Iraq Two French journalists freed after four months held hostage in Iraq returned to Paris and an emotional reunion with their families, while telling of their "very difficult" time in captivity. Iraq The French government insisted it paid no ransom to free two journalists kidnapped by insurgents in Iraq, but refused to publicly divulge details of the efforts that led to their release. Mideast British Prime Minister Tony Blair launched his quest to bring peace to the Middle East, unveiling plans for a conference to prepare the Palestinians for statehood, during a landmark West Bank visit. US The attack on a US Army canteen in Mosul, northern Iraq, that killed 13 American soldiers appears to have been the work of a suicide bomber, the chairman of US Joint Chiefs of Staff, General Richard Myers, said. Ukraine Tens of thousands of supporters of Ukraine's opposition leader Viktor Yushchenko massed in the center of the capital in a fresh show of force to press demands that a repeat presidential election be conducted fairly unlike a discredited poll last month. EU A European Union court upheld product curbs and a record fine levied by the EU's executive commission against software giant Microsoft for abusing its market dominance. Saudi Saudi Arabia said it had recalled its ambassador from Libya and will expel the Libyan envoy in Riyadh over Tripoli's alleged role in a plot to assassinate Crown Prince Abdullah bin Abdul Aziz. Philippines Hundreds of thousands of fans attended the funeral of the Philippines' most famous movie star, defeated presidential candidate Fernando Poe, held under tight security amid fears of unrest. Japan Japan confirmed its first human case of bird flu and said four other people were suspected of catching the disease which has gripped Southeast Asia, but none of them have developed symptoms. Turkey Former foes Turkey and Syria signed a free-trade accord and said they had agreed to put their differences behind them during a visit by Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan.