The Iraqi parliament was presented with a constitution last night but the story is far from over. The text was a thinly veiled ultimatum to minority Sunni parties from Shia and Kurdish leaders rather than an agreement between the main religious and ethnic groups of Iraq. The Sunni parties have until Thursday to sign up to it, but it is not certain that they will or what the consequences will be if they refuse. We are updating a Q&A guide, reviewing international press opinion and following the latest developments.
In Britain, the latest batch of asylum figures are published today. The government has been trying to get the numbers down, but the human side to one of the most recent initiatives – the withdrawing of benefits from families who do not leave the UK voluntarily – will be highlighted when the Khanalis, an Iranian Christian family living in Bury, today find out if they are to be evicted from their home.
Elsewhere, Kenneth Clarke, a high profile pro-European and supporter of British euro entry, now appears to be in the business of softening up opponents in the Tory party to a potential leadership bid with comments that he now considers the single currency a failure. On Newsblog, Mark Oliver is speaking to Scots in London marking the 700th anniversary of the execution of William Wallace. Sticking to the politics and death theme, we will also take a look at US televangelist Pat Robertson's call for the assassination of Hugo Chávez, Venezuela's left-leaning president.
