• Civil rights leader and Wal-Mart "image maker" Andrew Young steps down from his post after saying the retail giant should displace mom-and-pop stores, as it's been Jewish, Arab and Korean local store owners who've been "ripping off" urban customers for years. [NYT]

• Soon-to-retire Martina Navratilova writes in to People magazine this week to urge Lance Bass to use his celebrity to become a pioneer for gay rights. In his own People coming out story, Lance has said he doesn't only want to be connected to gay issues. [Pink News]

• In Toronto, news comes via the 16th annual International AIDS Conference that new HIV infection rates in Canada, the U.S. Europe, and Australia have been rising 1.9 percent each year. [TodayOnline.com]

• In Israel, porn mogul and star Michael Lucas is set to arrive to entertain the troops. You know, the straight women. [Something Jewish]

• In Chicago, a pastor in the Evangelical Lutheran Church may be ousted from the church after revealing he's been in a relationship with a man for two years. The church allows gays to serve in the church, so long as they remain celibate. [Chi-Tri]

• Eva Longoria's publicist rushes to deny reports the Desperate Housewives star claimed she wanted a full-on gay experience and that she flirts with other men to make boyfriend Tony Parker jealous.