Tiwonge Chimbalanga Applies Seeking Asylum In Canada, Moscow Authorities Arrest Anti-Gay Protestors, Rutgers President Plans Vigil For Tyler Clementi And Intends To Meet With GLBT Student Leaders, Governor Schwarzenegger Signs Into Law Mental Health Services For At-Risk Youth Act, CNN Fires Rick Sanchez, Tom Hardy Hotness, Kellan Lutz

The Pan African News Agency is reporting that the cousin of Tiwonge Chimbalanga, one of the two openly gay Malawi men whose engagement, subsequently arrest and five-month long incarnation was the subject of universal condemnation, has applied for asylum in Canada. Maxwell Manda, who works as a human right activist said “Yes, Tiwonge will be going to Canada to settle,” adding “he is just finalizing travel documents.” Manda says Chimbalanga will be sponsored for three years. Gift Trapence, head of the Centre for Development of People, instrumental in aiding in the release of the Chimbalanga and Steven Monjeza, now estranged, who were found guilty on one count each of buggery and gross indecency charges and sentenced to 14 years of hard labour before being pardoned, also said Tiwonge is coming to Canada. “I don’t have much details as of now, maybe by next week, but what I know is that his passport is ready. He is just waiting to be issued with a visa for Canada,” Trapence said.

Moscow authorities Friday detained numerous anti-gay protestors at the first officially sanctioned gay rights protest in years, the Associated Press reporting that dozens of gay rights activists protested outside the office of Swiss International Air Line against the alleged role the airline played in the kidnapping of prominent gay rights advocate Nikolai Alekseev, while the police arrested at least four protestors who attempted to sabotage their rally. “The police worked professionally, and we are thankful to them,” said Alekseev. “They protected us.” Today’s event stands in stark contrast to those that took place under former Moscow Mayor Yuri Luzhkov, whose anti-gay stance preventing any and all gay rights rallies from occurring, and who was fired Tuesday by Russian President Dmitry Medvedev.

The New Jersey Star-Ledger says Rutgers University will hold a candlelight vigil for Tyler Clementi, the 18 year old freshman who took his own life last week after his dorm roommate secretly videotaped and streamed online Tyler in an intimate moment with another man. The ceremony was announced Friday by Rutgers President Richard L. McCormick, and it will be held outside Brower Commons beginning at 7:00 pm. “This silent vigil will be an opportunity to come together in this difficult time to reaffirm our commitment to the values of civility, dignity, compassion, and respect for one another,” said a statement released by McCormick. He also announced plans to meet with student leaders from the campus’s gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgender community to discuss how the university can better serve and support the needs of the gay community. A makeshift memorial for Tyler in front of Brower Commons continues to grow.

California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger signed into law Thursday the Mental Health Services for At-Risk Youth Act, according to KMJN-FM, expanding access by allowing young individuals between the ages of 12 and 17 to seek counselling with parental consent, particularly critical for LGBT youth.

The New York Times on the firing of CNN daytime anchor, one day after saying to a satellite radio host that Jon Stewart is a “bigot” and that “Everybody that runs CNN is a lot like Stewart. And a lot of people who run all the other networks are a lot like Stewart. And to imply that somehow they – the people in this country who are Jewish – are an oppressed minority? Yeah.” CNN released a terse statement late Friday that read “Rick Sanchez is no longer with the company. We thank Rick for his years of service and we wish him well.”

Thursday, Tom Hardy hotness seen along the streets of Vancouver, British Columbia, having shopped for groceries.

Kellan Lutz – bulging in all the right places – carrying duffel bag and football departs for destination unknown Friday.