France Races Against Clock in Iraq Hostage Crisis
59117
France scrambled to secure the freedom of  two French journalists kidnapped by Iraqi militants who gave  Paris until Monday evening to drop its controversial ban on  Muslim headscarves in schools.
357508
France was torn between hope and doubt  about its two hostages in Iraq on Wednesday after a purported  French negotiator announced their imminent release but  officials insisted they knew nothing about his efforts.
200983
BAGHDAD : France held its breath for two of its reporters kidnapped in Iraq, while the war-torn country&#39;s ailing economy was dealt a massive blow after a key export pipeline suffered its biggest post-war attack.
673013
France has vowed not to yield to Iraqi kidnappers who have taken two journalists hostage and are demanding the repeal of a law that bans the Islamic headscarf in state schools.
554674
Just as one hostage nightmare for France in Iraq has ended, another seems to have begun.
617894
Unexpected difficulties appeared to have stalled the hoped-for release of two French journalists in Iraq, with a girlfriend of one of the hostages blaming the precarious security situation for the delay.
765209
The French government Sunday scrambled to develop a response to kidnappers who grabbed two French journalists in Iraq, demanding Paris revoke a law banning Islamic head scarves in public schools. There was no sign France would capitulate.
422473
The French government held a crisis  meeting on Thursday over the fate of two journalists held  hostage in Iraq after a new purported statement from the  kidnappers denied they had demanded a ransom or set a deadline.
337138
An anxious French government accelerated  its diplomatic bid to save two French reporters held hostage in  Iraq on Tuesday as a fresh kidnapper deadline neared for Paris  to scrap a ban on Muslim headscarves in schools.
68970
An anxious French government accelerated its diplomatic bid to save two French reporters held hostage in Iraq on Tuesday as a fresh kidnapper deadline neared for Paris to scrap a ban on Muslim headscarves in schools.
475057
French government refuses to yield to Iraqi kidnappers of two French reporters on law banning headscarves. By Hugh Schofield - PARIS.
107373
The release of two French journalists held in Iraq since August was delayed Friday when a group of Iraqis transporting them was bombarded by U.S. forces, an aide to a French MP aiming to help free them said.
529639
French Foreign Minister Michel Barnier made an impassioned plea to try to save the lives of two French journalists held hostage in Iraq as an ultimatum issued by their kidnappers neared expiry.
115121
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.
48269
France pressed on with efforts to save  two French journalists held hostage in Iraq on Thursday after a  deadline to rescind a law banning Muslim headscarves in state  schools passed without word from the kidnappers.
518168
France pressed on with efforts to save two French journalists held hostage in Iraq on Thursday after a deadline to rescind a law banning Muslim headscarves in state schools passed without word from the kidnappers.
587327
BAGHDAD, SEPTEMBER 8: The French government held crisis talks on the fate of two French journalists held hostage in Iraq on Wednesday amid growing uncertainty over whether their kidnappers had demanded a ransom and two-day deadline.