Egypt's president slams reporters' trial

Egypt’s president has acknowledged for the first time that the heavy sentences handed down to three Al Jazeera journalists had a “very negative” impact on his country’s reputation, saying he wished they were never put on trial.

The comments by Abdel-Fattah el-Sissi to editors of Egyptian media outlets were the first public recognition by Egyptian officials that the case had been damaging to the country’s relations with the international community.