Papers fear meat shortages

Warnings that Britain could soon be facing food shortages as the foot-and-mouth crisis worsens are spread across some front pages.

The ban on all livestock movement, coupled with consumer panic buying, mean that supplies of red meat could soon be growing scarce, according to the Daily Mail and Daily Express.

The Telegraph says many supermarkets are making hasty arrangements to import fresh meat from abroad - and prices are likely to rise.

Much attention is focused on who is to blame for the situation.

Several papers report that there were repeated complaints about conditions at the farm thought to be the source of the outbreak - but that Ministry of Agiculture officials did nothing.

'Pardongate'

There is a growing consensus that any hopes Hillary Clinton might have harboured of one day running for the White House have been badly damaged by what is being dubbed the Pardongate scandal.

According to the Daily Mail, the suggestion that her husband pardoned four Hassidic Jews in order to help secure her election to the Senate is testing the loyalty of even Mrs Clinton's most loyal supporters.

As for Bill Clinton, it is now abundantly clear, says the editorial, that his legacy is that of a "lying, philandering scoundrel".

Unholy outcry

The Independent reports that the government's plans to increase the number of church secondary schools have been branded "positively evil" by the eminent scientist Richard Dawkins.

The paper says he is one of a number of leading academics who fear the proposals will lead to children being "brainwashed" into accepting religious dogma.

Sven's stars

As for the sports pages - the story that unites most of the papers is Sven Eriksson's naming of the new England squad.

The Mirror is not alone in using the word "revolution" to describe the new coach's attempts to bring on new talent.

The Express meanwhile focuses on Eriksson's self-confessed nervousness about building a relationship with the players.

In the dog house

The Sun reports that a police alsatian called Bosco, is not only in the dog house but also faces being drummed out of the force.

It emerged that he had bitten 54 people over the past four years in and around Middlesbrough - and one of his victims has been awarded more than £16,000 in compensation.

Not surprisingly, says the paper, the dog has been dubbed the Beast of Boro.