Press Roundup Tuesday 14 July 2009

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.

Religion & Society

Schism closer as US Anglicans vote to overturn ban on gay ordinations

A formal split in the Anglican Church worldwide moved closer yesterday after clergy and laity in the US voted to allow the consecration of openly gay bishops.

http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/comment/faith/article6700529.ece [1]

BBC ponders Thought for the Day: should secularists be allowed?

Thought for the Day may lose its sacred status as the BBC debates whether to allow non-religious contributors to the “God slot”.

http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/comment/faith/article6703348.ece [2]

Comment: Honest to God

The Episcopal Church in the United States voted last week to overturn a moratorium on the ordination of gay bishops. Dr Rowan Williams, the Archbishop of Canterbury, told the General Synod yesterday that he regretted that decision.

http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/comment/leading_article/article6702905.ece [3]

Letter: A streamlined C of E

Change, for the better, is inevitable and welcome in the church

http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/comment/letters/article6702208.ece [4]

Letter: Personal phobias cloud the church's view of homosexuality

Letters, July 12: The church and homosexuality

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/comment/letters/5803808/Personal-phobias-clou... [5]

Crime & Justice

Britain is a soft touch for people-smuggling, say traffickers

People-traffickers view Britain as a “soft touch” for smuggling illegal immigrants, with big profits and a low risk of being caught, according to Home Office research published yesterday.

http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/uk/crime/article6702471.ece [6]

Ecology & Environment

Drawing Critics, China Seeks to Dominate in Renewable Energy.

When the United States’ top energy and commerce officials arrive in China on Tuesday, they will land in the middle of a building storm over China’s protectionist tactics to become the world’s leader in renewable energy.

http://www.nytimes.com/2009/07/14/business/energy-environment/14energy.h... [7]

Ed Miliband: mass air travel will continue despite green targets

Ed Miliband, the Environment Secretary, has promised that middle-class Britons will not be priced out of foreign holidays by tough new carbon emission targets.

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/travel/travelnews/5821447/Ed-Miliband-mass-ai... [8]

Renewables are a waste of time, says James Lovelock

Britain should abandon its "vain" attempts to stop climate change by increasing its reliance on renewable energy and concentrate on flood defences, the environmental pioneer James Lovelock has said.

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/earth/earthnews/5820038/Renewables-are-a-wast... [9]

Sites of first eco-towns to be named as campaigners warn of protest

Rural campaigners have warned of local protests throughout the country after Gordon Brown announces this week that he is to press ahead with his eco-towns project.

http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/environment/article6702876.ece [10]

Comment: The rich can relax. We just need the poor world to cut emissions. By 125 per cent.

British and G8 climate strategy just doesn't add up. As soon as serious curbs are needed it turns into impossible nonsense.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/2009/jul/13/climate-change-emiss... [11]

Life & Death

Teenager with extra heart tells of empty feeling when it was taken out

A girl who had a second heart grafted on to her own after suffering heart failure as a toddler has spoken for the first time about how “empty” she felt when it was removed.

http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/life_and_style/health/article6702982.ece [12]

Peace & War

Britain halts some arms exports to Israel in response to Gaza conflict

In a move that threatens to strain diplomatic ties, Britain has blocked the sale of spare parts for Israel’s fleet of missile gunships because they were used in the recent campaign in Gaza.

http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/world/middle_east/article6699852.ece [13]

Voters want Britain to scrap all nuclear weapons, ICM poll shows

Survey for Guardian finds 54 per cent support disarmament rather than replacing Trident deterrent.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/politics/2009/jul/13/icm-poll-nuclear-weapons [14]

Palestinians say settlement deal would be 'unacceptable'

The Palestinian leadership has warned that any deal between America and Israel allowing the "natural growth" of Jewish settlements would be unacceptable.

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/middleeast/palestinianauthorit... [15]

Comment: Trident poll: Disarming opinions

Ernest Bevin said he wanted a bomb with a "bloody union jack on the top of it" - and ever since, Britain's supposedly independent nuclear deterrent has been a political virility symbol.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/2009/jul/14/editorial-trident-nu... [16]

Community & Family

Youths attack police in Ardoyne over Orange Order parade

Sectarian rioting erupted in Northern Ireland yesterday, leaving at least 10 police officers injured during clashes that continued late into the night.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/uk/2009/jul/13/police-ardoyne-orange-order-parade [17]

Economy & Politics

David Cameron defends foreign aid pledge as a counter to terrorism

David Cameron justified his pledge to increase spending on aid despite the recession yesterday on the ground that it was in Britain’s interests.

http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/politics/article6703558.ece [18]

Globalisation & Development

Comment: Dominic Lawson: The West's aid to Africa does nothing but ease its conscience

I do wish Cameron would break with the policy of oiling up to rock stars like Bono

http://www.independent.co.uk/opinion/commentators/dominic-lawson/dominic... [19]

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