The Mayor of Moscow has used a Eurovision Song Contest ceremony to warn gay people visiting the city for the event next year that they are not welcome on the streets.

An openly gay politician in Germany has said that if he is appointed Foreign Minister next year he will cut aid to countries that discriminate against women or sexual minorities.

The Director of the Vatican Press Office has claimed that the Roman Catholic Church supports the human rights of gay, lesbian, bisexual and trans people.

Italy's national broadcaster has said it will show gay cowboy love story Brokeback Mountain in full after it came under fire for broadcasting a cut version.

LGBT activists in several countries have asked their governments to support a declaration on the universal decriminalisation of homosexuality to be presented at the UN next month.

A member of the House of Lords has welcomed the government's decision to withdraw from the position that same-sex relationships fall outside the ambit of family life as defined by the European Convention on Human Rights.

Hundreds of people protested outside the Vatican City on Saturday in support of the declaration calling for the universal decriminalisation of homosexuality to be presented at the UN this week.

America's highest court has declined to even hear a case brought by a retired lawyer that claimed President-elect Barack Obama is not qualified to take the highest office in the land.

The organisers of Moscow Pride have written to the Human Rights Commissioner of the Council of Europe - the event has been banned every year.

Three-quarters of lesbian, gay, bisexual and trans people in Malta would emigrate if they had the chance, according to a new survey.