| Two French journalists abducted in Iraq mark their 65th day in captivity on Friday, with an agonising uncertainty persisting over the pair's fate despite intense diplomatic efforts for their release. Georges Malbrunot and Christian Chesnot were seized along with their Syrian driver Mohammed al-Jundi on August 20 on the highway between Baghdad and the Shiite holy city of Najaf. France, taken aback that French nationals were potential kidnap victims despite its stringent opposition to the US-led invasion of Iraq, embarked on a string of efforts to locate the hostages and obtain their liberation. But despite calls from French leaders, Arab satellite television stations, and Iraqi clerics for their release, the pair remain in the hands of their captors. |