A judge on the special tribunal that will put Saddam Hussein and members of his former regime on trial was assassinated in the Iraqi capital, according to an Iraqi police official and a media report.

Kidnapped French journalist Florence Aubenas appeared on a video today almost eight weeks since she disappeared after leaving her Baghdad hotel.

A convoy taking the two French hostages to freedom in Syria came under US fire, scuttling their release, a French MP involved in the negotiations said tonight.