World
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4 January 2007Nepalese gays face new persecution + Gangs of Maoist militants have launched a campaign in Nepal against the country's gay and lesbian population.The country's only gay rights organisation, Blue Diamond, reports that this new oppression is sanctioned by Prime Minister, Girija Prasad Koirala.Gays and lesbians in the Himalayan kingdom previously suffered persistent persecution from security forces during the absolutist rule of King Gyanendra. -
4 January 2007Egyptian man questioned over dismembered body 57 An Egyptian man is being questioned in Cairo after the discovery of the remains of a German national in a suitcase.The victim was identified because his mobile phone had also been packed into the suitcase, which was discovered on a plateau outside the city. -
3 January 200732% of LGBT net users online more than 24 hours a week 57 A recent survey of internet use in the USA has shown that gays, lesbians and bisexuals are online more often than their straight counterparts.The study also revealed that sites like youtube.com, MySpace and Friendster are more popular with LGBT surfers than with heteros.Excluding email, nearly twice as many gays and lesbians (32%) say they are online between 24 and 168 hours per week, compared to 18 percent of heterosexuals. -
3 January 2007Switzerland’s first gay union celebrated + An 89-year-old man and his 60-year-old partner have taken part in Swizerland's first gay civil union, it has been revealed.The Alpine state passed legislation to recognise same-sex partnerships in 2004, and it came into effect on January 1st.In a ceremony in Lorcano on Tuesday the couple, who have been together 30 years, exchanged vows in a ceremony described by witness Donatella Zappa as, "very moving." -
3 January 2007Backlash against gay marriage in Massachusetts 57 Lawmakers in the American state of Massachusetts have approved a referendum on gay marriage. -
3 January 2007Former US Defence Secretary queries “Don’t Ask Don’t Tell” 5 A Republican politician who was in charge of the US Armed Forces for four years has backed calls by a retired chairman of the Joint Chiefs to re-open the debate over the controversial "Don't Ask Don't Tell" policy.William Cohen served as Defence Secretary from 1997 - 2001 under Democrat President Bill Clinton.In an interview last night on CNN, Cohen described the current policy as discriminatory and not reflective of current American public opinion. -
3 January 2007Czechs flock to register partnerships 1 Gay rights activists in the Czech Republic have spoken of their delight at the number of gay and lesbian couples that have registered their partnerships.The central European state, which joined the EU three years ago, became the first former Soviet Bloc country to allow gay unions.Since the new laws were adopted in July last year, over 200 gay unions have been registered. -
3 January 2007Canadian boy has two mommies – and a dad + A ruling by a court in Ontario has for the first time given the full legal status of parent to three people. -
3 January 2007US general says “don’t ask, don’t tell” policy should go 5 An Army general who was chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff in the US military has called for a change in attitude towards gay and lesbian soldiers.John Shalikashvili was chairman from 1993 - 1997, and it was during his tenure that the controversial policy of "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" was introduced.At the time he argued that had argued that openly gay and lesbian personnel would hurt troop morale and undermine the cohesion of combat units. -
2 January 2007Bright new dawn for Romanian and Bulgarian gays + Yesterday two more former Eastern Bloc countries joined the European Union. -
2 January 2007Gay sheep experiments outrage campaigners 2 Scientists and gay rights activists have criticised experiments being conducted in the US that aim to turn gay sheep straight.Oregon State University is conducting research into the hormonal balance in the brains of rams who are attracted to other rams.The scientists claim their research is aimed only at reducing or eliminating gay sheep. -
2 January 2007Belgian “Bad Girls” tie the knot + Two female prisoners in Flanders have made history by becoming the first lesbian couple to get married while imprisoned.Linda Couvreur, 44, a mother of three, who was convicted of murdering her husband in 2003, and Theresa 'Terry' Van Heyst, 43, a convicted arsonist, were married on the 29th of December in Bruges prison.The newly weds met last April in prison and fell in love. -
30 December 2006Was life easier for gays under Saddam? 2 The former Iraqi dictator Saddam Hussein has been executed but questions remain over his attitude towards homosexuality.While it is true at during the 1990s Saddam's representatives at the United Nations opposed discussions of international gay rights or welcoming gay groups as observers to the UN, the actual position of gay people within the country remains sketchy at best. -
29 December 2006Gay teens reluctant to reveal sexuality to GPs + A study among out LGBT teenagers in the US has found that only 35% of them have revealed their sexuality to their doctor.131 teenagers attending the Models of Pride Youth Conference, which met in Oregon to discuss empowerment for LGBT people, took part in the survey.The fact that all of the young people who participated in the study were attending such an event means they are more open about their sexual orientation than most other gay teenagers. -
28 December 2006Gay community mourns Ford death 1 Gay activists have joined tributes to the late Gerald Ford who died aged 93 this week,Lobby group the Log Cabin Republicans, praised Ford's recognition of gay rights while the National Gay and Lesbian Task Force described the former President as an 'advocate for individual rights.' -
28 December 2006Spanish gays may receive damages from Franco regime + Spanish gays who were discriminated against under the Franco dictatorship may receive compensation, according to reports.The Spanish government is considering offering damages to members of the gay community who were sent to mental hospitals, tortured or imprisoned under the regime of General Francisco Franco between the 1930s and 1970s. -
27 December 2006Bush opponents call for impeachment over Iraq + The American Green Party has expressed support for a motion to impeach US President George W Bush, citing illegal spying on groups and lies over the Iraq war.Democratic Representative put forward the proposal Cynthia McKinney's, echoing calls from the Green Party in 2003. -
27 December 2006USA mourns Gerald Ford 1 America is mourning the loss of Former US President Gerald Ford after the ex-leader died last night aged 93.He was the only un-elected US President after taking over from Richard Nixon in 1974 following the Watergate scandal, but it could have all been so different had Ford's life not been saved by a gay man.
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27 December 2006Syphilis marketing campaign a success for San Francisco gays + A social marketing campaign urging gay and bisexual men in San Francisco to get checked for syphilis has been branded a success.Cartoons advocating the tests were placed in a gay newspaper, and poster-sized reproductions were posted on the streets, on bus shelters, on Webs sites and in gay bars. -
27 December 2006Massachusetts court defends gay marriage 1 The Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court has ruled that lawmakers cannot be forced to vote on the state's gay marriage laws.Outgoing Massachusetts Governor Mitt Romney has previously called for a new debate on gay marriage laws in the state in the hope of rescinding the current law which makes it the part of America which allows same sex couples to marry.
