Russian TV Official Dehumanizes Gays On Popular News Program: VIDEO

Deputy General Director of the Russian State Television and Radio Broadcasting Company, Dmitri Kisilev recently dehumanized gays on a popular, government-run television program broadcast by the state-owned network Rossiya 1.

His translated comments state, "I think that just imposing fines on gays for homosexual propaganda among teenagers is not enough. They should be banned from donating blood, sperm. And their hearts, in case of the automobile accident, should be buried in the ground or burned as unsuitable for the continuation of life."

The audience applauded after Kisilev's comments.

The New Civil Rights Movement adds that Vesti — the show where Kisilev delivered his comments — is "Rossiya 1′s top news show — which airs all across Russia every two hours," and that Kisilev has served as Deputy General Director of state broadcasting since 2008.

Regarding Rossiya 1, the BBC notes: "Russian TV is dominated by channels that are either run directly by the state or owned by companies with close links to the Kremlin. The government controls Channel One and Russia One - two of the three main federal channels… TV is the main news source for most Russians… Russia is a regular target for criticism and condemnation from media freedom watchdogs."

Watch the video, AFTER THE JUMP.

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Crosswalk at Russian Embassy in Sweden Painted Rainbow Colors in Protest of Anti-Gay Laws: PHOTO

Here's what the crosswalk outside the Russian Embassy in Stockholm, Sweden looks like today, via Street Art Utopia.

The Local reports:

Gay rights supporters have painted the zebra crossing outside the Russian embassy in Stockholm in the colours of the rainbow following angry exchanges during last week's Pride festival over the country's treatment of LGBT individuals. Stockholm police have been in regular contact with the Russian headquarters since the earlier manifestations but were unaware of the latest incident.

"We have no case on it but probably it is classed as vandalism or a violation of traffic regulations," Ulf Lindgren of Stockholm police told Dagens Nyheter.

He added that the police are not responsible for restoring the walkway to its regular pattern of black and white.

"Protesting is one thing, it has to be done. But this is wrong even if the objective is something else. It can affect people who are using the zebra crossing. There's a risk it can create danger for those using the crossing as they should look a certain way. It's confusing if they are different," added Lundgren.

On Saturday a group of naked men marched back and forth across the rainbow crossing outside the embassy. One of the group took pictures but it remains unclear if they are connected with the stunt.

Sumatran Orangutan Captured on Camera Giving Birth at UK Sanctuary: VIDEO

Last month, UK conservationists captured something on camera they'd never seen before: Dana, an endangered Sumatran orangutan, giving birth. Backstory on the birth here.

According to conservationists at the Durrell Wildlife Conservation Trust, "The Sumatran orangutan population, classified as Critically Endangered (IUCN Red list of threatened species), is thought to number a mere 6,600 individuals, and reportedly loses 10 to 15% of forest habitat to logging and palm oil plantations every year."

Incredible stuff (warning: graphic), AFTER THE JUMP...

Anchorage Pastor Kicks Out Boy Scout Troop: 'No Homosexual Will Enter the Kingdom of God'

The Anchorage Baptist Temple in Anchorage, Alaska has kicked out Boy Scout Troop 1316 and Cub Scout Pack 316 over the organization's decision to allow gay youth, the Anchorage Daily News reports:

The church's decision came now, months later, because "we were just hoping there would be enough repercussions that the Boy Scouts might reconsider, and they haven't," the church's chief pastor, Rev. Jerry Prevo, said Thursday.

Prevo said he wasn't worried about backlash. The Bible's message is plain, he said: "No homosexual will enter the Kingdom of God."

Rev. Tom Cobaugh, the Baptist Temple's education minister who serves as liaison with the Boy Scout troop, later clarified the decision:

"Troop 1316 and Pack 316 were ministries of the Anchorage Baptist Temple," Cobaugh wrote. "ABT has not changed its position because the Bible has not changed its position on sexuality (see Leviticus 18:22, I Corinthians 6:9). The BSA has changed. They caved on their position because of political pressure and the threat that it may affect their bottom line financially, through donations and/or their tax-exempt status."

The New Men of 'Downton Abbey': Gary Carr, Tom Cullen, and Julian Ovenden — PHOTOS

New images have been released of three men set to make their debut in the upcoming series 4 of Downton Abbey, the UK's Mirror reports.

Gary Carr is set to play the show's first recurring black character, an American jazz singer named Jack Ross.

You may remember Tom Cullen from the Andrew Haigh gay drama Weekend. He's set to play Lord Anthony Ginningham, a family friend of the Crawleys:

And Julian Ovenden plays aristocrat Charles Blake:

Gospel Singer Donnie McClurkin Withdraws from MLK Concert After Objections from Gay Activists

Gospel singer Donnie McClurkin, a notorious homophobe who performed at the Republican National Convention in 2004, has vowed to battle "the curse of homosexuality," and believes that gays can be turned straight with religious intervention, pulled out of an MLK Memorial concert last night after objections by gay activists, the WaPo reports:

McClurkin was scheduled to perform at the D.C. government-sponsored concert with other singers at the Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial during the “Reflections on Peace From Ghandi to King” event. But at the request of Mayor Vincent C. Gray (D), who fielded concerns from the activists Friday, the Grammy-winning singer decided not to perform, a mayoral spokeswoman said.

“The commission on human rights and Donnie McClurkin’s management decided that it would be best for him to withdraw because the purpose of the event is to bring people together,” said Gray’s spokeswoman, Doxie McCoy. “Mayor Gray said the purpose of the event is to promote peace and harmony. That is what King was all about.”

However, McClurkin said that he was in fact “asked not to attend.”

He said in a video statement that the mayor “uninvited me from a concert that I was supposed to headline.”

You may recall that McClurkin caused controversy when he appeared at a Gospel Tour event for Obama during his election campaign in 2007.

McClurkin released a video statement complaining about his disinvitation.