyan Airlines suspended flights to Egypt In November 2019.

Libyan Airlines resumes flights to Egypt

NATO defense ministers decided on Thursday to send as much as 3,500 additional troops to Iraq.

-We will expand the NATO training mission in Iraq to ensure that ISIS doesn't return- the alliance's Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg announced at a press conference.
The number of NATO personnel will be increased from the current 500 to 4,000 in the country, the NATO chief said after the virtual meeting's second day.
Noting that the ISIS/Daesh terror group still operates in Iraq, Stoltenberg said the "increase in attacks highlights the importance to increase the NATO mission."
He added that by expanding its capacity-building mission, the alliance aimed to avoid a situation in the future that would require NATO combat forces.
NATO defense ministers have yet to decide on the future presence of the military alliance in Afghanistan, Stoltenberg said.
-We want to make sure that we have a lasting political agreement that enables us to leave- he said.
The NATO chief stressed that the alliance seeks to ensure Afghanistan never again becomes a "safe haven for terrorists that would attack our homeland."

Increase in ISIS attacks highlights importance of NATO presence, says NATO chief

Stoltenberg: We want to make sure that we have a lasting political agreement that enables us to leave

NATO to send up to 3,500 more troops to Iraq

NASA’s Perseverance rover landed safely on Mars Thursday, beginning what is slated to be an almost two-year search for ancient life on the red planet.

The rover touched down at the massive Jezero Crater, which scientists believe could contain the signs of ancient microbial life for which Perseverance is looking. The crater was once the site of a sprawling lake and river delta that theoretically would have hosted optimal conditions for microorganisms to live and be preserved.

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">Hello, world. My first look at my forever home. <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/CountdownToMars?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#CountdownToMars</a> <a href="https://t.co/dkM9jE9I6X">pic.twitter.com/dkM9jE9I6X</a>— NASA's Perseverance Mars Rover (@NASAPersevere) <a href="https://twitter.com/NASAPersevere/status/1362507436611956736?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 18, 2021</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

"Hello, world. My first look at my forever home," the rover's Twitter account said in a post that was accompanied by a black and white image of the planet's surface. "And another look behind me. Welcome to Jezero Crater. #CountdownToMars."

The highly-advanced rover is slated to carry out a mission that will last for one Mars year, or roughly 687 Earth days.
Its journey to Mars took nearly seven months, and it will now begin the process of collecting rock core samples that will be stored in metal tubes for return to Earth on future missions. The samples are key to understanding whether life once existed on the planet the US now hopes to send humans to as early as the 2030s.
Perseverance, which is NASA's most advanced rover to date, is being tasked with four core missions, including testing oxygen production in the Martian atmosphere to prepare for manned missions.To carry out its mission, the small-car-sized rover is carrying a slew of sophisticated technologies including a helicopter known as Ingenuity, which is slated to carry out the first powered flight on the red planet. The drone will take first-of-their-kind visual images of the planet's surface that can be relayed back to Earth.
Perseverance is also carrying microphones that will allow for the first audio from the planet to be heard by humans.

Rover will search for signs of ancient life on red planet and collect samples

First picture from NASA’s Perseverance rover

NASA's Perseverance rover lands safely on Mars

Former US President Donald Trump has indicated he will continue to be in American political life, according to three different interviews he gave on Wednesday.

Trump left the White House last month amid Capitol riot, for which he was blamed for inciting. Although he went down in history as the only US president that was impeached twice by the House of Representatives, the Senate acquitted him.
After the Jan. 6 riot in Capitol building, Trump's Twitter account was suspended indefinitely. While the social media service provider was his foremost choice of communication with the masses, he said he "won’t be back on Twitter," adding that he is considering building his own social media network.
"... on Twitter, it’s become very boring and millions of people are leaving. They’re leaving it because it’s not the same, and I can understand that," he told conservative American news and opinion website Newsmax.
The riot came amid Trump refusing his loss in the Nov. 3 presidential election, and repeatedly saying "Stop the Steal" on Twitter, media outlets, and in Washington, D.C. on Jan. 6 when Congress convened to approve President-elect Joe Biden's win.
-I think we won substantially ... you would have had riots going all over the place if that happened to a Democrat- he said.
Trump stressed his popularity among Republican voters by pointing out a recent poll released Tuesday.
A massive 59% of Republicans said they wanted Trump to play a major role in their party going forward, which is up 18 percentage points since the day after the Capitol riot, according to the poll by Politico and Morning Consult.
The latest level, however, is down from 68% of Republicans had before the election, indicating that Trump is more in touch with the party’s rank-and-file than congressional Republicans, according to a poll released Nov. 24 by the same institutions.
In that poll, 54% of Republicans had also said they would vote for Trump if the 2024 presidential primary was held today.
-Too early to say -- but I see a lot of great polls out there- he said about whether he would run for 2024 election.
Trump also spoke with Fox News and the One America News Network (OANN) in phone interviews to talk about the conservative radio host Rush Limbaugh who passed away on Wednesday.
About the election, he said "Rush felt we won and he was quite angry about it," before he was asked about his future, saying "we have a lot to talk about."
Trump told OANN that his political movement "is very strong and it's getting stronger."

Former Republican president says his political movement 'is very strong and it's getting stronger'

Trump told OANN that his political movement "is very strong and it's getting stronger"

Donald Trump says he will continue to be in US politics

Britain on Thursday imposed sanctions on three Myanmar generals, accusing them of serious human rights violations following a military coup in the Asian country.

-We, alongside our international allies will hold the Myanmar military to account for their violations of human rights and pursue justice for the Myanmar people- foreign minister Dominic Raab said.
Britain said it would enforce immediate asset freezes and travel bans against the three members of the Myanmar military: the minister of defence, Mya Tun Oo, the minister for home affairs, Soe Htut and deputy minister for home affairs, Than Hlaing.
In addition, Britain said further safeguards were being put in place to prevent British aid indirectly supporting the military-led government.
-Myanmar’s military and police have committed serious human rights violations, including violating the right to life, the right to freedom of assembly, the right not to be subject to arbitrary arrest or detention, and the right to freedom of expression- the government statement said.

In addition, Britain said further safeguards were being put in place to prevent British aid indirectly supporting the military-led government

Britain's Foreign Affairs Secretary Dominic Raab walks outside Downing Street in London, Britain, February 3, 2021.

UK sanctions Myanmar generals after military coup

Sudan’s first training and rehabilitation center for people with Down syndrome began operating Wednesday in which Turkish philanthropists provided financial support. 

The ceremony for the opening of the center in the capital Khartoum was attended by Turkey’s Ambassador to Sudan Irfan Neziroglu, Turkish businesspeople and families of students with Down syndrome.
At the ceremony, which began with the recitation of the national anthems of the two countries, young people with Down syndrome presented a local dance show.
After the opening, young people offered treats to the attendants.Ambassador Neziroglu told Anadolu Agency that the rent for the center’s building was paid for a year by a Turkish businessperson.
-We have been supporting the center as an embassy since its establishment last year- he added.
He also thanked the Turkish Federation of Special Needs Athletes (TOSSFED) for donating tracksuits and sports equipment for children.
-We were going to send them to Turkey at the invitation of TOSSFED, but due to the pandemic, the plan was postponed- said the ambassador.
-Just as children with Down syndrome in Turkey participate in European and world competitions, in the same way, they will. We will send them from Sudan to African and world competitions. Our friendship will continue to grow stronger in every field- he added. 
Ibtihaj Mohamed Ohaj, director of Sudan's Down Syndrome Children Center, also welcomed the opening of the first center established in the country for the rehabilitation and education of those with Down syndrome.
People of all ages will benefit from the center, said Ohaj.
-We have rehabilitation, vocational training, physiotherapy and academic training programs. In addition, we carry out various projects aimed at providing employment to our graduate students.--Khartoum Ambassador Irfan Neziroglu promised to open a cafe that would help increase the participation of girls with Down syndrome in public life- he said.
Ohaj also said they are grateful to the fraternal Turkish people, the Turkish Embassy in Khartoum and Turkish businesspeople for all their support.
-I wish that the communication and support between us and the Turkish Embassy in Khartoum will continue- he added.

Support of Turkish philanthropists plays vital role in opening of training and rehabilitation center

People of all ages will benefit from the center

Sudan's first Down syndrome center opens in capital

Jerusalem woke up to the rare experience of seeing its holy sites covered in snow on Thursday, with the Dome of the Rock and the Western Wall under a layer of white after an overnight snowstorm.

Before dawn children were up hurling snowballs at each other outside the Old City gates, as the faithful trudged to sites holy to Judaism, Islam and Christianity.
The snowstorm began on Wednesday evening, leading the authorities to shut down public transportation and block the main road to Jerusalem.
But as it eased overnight the municipality said it would resume services, and people even drove to see the spectacle.
-We came in from Tel Aviv to play in the snow- said Ben Miller. -It’s a rare occasion that we get snow in Jerusalem. The last time, I think, was 2013.-

The snowstorm began on Wednesday evening, leading the authorities to shut down public transportation and block the main road to the city

A girl plays by the Dome of the Rock on the compound known to Jews as Temple Mount and to Muslims as Noble Sanctuary during a snowy morning in Jerusalem's Old City, February 18, 2021.

Jerusalem's Old City turns white after rare snowfall

Facebook's news blackout in Australia has raised fears misinformation could come to dominate the platform in the country, with fake news and conspiracy theories left untouched while credible sources have been cut off.

From Thursday Australians were unable to post links to news articles or view the Facebook pages of local and international news outlets, while Aussie news sources disappeared from the site worldwide.
The social media giant was acting in response to tough new regulations that will force it and Google to pay for the news stories shown on their platforms.
The shock move sparked an angry backlash.
Several critical government agencies -- tasked with issuing emergency Covid-19, bushfire, flood and cyclone advice -- were initially caught up in the news ban before Facebook began restoring them.
An assortment of other Australian pages were also rendered blank, including cancer and homelessness charities, major businesses and even popular satire accounts.
But unaffected by the blackout were a series of pages owned by purveyors of fake news and conspiracy theories -- despite their frequently posting about current events.
Among them were several pages identified by AFP's fact-checking team as sharing false claims that circulate to tens of thousands of users.
The Media, Entertainment and Arts Alliance said the professional journalists it represents acted as a check on the spread of misinformation before their work was barred from Facebook feeds. 
-By restricting independent, professionally produced news in Australia, Facebook is allowing the promotion of conspiracy theories, misinformation, fake news and QAnon crackpots on its platform- representative Marcus Strom said.
"This irresponsible move by Facebook will encourage the dissemination of fake news, which is particularly dangerous during the COVID pandemic and is a betrayal of its Australian audiences."
A Facebook spokesperson said the company's "commitment to combat misinformation on Facebook has not changed". 
-We are directing people to authoritative health information and notify them of new updates via our COVID-19 Information Centre- they said, also pointing to its ongoing fact-checking partnerships.
AFP is among the organisations currently working with Facebook's fact-checking programme. Facebook pays to use fact checks from around 60 such organisations, including media outlets and specialised fact checkers, on its platform and on Instagram.
The Facebook blackout came just days ahead of Australia's planned vaccine rollout, raising concerns official health messaging could be drowned out by anti-vaxxer voices.
-I would say again to Facebook, think again. You may be in it for the money, but the rest of us are in it for safety, protection and responsibility- Health Minister Greg Hunt said.
-This is the moment to return to your origins. Where you were meant to be, as a company, focused on community, engagement, not on the money.-Facebook has said it generates hundreds of millions of dollars in revenue for Australian media organisations via clicks.
Critics hit out at the speed and scope of Facebook's action against Australia after years of what they described as its apparent reluctance to clear the platform of violence, hate speech and misinformation.
-And people wonder why this didn't happen with certain hate groups in other parts of the world, why there wasn't such an attempt to remove that content wholesale- Lucie Krahulcova of Digital Rights Watch told AFP.
-Because I think Facebook really lagged and dilly-dallied and failed many social movements as a result.-Facebook was already under fire for not doing enough to curb misinformation and vitriol globally before this latest controversy.
Last month, CEO Mark Zuckerberg said the company was seeking to "turn down the temperature" on its sprawling platform by reducing the kind of divisive and inflammatory political talk it has long hosted.
The social network has also set about banning groups that share debunked Covid-19 claims and highlighting health advice from reliable official agencies that remain accessible.
But Reset Australia, which aims to counter digital threats to democracy, said the Australian news blackout revealed "just how little the platform cares about stopping misinformation".

From Thursday they were unable to post links to news articles or view the pages of local and international news outlets, while Aussie news sources disappeared from the site worldwide

Facebook founder and CEO Mark Zuckerberg has long faced criticism that the platform does not do enough to scrub misinformation and conspiracy theories

Misinformation fears after Facebook blacks out news in Australia

Indonesia and Brunei Darussalam have agreed that the situation in Myanmar should be taken up at the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) forum, a statement said on Wednesday.

Bilateral relations and the Myanmar issue were at the core of discussions between the foreign ministers of Indonesia and Brunei during the former’s visit to Brunei’s capital Bandar Seri Begawan, according to a statement by Indonesia’s Foreign Ministry.
Retno Marsudi and Erywan Yusof agreed to raise the Myanmar issue for discussion in the ASEAN forum, the statement said.
Brunei Darussalam currently holds the chairmanship of ASEAN.
Marsudi emphasized that ASEAN can help Myanmar get out of the crisis brought about by the military coup of Feb. 1 and continue its democratic transition process, it added.
She said Indonesia has been communicating with ASEAN members and other countries, as well as top UN officials, since the Myanmar crisis erupted.
The Indonesian foreign minister stressed the need to respect the principle of non-interference, prioritize constructive engagement, safety and welfare of the people, and finding solutions.
Assisting in a democratic transition that involves all stakeholders is also one of the ways to help Myanmar, she said.
Myanmar has witnessed mass protests since the military coup, with people rejecting the junta’s claims that the public has supported its move to oust elected leader Aung San Suu Kyi.
Mass protests continued on Wednesday amid growing fears of a violent crackdown by the army.
Tom Andrews, the UN special rapporteur on the situation of human rights in Myanmar, raised alarm over the movement of troops to the financial hub Yangon and surrounding cities.
Such troop movements could mean they are “on the precipice of the military committing even greater crimes against the people of Myanmar,” he warned in a statement on Tuesday evening.

Foreign ministers of Indonesia, Brunei agree on need to help Myanmar, according to official statement

Mass protests continued on Wednesday amid growing fears of a violent crackdown by the army

'Myanmar crisis to be discussed on ASEAN forum'

France, Germany, Italy, Britain and the United States on Wednesday condemned "in the strongest terms" a rocket attack on an airbase in Iraq's Kurdistan region that killed a foreign contractor.

The firing of more than a dozen rockets in the northwest of the Kurdish regional capital Arbil on Monday wounded at least 14 people, as well as fatally injuring a contractor working for the US military.
-We are united in our view that attacks on US and coalition personnel and facilities will not be tolerated- the foreign ministers of the five Western allies said in a joint statement.
-Together, our governments will support the government of Iraq's investigation into the attack with a view to holding accountable those responsible.-The barrage of 107 mm rockets -- the same calibre used in recent attacks in Baghdad -- was fired late Monday from around eight kilometres (five miles) west of Arbil.
They appeared to be aimed at a military complex inside the Arbil airport that hosts foreign troops deployed as part of a US-led coalition that has helped Iraq fight jihadists since 2014.
But they struck all over the city's northwest, including in residential districts where they wounded five civilians.
One US solider was among those injured at the airport, where at least three of the rockets landed.
The nationality of the foreign contractor killed has not been disclosed.
It was the first attack in nearly two months targeting Western military or diplomatic installations in Iraq after a series of similar incidents blamed on pro-Iranian Shiite factions.
US Secretary of State Antony Blinken said Tuesday he was "outraged" at the attack and pledged American support in holding those responsible to account, while the United Nations warned that tensions in Iraq could now escalate.

The firing of more than a dozen rockets in the northwest of the Kurdish regional capital Arbil on Monday wounded at least 14 people, as well as fatally injuring a contractor working for the US military

A damaged wall is seen after the rocket attack on US-led forces in and near Erbil International Airport, in Erbil, Iraq February 16, 2021.

Western allies condemn Iraq rocket attack

Turkish border guards have detained five Russians, including a woman suspected of being a member the Islamic State group, and a Libyan who were attempting to cross from Syria, officials said Wednesday.

It was not immediately clear whether all six were suspected of being members of the jihadist group. 
-Our border guards stationed in Hatay's Narlica district (in southern Turkey) caught six people including one Libyan and five Russian nationals who were attempting to illegally cross into Turkey from Syria- the ministry tweeted in English. 
-One of the Russian nationals was a woman identified as a wanted Daesh member- it said, using an Arabic acronym for the extremist group. 
In a separate incident, Turkish authorities this week also arrested a 26-year-old woman with her two children near the Syrian border, accused of links to the IS group. 
The woman, who held both New Zealand and Australian passports until Canberra revoked her Australian citizenship last year, sparked a row between the two countries.
New Zealand's Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern on Tuesday accused Australia of shirking its responsibilities and said it was "wrong" to expect New Zealand to accept the woman.
Turkey has stepped up the fight against IS jihadists who carried out deadly attacks on its soil, including a mass shooting at an upscale Istanbul nightclub just minutes into the New Year of 2017. 
The attack killed 39 people, including 27 foreigners.&nbsp;

They  have detained five Russians, including a woman suspected of being a member the Islamic State group, and a Libyan who were attempting to cross from Syria

It was not immediately clear whether all six were suspected of being members of the jihadist group

Turkey detains Russian IS suspect at Syria border

A Democratic lawmaker filed a lawsuit on Tuesday accusing former President Donald Trump and lawyer Rudy Giuliani of conspiring to incite the violent riot that shook the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6.

The lawsuit by Representative Bennie Thompson, a Democrat who chairs the House of Representatives Homeland Security Committee, in U.S. District Court in Washington.
The U.S. Senate acquitted Trump of inciting the riot at the Capitol. The Senate vote of 57-43 fell short of the two-thirds majority needed to convict Trump on a charge of incitement of insurrection after a five-day impeachment trial but he can still be sued.
“The insurrection was the result of a carefully orchestrated plan by Trump, Giuliani and extremist groups like the Oath Keepers and Proud Boys, all of whom shared a common goal of employing intimidation, harassment and threats to stop the certification of the Electoral College,” according to a press release announcing the lawsuit.
The National Association for the Advancement of Colored People and attorneys from the law firm Cohen Milstein Sellers &amp; Toll PLLC are handling the litigation.
Other members of Congress, including Democratic Representatives Hank Johnson and Bonnie Watson Coleman, are also expected to join the lawsuit,
More than 18 people associated with the Proud Boys have been charged so far for their alleged role during the riots, and three alleged associates of the Oath Keepers have been indicted on charges they conspired to storm the U.S. Capitol as far back as November.

Lawsuit marks first civil legal action against former president since his acquittal in Senate trial

U.S. President-elect Donald Trump stands with former New York City Mayor Rudolph Giuliani before their meeting at Trump National Golf Club in Bedminster, New Jersey, U.S., November 20, 2016.

Federal lawsuit accuses Trump, Giuliani of conspiracy to incite Capitol riot

Top Senate Republican Mitch McConnell delivered a scathing rebuke of Donald Trump on Saturday despite voting to acquit the former president on an impeachment charge, saying he was responsible for the January 6 mob assault on the US Capitol.

-There's no question -- none -- that President Trump is practically and morally responsible for provoking the events of the day- McConnell said in a speech following the vote that led to Trump's acquittal.
-These criminals were carrying his banners. Hanging his flags. And screaming their loyalty to him.-He called Trump's actions leading up to the siege "a disgraceful dereliction of duty."
McConnell went further and suggested Trump could face charges now that he is out of office.
-President Trump is still liable for everything he did while he was in office, as an ordinary citizen- he said. -He didn't get away with anything yet.-The Republican from Kentucky, however, said he voted to acquit Trump on a charge of inciting insurrection because, he said, it is unconstitutional to convict a president in an impeachment trial after he has left office.

He called former president's actions leading up to the siege "a disgraceful dereliction of duty"

McConnell: President Trump is practically and morally responsible for provoking the events of the day

McConnell says Trump 'responsible' for Capitol assault, despite acquittal

Dozens of Spanish police stormed a university on Tuesday to arrest a rapper who had barricaded himself inside after being sentenced to nine months in jail over tweets attacking the monarchy and accusing police of torture and murder.

-They will never make us give in, despite the repression- Pablo Hasel said, his fist raised as he was escorted down a staircase by officers in protective gear.
-It is the fascist state which is arresting me. Death to the fascist state!- added the 32-year-old, who wore a sweatshirt and was carrying a duffel bag, as he looked directly at TV cameras.
Hasel had been given until last Friday night to turn himself in to begin serving his sentence after being convicted for glorifying terrorism, slander and libel against the crown and state institutions.
At issue was a series of tweets calling former king Juan Carlos I a mafia boss and accusing police of torturing and killing demonstrators and migrants, with his case sparking protests in Madrid and Barcelona. 
But Hasel, who is known for his hard-left views and whose real name is Pablo Rivadulla, on Monday barricaded himself inside the University of Lleida, in the northeastern Catalonia region, with dozens of supporters to avoid arrest.
A Catalan police spokesman told AFP that officers entered the university early Tuesday "to enforce the judicial ruling" on his arrest.
Police in protective gear removed chairs, garbage bins and other objects that had been set up as barricades to reach the spot where the singer was holed up with his supporters.
-There were several barricades at the university, but the people inside did not offer much resistance- the head of the Catalan regional police force in the region, Jordi Dalmau, told reporters.

Hundreds of artists have signed a petition against Hasel's jailing, including film director Pedro Almodovar, Hollywood actor Javier Bardem and folk singer Joan Manuel Serrat.

The petition likened Spain to countries such as Turkey or Morocco, where artists have been jailed.
Last week, Spain's government pledged to reduce the penalty for "crimes of expression" such as the glorification of terrorism, hate speech, insults to the crown and offences against religious sensibilities in the context of artistic, cultural or intellectual activities.
Deputy Prime Minister Carmen Calvo refused to comment on Hasel's arrest, and instead reiterated the government's plans to reform the law.
-In the area of freedom of expression there should be margin for understanding and tolerance in a mature democracy like ours- she said.
In an interview with AFP last week, Hasel said he had no intention of turning himself in, accusing the government of making empty pledges. 
-I refuse to go of my own accord and knock on the prison door- he said. -So they'll just have to come and kidnap me, which will show up the state for what it really is: a phoney democracy.-

Far-left party Podemos, the junior partners in Socialist Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez's minority coalition government, criticised Hasel's arrest.

-All those who consider themselves progressives and boast of (Spain's) 'full democratic normality' should be ashamed- the party said in a tweet.
-Are their eyes covered? There is no progress if we refuse to recognise our existing democratic shortcomings.-The tweet was a reference to recent controversial comments by Podemos leader Pablo Iglesias, who said last week that there was no "full political and democratic normality in Spain".
The statement was criticised by all parties on the right, and caused discomfort within Sanchez's Socialist party.
Hasel's case echoes that of another rapper called Valtonyc who fled to Belgium in 2018 after being convicted of similar crimes. 
Spain is trying to have him extradited but Belgium has refused on the grounds that his offences are not a crime under Belgian law.&nbsp;

Hasel had been given until last Friday night to turn himself in to begin serving his sentence after being convicted

Hasel is convicted for glorifying terrorism, slander and libel against the crown and state institutions

Spanish police arrest rapper holed up in university

Five Islamist extremists were sentenced to death on Tuesday over the brutal murder of a Bangladeshi-American writer and rights activist six years ago.

Avijit Roy, a prolific blogger and the author of 10 books including the best-selling "Biswasher Virus" ("Virus of Faith"), was hacked to death outside Bangladesh's largest book fair by machete-wielding extremists in February 2015.
The murder, part of a reign of terror by extremists at the time, enraged the Muslim-majority nation's secular activists, who staged days of protests.
The judge at Dhaka's Special Anti-Terrorism Tribunal found six people guilty, sentencing five to death and one to life in prison, prosecutor Golam Sarwar Zakir told AFP.
Two of them were tried in absentia, including sacked army officer Syed Ziaul Haque, who was accused of leading the group that carried out the attack -- known as Ansarullah Bangla Team, or Ansar al Islam. 
A defence lawyer said they would appeal the verdict at a higher court.
Roy was born in Bangladesh in 1972 and moved to the United States in 2006 from where he continued to criticise the government for the jailing of atheist bloggers.
His wife Rafida Ahmed Bonya, who was injured in the attack and lives in the US, said the verdict would not bring her peace.
-In six years, not one person investigating the case in Bangladesh reached out to me -- though I am a direct witness and victim of the attack- she wrote on Facebook.
-Simply prosecuting a few foot-soldiers -- and ignoring the rise and roots of extremism -- does not mean justice for Avi's death.-The verdict comes less than a week after eight Islamist extremists were sentenced to death for the murder of a publisher who brought out books by secular writers, including two by Roy.
The attacks were part of a wave of violence between 2013 and 2016 targeting secular activists, bloggers and atheist writers at a time of heightened political tensions.
Several top Islamist political party leaders were hanged over the violence under the government of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina.
The Bangladesh government has since set up two major anti-terrorism police units to crack down on Islamist extremists.
More than 100 suspects have been killed in anti-terror raids and hundreds detained. Around half a dozen Islamist militant outfits have been banned.
Bangladesh cricket star Shakib Al Hasan has become the latest target of radicals, and had to be given an armed bodyguard after he was threatened for attending a Hindu ceremony in India.

Avijit Roy, a prolific blogger and the author of 10 books, was hacked to death outside Bangladesh's largest book fair

Five Islamist extremists have been sentenced to death over the murder of Bangladeshi-American writer and rights activist Avijit Roy

Five Bangladesh Islamists sentenced to death for writer's murder

NATO defence ministers are set to expand the military alliance’s training mission in Iraq once the coronavirus pandemic eases, senior officials and diplomats said, potentially cementing a broader role for the Atlantic alliance in the Middle East.Ministers are set to agree plans on Thursday during a video conference, potentially taking the mission from its current maximum of some 500 troops to around 4,000 or 5,000, four diplomats said.
NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg said on Monday he expected defence ministers to agree to an expanded mission, with more allied personnel working in more security institutions across Iraq.
-The mission will expand gradually, in response to the situation- he said.
NATO has had a non-combat, “train-and-advise” mission in Baghdad since October 2018 but plans to expand it were delayed, in part, by COVID-19 and also due to concerns about regional stability after a U.S. drone killed a top Iranian commander in Baghdad on Jan. 3. 2020.
Earlier expansion plans were mainly in response to a demand by then-U.S. President Donald Trump for NATO to do more in the Middle East. This time, Iraqi Prime Minister Mustafa al-Kadhimi, a former intelligence chief and U.S. ally who took office in May, is eager to have a greater NATO presence in the country at a time of rising insecurity, diplomats said.
A rocket attack on U.S.-led forces in northern Iraq killed a civilian contractor on Monday and injured a U.S. service member, in the deadliest such incident in almost a year.
Paramilitary groups aligned with Iran in Iraq and Yemen have launched attacks against the United States and its Arab allies in recent weeks, including a drone attack on a Saudi airport and a rocket attack on the U.S. Embassy in Baghdad.
NATO will likely take over some of the training activities carried out by the U.S.-led coalition against Islamic State. The allied mission, involving allies including Britain, Turkey and Denmark and led by a Danish commander, is seen as more acceptable to Iraqis than a U.S. training force, diplomats said.
Currently, the NATO mission only trains and advises members of the Iraqi security institutions and forces who are under the direct control of the Iraqi government.

Currently, the NATO mission only trains and advises members of the Iraqi security institutions and forces who are under the direct control of the Iraqi government

NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg briefs media after a meeting of the Alliance's ambassadors over the security situation in the Middle East, in Brussels, Belgium January 6, 2020.

Libyan Airlines resumes flights to Egypt

NATO to send up to 3,500 more troops to Iraq

NASA's Perseverance rover lands safely on Mars

Donald Trump says he will continue to be in US politics

UK sanctions Myanmar generals after military coup

Sudan's first Down syndrome center opens in capital

Jerusalem's Old City turns white after rare snowfall

Misinformation fears after Facebook blacks out news in Australia

'Myanmar crisis to be discussed on ASEAN forum'

Western allies condemn Iraq rocket attack

Turkey detains Russian IS suspect at Syria border

Federal lawsuit accuses Trump, Giuliani of conspiracy to incite Capitol riot

McConnell says Trump 'responsible' for Capitol assault, despite acquittal

Spanish police arrest rapper holed up in university

Five Bangladesh Islamists sentenced to death for writer's murder

NATO to agree larger Iraq training force as violence rises

World

Libyan Airlines resumes flights to Egypt

NATO to send up to 3,500 more troops to Iraq

NASA's Perseverance rover lands safely on Mars

Donald Trump says he will continue to be in US politics

UK sanctions Myanmar generals after military coup

Sudan's first Down syndrome center opens in capital

Jerusalem's Old City turns white after rare snowfall

Misinformation fears after Facebook blacks out news in Australia

'Myanmar crisis to be discussed on ASEAN forum'

Western allies condemn Iraq rocket attack

Turkey detains Russian IS suspect at Syria border

Federal lawsuit accuses Trump, Giuliani of conspiracy to incite Capitol riot

McConnell says Trump 'responsible' for Capitol assault, despite acquittal

Spanish police arrest rapper holed up in university

Five Bangladesh Islamists sentenced to death for writer's murder

NATO to agree larger Iraq training force as violence rises