Zanzibar
criminalizes gay sex
A new ban on gay sex has taken effect on the island of Zanzibar, which is part of the African nation of Tanzania.
Sex between men is punished with 25 years in prison and sex between women is punished with seven years in prison.
President Amani Karume signed the measure into law in mid-August.
Tanzania already criminalizes homosexuality nationwide but the law is rarely enforced.
Zanzibar is predominantly Muslim, and Islamic groups have been pressing for a more puritanical legal code.
Gays and antigays march on New Zealand Parliament
Seven thousand antigays marched on the New Zealand Parliament Aug. 27.
They traveled to Wellington from all over the country to oppose the pending civil-unions bill, abortion, prostitution-law reform and a lowered drinking age.
'The cornerstone of any nation is family,' said Destiny church movement founder Brian Tamaki, according to the New Zealand Herald. 'And the cornerstone of any family is marriage. You cannot touch what God has ordained.'
The protesters, all dressed in black, chanted 'Enough is enough' and punched the air with their fists, said The Dominion Post newspaper.
A group of 1,500 GLBTs counterprotested.
'I feel like I'm at a Nuremberg rally,' said transgender member of Parliament Georgina Beyer.
Son of former Colombian president joins gay group
The son of a former president of Colombia is among the founders of a new national GLBT political organization.
Virgilio Barco, son of President Virgilio Barco Vargas, came out this month in conjunction with the inauguration of the Proyecto Colombia Diversa group.
Barco's partner, Andrew Dier, also is working with the organization which has a Web site at www.proyectocolombiadiversa.org .
Military joins gay
pride celebration
The armed forces joined a British gay pride celebration for the first time Aug. 28.
Eight officers from the Royal Air Force rode on a float in Manchester's pride parade in hopes of recruiting new members.
Gay sex was banned in the British military until last year.
'The RAF tries to reflect the community from which it draws its members,' an RAF spokeswoman told the BBC. 'We have recruitment policies that recognize that people from different backgrounds can make positive contributions. An individual's sexual orientation is none of the RAF's business.'