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GERMANY: Authorities Expel Hardline, Anti-Gay Jamaican Imam

German immigration authorities have ordered the expulsion of a hardline visiting Jamaican Islamic imam who argues that homosexuals should be condemned to death, reports Deutsche Welle. This comes after Imam Bilal Philips spoke to thousands in Frankfurt.

The officials said that immigration authorities had issued an order - prior to Philips' address to some 2,000 spectators in Frankfurt - instructing the 60-year-old Islam convert to leave Germany within three days, claiming his professed beliefs infringed on federal laws.

Witnesses said no remarks regarding homosexuality were made in the Wednesday address and that its tone was not inflammatory.

[Philips was invited to address the Frankfurt demonstration in defense of "Islam, the Misunderstood Religion" by Pierre Vogel, a German-born convert to Islam who authorities say harbors fundamentalist views that are closely linked to Islamism - the belief that Islam must prevail over political life.

Authorities specifically cited YouTube videos where Philips justified the death penalty as a punishment for proven homosexual acts.

The Jamaican national has been asked to never return to Germany. An arrest warrant has been issued in case Phillips does not leave Germany before the expulsion deadline.

PHOTOS: Achtung! Nate Gill Muscles Up for German "GQ Style"

Achtung, baby! Model hotness Nate Gill packs on some new muscle for a French Foreign legion-themed editorial lensed by Xevi Muntané for GQ Style Germany.

This is Nate's second time in Deutsche GQ Style. The bulging prettyboy was also seen stretching his jockstrap, in his tighty whiteys and featured in GQ. One more AFTER THE JUMP ...

VIDEO: German Figure Skating Hotness Robin Szolkowy Wins Gold

 

After a two-year wait for another gold medal, German figure skaters Robin Szolkowy and Aliona Savchenko won the pairs title at the European Championships in Bern, Switzerland. This is the duo's third gold medal.

The Olympic bronze medalists scored a total of 206.20 points after a free skate routine to the "Pink Panther" theme. "Savchenko and Szolkowy swept the world and European titles in 2008 and '09 but went through the Olympic season without taking gold at a major championship," adds the Shanghai Daily.

Watch the EuroSport clips (en Deutsche) AFTER THE JUMP ...

PHOTOS: Ab- and Pectastic Hotness Marcus Hill for GEIL Magazine

Major Model of the moment Marcus Hill—recently seen sweating and bulging—ramps up the sex factor for GEIL, the newish German men's lifestyle magazine. The editorial was lensed by Croatian-German model slash photographer hotness Brian Jankic.

Oh and about the title: Geil is literally translated as state of sexual excitement ("Ich bin Geil!" or "I'm horny!") but can easily be applied "for anything that is exciting—music, clothes, cars and so forth."

Sehr geil! More of Marcus Hill's pecs and abs—and some fashion—WHEN YOU JUMP ...

Shani Davis Wins Second Straight World Cup Race in Berlin

Olympic gold medalist speedskater Shani Davis continues his strong start to the season and struck double gold on the final day of the latest World Cup speed skating event.

Davis won the 1000 meters at Sunday's race at Berlin, his 11th straight World Cup 1000M victory. And after winning 1000M gold, Davis helped the USA win Sunday's team pursuit race. Davis has not lost a 1,000-meter World Cup race since Jan. 25, 2009 in Russia after cut his leg with his blade.

At the 2006 Turin Winter Games, Shani Davis speedskated to history as the first black athlete to win an individual gold medal at the Olympic Winter Games. The 28-year-old Chicagoan won the 1000m gold at the 2006 and 2010 Olympics and the 1500M silver at the 2010 Olympics.

Conviction and Suspended Sentence for German Pop Singer in HIV Trial

German pop singer Nadja Benaissa of the group No Angels was given a two-year suspended sentence after having unprotected sex with three male partners while not revealing her HIV positive status. Benaissa was also ordered to complete 300 hours of community service with HIV positive people.

Benaissa was found guilty of causing "grievous bodily harm" to one man, who was later became infected with the virus, and two counts of "attempting bodily harm." Benaissa faced up to 10 years in prison and was given a much more lenient sentence because she confessed and expressed remorse

Benaissa became aware she was HIV positive in 1999 and had unsafe sex with the three men from 2004 to 2006. Benaissa admitted that she concealed her serostatus to protect her career and called herself a a"coward." Watch CNN International's report AFTER THE JUMP ...

German Pop Singer Nadja Benaissa on Trial for HIV Transmission

German pop singer Nadja Benaissa is on trial for knowingly exposing at least three men to HIV. The "No Angels" girlband singer is accused of "attempting and causing grievous bodily harm" and has confessed to having unprotected sex after finding out she had the virus. One of her partners later contracted AIDS and the two others are not infected with HIV, reports the AP.

The pop star was dramatically arrested and handcuffed at a Frankfurt concert and held for 10 days. Benaissa faces up to 10 years in prison if she is found guilty of violating Germany’s strict law against intentional or negligent HIV transmission, reports The New York Times. Benaissa became aware she was HIV positive in 1999 and had the unsafe sex with the three men from 2004 to 2006.

Der Spiegel reported that Ms. Benaissa, who was born in Frankfurt to a Moroccan father and a Serbian-German mother, sketched out for the court a life with some high but many low points. She said that she was drinking and smoking marijuana at 12 or 13 and addicted to crack by the age of 14. “For two years I lived on the street until I was pregnant at 16.” She then learned during a pregnancy screening that she was infected with H.I.V. Later, when her career suddenly took off — No Angels sold five million records after winning a talent contest on German television a decade ago — Ms. Benaissa said that she had concealed her infection in part because of worries about what a revelation would do the other members of the group.

Deutsche AIDS-Hilfe, a German AIDS service organization, has an English website explaining German criminal law and HIV exposure.

Writing at The Guardian, noted HIV criminalization expert Edwin Bernard, a panelist at the recent International AIDS Conference in Vienna, calls the trial a "distracting sideshow" and says Benaissa is being scapegoated. "Around the world, more than 40 countries have convicted at least 600 people living with HIV. In the vast majority of cases, there was no intention and no transmission. The stigma surrounding HIV—exacerbated by the media circus that accompanies such trials—results in far more new infections."

A verdict is expected August 26.

WATCH: CNN Surveys Gay Rights in South Africa, Kenya, Cuba, Britain

CNN does a short but informative survey on the status of gay rights around the world, visiting Havana, Johannesburg, Berlin, London, Delhi and Nairobi.

David Kuria of the Gay and Lesbian Coalition of Kenya says there is some progress in his nation but "arrests of gays happens every day. Successful prosecutions are rate though. People are frightened but there are able to have some support in their community. Outside there is still much hostility, though."

At AIDS 2010 in Vienna we interviewed a number of African LGBT/HIV activists, including several Kenyans. Most were hopeful about progress made in Kenya. Watch the clip WHEN YOU JUMP ...

Jetlagged

Running late and should be up by noonish. Trying to get readjusted to sleeping and time back in the States. Thankfully it's not as difficult as the crossing to Europe. And I'll be doing it again soon, oy.

Thanks a million to everyone who sent good wishes, positive vibes, comments and great support on my assignment to AIDS 2010 in Vienna, as well as my time in Austria, Germany and Denmark. A big virtual (albeit sleepy) hug.

Berlin: The Fernsehturm

One of the highlights of the trip to Berlin was ascending the city's Fernsehturm, which is German for "television tower." The iconic tower is situated in Alexanderplatz and dominates the city's central and eastern skyline. The tower was built in the mid 1960s as a symbol of communist superiority in the former DDR. It's an archetype of the massive, modernist Eastern Bloc architecture of that period.

Berliner Fernsehturm is 268m or 1207 ft and the fourth tallest freestanding structure in Europe. It offers a 360 degree view of Berln and visibility up to 26 miles.

My ticket number is 2302 ...

About 90 minutes wait. Time to watch the homoerotic breakdancing crew just a few feet outside. More images and the view from above AFTER THE JUMP ...