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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, Guardian, and the tabloids.

Religion & Society

Cleric issues fatwa on suicide bombers
Suicide bombers are going to hell and have no place in Islam, a highly respected Muslim leader said yesterday.
http://www.express.co.uk/posts/view/161425/Cleric-issues-fatwa-on-suicid...

Muslims help lift library's ban on Christian poster
A ban on a Christian poster on the grounds that it could offend people of other religions has backfired – with Sikh and Muslim leaders rallying to its defence.
http://www.express.co.uk/posts/view/161404/Muslims-help-lift-library-s-b...

Philosophy tutor in court for leaving anti-religious cartoons in John Lennon airport
A militant atheist who left leaflets mocking Jesus Christ, the Pope and the Koran in the prayer room of an international airport has gone on trial charged with religious harassment.
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/newstopics/religion/7353643/Philosophy-t...

Comment: Fatwa wars aren't the solution
Minhaj al-Qur'an's grand fatwa against terrorism, though well-meaning, does nothing to help progressive Islam.
http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/belief/2010/mar/02/fatwa-anti-te...

Comment: Why don't politicians do God any more?
Our religious leaders' pleas are falling on deaf ears, argues Allan Massie.
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/newstopics/religion/7357085/Why-dont-pol...

Comment: The lost leader
The resignation of Dr Margot Kässman after being caught driving drunk is a tragedy for German Christianity.
http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/belief/2010/mar/02/religion-germ...

Economy & Politics

Parties agree election TV debate
Election history was made last night when the leaders' TV debates finally got the go-ahead.
http://www.thesun.co.uk/sol/homepage/news/2875919/Three-main-political-p...

Millions of people likely to be unable to vote at the election, Electoral Commission warns
Millions of people are not likely to be registered to vote at the general election because council officials are failing to do their jobs properly, according to the electoral watchdog.
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/election-2010/7353405/Millions-of-people...

Lord Ashcroft tax scandal: The unpaid £127million
Tory peer Lord Ashcroft has deprived the public of more than £127million in a 10-year-long tax dodge, it was claimed last night.
http://www.mirror.co.uk/news/top-stories/2010/03/02/lord-ashcroft-tax-sc...

Comment: It's a bit rich for Labour to feign moral outrage about Lord Ashcroft... they've been pocketing millions from foreign tycoons for years
Two months before the expected date of the General Election, the Tories finally came clean about Michael Ashcroft.
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/debate/article-1255040/STEPHEN-GLOVER-Its-bit...

Comment: The private sector can learn from co-ops too
Employee ownership is an idea whose time has come. It can jumpstart the economy.
http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/comment/columnists/guest_contributors/a...

Crime & Justice

Sarah's Law to be rolled out nationally
A test run of Sarah's Law – the controversial scheme which allows parents to check whether people with access to their children are child sex offenders – has shown that one in 15 people enquired about are convicted paedophiles.
http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/crime/sarahs-law-to-be-rolled-out-n...

Comment: Karadzic's 'holy war'
Karadzic's talk of 'holy war' is no rhetorical exaggeration for the court. He and his supporters believed God was on their side.
http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/belief/2010/mar/02/karadzic-holy...

Education & Culture

Lengthen school day to help latchkey kids, charity urges
The school day should be lengthened to help "latchkey kids" who are left alone after school while parents work, a study on deprivation recommends.
http://www.independent.co.uk/news/education/education-news/lengthen-scho...

Comment: School is only a part of education
With one in six children not getting into their first-choice secondary, parents should get realistic about the runners-up.
http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/2010/mar/02/schools-education-fi...

Ecology & Environment

Householders get 'green' loans to cut energy bills
Householders will be offered long-term loans to make their homes more energy efficient under a new scheme announced by ministers.
http://www.express.co.uk/posts/view/161431/Householders-get-green-loans-...

Peace & War

Jerusalem Mayor plans to raze Palestinian homes for tourist park
Jerusalem's mayor yesterday unveiled details of a controversial and long-expected plan to demolish Palestinian homes and make way for an Israeli-sponsored tourist park in a neighbourhood of the city's Arab eastern sector.
http://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/middle-east/jerusalem-mayor-plan...

People & Power

Prince William follows Charles' footsteps into political arena with call to end poverty and homelessness in 'broken' Britain
Prince William has called for action to end poverty and homelessness in Britain in his most political public statement yet.
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1254897/Prince-William-follows-C...

Race & Identity

Burkha ban: two-thirds in favour
Almost two-thirds of Britons think women should be barred from wearing the burkha in public, a poll has revealed.
http://www.express.co.uk/posts/view/161424/Burkha-ban-Two-thirds-in-favour

Sex & Gender

Peers vote to allow homosexuals to marry in church
Homosexuals may be allowed to hold civil partnership ceremonies in churches after the House of Lords voted in favour of scrapping a ban on same-sex religious unions.
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/newstopics/religion/7355819/Peers-vote-t...

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