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 Blatter—the president of soccer's ruling body, FIFA—about 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.
Human Rights Watch has published a report titled "We are a Buried Generation: Discrimination and Violence Against Sexual Minorities in Iran," according to an Advocate.com item. The 102-page report is based on testimonies from more than 100 Iranians, and details how laws work to oppress those whose sexual and gender identities do not conform to government-endorsed standards. Iran in one of only seven countries where people who engage in same-sex relations can be executed.
The Canadian military has altered its policy so it can be more transgender-inclusive, according to JustOut.com . Under the new policy, soldiers can wear the uniform of their "target" gender, regardless of their biological sex—and personnel must give said soldier privacy and respect for his or her decision. However, the policy does not allow military honors to be reassigned to new names.
In Australia, authorities have released the image of a man who helped to hunt down and attack two gay men in Melbourne in October, according to theage.com .au. The offender was part of a four-man gang that went out for the express purpose of attacking gay men. Police said that both of the victims had their teeth knocked out in the attack.
In England, Reace McDonnell, 19, an openly gay member of the Youth Parliament, has been suspended after reportedly posting graphic photos of himself online, according to an Advocate.com item. A publication called the website with McDonnell's photos "a porn-networking site"; the images were allegedly discovered by the mother of a teenage boy who idolized McDonnell. On his Facebook page, McDonnell wrote, "I would like to remind people not to believe everything you read in the papers."
In France, opposite-sex couples are opting for civil unions over marriage, according to Pink News. France allows both opposite- and same-sex couples to have PACS (pacte civil de solidarité), although gay and lesbian couples cannot marry. PACS became legal in 1999 and the next year, heterosexual couples made up of 75 percent of those united through PACS. Last year, the figure increased to 95 percent. Civil partnerships such as PACS offer almost all the same rights as marriage, although no religious ceremonies are allowed.
Vlatko Markovic, the Croatian Football Federation president who just last month said there would never be a gay player on his team, was re-elected by one vote to a fourth term, according to Advocate.com . Besides stating his position on footballers on his team, Markovic said he had never met a gay player because "only healthy people play football." He is currently being investigated for discrimination.
