Ireland has stated that it will not participate in the Eurovision Song Contest in 2026 if Israel is permitted to compete, according to Deadline.
In a statement, Irish public broadcaster RTÉ said that participating “would be unconscionable given the ongoing and appalling loss of lives in Gaza.” Spain, Slovenia and Iceland have made similar statements.
In Germany, the Bishop of Mainz spoke out against using Biblical passages to oppose homosexuality, according to New Ways Ministry. While on a TV show, Bishop Peter Kohlgraf said that a person “cannot simply derive timelessly valid, eternal truths” in Biblical passages about homosexuality. He also affirmed the presence of gay men in the priesthood, stating, “There are openly homosexual priests in Germany, and they are good pastors.” The topic of the show was “Taboos in our society: Between morality, power and the media.”
In Uganda, an alleged serial blackmailer of queer residents has been arrested, per Erasing 76 Crimes. Akampurira Najib aka Morris allegedly led a group of people who opened fake accounts on dating sites frequented by LGBTQ+ persons—intending to extort unsuspecting people. Morris’ accomplices supposedly included police officers and other community members willing to form mobs.
Former right-wing Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro was sentenced to 27 years and three months in prison hours after being convicted of plotting a coup to remain in power after losing the 2022 election, Reuters reported. There was substantial evidence that Bolsonaro, who is currently under house arrest, acted “with the purpose of eroding democracy and institutions,” Justice Carmen Lucia said. Bolsonaro became the first former president in the country’s history to be convicted for attacking democracy—and the decision drew disapproval from the Trump Administration.
The newly released Kantar-DIVA report shines a spotlight on the challenges faced by LGBTQIA+ women and non-binary people, Press Pass Q noted. The report, “Living bold, living proud: LGBTQIA+ parenthood in a changing world,” includes info gathered from 2,685 anonymous online surveys in India, South Africa, the United Kingdom and the United States. The Curve Foundation facilitated the survey, with founder Franco Stevens saying, “Nearly half of our community is facing increased harassment online, and more of our community members are worried about their safety when traveling. That’s heartbreaking and infuriating. It also makes being visible, living our lives openly and proudly, an act of pure defiance.”
The UN has urged Mongolia to buttress protections for queer people, warning that entrenched discrimination and gaps in legal recognition continue to undermine recent progress, The Washington Blade noted. The U.N. Human Rights Committee report Concluding Observations on the Fifth Periodic Report of Mongolia cited unreported attacks, bias in law enforcement and the absence of rights for same-sex couples as obstacles to equality in the country. The committee further recommended guaranteeing freedom of peaceful assembly for LGBTQ+ people, including during the annual Equality Walk at Chinggis Square in Ulaanbaatar, the Mongolian capital.
A bisexual U.S. deportee is in hiding in The Gambia after Ghana deported him there shortly after he arrived in Ghana on a U.S. deportation flight, Erasing 76 Crimes noted, citing The New York Times. In the Gambia—the smallest country in continental Africa—consensual same-sex intimacy is illegal and is punishable by up to 14 years in prison or, in cases of repeated offenses, life in prison. The man, known publicly only as K.S., was one of 14 men from Nigeria and the Gambia who were deported to Ghana despite their objection to being sent to countries where they would be vulnerable to attack and/or arrest.
It turns out that the late Italian designer Giorgio Armani was so dedicated to detail that boarding his $60 million superyacht, Main, came with rules, according to Luxury Launches. Shoes were forbidden, rings were banned to protect the finishes and guests followed dress codes. For the crew of 14, life on Armani’s 213-foot Codecasa—a permanent fixture off Portofino and Saint-Tropez—was reportedly rigorous; among other things, crew members changed into bespoke Armani looks three times a day and followed pre-planned service routes to avoid disturbing guests.
After almost 4,000 people signed a pledge not to work with Israeli film institutions, Paramount criticized the widespread boycott, Variety noted. “At Paramount, we believe in the power of storytelling to connect and inspire people, promote mutual understanding, and preserve the moments, ideas, and events that shape the world we share. This is our creative mission,” read a statement from Paramount Chief Communications Officer Melissa Zukerman. Actors Nicola Coughlan, Andrew Garfield, Emma Stone, Bowen Yang, Guy Pearce and Elliot Page were among those who had signed the petition.
World of Wonder announced a new twist to a popular challenge in the series RuPaul’s Drag Race UK, which is starting Sept. 25, a press release noted. For the first time ever, the series will have the queens doll up celebrities for the Makeover Challenge. Some of the celebrities will include Welsh singer-songwriter Charlotte Church, Pop Idol winner Michelle McManus and Celeb Big Brother winner David Potts.
UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer defended Peter Mandelson in the House of Commons two days after details of the damning emails between the former ambassador to the US and Jeffrey Epstein were passed to Downing Street, The Guardian reported. Starmer fired Mandelson after emails were published revealing that the latter had told Epstein “your friends stay with you and love you” while the disgraced financier was facing jail for sex offenses. Supposedly, Starmer didn’t know about the emails until he after he had told the Commons he had confidence in Mandelson.
Patti LuPone, Samantha Barks, Matt Lucas and Michael Ball will be among those returning to London on Oct. 8 to celebrate the 40th anniversary of Les Misérables in the city’s West End, Playbill noted. LuPone—a three-time Tony winner for her Broadway work in Evita, Gypsy and Company—created the role of Fantine in the musical’s original London company but did not reprise her performance when it transferred to Broadway. At least 500 tickets for the Sondheim Theatre gala performance will be available to the public.
BFI Distribution acquired UK and Ireland rights for Kristen Stewart’s directorial debut, The Chronology of Water, Deadline revealed. “Heaps of gratitude to the British Film Institute for helping us bring The Chronology of Water to audiences in the UK,” Stewart stated. The film stars Imogen Poots; she is joined by Jim Belushi, Thora Birch, Charlie Carrick, Susannah Flood, Kim Gordon and Tom Sturridge.
British songstress Sophie Ellis-Bextor (“Murder on the Dancefloor”) has shared her eighth studio album, Perimenopop, which a press release described as “a celebratory soundtrack for mid-life happiness.” She has also shared her new single and video “Stay on Me,” which was co-written with Selena Gomez, Julia Michaels, Kid Harpoon and Caroline Allin. Ellis-Bextor has recently toured sold-out headline shows across Europe and the U.S., supporting Take That, Nile Rodgers and The Human League, and has appeared at festivals across the world, including Glastonbury.
Trans volleyball player Lara Gamboa made her Jaguares debut in a women’s tournament in La Paz, in the Mexican state of Baja California Sur, Outsports noted. “Being included is something I’m grateful for, especially for the girls, because they’d been told I couldn’t participate because I could hurt them, and that’s not the case,” she told El Sudcaliforniano. Gamboa is now able to compete, but only after a long legal process after local officials initially excluded her from athletic contests.
During a performance at London’s Wembley Stadium, Coldplay front man Chris Martin—wanting fans to put their phones away—said, “My final request for this one song, and after that, you can do whatever you like, please, for this one song, consider having no phones, no cameras, no filming, no tweeting, no Snapchatting, no Instagram, no TikTok, no FitBit-ing, no Tinder, no Grindr,” according to Queerty. However, displaying a change of heart, Martin (a known ally of queer people) then added, “Well, keep Grindr, but everything else has to go, okay?”
In the midst of the Asian leg of his CHROMAKOPIA: The World Tour, musician Tyler, The Creator announced new live dates in Latin America that will start in March, per a press release. Buenos Aires; Bogotá, Colombia; Mexico City; and San Juan, Puerto Rico are some of the scheduled stops.
Gay Great British Bake Off season-three winner John Whaite is leaving OnlyFans to concentrate on baking, Out noted. “I’m leaving OnlyFans,” Whaite (who lives in Leeds with his husband) began on Instagram. “Life has shifted in a way I couldn’t have predicted—Ruff Puff Bakehouse and Ruff Puff Brownies have taken up so much of my time, but in the best possible way. … Working side by side with the team, creating something real and lasting, has shown me that my value isn’t in muscles or body image — it’s in building, baking, and sharing. For the first time since Bake Off 13 years ago, I feel a true sense of purpose again.”