The British foreign secretary David Miliband called today for the immediate and unconditional release of five British men held hostage in Iraq, ahead of the second anniversary of their capture.
He said British and Iraqi officials were working "tirelessly" for the safe release of the men, an IT consultant and his four bodyguards who were abducted from the Iraqi finance ministry in Baghdad on May 29 2007.
"We call on those holding all hostages to release them immediately and unconditionally and return them safely to their families where they belong," Mr Miliband said in a statement released by the Foreign Office.
"I don't think that any of us can imagine their ordeal nor the anguish that their families and friends have had to suffer during this dreadful time," he added.
Mr Miliband said British authorities were "totally committed" to working for their release and thanked the Iraqi government for their support.
"There is a dedicated team from across government, including people on the ground in Baghdad, working tirelessly with the Iraqi authorities and (Britain's) coalition partners to help bring this about," he said.
Mr Miliband added that Iraq had changed over the past two years, noting signs of reconciliation and saying "hostage-taking has no part in that future."
The Foreign Office said in March that the group who seized the men had sent a video featuring one of the captives to the British embassy in Baghdad.
It did not elaborate but British news programme Channel 4 News said the video showed IT consultant Peter Moore saying the group was being treated well.
In a video released in July, the group claimed that one of the five men had committed suicide, but this has not been confirmed.
*AFP
The specs
Engine: 6.2-litre V8
Power: 502hp at 7,600rpm
Torque: 637Nm at 5,150rpm
Transmission: 8-speed dual-clutch auto
Price: from Dh317,671
On sale: now
The specs
Engine: 2-litre 4-cylinder and 3.6-litre 6-cylinder
Power: 220 and 280 horsepower
Torque: 350 and 360Nm
Transmission: eight-speed automatic
Price: from Dh136,521 VAT and Dh166,464 VAT
On sale: now
A general guide to how active you are:
Less than 5,000 steps - sedentary
5,000 - 9,999 steps - lightly active
10,000 - 12,500 steps - active
12,500 - highly active
A Cat, A Man, and Two Women
Junichiro Tamizaki
Translated by Paul McCarthy
Daunt Books
LA LIGA FIXTURES
Saturday (UAE kick-off times)
Leganes v Getafe (12am)
Levante v Alaves (4pm)
Real Madrid v Sevilla (7pm)
Osasuna v Valladolid (9.30pm)
Sunday
Eibar v Atletico Madrid (12am)
Mallorca v Valencia (3pm)
Real Betis v Real Sociedad (5pm)
Villarreal v Espanyol (7pm)
Athletic Bilbao v Celta Vigo (9.30pm)
Monday
Barcelona v Granada (12am)
A Bad Moms Christmas
Dir: John Lucas and Scott Moore
Starring: Mila Kunis, Kathryn Hahn, Kristen Bell, Susan Sarandon, Christine Baranski, Cheryl Hines
Two stars
Living in...
This article is part of a guide on where to live in the UAE. Our reporters will profile some of the country’s most desirable districts, provide an estimate of rental prices and introduce you to some of the residents who call each area home.
NO OTHER LAND
Director: Basel Adra, Yuval Abraham, Rachel Szor, Hamdan Ballal
Stars: Basel Adra, Yuval Abraham
Rating: 3.5/5
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if you go
The flights
Emirates offer flights to Buenos Aires from Dubai, via Rio De Janeiro from around Dh6,300. emirates.com
Seeing the games
Tangol sell experiences across South America and generally have good access to tickets for most of the big teams in Buenos Aires: Boca Juniors, River Plate, and Independiente. Prices from Dh550 and include pick up and drop off from your hotel in the city. tangol.com
Staying there
Tangol will pick up tourists from any hotel in Buenos Aires, but after the intensity of the game, the Faena makes for tranquil, upmarket accommodation. Doubles from Dh1,110. faena.com
MATCH INFO
Uefa Champions League semi-final, first leg
Bayern Munich v Real Madrid
When: April 25, 10.45pm kick-off (UAE)
Where: Allianz Arena, Munich
Live: BeIN Sports HD
Second leg: May 1, Santiago Bernabeu, Madrid