The Note's Must-Reads are a round-up of today's political headlines and stories from ABC News and the top U.S. newspapers. Posted Monday through Friday right here at www.abcnews.com Compiled by ABC News Digital News Associates and Desk Assistants JAYCE HENDERSON,... United States - Politics - ABC News - Note - Television

Official ONS data underlines challenge facing government as it seeks to shift focus of economic growth towards exportsBritain's coalition government clocked up a record trade deficit in its first three months in office, according to official figures released today.Data from the Office for National Statistics underlined the size of the challenge fa

Deputy prime minister warns that spending cuts will have an 'uneven' effect across the country, but says the government is 'laying the building blocks' to rebalance the economyNick Clegg, the deputy prime minister, warned today the economic recovery would be "choppy" and "uneven" because of the way spending cuts will hit different parts of

A Journey presents Blair's actions during the 2006 Lebanon war as those of a committed ideologue, not simply Bush's poodleWhen Tony Blair's memoir, A Journey, was released last week, columnists and reviewers focused on his fairly unrevealing comments about the Iraq war. Less widely reported is Blair's account of his other major misjudgment in t

The Tea Party Express is asking supporters to raise $250,000 for its preferred candidate in Delaware's contentious Senate primary.

First came the outrage over plans for a mosque near ground zero. Now there's anger over a Florida church's plan to burn copies of the Quran.

It sounds like a political grudge match for the ages: Democratic Rep. Charles Rangel, battered by ethics charges and stripped of his chairmanship of the tax-writing House Ways and Means Committee, defending his seat against Adam Clayton Powell IV, son of the legendary Harlem lawmaker Rangel ousted 40 years ago.

The England footballer has lost sight of his talent; the woman who brought him down has none of her ownMore palaver over Wayne Rooney and his private life, served up as entertaining scandal but actually enormously serious and sad. Rooney is portrayed as something close to an unthinking animal, a man without qualities beyond his self-nurtured and

The banks won't lend and loan sharks charge exorbitant interestThe pawnshop has been rehabilitated, and apparently this is not even such a Bad Thing. The decline of these seedy outlets was once measured in inverse proportion to the advance of the welfare state, until such businesses achieved vivid attention only when one was reading the novels

Industrial towns in the North East and Midlands are least resilient to economic shocks, BBC-commissioned research suggests.

Pension funds for bosses at top 100 companies averaged £3.8m last yearDirectors of Britain's top companies came under fire yesterday from pension funds and unions after a survey of annual accounts revealed that they amassed pensions pots worth an average of £3.8m last year.TUC PensionsWatch survey, which examined the pension arrangements of 329

Public spending cuts research for the BBC reveals England's industrial heartlands are most at risk from George Osborne's austerity plansTowns and cities in England's industrial heartlands are the communities most vulnerable to the deep cuts in public spending planned by the coalition government, according to research released today.A study condu

The centre-left must reinterpret social democracy by committing to electoral reform, economic justice and community cohesionLabour's next leader must develop a vision of the party's future in an utterly new context. He or she must remind the public of the achievements and successes of the period after 1997 – despite May's calamitous election r

Steve Bell's If...Steve Bell

President Obama laid out a sweeping argument for retaining Democrats and punishing Republicans in the upcoming midterm elections.

In a television ad, U.S. Sen. Patty Murray takes credit for stopping the federal government from awarding a $35 billion aircraft contract to a foreign company. Her assertion is mostly true.

Democrats may lose control of the House in November, but the midterm elections will be closer than polls suggest, according to Yale University economist Ray Fair.

Technology - Business and Economy - Safety Engineering - Industrial Supply - Consulting

A Mont. Tea Party Board Will Consider Reinstating the Dismissed President Next Week

A decision by Rahm Emanuel to run for mayor of Chicago would leave Obama searching for a top lieutenant at a moment when he is likely to face stronger GOP opposition and political challenges.

Obama has apparently decided to make Boehner—the likely speaker if the GOP retakes the House—the Republican Party boogeyman.

The religious leader behind plans to erect an Islamic center and mosque a few blocks from New York's ground zero said Wednesday night that America's national security depends on how it handles the controversy.

The imam has stepped into the fray before.

Hiding a leafy green substance in your pocket is a sign.

District Judge's Order Stops "Funding for Embryonic Stem Cell Research in its Tracks," Says Administration

Court Agrees With Government, Says "Extraordinary Rendition" Suit Would Reveal Secrets

DGA Executive Director Nathan Daschle spoke with John Dickerson about the DGA's strategy for November's midterm elections. Plus; CBS News Anthony Salvanto with the competitive races to watch.

Religious and political leaders are voicing their outrage against Rev. Terry Jones' plans to burn copies of the Quran on the anniversary of the September 11 attacks. Kelly Cobiella reports.

Democrat Jack Conway reported more than $300,000 in contributions Wednesday from his first Web-based fundraiser and Republican Rand Paul sought more cash as the rivals for the U.S. Senate readied fall TV ad blitzes.

An aide to Democratic Sen. Barbara Boxer has been arrested on charges that he brought marijuana into a Senate office building.

Republican Senate candidate John Boozman has removed the University of Arkansas logo and football stadium from his latest campaign ad after the school asked him to pull the original spot.

In a "GMA" interview the president sizes up the midterm elections. United States midterm election - BarackObama - United States - President - Democratic

Our "World News" report on President Obama swinging into campaign mode: -Jake Tapper Jake Tapper - United States - President - Barack Obama - Government

If the midterm elections become a referendum on the economy then Democrats risk losing majority control of Congress, President Obama told me this afternoon. "If the election is a referendum on are people satisfied about the economy as it currently... United States midterm election - BarackObama - United States - President -

A sneak peek at the president's interview with George Stephanopoulos. George Stephanopoulos - President - Barack Obama - United States - History

In Cleveland, Ohio, today, President Obama said, “I believe government should be lean; government should be efficient. I believe government should leave people free to make the choices they think are best for themselves and their families, so long as those choices don’t hurt others.” Barack Obama - Cleveland - Governm

Sen. Barbara Boxer's office has confirmed that the senator has accepted the resignation of a senior aide accused of trying to smuggle marijuana into the Hart Senate Office Building.

The departure of Britain's special envoy reflects a loss of momentum behind political and diplomatic efforts to end the warThis is the second time Sir Sherard Cowper-Coles's departure as the UK's special representative for Afghanistan and Pakistan has been announced. On the first occasion, back in June, he informed the new foreign secretary, Wil

We have been warning the government of the day since 2006 of the likely effect of cutting jobs in the previous Inland Revenue and the merged HM Revenue & Customs, but 19,000 jobs have been axed, with the knock-on effect of rendering a service – despite my members' hard efforts – not fit for purpose. Revenue mistakes may affect 15 million

Tony Blair has been forced to cancel another event marking the launch of his memoirs after campaigners planned to protestSteve Bell

The Refugee Children's Consortium is a group of 30 NGOs working to ensure the rights and needs of refugee children are promoted and respected in accordance with domestic and international standards. We have long campaigned for an end to the detention of children for immigration purposes and we welcome Medical Justice's report, State Sponsored Cru

The deputy prime minister, standing in for David Cameron, had to face the flak from the News of the World hacking scandalDavid Cameron had flown to be with his dying father, so Nick Clegg had to face the flak from the hacking scandal. It can't have been easy. Recently Chris Huhne, a Lib Dem and now energy secretary, said that the News of the World

Northern Ireland's first minister denies discussing Claudy bombing with Fr James ChesneyMartin McGuinness confirmed today that he had met the priest suspected of involvement in the 1972 Claudy bomb massacre prior to the Catholic cleric's death.But McGuinness, Northern Ireland's deputy first minister, denied he knew Fr James Chesney before the bo

Immigration minister Damian Green announces intention to 'minimise' detention of children rather than end practiceThe government was yesterday accused of abandoning its promise to end the detention of children in immigration centres in a climbdown that will be a severe embarrassment to Liberal Democrat ministers.Two months after Nick Clegg told M

Special envoy for Afghanistan and Pakistan who championed pursuit of negotiated settlement with Taliban leaves postA senior British diplomat who has long championed the pursuit of a negotiated settlement with the Taliban stepped downtoday as the UK's special envoy for Afghanistan and Pakistan. The Foreign Office and Downing Street both denied tha

Yes, there are shortages and the system is expensive. But fees would not fix it, says Francoise ShenfieldSimon Jenkins argues for market criteria to be applied to egg donation (In the name of purity, public funds are wasted on the rich, 25 August). Britain's regulator in this field, the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority, will soon

Alistair Darling accuses Vince Cable of starting to execute a U-turn over separation of retail and investment bankingNick Clegg and Vince Cable both acknowledged todaythat their hopes of breaking up British banks were likely to meet resistance from within the government, as the shadow chancellor, Alistair Darling, claimed it was obvious that Cable

Tracey Emin and her fellow writers (Letters, 8 September) appear to feel there is something inappropriate about the Tate Modern hosting the now-cancelled launch party for Tony Blair's memoirs. Given that the former prime minister headed a government which oversaw unprecedented investment in culture and the arts, and – through free museums and ga

The news that only 16 "free schools" are set to open next year (Report, 6 September) should again focus attention on the New Schools Network, the campaign group hired by Michael Gove to promote the new schools and assist with applications. NSN, run by a former adviser to Gove, is being paid £500,000. Four of the group's trustees and advisers ar

President Barack Obama insists that Bush-era tax cuts be cut off for the wealthiest Americans.