Eurovision, economics and HIV’s cousin

Your Daily Package of newsy and naughty bits from around the world

Chinese station censors gay content

Chinese television station Mango TV censored a broadcast of the Eurovision Song Contest to exclude rainbow flags and a performance depicting a gay relationship. The European Broadcasting Union says it has terminated its deal with Mango TV over the censorship. [Reuters]

Venezuela’s indigenous HIV crisis

Amid a collapsing economy and public health shortage, and nationwide medicine shortages, HIV is hitting Venezuela’s indigenous communities hardest. [The New York Times]

Doctors warn of HTLV epidemic in Australia

The human T-cell leukemia virus, or HTLV-1, is running wild in remote parts of Australia, experts warn. The sexually transmitted virus, sometimes called a cousin of HIV, has infected more than 40 percent of some Australian communities. [CNN]

Northern Ireland marriage bill blocked

A bill to allow same-sex marriage in Northern Ireland has been blocked on its second reading in UK parliament. Northern Ireland is the last part of Great Britain where same-sex couples cannot marry. [BBC]

Costa Rica pro-marriage equality president sworn in

Carlos Alvarado, the candidate who prevailed in an electoral race that centred around same-sex marriage, has been sworn in as president of Costa Rica. [The Associated Press]

Niko Bell

Niko Bell is a writer, editor and translator from Vancouver. He writes about sexual health, science, food and language.

Read More About:
Power

Keep Reading

The new generation of gay Conservative sellouts

OPINION: Melissa Lantsman’s and Eric Duncan’s refusals to call out their party’s transphobia is a betrayal of the LGBTQ2S+ community

Over 300 anti-LGBTQ2S+ bills have been introduced this year. This doesn’t mean we should panic

OPINION: While it’s important to watch out for threats, not all threats are created equally. Some of these bills will die a natural death

Xtra’s top LGBTQ2S+ stories of the year

The best and brightest—even most bewildering—stories from a back catalogue brimming with insight

Elon Musk and Texas attorney general Ken Paxton are suing Media Matters. Here’s why queer and trans people should care

OPINION: When politicians and the rich leverage the power of the state to quell dissent, we all lose