French leaders in crisis meeting over hostages

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.

The two French journalists appealed late last night for their countrymen and president to comply with their captors’ demands in a video broadcast by Al-Jazeera television.