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Moroccan appeals court upholds convictions for homosexuality
A Moroccan appeals court has upheld the convictions of several men accused of homosexual acts. At least four of the six defendants in the case in central Morocco were convicted July 2 on charges that included “lewd or unnatural acts with an individual of the same sex,” according to Human Rights Watch.
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Former Italian Prime Minister comes out in support of LGBT rights
Former Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi made a rare public statement Sunday indicating his support of LGBT rights, according to Italian media reports. “The [fight] for civil rights for homosexuals is a fight that in a truly modern and democratic country should be everyone’s responsibility,” Berlusconi said, according to La Repubblica.
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Record attendance at Pink Dot rally in Singapore amid religious opposition
SINGAPORE — Thousands of gay rights activists gathered in downtown Singapore on Saturday for an annual rally that came under unprecedented criticism from religious conservatives, with one influential Christian pastor calling on the government to ban the event. Previous Pink Dot rallies have been held without much opposition. But as they grew…
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Vatican: Many Catholics ignore teachings on marriage, homosexuality
VATICAN CITY — The Vatican admitted Thursday that most Catholics around the world reject its teachings about sex and contraception as an intrusion into their private lives, and are ignorant of other core doctrines about marriage, divorce and homosexuality. The Vatican blamed its own priests for much of the problem, saying they simply aren’t …
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Mayor, diplomats join LGBT pride festival in Thessaloniki, Greece
THESSALONIKI, Greece — Police say more than 6,000 people have marched through the streets of Greece’s second largest city, Thessaloniki, in its third gay pride parade. Taking part was Mayor Yiannis Boutaris and the consuls of the United States, United Kingdom, Germany, Canada, the Czech Republic, Finland and Portugal.
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Luxembourg legislature votes to legalize same-sex marriage, adoption
Luxembourg’s legislature voted Wednesday to legalize same-sex marriage and adoption, making the tiny country the eleventh in Europe to allow marriage equality for same-sex couples. The measure passed in the Chamber of Deputies by a vote of 56-4 after a petition by opponents failed to gain the required 4,500 signatures.
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Gay politician attacked with acid substance at Vienna pride event
VIENNA — Austria’s first openly gay politician was the victim of an attack at Friday’s annual LGBT pride parade in Vienna. An unknown assailant sprayed butyric acid at Ulrike Lunacek, leader of the Austrian Greens’ delegation to the European Parliament, as she was giving an interview on the sidelines of the parade.
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More than 100,000 party in Israel at largest LGBT pride in the Middle East
JERUSALEM — Shirtless Israeli men, colorfully dressed drag queens and others partied Friday through central Tel Aviv as tens of thousands of people took part in the city’s annual gay pride parade, the largest event of its kind in the Middle East.
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Controversial Ugandan official may get United Nations post
KAMPALA, Uganda — Sam Kutesa became known to many Ugandans after he was ousted as a junior investment minister by lawmakers over charges he abused his office. Now foreign minister, he has been implicated in at least two more scandals since 1999, including allegations that he accepted bribes from foreign companies seeking oil contracts in Uganda.
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Slovakia parliament approves constitutional ban on same-sex marriage
Slovakia’s parliament approved a constitutional ban on same-sex marriages, amending its definition of marriage to be the “unique bond between a man and a woman.” The bill, approved Wednesday by a vote of 102 to 18 with three abstentions, was jointly proposed by the ruling socialist Smer party and the Christian Democrats.