More than half of Italians think that same-sex couples should have more rights, but only 43% believe that they should have the right to marry.

The Italian Istituto Nazionale di Statistica (national institute of statistics) released its first survey on homosexuality in the Mediterranean country, in Rome this morning (17 May).

More than one million Italians describe themselves as lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender and two million revealed to have had a same-sex relationship or experience.

A self-described devout Christian who teaches social studies to junior high school students Kansas took to his Facebook page to post an anti-gay message in the wake of President Barack Obama's endorsement of same-sex marriage last week.

Mothers and aunts of gay men are more fertile than other women, a new study from Italy reveals.

University of Padua published its findings this week in the Journal of Sexual Medicine.

Researcher Camperio Ciani, from the university's Department of General Psychology, said: ‘We tried to find out why female relatives of gay men have more sons and daughters than other women.’

The five-year long study of more than 200 women discovered that physiological and psychological processes are involved.

Four men named 'Saadat Arefi', 'Vahid Akbari', 'Javid Akbari' and 'Houshmand Akbari' are due to be executed shortly after their verdict was approved recently by high court judges, according to a report from the Human Rights Activist News Agency (HRANA) in Iran.

The four men are said to be from the town of Choram, in the Kohgiluyeh and Boyer-Ahmad Province of Iran.

Mexico now includes gay couples as beneficiaries to social security benefits.

Winning 252 votes for, 80 against and 15 abstentions, in the country's House of Representatives these amendments improve the constitutional rights of gay, lesbian and bisexual Mexicans.

California is set to ban gay ‘conversion’ therapy in a law that is being hailed as the first of its kind.

Supporters say the legislation, which went before a final committee yesterday (8 May) in the American state, is necessary because this form of psychotherapy is ineffective and harmful.

Bill author Senator Ted Lieu said: ‘This therapy can be dangerous.’

He added the treatments can ‘cause extreme depression and guilt’ that can lead to suicide.

A study from Melbourne University aims to be the largest study of children belonging to same-sex attracted parents, including bisexual and transgender people.

The study aims to investigate the physical, mental and social wellbeing, including bullying and social stigma, of 750 children belonging to 500 parents, according to an article in Sydney Morning Herald.

Britain will continue fighting for lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender rights around the globe despite a backlash for some countries.

That's the pledge the Foreign and Commonwealth Office gave Gay Star News as it released an annual report on human rights.

The report on human rights and democracy was launched by foreign minister William Hague and has an LGBT section.

It outlines some of the activities and diplomatic positions taken by the foreign office in 2011 to protect and promote global LGBT rights.

A gay Ugandan asylum seeker is making a desperate plea for help just days before he is deported home where he claims his life is at risk.

After two failed attempts by the UK Border Agency to deport 41-year-old Felix Wamala, once on 24 December 2011 and again on 2 January, he has been booked on a Virgin flight back to Uganda on Friday (4 May).

Wamala is currently being held at Colnbrook Immigration Removal Centre near Heathrow airport, west London.

A gay graduate was banned from speaking at his Catholic school after the staff learned of his sexuality from Facebook.

Dominic Sheahan-Stahl had been invited to speak at his younger brother’s graduation ceremony on 20 May at Sacred Heart Academy in Mount Pleasant, Michigan, but the invitation was withdrawn.

Sheahan-Stahl graduated from the school in 1998, and had received numerous honours and awards while at Sacred Heart. He has since been living his life as a proud gay man in New York City.

Russia's third-largest city Novosibirsk is the latest to join in the criminalization of 'gay propaganda'.

Deputies in Moscow have come forward saying they intend to push the initiative to a federal level. The law prohibits the promotion of gay, bisexual and transgender activity among minors.

Regional deputy for education Alexander Ilyushchenko said: 'Today we are talking about protecting the majority of people who are not associated with homosexuality, to keep them from having to explain to their children that things like this happen'.

A psychiatrist in the US has apologized for claiming that 'highly motivated' gays could turn straight.

In his 2001 study, Dr Robert Spitzer stated that gay men and women can change their sexual orientation if they want to, endorsing so-called 'reparative therapies' which claim to 'cure' people of homosexuality.

However, earlier this month (April 2012) Spitzer retracted his claims and has now apologized.