Jailed US reporter’s defense appeals his arrest

MOSCOW (AP) — A court in the Russian capital says that lawyers for an American reporter for The Wall Street Journal arrested in Russia on espionage charges have appealed his arrest. Evan Gershkovich was detained last week in Yekaterinburg. It is the first time a U.S. correspondent has been detained on spying accusations since the Cold War. The Journal has said it “vehemently denies” the charges and demanded his release. At Thursday’s hearing, Moscow’s Lefortovsky District Court ruled that Gershkovich would be kept behind bars for two months pending the investigation. On Monday, the court said it has received Gershkovich’s appeal against the ruling filed by his defense, according to Russian news agencies. No date for the appeals hearing has been set.