Live updates: Follow the latest news on Israel-Gaza
US Vice President Kamala Harris and her husband Douglas Emhoff on Friday met families of Americans thought to have been taken hostage during the October 7 Hamas terrorist attacks on Israel.
The meeting came as the Israeli military expanded its attack on the Gaza Strip with a massive aerial bombardment and ground incursion in the north of the enclave.
During the meeting, Ms Harris and Mr Emhoff listened to the families' experiences over the past several weeks, “which has of course been agonising”, White House National Security Council spokesman John Kirby said.
The US believes about 10 Americans are among the more than 200 people held hostage by Hamas and affiliated militants in Gaza.
Washington continues to push for the release of hostages held by Hamas, even as Israel broadens its attack on the Gaza Strip, Mr Kirby said.
“We are in active negotiations about that, even today. We are actively trying to bring that about,” he said.
“We will do what it takes, working with our partners.”
Several news reports earlier suggested Qatar-mediated negotiations were under way for Hamas to release hostages in return for a cessation of the Israeli bombardment. But any such discussions appear to have been overtaken by events on the ground as the Israeli military announced its broadened offensive.
Ilhan Omar, a Democratic congresswoman, said she had met the family members of American hostages held by Hamas in Gaza.
“We must do everything in our power to negotiate the safe release of all hostages held in Gaza,” said a post on her account on X, formerly Twitter.
“She will remain in touch with regional partners and NGOs to push for the release of the hostages, an end to the unjust targeting of civilians, and an immediate ceasefire.”
COMPANY%20PROFILE
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Like a Fading Shadow
Antonio Muñoz Molina
Translated from the Spanish by Camilo A. Ramirez
Tuskar Rock Press (pp. 310)
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SCORES
Yorkshire Vikings 144-1 in 12.5 overs
(Tom Kohler 72 not out, Harry Broook 42 not out)
bt Hobart Hurricanes 140-7 in 20 overs
(Caleb Jewell 38, Sean Willis 35, Karl Carver 2-29, Josh Shaw 2-39)
The%20Beekeeper
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Left Bank: Art, Passion and Rebirth of Paris 1940-1950
Agnes Poirer, Bloomsbury
Specs – Taycan 4S
Engine: Electric
Transmission: 2-speed auto
Power: 571bhp
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Specs – Panamera
Engine: 3-litre V6 with 100kW electric motor
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Navdeep Suri, India's Ambassador to the UAE
There has been a longstanding need from the Indian community to have a religious premises where they can practise their beliefs. Currently there is a very, very small temple in Bur Dubai and the community has outgrown this. So this will be a major temple and open to all denominations and a place should reflect India’s diversity.
It fits so well into the UAE’s own commitment to tolerance and pluralism and coming in the year of tolerance gives it that extra dimension.
What we will see on April 20 is the foundation ceremony and we expect a pretty broad cross section of the Indian community to be present, both from the UAE and abroad. The Hindu group that is building the temple will have their holiest leader attending – and we expect very senior representation from the leadership of the UAE.
When the designs were taken to the leadership, there were two clear options. There was a New Jersey model with a rectangular structure with the temple recessed inside so it was not too visible from the outside and another was the Neasden temple in London with the spires in its classical shape. And they said: look we said we wanted a temple so it should look like a temple. So this should be a classical style temple in all its glory.
It is beautifully located - 30 minutes outside of Abu Dhabi and barely 45 minutes to Dubai so it serves the needs of both communities.
This is going to be the big temple where I expect people to come from across the country at major festivals and occasions.
It is hugely important – it will take a couple of years to complete given the scale. It is going to be remarkable and will contribute something not just to the landscape in terms of visual architecture but also to the ethos. Here will be a real representation of UAE’s pluralism.
MATCH INFO
Newcastle United 1 (Carroll 82')
Leicester City 2 (Maddison 55', Tielemans 72')
Man of the match James Maddison (Leicester)
Overall standings
1. Christopher Froome (GBR/Sky) 68hr 18min 36sec,
2. Fabio Aru (ITA/AST) at 0:18.
3. Romain Bardet (FRA/ALM) 0:23.
4. Rigoberto Uran (COL/CAN) 0:29.
5. Mikel Landa (ESP/SKY) 1:17.
GIANT REVIEW
Starring: Amir El-Masry, Pierce Brosnan
Director: Athale
Rating: 4/5
Name: Brendalle Belaza
From: Crossing Rubber, Philippines
Arrived in the UAE: 2007
Favourite place in Abu Dhabi: NYUAD campus
Favourite photography style: Street photography
Favourite book: Harry Potter
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Evacuations to France hit by controversy
- Over 500 Gazans have been evacuated to France since November 2023
- Evacuations were paused after a student already in France posted anti-Semitic content and was subsequently expelled to Qatar
- The Foreign Ministry launched a review to determine how authorities failed to detect the posts before her entry
- Artists and researchers fall under a programme called Pause that began in 2017
- It has benefited more than 700 people from 44 countries, including Syria, Turkey, Iran, and Sudan
- Since the start of the Gaza war, it has also included 45 Gazan beneficiaries
- Unlike students, they are allowed to bring their families to France
