A Madrilenian LGBT group has just published what it describes a "non-religious" calendar. Quite. The images enclosed have caused something of a controversy in Spain, where 79% of the population consider themselves Catholic. Read more...

A cover from Israel's Time Out magazine, showcased at last week's Gay Pride parade, has caused quite a scandal. The image is a photograph, taken from behind, of Muslims kneeling to pray, along with the title "You see here a threat, we see here an opportunity" (we decided not to publish it, you can see it here). Have they gone a step too far? Read more...

Eight thousand schools in the US held a national "day of silence" on Friday. The unspoken message: stop the bullying of gay and lesbian pupils. One of the participants tells us why there's need for protest. Read more...

Going against the advice of the authorities, a Moroccan association is organising a conference on homosexuality in Marrakesh. Read more...

Gay and lesbian activists from Beijing got together on Valentines Day for a mass pretend wedding. The police didn't disturb the festivities - a sign that Chinese society, however conservative, is beginning to tolerate its gay community. Read more and see the wedding photos...

Since same-sex marriage was banned in California last Tuesday, gay activists have rallied against the vote with daily protests, blaming the Mormon Church for swaying the electorate with a cash-crammed campaign. One blogger is calling for a "boycott of the State of Utah" and all business owners who donated to the cause. Read more...

A group of Californian campaigners is using France as a model society on the evolution of the family. Their aim: to get gay marriage banned in a referendum on Tuesday, US election day. And yet, it seems that they misinterpreted the findings of a French report. Read more and watch the campaign clips...

UPDATE (6 Nov. 08 10am): Proposition 8 was passed after 52% of voters supported the ban on same-sex message. As a result, over a thousand gay-rights activists demonstrated in Los Angeles on Wednesday night.

UPDATE (30 July 08 - 4.30pm): Mars has announced the advert has been withdrawn from British television. Until now it has only been shown on UK TV and not broadcast in the US except for at the Superbowl. The UK's Advertising Standards Authority only received two complaints about it, but the ad was pulled anyway because of controversy in the US.

One of our Observers in Washington, blogger John Aravosis has alerted us to a seemingly homophobic advert from chocolate bar brand Snickers. This is the second time in 18 months that Snickers, who was forced to withdraw a gay-offensive ad last February, has faced criticism for homophobic advertising. Read more and see the ad...

On 16 June California became the second American state to give the green light to gay marriage. We asked our Observers, from China to Ghana, if there's a chance of seeing the same thing happen in their own countries. Read more...

Londoners decide on a mayor for the capital today in the four-yearly local elections, and leading the polls is Conservative candidate Boris Johnson. This is the man quoted as saying "Out of my way, small car driven by ordinary person on modest income. Make way for the Nissan Murano!" Read more...