World Highlights

¤ Kidnappers holding US journalist Jill Carroll say they will carry out a threat to kill her unless their demands are met by a February 26 deadline, Kuwait's Al Rai TV said yesterday, citing sources close to her captors. In response to a question from Reuters, Al Rai chairman Jassem Boodai declined to specify the kidnappers' demands. In previous videos, Ms Carroll has said her captors are demanding that all female prisoners in Iraq be freed.

¤ A previously unknown militant group in Gaza claimed responsibility yesterday for the kidnapping of an Egyptian diplomat and said it would not free him unless all Palestinians in Egyptian prisons were released within 48 hours. The militants, calling themselves the Free Men Brigades, said in a statement that the kidnapping was "only a first step" and that Egypt should "bear full responsibility for the tragic consequences that may result." The group did not elaborate.

¤ US Defence Secretary Donald Rumsfeld, days after calling Iran the world's top state sponsor of terrorism, ratcheted up the pressure on Tehran with fresh accusations of interference in Iraq. Mr Rumsfeld, in Taormina, Sicily, for a meeting of Nato defence ministers, used an appearance in Europe for the second time in a week to talk tough over Iran, which the United States and European Union fear is covertly developing nuclear weapons.

¤ Nato's top commander of operations said he doubted whether the alliance would have enough troops to declare a long-heralded rapid reaction force fully operational in October as planned. A delay to the 25,000-strong Nato Response Force would be a setback to US-backed efforts to turn the alliance that was Europe's Cold War protector into an outfit able to launch itself into crisis spots around the world at days' notice.

¤ France signalled support for a Russian plan to invite Palestinian election winner Hamas to Moscow for talks despite strong protests from Israel, which wants governments to shun the Islamist militant group.Israeli President Moshe Katsav and others said Russian President Vladimir Putin threatened peacemaking prospects if he followed through on his invitation for Hamas to visit Moscow after its victory in the January 25 parliamentary election.