Benjamin Cohen founded PinkNews.co.uk in 2005 and was editor until 2006. He was technology correspondent at Channel 4 News between 2006 and 2012.
Twitter: @benjamincohen-
22 June 2010Travel: Tel Aviv- bursting with pride 15 Benjamin Cohen finds that four nights in Tel Aviv for LGBT pride dramatically changed his perception of Israel. Four nights in Tel Aviv, for the city’s LGBT pride celebrations has changed me in a way no holiday ever has before. My attitudes and perceptions of Israel have changed dramatically and it’s also changed the way that I reconcile my sexuality with my religion. -
11 June 2010Tel Aviv Pride kicks off 20 Tens of thousands of people are expected to join Tel Aviv Pride today, the Middle East's only significant gay celebration. PinkNews.co.uk founder Benjamin Cohen reports from Israel. -
30 May 2010Comment: David Laws’s gay secrecy is understandable, so many closeted Lib Dem MPs is not 62 David Laws, undoubtedly the brightest star of the Conservative Liberal Democrat coalition fell victim to something so evident in the lives of any gay or lesbian, utter fear. His downfall after what must have been one of the shortest ever spells in the cabinet is a personal tragedy that was ultimately inevitable as soon as the Daily Telegraph obtained the expenses claims of every MP in the last Parliament. But why is he the third prominent Liberal Democrat MP to be forced to come out as either gay or bisexual in the past few years given their party's whole hearted support of gay rights? -
2 April 2010Human Rights Watch urge Malawian President to intervene in gay marriage case 6 Human Rights Watch has written to the President of Malawi urging him to intervene in the sentencing tomorrow of two gay men convicted for taking part in a marriage ceremony. -
21 December 2009Culture secretary Ben Bradshaw criticised for Sri Lankan Christmas holiday 33 The Independent on Sunday reports that human rights campaigners have questioned whether openly gay culture secretary Ben Bradshaw should have decided to hold his Christmas holiday on the island of Sri Lanka. -
29 September 2009Comment: Reflections on Yom Kippur and homosexuality within Judaism 55 PinkNews.co.uk founder Benjamin Cohen reflects back on yesterday's Jewish festival of Yom Kippur and what it means for an openly gay Jew. -
11 September 2009Gordon Brown apologises for treatment of gay war hero Alan Turing 73 Following a petition signed by 30,805 people, the Prime Minister Gordon Brown has apologised on behalf of the British Government for the treatment of gay World War Two hero Alan Turing. A man forced by the courts to undergo castration to rid him of his homosexuality. -
2 August 2009Video: Soho joins world in vigils for victims of the Tel Aviv anti-gay massacre 26 Organised by Twitter, Facebook and text message, all across the world vigils have been held for the victims of the massacre at an LGBT (lesbian, gay and bisexual) centre in Tel Aviv last night. Benjamin Cohen went to Soho to meet gay Israelis, Jews and those of no faith at all to share in their act of remembrance -
22 April 2009Gay Nepalese MP looks towards greater acceptance of gays and lesbians + Nepal's first openly gay MP, Sunil Pant has single handedly put gay rights on the political map in Nepal since founding the Blue Diamond Society (BDS). This is Nepal's first and only sexual minorities rights organisation and is working hard with other human rights groups.. Lesbian rights however are lagging far behind those of men and even the men's are still dire. This is mainly due to cultural factors and the fact that women's rights in general are already very slim. -
24 January 2009Coronation Street Spoilers: Tony confesses to murder + Carla is suspicious of what Tony has been up to and goes on a campaign trail to find out if he was responsible for Jed Stone's injuries, and Liam's death. She visits Maria who re-iterates her claim that Tony paid a heavy to kill Liam – and it seems that at last Maria's claims are being heard, particularly when Carla finds out that Jed has been rushed to hospital with a suspected heart attack, and she believes it could be something to do with Tony. -
24 January 2009Coronation Street Spoilers: Tony confesses to murder + Carla is suspicious of what Tony has been up to and goes on a campaign trail to find out if he was responsible for Jed Stone's injuries, and Liam's death. She visits Maria who re-iterates her claim that Tony paid a heavy to kill Liam – and it seems that at last Maria's claims are being heard, particularly when Carla finds out that Jed has been rushed to hospital with a suspected heart attack, and she believes it could be something to do with Tony.
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24 January 2009Emmerdale Spoilers: Jack dies in Spain + Chas keeps the pressure off by telling Carl he will have to wait for his money until Debbie is released, or she will tell Lexi about their kiss. But Lexi is already suspicious and keen to prove that she can keep her man – particularly after Lisa tells her she will always be a second rate Chas in Carl’s eyes. She prepares a romantic dinner and proposes – an offer Carl can’t refuse bearing in mind what she reminds him she knows about his past. -
14 December 2008Film Review: Madagascar – Escape 2 Africa + In 2005, Madagascar ambled into our cinemas as just one of countless computer-animated kids' films featuring talking animals getting into scrapes. It's tale of a bunch of New York zoo animals who end up having to fend for themselves in the jungles of Africa, following the Shrek mould of chucking in movie references in an attempt to appeal to adult audiences, and on the surface had little to make it stand out amidst the seemingly never-ending line of similar talking animal animations that the last decade has brought us. Yet somehow, something clicked. It wasn't a classic, certainly, but something about the ninja-style penguins, or perhaps the talented voice cast – principally Ben Stiller, Chris Rock, David Schwimmer, Jada Pinkett Smith and Sacha Baron Cohen – helped it to rise above the herd. -
8 November 200815,000 protesters in San Francisco over passing of Proposition 8 13 Live from San Francisco, California In excess of 15,000 people are marching through San Francisco to protest at the passing of Proposition 8, the voter initiative in California that effectively bans gay marriage have admitted defeat. -
7 November 2008Proposition 8 opponents concede defeat – gay marriage banned in California 14 The opponents of Proposition 8, the voter initiative in California that effectively bans gay marriage have admitted defeat. -
6 November 2008Audio:Protests at California Capitol over gay marriage ban victory 6 Protests over the apparent victory of Proposition 8, the voter inactive in California that effectively bans gay marriage have been held outside the state Capitol in Sacramento.
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5 November 2008Update 3: Victory for Proposition 8 as gay marriage banned in California 4 While the celebrations for the election of a new, pro-gay President, Barack Obama were starting the fizzle out. Proposition 8, the voter initiative ballot that calls for a constitutional change to effectively ban gay marriage in California was approved by voters. -
5 November 2008Update 2: gay marriage ban supported by 51.7% of Californians 40 After the "Say No to Prop 8" rally in San Francisco was disbanded due to the delays in results and with eighty five percent of ballots counted , 4,727,246 people (51.7%) have voted for the ban on gay marriage. 4,4165,742 (48.3% have voted against. -
5 November 2008Update: With eighty percent of votes counted, 51.8% of Californians support Proposition 8 ban on gay marriage + Proposition 8, the voter initiative ballot that seeks to make a constitutional change to effectively ban gay marriage in California, defining marriage as an act of union between a man and woman is currently looks likely to pass. -
5 November 2008Live Blog: Vote No on Prop 8 event curtailed – gay marriage ban may pass + Gay marriage could end in California. Proposition 8, the voter initiative ballot that seeks to make a constitutional change to effectively ban gay marriage in California, looks more likely to pass.
