Kosovo’s parliament elected former rebel leader Hashim Thaci to a second term as prime minister and chose businessman Behgjet Pacolli as the country’s new president.

Taliban-linked kidnappers of three UN election workers, including an Irish woman, claimed today that a deal could be close for their release.

A Kosovan woman among three UN workers kidnapped in Afghanistan has called home to say she is well and expects to be freed soon, a businessman seeking her release said today.