Gay Saudi Diplomat Seeks Asylum In America, Australian Court Approves Adoption By Gay Foster Parent, An Independent Review Of Australian Red Cross Blood Services Ban On Gay Men Donors Announced, Jeremy Renner Moons Most Of Downtown Toronto

NBC News is reporting that a Saudi diplomat, Ali Ahmad Asseri, the first secretary of the Saudi consulate in Los Angeles, has informed the United States Department of Homeland Security that officials in Saudi have refused to renew his diplomatic passport after discovering he is gay and that he has formed a close friendship with a Jewish woman. He is asking for political asylum, fearing for his life if forced to return to Saudi Arabia. Saudi officials are demanding his return, by Asseri says “My life is in great danger here and if I go back to Saudi Arabia, they will kill me openly in broad daylight.” Asseri posted an entry on a Saudi website recently condemning the country’s “backwardness” and the role of “militant imams” who work to deface “the tolerance of Islam.”

A gay Australian has been granted permission by a Judge to legally adopt an 11 year old boy, his foster child. New South Wales Parliament passed a measure this past week that affords same sex couples complete adoption rights, however the man, who cannot be identified for legal reasons, resides in Victoria where it remains illegal for gay couples to adopt. In a long-term relationship, he has adopted the child by himself, in order to comply with current legislation. According to reports the Victorian Commission for Equal Opportunity and Human Rights intervened in the case, in an effort to protect the boy, who had suffered abuse and neglect until being placed in the couple’s foster care four years ago. The boy was beyond thrilled at the ruling, saying “I’m really glad that I’m adopted. They always play with me and they do fun activities with me like going to the park and watching me play footy. It’s a really good thing.”

A dean of medicine has been appointed to review the Australian Red Cross Blood Services ban on sexually active gay men preventing them from donating blood. Professor Steve Wesselingh, the dean of medicine at Monash University has been selected to head the independent review, which will take twelve months, after an attempt to have the ban reversed by the Tasmanian anti-discrimination panel by Michael Cain, a gay rights advocate. “The fact that it’s being done through an independent body gets away that focus that the Red Cross will try and manipulate its own outcome,” said Cain, adding “They are really putting this into the community’s hands so that we can have a proper, transparent and inclusive review. It’s a fantastic review.” Men who have had sex with other men once since 2008 are excluded from donating blood.

Jeremy Renner, starring in Ben Affleck’s The Town, on the red carpet in Toronto seen below attending a screening of said film at the Toronto International Film Festival Saturday night, looking a little worse for wear, apparently offered a good glimpse of bare ass from his Yorkville hotel, Renner allegedly mooning onlookers along avenue from high atop his hotel suite.