The United States on Monday condemned the killing of a prominent Iraqi journalist in Baghdad over the weekend, describing the shooting as murder.

Mohammed Bidaiwi, editor-in-chief of the U.S.-funded Radio Free Iraq, was shot dead after an altercation with a guard outside a compound in the capital that is controlled by President Jalal Talabani.

Under a huge white tent in the desert dust of Jordan, 100 Syrian refugee children, their own lives blighted, rehearse King Lear, one of Shakespeare's great tragedies.

They form a circle around Syrian actor-turned-director Nawwar Bulbul, who has worked with them for more than two months at Zaatari refugee camp in the hope of drawing attention to their plight.

Algerian presidential candidate Ali Benflis on Monday slammed the record of Abdelaziz Bouteflika, saying the ailing incumbent had failed to push through reforms despite 15 years in power.

At a rally in Blida, west of the capital, the former prime minister described as "unsatisfactory" the state of the country's health and education sectors, judiciary and civil freedoms.

The trial of two sons and dozens of top aides of toppled Libyan dictator Moammar Gadhafi is to open on April 14, a prosecution official said in a surprise announcement Monday.

Seif al-Islam Gadhafi, Saadi Gadhafi and former spy chief Abdullah Senussi are among more than 30 officials from the ousted regime who are to stand trial on charges ranging from murder to embezzlement.

The United States is "deeply concerned" about the death sentences handed out against 529 supporters of Egypt's deposed President Mohammed Morsi, a U.S. official said Monday.

"While appeals are possible, it simply does not seem possible that a fair review of evidence and testimony consistent with international standards could be accomplished with over 529 defendants after a two-day trial," a State Department official said.

Energy Minister Silvan Shalom, tipped as a possible presidential candidate, has been accused of sexual assault against a female former employee, Israeli media reported on Monday.

The alleged victim, who worked for the now 55-year-old member of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's Likud party, has filed a complaint, the reports said.

A majority of Palestinians would support extending peace talks with Israel beyond an April deadline, but only in exchange for the release of additional prisoners, according to a poll published Monday.

Without this condition, most Palestinians would reject extending the faltering negotiations, which have achieved no apparent progress in the nearly nine months since U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry brought the two sides to the table.

U.N. chief Ban Ki-moon reported Monday that humanitarian access to Syrians remains "extremely challenging" a month after the world body demanded a lifting of sieges and bombardments of residential areas.

Ban called on the government and the opposition to take measures to ease the delivery of relief supplies, notably medicine, to 9.3 million Syrians in need.

Al-Jazeera's Australian reporter Peter Greste, on trial in Egypt with fellow journalists, said in court Monday that he and his colleagues have spent three months in jail on "baseless" charges.

Greste was speaking to reporters from a caged dock as the court heard testimonies from five witnesses, including three security officers.

Jakarta called Monday for a Saudi family to accept a substantial payment and halt the impending execution of an Indonesian maid on death row in the kingdom for murder.

If the execution of Satinah Binti Jumadi Ahmad goes ahead, it could set back attempts by Indonesia and Saudi Arabia to mend ties damaged by the 2011 beheading of an Indonesian maid, who was also guilty of murder.