A UNITED STATES air strike targeting a purported fighting position used by foreign militants in Fallujah demolished a house and killed 14 people, hospital and local officials said yesterday.

A FILIPINO held hostage in Iraq told his family in a videotaped message aired yesterday he would be home soon, but the militants holding him said he would be freed only after Manila withdrew its troops from Iraq.

THE kidnappers of a Philippine hostage in Iraq have extended by nine days their deadline for Manila to withdraw its troops or see him executed, a senior diplomat said yesterday.

The Philippines today refused to withdraw its troops from Iraq sooner than their scheduled August 20 departure despite a threat by insurgents to behead a Filipino hostage unless they pulled out this month.