The Equal Opportunities Minister in the new Italian government has been removed from her post after criticizing homosexuals. David Willey in Rome has this story.
Only a day after she was sworn in, Michaela Biancofiore, the junior minister for equal opportunities and a member of Silvio Berlusconi's Freedom party is forced to step down from her new job. She'd made homophobic remarks which received widespread coverage in the Italian press. She accused gay associations of withdrawing into ghettos and protecting only their own interests. Ms. Biancofiore who says she is opposed to same sex marriage but supports civil unions was hastily reassigned to another ministry.
A top Brazilian football club has asked its supporters and players to abandon an internet campaign encouraging them to pose as Taliban fighters and to post the photos online. In an official statement, the Club, Fluminense said the campaign glorifies terrorism. Leonardo Rocha has more.
The campaign began soon after Fluminense's bitter defeat on Thursday. The Ecuadorian club Emelec were given a controversial penalty in the final minute of Copa Libertadores and won the match 2-1. Fluminense supporters went on Twitter to ask fans and players to show their warrior’s spirit for the second leg of the tie. Several players including Brazilian international Fred have joined the ‘Be a Taliban warrior’ campaign. The club has now issued the statement denouncing the campaign and telling the fans that Taliban are not warriors, they are terrorists.