InternationalÂ
Three UK Muslim Men Found Guilty of Distributing Hate Leaflets and Threatening Gays
Considered a landmark decision in the United Kingdom, Ihjaz Ali, Kabir Ahmed and Razwan Javed  were convicted of distributing hate literature against gays, via a pamphlet called “The Death Penalty?,” which included an image of a mannequin hanging from a noose and quoted Islamic texts that said capital punishment was the only way to rid society of homosexuality. The conviction included a second charge of “intending to stir up hatred” on the grounds of sexual orientation. It was the first conviction under the law that went into force in March 2010. Two other men, also charged, Mehboob Hussain and Umar Javed, were found not guilty by the jury. The leaflets were distributed outside a mosque and mailed in the Normanton area of Derby.
According to a report by The Guardian, a UK newspaper, Sue Hemming, the head of the Crown Prosecution Service’s special crime and counter-terrorism division, said after the verdict was issued: “Everyone has a right to be protected by the law and we regard homophobic crimes, along with all hate crimes, as particularly serious because they undermine people’s right to feel safe.  This case was not about curtailing people’s religious views or preventing them from educating others about those views – it was that any such views should be expressed in a lawful manner and not incite others to hatred.”
Croatia Votes Overwhelmingly to Join EU
Despite protests by right-wing nationalists, Croatia, a party of the Dayton Peace Accords, signed in 1995 along with Bosnia and Herzegovina and Serbia, that ended two of the most violent wars in Europe since the conclusion of World War II, is one step closer to becoming an a member of the EU club, which is struggling to remain fiscally solvent.
Bosnia, mired in inter-ethnic political conflict, has miles to go before it would be considered a serious candidate for EU membership. Serbia remains calcitrant in its refusal to recognize Kosovo as an independent state, adding an impediment to EU accession. Â All three states have had violent demonstrations against gay pride events in recent years, although Zagreb, Croatia hosted a peaceful pride celebration in June 2011Â and strongly condemned the attacks on marchers in a pride celebration in Split.
Yemeni President Granted Amnesty, Exits for Treatment in NYC
Ali Abdullah Saleh, the embattled Yemeni President of 33 years, who was recently granted amnesty from prosecution by the Yemen parliament for unspecified crimes potentially committed during the past year of the Arab uprising, will seek medical
However, the U.N. High Commissioner for Human Rights Navi Pillay, before the parliament adopted the law, said international law does not permit amnesty for those who may be responsible for possible war crimes or genocide. She said her office had information to suggest some leaders in Yemen may have committed serious crimes against the people during demonstrations.
“Every individual who commits a crime is accountable and should not be allowed to escape justice,” she said in a statement.
Yemen, who has been a close ally in the U.S. war against Al Qaeda, was surprisingly confronted by the Arab uprising during most of 2011. Â Saleh, who spent most of the summer in a Saudi Arabian hospital after surviving an assassination attempt on his life, was pressured into turning over power to his vice-president before stepping down.
National
Gabrielle Giffords Steps DownÂ
Gabby Giffords, the U.S. Congressional Representative for Tucson, Arizona, just two weeks following the one-year anniversary of the tragic shooting that dramatically changed her life, announced today that she is resigning from Congress to focus on her continued recovery from a bullet that entered the left side of her brain.
“Arizona is my home, always will be,†Giffords states. “A lot has happened over the past year. We cannot change that. But I know on the issues we fought for we can change things for the better. Jobs, border security, veterans. We can do so much more by working together.â€
This video of Gabby saying goodbye, is a tear jerker.
101 Mayors for Freedom to MarryÂ
The Freedom to Marry campaign announced this week, a bi-partisan Mayors for Marriage Equality initiative that includes 101 mayors from across America. The original count at the beginning of the campaign was 70, but mayors have been joining at a rapid rate. The mayors of Boston, Houston, Los Angeles, New York and San Diego who will co-chair the group under the auspices of the U.S. Conference of Mayors in Washington, D.C.  The U.S. Conference of Mayors had its annual meeting in D.C. this past week. For a complete list of mayors who are supporting see this link.
Obama Administration Extends Contraception Coverage Deadline
The Obama Administration extended the deadline for all employers to Aug. 12, 2012, to comply with its interim rule that calls for insurance coverage of preventive services for women, including recommended contraceptive services without charging a co-pay, co-insurance or a deductible.  Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius issued a statement on Jan. 20, reaffirming the Obama Administration’s policy that “women will not have to forego these services because of expensive co-pays or deductibles, or because an insurance plan doesn’t include contraceptive services. This rule is consistent with the laws in a majority of states which already require contraception coverage in health plans, and includes the exemption in the interim final rule allowing certain religious organizations not to provide contraception coverage. Beginning August 1, 2012, most new and renewed health plans will be required to cover these services without cost sharing for women across the country.”
Of course, this HHS announcement set off a round of recriminations by representatives of the  U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops and the National Association of Evangelicals, who had lobbied hard for a broad exemption for employers that oppose birth control on religious grounds.
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