German defence minister loses ’Dr.’ title

The university where German defence minister, Karl-Theodor zu Guttenberg, received his PhD, has withdrawn his right to use the title "Dr." over plagiarism allegations. Ruediger Bormann, president of Bayreuth University, said he removed the titled because the popular politician had "seriously violated" academic norms because large portions of his dissertation appeared to have been taken from other sources without being properly cited. Guttenberg, who completed his doctorate after being elected to Germany’s parliament, says he "did not deliberately cheat, but made serious errors."