Costa Rica to allow gay couples to share health benefits
Costa Rica's social security administration has agreed to allow same-sex couples to share health and pension benefits, even though the conservative Central American country bans gay marriage.
Crimean gays fear life under Russia
Yelena, an openly gay teacher in Crimea who is raising four children with her partner, fears she could lose her family and her job now that her home has been taken over by Russia.
Web founder calls for Internet bill of rights
A bill of rights should be created to govern the Internet in the wake of revelations about the depth of government surveillance.
Costa Rica to sue Nicaragua over territorial sea rights
Costa Rica said Tuesday it will take Nicaragua to the International Court of Justice over what San Jose alleges is Managua's seeking to have oil exploration work done in Costa Rican waters.
Azeri gay rights leader commits suicide
A leading Azerbaijani gays rights activist killed himself after writing in an online suicide note that he could not go on living in "this country and this world".
Morocco Islamists under fire over women abuse bill
A long-awaited law to combat violence against women is currently under study in Morocco, but the Islamist-led government has had to revise its proposals after sharp criticism from rights groups.
Football: Spanish clubs fined for TV rights breach
Spanish financial regulators on Monday fined four football clubs including Real Madrid and Barcelona, as well as a big television producer millions of euros for allegedly breaking the rules on the sale of television rights.
Saudi braces for 'open driving campaign' by women
Saudi Arabia was braced for possible protests Saturday after women activists declared an "open driving campaign" against the deeply conservative kingdom's ban on women behind the wheel.
Court slams Turkey for violating paper's freedom of expression
Turkey violated national newspaper Cumhuriyet's freedom of expression when it prevented further publication of an interview given by the current President Abdullah Gul to Britain's The Guardian in 1995.
Gay rights activists protest Russia law
About 300 gay rights activists rallied in Madrid on Tuesday as part of an international protest against hotly disputed Russian laws cracking down on homosexuals.
US judge approves $20 mn settlement in Facebook suit
A US judge on Monday approved a deal in which Facebook will pay $20 million for using members "likes" as endorsements for ads.
Nicaragua sex workers open office to defend rights
Nicaraguan sex workers have for the first time set up an office to assist in protection from abuse, violence and discrimination.
Japan wins rights to explore for rare metals in Pacific
Japan on Saturday said it had won the rights to explore for cobalt-rich crusts in the Pacific, a move that could reduce its dependence on China for rare metals.
S. American leaders back asylum amid Snowden row
South American leaders defended their right to offer asylum, venting anger at claims of US spying in the region while intelligence leaker Edward Snowden's fate hangs in the balance.
Women see flicker of hope for rights in Iran vote
Iran's presidential election is offering a flicker of hope to activists hoping to revive women's rights after they deteriorated during the eight years of Mahmoud Ahmadinejad's presidency.
Cambodia unveils statue of slain union boss
A statue of a Cambodian union boss gunned down on a Phnom Penh street in 2004 was unveiled Friday in a rare public recognition of a champion of workers' rights in the impoverished kingdom.
Hong Kong transsexual woman in last fight to wed boyfriend
Hong Kong's highest court on Monday began hearing the final appeal of a transsexual woman who is seeking to wed her boyfriend, in a potentially groundbreaking case for the Chinese city.
Russia accuses US of meddling after 'witch hunt' remarks
Moscow on Saturday accused Washington of interfering in its domestic affairs after the State Department compared searches of Russian non-governmental organisations to a "witch hunt."
Muslim states agree to 'historic' UN statement on women
Muslim and western nations on Friday overcame deep divisions to agree a historic United Nations declaration setting out a code of conduct for combatting violence against women.
Authors oppose Amazon control of .book websites
Groups representing US authors and publishers called Monday on the Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers to deny online retailer Amazon exclusive rights to websites ending with .book, .author, or .read.