• Blog

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

Archbishop of Canterbury condemns evangelist 'bullies'
The Archbishop of Canterbury has condemned evangelist "bulies" who attempt to convert people of other faiths to Christianity.
http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/comment/faith/article7055377.ece

Priest apologises for joking that marriage is not for 'Adam and Steve'
A Catholic priest has apologised for joking during a sermon that true marriage can only be between Adam and Eve - not ''Adam and Steve''.
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/newstopics/religion/7404770/Priest-apolo...

Pope's brother admits slapping choirboys
The brother of Pope Benedict XVI has admitted that he slapped choirboys at the German choir school that he headed for 30 years, as the Vatican struggled to address burgeoning sex abuse scandals across Europe.
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/newstopics/religion/7406512/Popes-brothe...

Camberley churches protest at mosque that will tower over Sandhurst
Churches have joined together to protest against plans for a mosque that would tower over the Royal Military Academy at Sandhurst, with one minister describing it as a “supremacist statement” for Islam.
http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/comment/faith/article7055790.ece

Seven arrested in Ireland over alleged plot to kill Muhammad cartoonist
Irish police today arrested seven suspects over an alleged plot to kill a Swedish artist who drew the Prophet Muhammad with the body of a dog.
http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2010/mar/09/seven-arrested-ireland-muham...

Profit speaks as nuns sell convent for large gain
A group of nuns who paid £110,000 for the 18th century, Grade II-listed property which houses their convent are to sell it for £2.5 million.
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/finance/economics/houseprices/7405442/Profit-...

Comment: The Camberley mosque should be stopped
Islam obliges us to be good neighbours and respect others.
http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/comment/columnists/guest_contributors/a...

Comment: Render unto Caesar...
Religious groups are free to express their opinions, but these should not be accorded any special privilege in the secular realm.
http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/belief/2010/mar/09/religion-poli...

Peace & War

Belfast celebrates 'final end to decades of strife'
The last piece of devolution to Northern Ireland was slotted into place in Belfast yesterday in a move hailed by Gordon Brown as, "the final end to decades of strife".
http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/politics/belfast-celebrates-final-e...

Britain to Hamid Karzai: start Afghanistan peace talks now
Britain will today urge the Afghan government to put more effort into the pursuit of peace talks amid fears that the war could be prolonged – and more British lives lost – as a result of incompetence and lack of political will in Kabul.
http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2010/mar/09/david-miliband-afghanistan-p...

Joe Biden condemns Israel's plan to build 1,600 homes on disputed land
Joe Biden, the US vice president, has condemned an Israeli plan to build hundreds of homes in disputed east Jerusalem.
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/middleeast/israel/7410845/Joe-...

Comment: Who's protecting the people of Jos?
With the Nigerian government in paralysis, there's little hope of an effective response to the horrific violence in Jos.
http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/belief/2010/mar/09/jos-nigeria-v...

Crime & Justice

Ex-MI5 head: US hid torture tactics from UK
A former head of MI5 has accused intelligence services in the US of deliberately hiding the mistreatment of terror suspects from their British allies.
http://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/americas/exmi5-head-us-hid-tortu...

Comment: Straw has left justice to the tender mercies of the press
Under the banner of transparency, ministers have allowed a frenzy of blame to develop around the Jon Venables case.
http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/2010/mar/09/jack-straw-jon-venab...

Comment: The sorry truth is that many sex offenders can't be rehabilitated
The British justice system invests tremendous faith in the rehabilitation of criminals.
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/debate/article-1256779/DR-LUDWIG-LOWENSTEIN-T...

Ecology & Environment

China and India join Copenhagen accord
China and India wrote to the UN's climate secretariat today agreeing to be "listed" as a parties to the Copenhagen accord, the last-minute agreement that emerged from the chaos of the UN's summit in Copenhagen.
http://www.guardian.co.uk/environment/2010/mar/09/china-india-copenhagen...

Two new sites for eco-towns
Two more councils are planning to build eco-towns under Government plans to roll out the controversial project.
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/earth/earthnews/7406331/Two-new-sites-for-eco...

Comment: When humans roam the earth
Not all dinosaurs were wiped out by the Chicxulub meteorite. We too may be in the midst of mass extinction.
http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/2010/mar/09/extinction-dinosaurs...

Economy & Politics

MPs to investigate Lord Ashcroft's tax deal
The Conservative Party came under new pressure over Lord Ashcroft yesterday as MPs demanded the details of the secret deal under which he managed to avoid tax on his foreign income.
http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/politics/mps-to-investigate-lord-as...

Comment: Rob rich bankers and give money to the poor
Wall Street and the City did little to deserve their record profits. A Robin Hood tax is the only fair solution.
http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/comment/columnists/guest_contributors/a...

Comment: A wage to live in dignity
Corporate governance in both public and private sectors will benefit from raising minimum pay.
http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/2010/mar/09/higher-minimum-wage-...

Race & Identity

Call for inquiry into Glasgow tower suicides
Demands for a public inquiry into the deaths of three failed asylum-seekers who leapt from a high-rise tower block in Glasgow grew yesterday as charities called for urgent changes to the Government's immigration policy.
http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/home-news/call-for-inquiry-into-gla...

Gurkhas applying to live in Britain are being 'conned' out of money by 'unscrupulous groups'
Gurkhas hoping to move to Britain are being tricked out of their savings by 'unscrupulous' groups claiming they can help them settle here, MPs have been told.
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1256672/Gurkhas-applying-live-Br...

Comment: Racist agitators aren't welcome in Aylesbury
With the English Defence League now targeting rural Britain, small towns must join the fight against extremism.
http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/2010/mar/09/english-defence-leag...

Community & Family

Comment: Is Britain broken?
A debate between Polly Toynbee, David Willetts and Camila Batmanghelidjh produced more light than heat.
http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/andrewbrown/2010/mar/09/broken-b...

Education & Culture

First non-Muslim school to serve strict halal food
A school has become the first non-Islamic primary in Britain to get strict accreditation for serving Halal food, it emerged yesterday.
http://www.express.co.uk/posts/view/162382/First-non-Muslim-school-to-se...

Sex & Gender

India sets quota for female MPs: 1/3 of parliament must be women
India's upper house of parliament voted overwhelmingly today for a historic bill that would reserve one-third of legislative seats for women, despite a boycott by socialist lawmakers.
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/worldnews/article-1256645/India-sets-quo...

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