Loyalty oath for teens proposed
School-leavers would be encouraged to swear an oath of allegiance to the Queen under new government proposals on British citizenship. The ceremonies would resemble those that are obligatory for new immigrants. The proposals are contained in a review of citizenship conducted by the former attorney general Lord Goldsmith.
Goldsmith's oath is wrong 
Cost of Britain’s wars soars to more than £3bn
The combined cost of military operations in Afghanistan and Iraq over the past 12 months has almost doubled to more than £3bn, a cross-party group of MPs revealed yesterday. Despite the reduction in
troops in Iraq, the cost of Britain's military presence there has increased by 72 per cent in... [continued]
Joseph Stiglitz: wars cost US $3tr
Mugabe blames UK for food crisis
Robert Mugabe has, for the first time, admitted that Zimbabwe faces a grave food crisis and has promised to speed up food imports. The crisis is the fault of "racist" Britain trying to oust him at
this month's presidential election, he said. The World Food Programme says 45 per cent... [continued]
Zimbabwe Today: our man in Harare
Leniency for ‘desparate’ thieves
New sentencing guidelines recommend that burglars and thieves who steal to fund an addiction to drugs, gambling or drink should not go to jail - even if they target a vulnerable victim. With the prison population at a record high, the guidelines will be interpreted as an attempt to keep... [continued]
Governor caught in vice girl ring
Eliot Spitzer, the Governor of New York state, has apologised for his links to a prostitution ring. The apology followed a New York Times allegation that FBI agents had overheard him in conversation with an escort agency during a wire-tapping operation. Spitzer was expected to resign shortly.
People: Friendless Spitzer expected to resign
US church split on climate change
A division has emerged within the Southern Baptists, one of the most powerful religious forces in the US, over global warming. A group of more than 40 leading members of the church warn that its cautious response to the environment is seen around the world as "uncaring, reckless and ill-informed".
Fears over ethnic minority pupils
A parliamentary committee has discovered that hundreds of pupils from ethnic minorities are being removed from school, never to return. The finding has sparked concerns that many are being forced into marriages abroad.
Rose’s new M&S role causes grief
Marks & Spencer has promoted chief executive Sir Stuart Rose to executive chairman in breach of City corporate governance codes. His promotion is part of sweeping boardroom changes at the high
street retailer, whose shares are at their lowest since October 2005. Rose is now committed to stay until 2011.... [continued]
People: Rose's new job sees sparks fly at M&S
Company cars targetted
Businesses buying a new company car will sacrifice the vast chunk of their tax benefits unless they invest in green hybrid vehicles such as the Toyota Prius, under new plans to be unveiled in tomorrow's Budget. Britain's fleet and business market accounts for around two-thirds of total car sales.
The Mole on the forthcoming Budget
Prius is economical - with the truth
Crunch triggers new US share falls
Reports of an insolvency crunch at both the US investment bank Bear Stearns and the mortgage giant Fannie Mae triggered a dramatic surge in default insurance and rumours of yet another emergency rate
cut by the US Federal Reserve. Financial shares plummeted on Wall Street amid fears that the $200bn... [continued]
And now, the great American car crash
