Bomb kills four British soldiers in Iraq
The MoD has confirmed that four British soldiers and their translator have been killed by a roadside bomb near Basra in Iraq. A fifth soldier was seriously injured by the explosion which targeted a Warrior patrol. "Next of kin are being informed and no further details will be released until... [continued]
Gulf 15 return to England
Fifteen British sailors and marines held in Iran for almost two weeks arrived back in the UK at noon today, after Iranian president Mahmoud Ahmadinejad pardoned the group as a "gift to the British
people". Tony Blair called the announcement a "profound relief" and said the release marked a triumph... [continued]
Iran plans for a Britain without Blair 
What did Iran get for the Gulf 15?
British football fans attacked in Rome
Manchester United supporters have accused the Italian police of using excessive force during last night's Champions League match with Roma in the Italian capital. Police reportedly used batons
indiscriminately as they charged fans, leaving several with head wounds. United fans were also involved in clashes with hardcore Roma 'ultras' before... [continued]
Pic of the day: football riots
MPs slam plans for stem cell ban
Government plans to ban the creation of human-animal hybrid embryos are "unacceptable" and would damage the UK's position as a world leader in stem cell research, MPs will say today. The Commons
Science Committee will argue that a white paper proposing the measure is "deeply flawed". More than 200 medical... [continued]
The Pros and Cons of hybrid embryos
Paisley and Ahern shake hands
Ian Paisley took another historic step yesterday when he shook hands with Irish Taoiseach Bertie Ahern after talks in Dublin. The pair announced plans for a joint visit to the site of the Battle of the Boyne - a key symbol of Northern Ireland's sectarian division.
Northern Ireland: a curious kind of peace
Lord Lamont, chairman of the British-Iranian Chamber of Commerce, on the end of the Iranian 'hostage' crisis: I think the good thing that came out of this was that it was resolved diplomatically, and that the neo-cons were proved wrong. There were a lot of voices from Washington saying, this won't work, you shouldn't be talking to them, it is the threat of force, it is strong language which is needed. I think it would be a good thing if America actually drew some lessons from this and actually decided to engage more with Iran.
John Humphrys, presenter: You mean over the nuclear negotiations?
LL: The nuclear issue isn't going to go away just because we've had a happy ending to this incident, but Iran is a country in transition. It is evolving and there should be less talk of regime change if we actually wanted to relax and evolve it into more of a normal country.
From the Today programme, BBC Radio 4
Iran plans for a Britain without Blair
Sir Michael Lyons has been appointed BBC chairman... Keith Richards says he was only joking when he claimed to have snorted his Dad's ashes... Home Secretary John Reid has narrowly beaten Tony Blair for top spot in a survey of slippery politicians... Jeremy Clarkson has been slammed in the Malaysian parliament for labelling the country's Perodua Kelisa the world's worst car... Clint Eastwood's (right) face is to appear on the label of his favourite tipple - Newcastle Brown Ale - to celebrate the beer's 80th anniversary... Damien Hirst plans to include an abattoir rail for hanging dead animals in his new converted factory studio... Asia's richest woman Nina Wang has died at the age of 69, leaving a £2bn fortune...
Reid the bruiser and his Home Office shake-up
Saga: £600m employee windfall
Saga employees look set to share in a payout of up to £600m as the over-50s holiday company appointed investment bank Close Brothers to help it explore future ownership options - with a stock market float considered the most likely. Many Saga employees picked up thousands of pounds just three... [continued]
FSA to probe LSE regulations
The Financial Services Authority has launched a review of the rules applying to foreign companies listing on London markets. The move follows pressure from leading investors, who fear the ability of companies with weak governance standards to raise capital on the LSE could be having a negative effect on London's... [continued]
