Zimbabwe's a mess. There's really no other way to put it.

Their inflation's around 231%, industry's nonexistent, most of the nation's people are uneducated and underfed. And, of course, there's their madman president, Robert Mugabe, who has led the government and his people into what appears to be an insurmountable crisis. Thus, it should come as no surprise that health organizations are accusing Mugabe's government of misappropriating potentially life-saving grants:

The Zimbabwe government has been accused of misusing funds mean to fight HIV/AIDS and other diseases by an international aid agency.

The Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria has claimed that $7.3 million of the $12.3 million it gave to the government did not go towards its intended use.
…
The organization says that repeated attempts to get answers from Central Bank and government health officials have been unsuccessful.

This comes as the fund’s board is set to vote on Friday on granting an additional $400 million to the Zimbabwe government.

Let's hope the board realizes they're flushing their money away - Mugabe's not interesting in saving his homeland. What is he interested in? Perhaps being remembered as one of the top ten worst leaders in human history. If so, he's definitely succeeded.

John McCain sure won't be seeing any of Madonna's Sticky & Sweet Tour, which began with a bang this weekend.

CONTINUED »

Robert Mugabe and his supporters are like British school children. Both groups consider "gay" as the ultimate pejorative.

Mugabe, who rules Zimbabwe with an iron, idiotic fist, has frequently referred to British politicians as "gay gangster. Now his Bible-thumping ally, Reverend Obadiah Msindo is using the same tactics to smear Mugabe's political opponent, Morgan Tsvangirai.

Tsvangirai is a sexual partner to [Tony] Blair and [Gordon] Brown. They occasionally summon him to London to make love to him.
…
Tsvangirai is Blair and Brown’s girlfriend.

How often does he frequent Great Britain to be spoilt by Blair and Brown? Tsvangirai flies to London every now and then to offer himself to Brown and Blair and other homosexuals within the British Labour government.

Msindo conveniently forgot to mention his own sexual misadventures: he's been accused of raping his teenage maid. Of course, we wouldn't expect anything less from a Mugabe supporter.

Robert Mugabe wants to world to think that Zimbabwe has no gays. Canadian professor Marc Epprecht and his "Gay Rural History Project" say otherwise. Not only are there gays in Zim, but they've been around far longer than colonial influence.

Can Africans Anglican congregations turn around? Rev Trevor Musonda Mwamba certainly hopes so.

The continent's been getting loads of anti-gay press in recent years. We've all heard of Peter Akinola of Nigeria's never-ending anti-gay crusade - and his recent ultimatum. The ever-vocal Archbishop swears he and his congregation will split from the international Communion if church leaders don't take a harder stand against the homos. Akinola recently received backup from Isaac Orama, also of Nigeria, who called gays "satanic".

Meanwhile, Zimbabwe's Bishop Nolbert Kunonga encouraged followers to reject the gay "abomination". With all the drama, one would think every African Anglican's gunning for the gays.

This, of course, would be a gross exaggeration.

CONTINUED »

Once the darling of liberal democracy, South Africa ain't living up to the hype. Besides failing to properly investigate allegedly anti-gay murders, the nation's United Nations representatives recently abstained from a vote affirming gay rights groups' involvement in the international body.

Why such a queer turnaround for the "pro-gay" South Africa?

CONTINUED »

Garry Bushell must be a Mugabe loyalist. The outspoken British radio and music personality spouted some particularly backward hate speech yesterday earlier this year while discussing Russian coppers smacking down Peter Tatchell.

In that article, Tatchell discusses the threats against his life and, more importantly, the physical attacks he's endured, including being beaten during Moscow Pride. Bushell apparently has no sympathy:

Commenting on Peter Tatchell, the gay rights activist, being attacked by anti-gay protestors, Bushell said: “I think there are a lot of things to put right in this country before you go around preaching the gospel of perversion.”

And obviously there are a lot of things to put right when a shit talker like Bushell gains access to radio, television or any other form of mass media…

CONTINUED »

Peter Tatchell won't be inviting Zimbabwean president Robert Mugabe anytime soon. Unless the tea's poisoned.

The Australian-born human rights activist understands assassination ain't the way to go, but he's waffling when it comes to Mugabe, whose "liberatory" regime effectively destroyed Zimbabwe's economy, land and hope. And that says nothing about Mugabe's stance on queens - he's not a fan.

CONTINUED »

• Elton John reportedly had a royal breakdown after Prince Harry and Prince William's Concert for Diana. The singer got into with a police officer who ordered him to walk to the VIP area, rather than drive. John allegedly screamed,

Get out of my fucking way. Don't you know who I am? I've been working all fucking day and I need to get to my fucking dressing room.

Obviously Sir Elton is no lady. Nor does he get special privilege: he eventually walked.

• Is Tori Spelling a heinous bitch?

• Anti-gay Movement for a Better Hungary plans on protesting this weekend's gay pride. Whee!

CONTINUED »

Being gay in Zimbabwe just got a little easier. Activist group Gays and Lesbians of Zimbabwe has announced they will open a second location in Bulawayo, the African nation's second largest city. The activists have been operating in Zimbabwe's capital, Harare since their 2002 founding, but found that many of their members could afford the trek to community center.

GALZ's efforts are especially important considering gay sex remains illegal under Robert Mugabe's increasingly disastrous despotic rule. In an effort to give members more democratic freedom, GALZ's asked them to put forth a list of requests. GALZ director Keith Goddard explains:

…We have asked our members, especially women at Bulawayo, to tell us their needs. They need almost the same services offered by the GALZ head office such as counselling, HIV and Aids support legal advice and so forth.

If only GALZ could help the entire country.