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A selection of stories from today's press and other media that relate to Ekklesia's work, produced daily by James Vincent and covering papers such as The Times, Daily Telegraph, Independent and Guardian.

Economy & Politics

Nick Clegg: Cancel the Queen's Speech – and save democracy
Nick Clegg today issues a call for this week's Queen's Speech to be scrapped and replaced by an emergency programme of reform designed to "clean up politics once and for all".
http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/politics/nick-clegg-cancel-the-quee...

BNP chief in MP bid
Nick Griffin, the leader of the British National Party, confirmed yesterday that he will stand for Barking at the next General Election.
http://www.express.co.uk/posts/view/140644/BNP-chief-in-MP-bid

MP's expenses man Sir Ian Kennedy 'ready to quit'
The man in charge of cleaning up the scandal of MPs' expenses was on "the brink of quitting", Whitehall sources have revealed.
http://www.mirror.co.uk/news/top-stories/2009/11/15/mps-exes-man-ready-t...

MPs' expenses investigation 'filled democratic deficit'
The investigation into MPs expenses shows the importance of the media's role in uncovering our ''dysfunctional democracy'', according to the head of the press watchdog.
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/newstopics/mps-expenses/6574437/MPs-expe...

Key reforms ditched as Prime Minister Gordon Brown runs out of time before General Election
Gordon Brown has been forced to abandon almost all his most ambitious reforms as time runs out before a General Election.
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1228114/Key-reforms-ditched-Prim...

Comment: Don't waste our time... bring forward real reform
This rump Parliament, brought to its knees by scandal, has one final chance left to redeem itself.
http://www.independent.co.uk/opinion/commentators/nick-clegg-dont-waste-...

Comment: It would be wrong for Brown to try to cling on
The Prime Minister has lost voters’ confidence. They will not want to wait for a second general election to bring change.
http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/comment/columnists/william_rees_mogg/ar...

Peace & War

War in Afghanistan: Not in our name
Seven out of 10 Britons back The Independent on Sunday's call for a phased withdrawal of troops from Afghanistan as a landmark report by Oxfam this week exposes the real human cost of the war.
http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/home-news/war-in-afghanistan-not-in...

Inquiry into 'rape and torture' by UK troops as Iraqis' lawyer claims 32 cases are tip of the iceberg
Fresh claims that British soldiers abused Iraqi prisoners are to be investigated by the Ministry of Defence.
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1228141/Rape-torture-inquiry-Ira...

Russia warns Tehran it is ‘running out of time’ in uranium deal stand-off
President Medvedev of Russia sounded an unexpectedly clear note of support for the United States over the Iran nuclear stand-off yesterday. He hinted that he was also fast running out of patience with Tehran and that Moscow might consider new sanctions.
http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/world/middle_east/article6918006.ece

War threat between Venezuela and Colombia increases
The threat of a war between Venezuela and Colombia increased over the weekend after both countries deployed more troops along their border and President Hugo Chavez branded his Colombian counterpart a "mafioso".
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/southamerica/venezuela/6575456...

Palestinian push for an independent state causes Israeli alarm
Palestinian leaders from President Mahmoud Abbas down have alarmed Israeli ministers by swinging their weight behind a planned effort to secure UN backing for a unilaterally declared independent state in the West Bank and Gaza.
http://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/middle-east/palestinian-push-for...

Niger Delta peace talks raise hopes of oil boost and an end to kidnappings
Formal peace talks have begun for the first time between Nigeria's government and the main militant group behind attacks which have cut the country's oil output by a third, leading to hopes of an end to violence and kidnappings.
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/africaandindianocean/nigeria/6...

Protest at our £261M payout to dogs of war
Mercenaries in Afghanistan and Iraq have earned £261million from Foreign Office contracts in the past five years.
http://www.express.co.uk/posts/view/140659/Protest-at-our-261m-payout-to...

Religion & Society

Snub to traditionalists over women bishops
Traditionalist clerics in the Church of England have been delivered a major snub after a compromise deal over women bishops was rejected.
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/newstopics/religion/6569694/Snub-to-trad...

Faith groups to be key policy advisers
Faith groups are to be given a central role in shaping government policies, a senior minister has vowed.
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/newstopics/religion/6569144/Faith-groups...

Russian Orthodox and Catholic church may end 950-year rift
The Catholic and Russian Orthodox Church have held high-level talks to lay the groundwork for a historic meeting of their two leaders after centuries of frostiness.
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/expat/6553583/Russian-Orthodox-and-Catholic-c...

Tory leader David Cameron 'does God' but says he will not seek guidance like former Prime Minster Tony Blair
David Cameron said yesterday that he believed in God but did not ‘drop to his knees’ to pray in a crisis.
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1228018/Tory-leader-David-Camero...

France backs off burka ban hours after Sarkozy claims his country has no place for full face veils
France will issue recommendations against full face veils but not pass a law barring Muslim women from wearing them.
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/worldnews/article-1227574/France-backs-b...

Comment: It's time for Dr Rowan Williams to square up to a rampant Rome
Dr Williams must challenge the Pontiff over his raid on Anglo-Catholics, says George Pitcher.
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/comment/columnists/georgepitcher/6578892/Its-...

Ecology & Environment

Britain cuts down forests to keep ‘green’ power stations burning
Britain is set to plunder the lungs of the world to feed its growing hunger for wood to burn in power stations.
http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/environment/article6918024.ece

Dutch first in Europe to adopt green tax for cars
The Dutch government is to become the first country in Europe to introduce a green tax to replace annual road tax on cars.
http://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/europe/dutch-first-in-europe-to-...

African dream of a 'green wall' to prevent desertification
There are only a few small acacia shrubs to show for it at the moment, but Senegal's leader believes in a great green wall that would stem desertification across Africa from coast to coast.
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/expat/expatnews/6560329/African-dream-of-a-gr...

Chavez to 'seed' clouds with rain
Venezuela's President Hugo Chavez says he will join a team of Cuban scientists on flights to "bomb clouds" to create rain amid a severe drought that has aroused public anger due to water and electricity rationing.
http://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/americas/chavez-to-seed-clouds-w...

Community & Family

Lesbians are 'best mums'
Traditional family supporters raised the alarm yesterday after Government research claimed that lesbians made the best parents.
http://www.express.co.uk/posts/view/140646/Lesbians-are-best-mums-

Third of children never see dad after a divorce
More than one in three children never see their father again after their parents split up, research into family breakdown shows.
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1228144/Third-children-dad-divor...

Girls should be 'realistic' about careers and motherhood – schools group head
Teenage girls need to be taught a heavy dose of realism – that it may not be possible to be a perfect mother and a career woman, the president of the Girls' Schools Association (GSA) will say next week.
http://www.guardian.co.uk/education/2009/nov/13/women-career-mothers-gir...

Education & Culture

Primary schoolchildren are becoming victims of cyberbullying, says survey
Large numbers of primary schoolchildren are becoming victims of cyberbullying, according to a survey.
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/6575708/Primary-schoolchildren-are-becom...

Comment: Evolution's classroom crisis
Surveys show that, around the world, teachers and students are rejecting evolution. The results are likely to be dire.
http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/belief/2009/nov/15/evolution-isl...

Globalisation & Development

Ecuador's Amazonians sue Chevron over poison waterways
Tens of thousands of Ecuadoreans living in the Amazon rainforest are suing Chevron, the US oil company, for poisoning their waterways in what is billed as one of the biggest environmental lawsuits in history.
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/southamerica/ecuador/6574580/E...

The 40 million children who just didn't exist
One charity's campaign to register the births of all children in the developing world is transforming millions of young lives. Nina Lakhani reports.
http://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/politics/the-40-million-children...

People & Power

'Time is right' to apologise for Child Migrants Programme, says Gordon Brown
Gordon Brown is to apologise for Britain's ' disgraceful' role in sending more than 130,000 children to its former colonies.
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1227961/Gordon-Brown-says-time-r...

Exclusive: Prince Charles' amazing republic gaffe
Prince Charles has claimed that the Royal Family is past its sell-by date and Australia should be made a republic.
http://www.express.co.uk/posts/view/140429/Exclusive-Prince-Charles-amaz...

Crime & Justice

9/11 'mastermind' to be brought to New York to face trial - and the death penalty - just blocks from where the Twin Towers fell
The Al Qaeda terror boss who boasts he was the mastermind of the 9/11 attacks is to go on trial in New York, where prosecutors will seek the death penalty.
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/worldnews/article-1227537/Obama-send-9-1...

Life & Death

Texas accounts for half of executions in US but now has doubts over death row
Overturned convictions and growth of DNA forensic evidence shake state's rock-solid faith in capital punishment.
http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2009/nov/15/texas-death-penalty-executio...

Race & Identity

Comment: A minefield of myths called immigration
The politics of immigration is a minefield. Most politicians, therefore, avoid it, except for those on the extreme fringes who want to detonate a bitter argument on race.
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/debate/article-1227829/VINCE-CABLE-A-minefiel...

Sex & Gender

Name, age... are you gay? Census may get personal
Everyone in Britain could be asked if they are gay, straight or bisexual under controversial plans being examined by the government.
http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/politics/article6917400.ece

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