World news links: Jan. 25

Some of the following international LGBT stories are making waves overseas:

• American Airlines — a company with a history of strong support for the LGBT community — has named Tel Aviv the world’s ‘Best Gay City,’ over New York City, Tortono, Sao Paulo, Madrid, London, New Orleans, and Mexico City. The airlines described it as “the gay capital of the Middle East, exotic and welcoming, with a Mediterranean c’est la vie attitude” (ThinkProgress)
• Meanwhile, Stonewall, the British counterpart of the Human Rights Campaign, has named UK’s domestic spy agency MI5 the most gay-friendly employer in the kingdom. Just a few decades ago being found to be gay would have been cause for removal from intelligence jobs in most countries (HuffPo).
• LGBT activists in Malta have launched an educational campaign pushing for tolerance and support in the popular Mediterranean island nation (Times of Malta).
• Paolo Urso, Catholic bishop of the Sicilian city of Ragusa has called for the civil recognition of same-sex couples (ThinkProgress).

Last week LGBT protesters gathered in ‘Red Square’ in Moscow to call for an end to the local bans on “gay propaganda” in Russian municipalities:

The Russian video description can be translated as follows:

“January 20, 2012 in Red Square detained gay activists, Piggy, Stepashka, Phil and Karkusha. Participants of the rally called for an end to bans gay propaganda in Russia and wished good night to the kids at Red Square in Moscow detained activists of Moscow Pride, Nikolai Alekseev, Alexey Kiselev and Cyril Nepomniachtchi, published in an unauthorized rally by the authorities, “Good night, mylyshi!”, Dated the second anniversary of the decision of the Constitutional Court on the constitutionality of the laws of the Ryazan region of Russia to ban propaganda of homosexuality to minors. Activists took to the Red Square at midnight under a chiming clock on the Kremlin’s Spassky Tower, when all the children in Russia need to sleep. They were holding characters in popular children’s TV program “Good night, kids!” Piggy, Stepashka, Fil and Karkushu with bright icons of Moscow Pride. Participants of the rally also carried signs “Give a gay pride parade in Red Square,” “propaganda of homosexuality is not possible. Prohibit the promotion of homophobia and the deputy feeble mind.” Earlier, the Moscow authorities have banned a gay activist shares in Pushkin Square, with reference to the position of the federal law that public events can not be conducted between 23 pm and 7 am. Organisers have promised to appeal the ban by the Constitutional Court of Russia. GayRussia.Ru”