French Hostages Said Alive, Headscarf Ban Enforced
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A French Muslim delegation in Iraq said Thursday they had proof that two French hostages held by Islamic militants were alive, even though France refused to lift a ban on Muslim headscarves as the school year began.
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France on Monday proceeded with plans to implement its controversial ban on Islamic headscarves at the start of the school term later this week, ignoring the blackmail attempt by militants holding two journalists in Iraq.
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An Iraqi militant group has kidnapped two Frenchmen and given the French government 48 hours to end a ban on Muslim headscarves, Arabic television station Al Jazeera said on Saturday.
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France said on Sunday two French  reporters held hostage with their Syrian driver in Iraq were  still alive a few days ago.
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CAIRO: Iraqi militants last night kidnapped two Frenchmen to protest France&#39;s ban on students wearing Islamic head scarves in schools, according to a tape aired by Al Jazeera TV.
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A French law banning Islamic headscarves in schools came into force today as France intensified its diplomatic efforts to free two hostages held in Iraq by militants demanding the withdrawal of the new legislation.
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_ Islamic militants released a brief tape showing two French journalists kidnapped recently in Iraq and said they were holding the men to protest a French law banning headscarves in schools, according to footage aired Saturday by an Arab
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A day after a militant Islamic group holding two French journalists in Iraq demanded that France revoke a law banning Muslim head scarves in public schools, the French government vowed on Sunday not to ...
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An Iraqi militant group has kidnapped two  Frenchmen and given the French government 48 hours to end a ban  on Muslim headscarves, Arabic television station Al Jazeera  said Saturday.
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Militants holding two French journalists  hostage in Iraq gave France another 24 hours on Monday to  revoke its ban on Muslim headscarves in schools, Al Jazeera  reported.
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French government refuses to yield to Iraqi kidnappers of two French reporters on law banning headscarves. By Hugh Schofield - PARIS.
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A French Muslim delegation in Iraq trying to win the release of two French journalists held hostage by Islamic militants said Thursday they had received proof the men were alive and well. The kidnappers have demanded that Paris rescind a law banning Muslim headscarves.
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PARIS - Millions of French students returned to school Thursday as a new law that bans Islamic head scarves from classrooms went into effect amid demands by Islamic radicals holding two French hostages in Iraq that the law be scrapped.    Muslim leaders in France, who had largely opposed the law, urged calm for the return to class...
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France said on Monday there were indications that two French hostages held in Iraq will be freed and a Muslim negotiator said talks over their release were in the "delivery phase."
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Two French journalists taken hostage in Iraq are believed to be alive and safe, France&#39;s defence minister has said. But Sunni Muslim clerics in Iraq say efforts to free them are being hampered by the escalation of security operations led by US forces.
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AMMAN, Jordan -- France is pressing on with efforts to secure the release of two French journalists held hostage in Iraq, after a deadline to revoke a law banning Muslim headscarves in schools passed without word from the kidnappers.
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France's foreign minister says he "understands" two Israeli soldiers captured by Hezbollah last year are alive.