American Arrested For Sex With Afghan Male
(Kabul)  Police in Kabul have arrested an American adviser to the Afghan government for allegedly having homosexual relations with an Afghan man, officials said on Tuesday.


A spokesperson for the government said the man met several times with a male Afghani citizen in a hotel in the capital.  The Afghan citizen was questioned and confessed to police that the American had paid him for sex.

Homosexuality it a crime in Afghanistan, punishable by lengthy prison terms with hard labour.  Under the Taliban, which was ousted in 2001, the country was under tight Shariah, or Islamic, law.  At that time gays were crushed to death by having walls toppled on them.

“Islam doesn’t allow homosexuality,” said Abdul Halim Samadi, a prosecutor dealing with the current case in Kabul.  

Nevertheless, Samadi acknowledged that a gay "underground" exists in the country.


~

"Social partnership" plan to halt Northern Ireland gay attacks
Ben Townley, Gay.com UK


A conference is being planned in the Northern Ireland city of Derry, in a bid to help stop the ongoing homophobic attacks taking place in the city.

Community leaders and members of local Churches and political parties are expected to attend the meeting to discuss how to combat the crisis in the town, which has seen an increase in attacks against gay men.

These have included death threats, violence and graffiti on homes of those suspected of being gay. The latest attack involved a man in his 50s, as Gay.com reported yesterday, being hounded in his own home because of his sexuality.


~

Brazil to give gay teenagers sex education
Ben Townley, Gay.com UK


Brazil is set to launch its first ever sex education campaign targeted at gay adolescents, according to press reports, in a bid to curb the rise of HIV amongst gay men.

The country's Ministry of Health launched a campaign to work with non-governmental organisations that focus on the health of gay, teenage boys yesterday.

The campaign will also look at preventing the increased transmission of HIV amongst gay adults.


~

Honduras recognizes 3 gay groups
Associated Press


TEGUCIGALPA, Honduras (AP) - Catholic and Protestant churches joined Tuesday in criticizing a government decision to grant legal recognition to three homosexual rights groups.

"It's sad that the government is giving its blessing to homosexuals," Roman Catholic Church spokesman Jesus Mora told a news conference. He said the government measure implies "that kind of behavior is acceptable."

The government on Friday granted legal recognition to three groups - the Violet Collective, the Gay Community and the Gay-Lesbian Group - a relatively mundane step that essentially gives them the right to act before courts and government institutions.

The deputy justice minister, Fernando Suazo, said the measure does not authorize gay marriage, but would help overcome discrimination.



~

Gay minister scared by hard stance


A gay Hamilton church minister who supports the Civil Union Bill says the hardline stance of people such as Destiny Church leader Brian Tamaki scares her.

Rev Dr Susan Thompson, a minister at St Paul's Methodist Church, says loud conservative Christian voices do not represent the majority Christian opinion.

"The thing that scares me about Destiny Churches is the absolute certainty people like Brian Tamaki have that they know what God wants and [that] they know the difference between right and wrong and good and evil."


Last week, Mr Tamaki organised a march involving 5000 protesters outside Parliament as a stand against the Civil Union Bill, which legally recognises same-sex relationships.


~

Court weighs harsher sentence in gay underage sex case
By John Hanna - Associated Press Writer


Topeka — The state can punish illegal underage sex more harshly when it involves homosexual acts, even if the only goal is promoting traditional sexual roles, an official told the Kansas Supreme Court on Tuesday.
  
Deputy Atty. Gen. Jared Maag said legislators had such broad latitude in setting policy that "any conceivable, rational basis" would justify the different treatment.

Maag argued in favor of upholding a sentence of more than 17 years in prison for Matthew R. Limon, convicted of criminal sodomy for having sex at age 18 with a 14-year-old boy in 2000.

Had the victim been a girl, Limon could have been sentenced to one year and three months in prison under a 1999 law. His attorneys argued the different treatment represents discrimination against gays and lesbians -- and is unconstitutional.


~

Keyes defends comments about Cheney’s gay daughter
By Jennifer Skalka and Ofelia Casillas
Tribune staff reporters


NEW YORK -- Madison Square Garden, home of many prizefights and hockey brawls, seems a fitting venue for Alan Keyes to be meeting his fellow Republicans.

The candidate for U.S. Senate has miffed many members of the Illinois delegation by spending more time on national talk shows than schmoozing with them.

He has been prickly with the media, chastising reporters for asking "inappropriate" questions.

As the Republican National Convention focused on unity Tuesday, Keyes lashed out at the vice president's gay daughter.



~

E-mail: Eatery wants no gays
BY STEVE ROTHAUS


Gay South Beach party promoter Edison Farrow is less than touched by an e-mail inadvertently forwarded to him after an event at Touch on Lincoln Road.

''I am not crazy about having a room full of gay men in our restaurant,'' reads an e-mail supposedly sent by Touch co-owner David Tornek to operations manager Shai Zelering and publicist Susan Scott. ``Interestingly enough, the day after we had that party we had a table of gay men in the restaurant and at the bar . . . not what I am looking for.'