TODAY: Lawmakers pass second reading of anti-gay propaganda bill; European Parliament calls for freeze on contact with Duma over fair elections; Posner protests censorship; Putin wants more TV time for religious topics; Putin blames Libyan situation on foreign interference; Russian arms used against civilians in Darfur; winter time, McFaul, Bout’s convictions upheld.

St Petersburg lawmakers have approved the second reading of a bill that would impose fines for publicly advocating gay relationships, effectively outlawing all public displays of alternative sexual orientations, including gay pride parades.  The European Parliament is calling for a freeze on all contact with the State Duma until Russia holds free and fair elections.  Garry Kasparov celebrates the current strength of the opposition movement.  Television host Vladimir Posner is considering canceling his own show due to state censorship.  Prime Minister Vladimir Putin says that more television programming should be devoted to religious topics, as religious leaders call his rule a ‘miracle’.  A new twist in the story that demonstrators were paid to attend a pro-Putin march last weekend – many are now claiming that they did not get the funds they were promised. Putin says he backs limiting the use of force in Syria through limiting ‘the ability of the two sides to use weapons’; and has blamed foreign interference for current violence and unrest in Libya.  Russian arms are reportedly being used by the Sudanese government against civilians in Darfur.