Europe

Albania, Austria, Belarus, Belgium, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Croatia, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Finland, France, Georgia, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Kazakhstan, Latvia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Macedonia, Malta, Moldova, Monaco, Montenegro, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Russia, Serbia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Turkey, Ukraine, United Kingdom, Vatican City

France ends ban on gay, bisexual men donating blood, with a catch

All French men are now officially allowed to donate blood, so long as they abstain from sex with men for a year.

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Estonia gay partnership law comes into effect amid legal confusion

Estonia in 2014 became the first former Soviet republic to approve gay civil unions, but Parliament has not yet adopted laws required to implement that decision.

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Slovenians vote on whether to uphold same‑sex marriage law

Slovenians held a referendum Sunday on whether to allow same-sex marriage for the first time in any of the former communist nations of Central and Eastern Europe.

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Portugal allows same-sex adoption, artificial insemination

Left-of-center parties used their outright parliamentary majority to ensure the bills passed Friday.

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Ukrainian lawmakers approve gay rights bill

Ukrainian lawmakers have approved a bill that bans discrimination of gays, key legislation intended to help pave the way for visa-free travel between Ukraine and the European Union.

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Turkish police use water cannons to disperse participants at LGBT pride rally

Turkish police used water cannons and tear gas against LGBT pride marchers trying to rally in Istanbul's central square on Sunday, forcing the thousands of demonstrators to gather several blocks away.

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Kyrgyzstan passes draft anti-LGBT ‘propaganda’ bill that’s worse that Russia

The legislation passed through an initial reading in October, but had been stalled until Wednesday's vote. Another parliamentary vote is required before the legislation is submitted to Kyrgyz President Almazbek Atambayev, whose signature is necessary for…

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PHOTOS: Thousands attend high-profile LGBT pride event staged in Latvia’s capital

Participants in colorful outfits waved rainbow flags and standards from Spain, Britain, Ukraine, Georgia and Armenia, among others, as they marched and danced to loud music in central Riga.

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More than a dozen injured after assailants attack gay pride rally in Kiev

At least 25 people were detained and more than a dozen were injured after assailants attacked a gay pride rally in Kiev on Saturday, throwing flares, smoke bombs and tear gas at marchers and police.

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Vienna’s gay-themed traffic lights to remain, says local official

The lights show couples — a man and a woman, two women or two men. Set up recently at 47 crossings, they were to be taken down in June, after the conclusion of several gay-friendly events.

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