Christine Callaghan Quinn has served as speaker of the City Council for less than 18 months, but that is not to suggest that her political posture in New York and in Democratic politics, at home and nationwide, has not been altered dramatically. Comment

Iranian authorities staged a brutal and violent May 10 raid on a birthday party in Esfahan which they suspected was a gay gathering, beating the guests and arresting 87 people, including four women, one of whom had a child with her. Comment