Russia

VOLGOGRAD, Russia — Two men have been arrested for torturing a 23-year-old man to death in Russia in an apparent homophobic attack, investigators said Sunday.

NOVO-OGAREVO, Russia — Russian President Vladimir Putin on Friday warned that agreements with other countries on the matter of adoption of Russian children may be changed to ban such adoptions if those countries legalize same-sex marriage.

AMSTERDAM — After getting an earful from Chancellor Angela Merkel on the importance of democratic issues, Russian President Vladimir Putin arrived in Amsterdam on Monday to face an eyeful of protests from gay rights activists.

MOSCOW — Russia’s foreign minister on Tuesday rejected criticism from the Dutch government and the European Union about proposed legislation that would outlaw “homosexual propaganda.”

The Obama administration said Friday it was pulling out of a civil society dialogue with Russia to protest the Kremlin’s crackdown on dissent and new laws against nongovernmental organizations. It also harshly criticized Russia’s parliament for advancing new legislation against “homosexual propaganda.”

MOSCOW — Russian police detained 20 gay rights campaigners and militant Orthodox Christian activists Friday near the country’s parliament as it overwhelmingly backed a bill that would ban “homosexual propaganda.”

MOSCOW — Militant Orthodox activists have attacked members of Russia’s embattled gay community protesting against a planned law banning “gay propaganda”.

MOSCOW — Legislation being pushed by the Kremlin and the Russian Orthodox Church would make it illegal nationwide to provide minors with information that is defined as “propaganda of sodomy, lesbianism, bisexuality and transgenderism,” and includes a ban on holding public events that promote gay rights.

A conservative Russian lawmaker is threatening legal action against American pop star Lady Gaga for allegedly promoting gay rights to minors during a concert in St. Petersburg, Russia on Sunday night.

MOSCOW — The Russian State Parliament will hear the first reading of a federal level bill that is designed after a series of regional laws banning so-called “propaganda of homosexualism.”