Australian Christian Lobby (ACL) has offended aboriginal rights groups and marriage equality advocates by saying gay marriage will create another 'stolen generation'.

In Australia, the 'stolen generations' were aboriginal children who were forcibly removed from their families to be brought-up under white 'Christian' values, where many were physically and sexually abused.

The Church of Scotland’s General Assembly has voted to allow openly gay people to become ministers.

The church voted today (20 May) 340 for and 282 allow the ordination of gay and lesbian ministers but only next year.

The decision will have to be endorsed by the church's regional presbyteries and officially approved next year.

The year’s delay is seen as a narrow victory for the traditionalist wing of the Church that threatened to split off.

Church of Scotland’s General Assembly is to debate gay ministers in same-sex relationships today (20 May).

The institution’s governing body will consider whether to allow people in same-sex relationships to be ordained as ministers, four years after the first openly gay minister was ordained.

They will be discussing a 94-page report by the Theological Commission, which sets out arguments on both sides.

In a blog post, former Australian Prime Minister Kevin Rudd, and leadership rival for current leader Julia Gillard, has declared his support for same-sex marriage.

Rudd, who is a current Australian Labor Party backbencher said: ‘I have come to the conclusion that church and state can have different positions and practices on the question of same sex marriage. I believe the secular Australian state should be able to recognize same sex marriage.’

Members of Parliament (MPs) have knocked back amendments to the Marriage (Same Sex Couples) Bill for England and Wales that would have watered down or possibly delayed or ‘wrecked the bill’.

An amendment by Conservative party gay marriage critic David Burrowes MP to allow marriage registrars to refuse to conduct same-sex weddings was defeated by 340 votes to 150.

British political party Labour has announced they have abandoned support for a 'wrecking' amendment supporting opposite-sex civil partnerships today (20 May).

Yvette Cooper, the Shadow Home Secretary and the Shadow Equalities Minister, has announced Labour will table its own amendment.

As outlined on The World At One, she explained the amendment would establish 'an immediate consultation on opposite-sex civil partnerships', which, she said, could begin even before the bill has completed its parliamentary pasage.

A new report launched today reveals that in Britain LGBT people have worse health than straights.

British LGBT people have higher rates of physical and emotional bullying; suicide and self-harm; drug use; alcohol use; smoking in adulthood; and social isolation and vulnerability in old age.

The Public Health Outcomes Framework (PHOF) published by the Department of Health does not contain health data relating to LGBT communities because of the lack of monitoring. This means that the specific health needs of LGBT people are often ignored.

The first survey on homophobia in the workplace in China has found that only 6% of gay men and lesbians questioned are fully out at work.

The survey of 2,161 respondents found that 47.62% are fully in the closet at work and around 46% are out to some of their colleagues.

Over 50% had heard offensive words used about LGBT people, over 30% have heard or suffered personal attacks about sexual orientation and over 20% have resigned or considered resigning because of a hostile work environment.

The report, from Aibai LGBT rights group, also found: 

Most Britons back same-sex marriage legislation with only a third against.

That's the result of a new poll by YouGov.

It indicated ongoing support for the legislation going through the UK Parliament for the change in England and Wales. Separate legislation is being developed in Scotland.

The survey found 54% of Britons support same sex marriage legislation, with 36% opposed. Among Conservatives, more people oppose the measures than support them but the margin is narrow (48% to 45%).

Sixty-one lawmakers signed a petition urging Ukraine’s capital city’s mayor to ban a gay-pride parade in Kiev scheduled for 25 May.

Pavlo Unhuryan, parliamentary and leader of the right wing of Ukraine’s Family Movement, announced today (20 May) that the petition requests a total ban on gay-pride parades ‘and similar events in Kiev in May-June 2013.’

Muslim leaders representing tens of thousands worshippers in the UK have banded together against gay marriage.

In what British newspaper The Telegraph calls ‘an unprecedented intervention from the British Muslim community,’ over 500 imams have signed a letter to express ‘serious misgivings’ about Cameron’s gay marriage bill.

New York’s LGBT Community Center will host a rally in honor of Mark Carson, who was shot dead late Friday night in an anti-gay attack.

32 year-old Carson was shot at point-blank range on the street in Greenwhich Village. His attackers reportedly shouted homophobic slurs at Carson before shooting him in the face and fleeing the scene.