Two French reporters, freed from four months of captivity in Iraq, arrived home tonight as the government said it negotiated an end to their ordeal without paying a ransom.

On the day of a deadly attack against US troops, Iraq’s finance minister said he saw signs of improvement in his country’s security.

Two French journalists who were kidnapped by a radical Islamic group in Iraq four months ago were released today.

France is receiving information about the two French journalists held hostage in Iraq on a regular basis and, despite four months of captivity, they are in good health, Foreign Minister Michel Barnier said.

France today marked what President Jacques Chirac called a “sad anniversary” - 100 days since two French reporters were taken hostage in Iraq.

A Syrian man believed to have been the driver captured along with two French journalists by militants in August has been found in Fallujah, US marine officials said this morning.

INSURGENTS in war-ravaged Iraq have kidnapped more than 150 foreigners in their campaign to drive out coalition forces and hamper reconstruction.

President Jacques Chirac said today that the French share the “emotion and pain” of Britons over the execution of Kenneth Bigley.

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.

SHACKLED and caged, Iraq hostage Ken Bigley wept as he called British Prime Minister Tony Blair a liar in a new video issued by his kidnappers last night.

A Briton a two Americans were kidnapped in Baghdad today, the Iraqi Interior Ministry said.

US warplanes struck an alleged hide-out where operatives from an al Qaida-linked group had gathered today killing at least 20 people.

France’s foreign minister said there were signs that two journalists abducted in Iraq are still alive and officials hoped their release was still possible.

The French foreign minister was today on standby return to the Middle East to help win the release of two hostages as experts analysed whether a ransom demand was authentic.

The French government remains hopeful about the fate of two its nationals held hostage in Iraq but does not want to jeopardise their release by talking about it too much, an official said today.

The French government met for crisis talks today over the fate of two hostages in Iraq, but said their release was still possible and that discretion and patience are needed.

A Paris newspaper editor said there had been positive movement in the effort to free two captive French journalists in Iraq, while a separate militant group said it had killed three Turkish captives.

HOPES grew last night for the release of two French journalists held hostage in Iraq, with France’s foreign minister saying he had received word that they were alive.

Hopes grew tonight for the release of two French journalists held hostage in Iraq, with France’s foreign minister saying he had received word that they were alive and one of their employers saying their kidnappers have handed them over to another group.

French envoys are to hold crisis talks in Iraq and Jordan today in a desperate bid to free two journalists seized by militants seeking to overturn France’s law banning Islamic head scarves in public schools.

SEVEN truck drivers held hostage in Iraq since July were freed yesterday after a $500,000 (€411,000) ransom was paid.

A £280,000 (€411,560) ransom payment today gained freedom for seven truck drivers held hostage in Iraq since July.

A VIDEO purporting to show the grisly executions of 12 Nepalese workers kidnapped in Iraq was yesterday posted on a website linked to a militant group.

A video purporting to show the grisly, executions of 12 Nepalese workers kidnapped in Iraq was discovered today on a web site linked to a militant group.

The French government headed into crisis talks today in a bid to save the lives of two journalists held hostage by Islamic militants in Iraq – but refusing to bow to the kidnappers’ demands to rescind a ban on Muslim head scarves in French schools.

Two French journalists being held hostage in Iraq called on French President Jacques Chirac to save their lives by giving in to militants’ demands to rescind a headscarf ban, according to a video shown on the Al-Jazeera television station.

FRANCE vowed yesterday to press ahead with a controversial law banning Islamic headscarves in schools, despite demands by militants holding two French journalists hostage in Iraq that Paris revoke the legislation.

A French journalist being held hostage along with a colleague in Iraq called on French President Jacques Chirac to give in to militants’ demand to rescind a headscarf ban to save their lives, according to a video shown on the Al-Jazeera television station.

President Jacques Chirac has vowed to spare no effort to free two French reporters held hostage in Iraq by militants reportedly demanding that France scrap its ban on Islamic headscarves in state schools.

France’s government today scrambled to map out its response to the kidnapping of two French journalists in Iraq, but showed no immediate signs of being ready to surrender to the hostage-takers’ reported demands.

Militants in Iraq have murdered kidnapped Italian journalist Enzo Baldoni, who disappeared last week, Pan-Arab television station Al-Jazeera reported.