In Australia, Benjamin Norris—who won that continent's version of the show Big Brother—proposed to his boyfriend on live TV after winning the contest, according to 9News. Norris one of 16 housemates on the Nine Network show, was the last contestant standing and won $250,000. However, he surprised the audience and host Sonia Kruger when he got down on one knee and asked partner Ben Williams to marry him.

Malawi's government is moving to suspend laws against homosexuality and has ordered police not to arrest people for same-sex acts until parliament has reviewed the anti-gay measures, Boston.com reported. ''Malawi has taken a bold step forward, putting respect for its own constitutional guarantees of equality front and center,'' said Tiseke Kasambala, a Malawian who is the Africa advocacy director at Human Rights Watch. ''Malawi's decision has given hope to thousands who risk prison sentences under such laws.''

In Scotland, a teenager has admitted killing a gay barman who tried to comfort him about his sexuality, Gay Star News reported. Ryan Esquierdo, 19, strangled Stuart Walker, 28, to death and then set the victim's body on fire on an industrial estate. Esquierdo was originally charged with murder; however, the high court accepted his plea to the lesser charge of culpable homicide after hearing he had suffered traumatic abuse as a child.

An employee at a Russian global-retail company says it only allows heterosexual applicants to its business course because gays can't be "heroes and wizards," Gay Star News reported. Outdoor-goods retailer Expedition—which has 360 stores worldwide, including in the United States—was criticized after it stated on its website that gay people are not allowed to apply for a place on its Academy for Entrepreneurship in Russia. Responding to the criticism on Facebook, the company's fan page stated, "We are looking for real heroes and wizards. However, such roles are suitable for people with 'traditional sexual orientation.'" Campaigners in Russia have called for a boycott of the company.

In Romania, the LGBT-rights association Accept reported that 10 people wearing hoods physically assaulted seven men and women after attending an academic debate about the history of homosexuality in the country, according to Gay Star News. During the Nov. 6 assault, the attackers claimed they were opposing the "organization of gay events"; one victim had to be taken to the plastic surgery ward of a local hospital. Romania's legal system treats anti-gay motivation as an aggravating factor in common crimes.

In England, gay couple Markus and Steven Busuttil claimed they received death threats at a Greek restaurant as they celebrated their wedding anniversary, Gay Star News reported. The couple said an employee at Athens restaurant in Birmingham subjected them to anti-gay abuse after a disagreement over the food. The staffer allegedly said, "Fucking queers. You should be ashamed of yourselves. ... We don't like people like you in Greece. We cut off your legs. You are an embarrassment to the world. ... I will fucking kill you. After the police, I will deal with you."

Dusko Markovic, the deputy prime minister of Montenegro, has promised that the country will push for rights for gay and lesbian couples and hold its first gay pride, Gay Star News reported. Markovic made the promise while speaking at the Out on the Street summit on LGBT global workplace rights in London.

British gay couples will soon be prohibited from using European human-rights laws to demand a church marry them, according to Gay Star News. Maria Miller, the equalities minister and culture secretary, said, "To make sure there is no element of doubt, we would be legislating to protect the rights of religious institutions to continue to have freedom on this matter. We would achieve that through some very clear and absolute locks on that freedom within primary legislation."