Palestinian despair at Olmert peace claim; Plus Film review: City of Men

Thursday July 17, 2008 Mayors to replace police authorities Home secretary Jacqui Smith will today outline a radical new plan to shift the control and monitoring of police forces from existing 'police authorities' to the country's directly-elected mayors. In areas without an elected mayor - there are only 12 elected mayors in England, including Boris Johnson in London -... [continued] Give public the power to judge the police, by Daniel Hannan MoD to double compensation to injured troops The Ministry of Defence is to double the maximum level of compensation payable to injured soldiers, bringing it to £570,000 and a guaranteed income payment for life. The measure is part of a Command Paper described by Whitehall as "an initiative across all Government departments to recognise the sacrifices made... [continued] The inglorious consequences of war: by Matthew Carr An attitude that adds insult to injury: by Robert Fox Iran: US diplomats may return American diplomats could be stationed in Iran for the first time since 1979. The State Department has refused to confirm or deny a British newspaper's report that it will announce plans later this month to open an interests section - a halfway house to setting up a full embassy -... [continued] Time to turn off the terror-vision US and Israel should be wary of taking on Iran Canoe man 'coerced' his wife Anne Darwin  told police that her husband John, who faked his own death in a canoeing accident only to 'come back to life' five years later, had blackmailed her into silence, Teesside Crown Court heard yesterday. The 56-year-old former doctor's receptionist said she had been desperate to tell her sons... [continued] John and Anne Darwin: the story so far Anwar bailed on sodomy charge Malaysia's opposition leader, Anwar Ibrahim, has been released on police bail. He was held overnight after being arrested on charges of sodomy, and could still face prosecution. He urged his supporters to remain calm over the claims, which he says are politically motivated and untrue, and has refused to give... [continued] Women 'could give birth at 100' Scientists believe that women as old as 100 could be helped to conceive children, within the next thirty years. Using methods which have not yet been developed, sperm and eggs could be created from skin cells, and combined to form embryos, which would then be implanted. Parents would also choose... [continued] Pros and Cons: the creation of hybrid embryos Compensation for Equitable losers The Government has been called on to set up a fund to compensate Equitable Life policyholders, who were left with reduced retirement savings after the insurer came close to collapse in 2000. More than a million life policyholders were affected, and now the parliamentary ombudsman says the Government should apologise... [continued] Merrill Lynch: more losses On the first anniversary today of the collapse of Bear Stearns, the event that kick-started the credit crunch, Merrill Lynch is to announce further losses. Its results today are expected to show the fourth quarterly loss in a row for the lender. The size of the loss will be driven... [continued] Is Wall Street to blame for the credit crunch?