In Israel, a reservist was knocked out in a fight with soldiers who called reservists "homosexuals" for serving with women, according to Advocate.com . Ynet reported that the taunting soldiers "held sticks, stones and a chair. One of them attacked a reservist with a stick while others hurled stones and the chair at him and his friend." Israel has allowed openly gay people to serve in the military since 1993.
In England, Mark Hartill, 30, a gay man, is fighting lesbian couple Stacy Cassin, 24, and her civil partner, Kate, 26, for access to the child he helped them have, according to Pink News. The couple claimed that they all agreed that Hartill would not be involved in the raising of the baby. The Cassins added that Cassin became "besotted" after seeing the baby several times and now wants weekly access.
Polari, a form of slang that has ties to the gay community, has been included on a list of the world's endangered languages, according to Pink News. The slang, used as a code among gay people when homosexuality was illegal, is on an online database made by University of Cambridge researchers. Some believe that Polariwhich has its roots in Italian, English, Yiddish, Gypsy and theatre languageshas its roots in the 16th century.
In New Zealand, the Moa Beers brewery has struck down a campaign that suggested that low-carb beer is "queer," Pink News reported. The brewery planned to give away T-shirts that read "Low Carb Beers" with a pink "Q" superimposed over the "B" in "Beers." However, Facebook users overwhelmingly responded angrily to the company's page, with some even referring to the rash of LGBT suicides that have been publicized in the United States.
The Gay Football Supporters' Network plans to boycott all activities related to the 2022 World Cup because the host country, Qatar, is anti-gay, according to Pink News. The network issued a statement saying, "We do not feel the World Cup should be held in any country that abuses and disregards the basic human rights of LGBT people." In Qatar, homosexuality is illegal, and punishable by up to five years in prison.
In the Czech Republic, authorities have been criticized for employing a controversial method to see if people seeking asylum are gay, according to AHN. The human-rights organization known as the Fundamental Rights Agency said that the republic still uses the "sexual arousal" test. With this test, applicants are denied asylum if they become aroused when hooked up to a machine that monitors blood flow to the penis; they are then shown straight porn, according to the BBC.
In the Netherlands, authorities had arrested a 27-year-old man for allegedly abusing up to 50 children at child-care facilities in Amsterdam and for distributing child porn, according to Reuters. The man was a substitute caretaker at day-care center from February 2007, but also advertised for work as a baby-sitter. The man's partner, 37, has also been arrested on suspicion of child-porn possession.
German scientists are saying that a Berlin man has been cured of HIV after undergoing a stem-cell transplant, according to Bay Windows. Timothy Ray Brown, otherwise known as the "Berlin Patient," received the transplant in 2007 as treatment for leukemia. The journal Blood ran an article that stated that Brown's blood tests "strongly suggest that cure of HIV infection has been achieved."
Gay basketball star John Amaechi has criticized Sepp Blatterthe president of soccer's ruling body, FIFAabout comments the latter made about gays planning to attend the 2022 World Cup in Qatar, according to CNN.com . Blatter reportedly had trouble keeping a straight face when asked what his advice was for LGBT people hoping to go to Qatar, responding, "I would say that they should refrain from sexual activities." Amaechi said that Blatter showed "archaic, Neanderthal ignorance" about the gay community.
In Brazil, same-sex couples in stable relationships will be granted the same social security pension benefits opposite-sex couples enjoy, according to BusinessWeek.com . The policy will cover formally registered workers who pay monthly social security fees. Gay and lesbian couples cannot legally marry in Brazil; however, a court granted same-sex couples inheritance rights and let them add their partners to health-insurance and retirement plans about a decade ago.