Nadim Kurrimbukus, 25, allegedly told childhood friend Yusuf Dulloo that his ex-boyfriend, Charlie Davies, owed him money and he needed help to get it back.

Dulloo further alleged that Kurrimbukus sent him text messages about having Mr Davies beaten with a baseball bat and tried to arrange for him to be visited by a debt collector.

He also said Kurrimbukus has said Mr Davies, who died 12 days after being set on fire on June 14th, 2008, was his girlfriend’s brother.

Kingston Crown Court heard from Dulloo that his co-defendant, Kurrimbukus, had not revealed himself as gay,

The Staines Guardian reports that Dulloo said Kurrimbukus had complained to him about his “girlfriend” taking his cat back to Staines. The “girlfriend” was, according Kurrimbukus, running up a high telephone bill at the house they had shared in Manchester, Dulloo told the court.

Dulloo claimed to have not known anything about the attack at the time. He alleged that Kurrimbukus had left the car that they were in on the 14th of July, and had been away from the car for ten to 15 minutes.

He said he had heard a scream before Kurrimbukus ran back to the car and drove it away from the scene of the incident. Dulloo claimed: “At one point he handed over a lighter and a gas refill can. That was when we were on the motorway.”

Dulloo, 27, said that his co-defendant told him that he had “lit the guy” the day after the incident, the court heard.

The luxury car salesman said that he lied to police about his whereabouts at the time of the incident so as to agree with Kurrimbukus’ alibi that they were both on a park bench that night, adding, “If he had said we were actually in Staines, I would have said we were in Staines.”

The 25-year-old student earlier alleged that Dulloo was trying to blame him for the murder as a punishment for being gay.

Both men deny the charges of murder and a separate charge of arson. The case continues.

AP reports that activists have underscored the deaths of homeless trans women in Atlanta and Austin, Texas as indicative of the adaptations which are necessary for shelters to accommodate all people in need.

Although the exact number of trans people who are also homeless is unknown, the need for dedicated accommodation is recognised by charities.

Those living as trans men or women are more likely to suffer unemployment than others in the LGBT community and often find it harder to maintain jobs due to discrimination.

Reva Iman, 42, is a trans woman who was refused jobs when she first came to Atlanta. She started working as a prostitute and became homeless.

“The street life of escorting and prostitution, that became my main line of survival,” said Iman. Upon visiting shelters, she was also urged to “dress like a man” in order to spend the night. “You can’t be yourself,” she said.

Shelter officials understand the sensitive issues surrounding the accommodation of homeless trans people.

According to the AP report, some shelter managers argue that “biological women feel uncomfortable sleeping next to a biological man.”

There have also been concerns “that residents with mental problems could lash out” at trans residents and that women fleeing abusive male partners could be frightened by sleeping next to someone who was born male.

Anita Beaty, the director of Atlanta’s Peachtree and Pine shelter, has safety-related concerns about placing trans women amongst the 700 men sleeping there nightly.

She plans to discuss shelter policies with activists in order to make her shelter trans-friendly: “We want to know how to respond better.”

The National Gay and Lesbian Task Force and the National Coalition for the Homeless published a guidebook in 2006 providing shelter directors with advice on how to accommodate trans people more sensitively.

Tips included adding curtains in the communal showers for privacy and changing intake forms to include a blank space instead of a requirement for a guest at the shelter to define themselves as ‘male’ or ‘female’.

Jennifer Gale, a trans woman and political candidate, was found dead outside a church in Austin last December.

The official medical examiner’s report stated that she had died from heart disease which had been exacerbated by sleeping rough.

“Temperatures had dropped to the mid-30s that night.”, the Austin-American Statesman reported in February.

Dawn Perkins, the community relations manager for Front Steps, an organisation which co-ordinates shelters across Austin, claims that the death has inspired shelters to change citywide.

“That [the death] definitely reignited the flame that we needed to start working on this more,” she said.

In 2003, Monica Helms testified to Atlanta’s homelessness commission that a close friend of hers, a trans woman named Alice Johnston, had been turned away from city shelters after losing her home. Johnston revealed this information in 2002 in a suicide email to friends just before she shot herself dead.

Shelters in Boston, New York, San Francisco, Phoenix, and Austin, Texas have already adapted their facilities in order to accommodate more trans people sufficiently.

In 2006, 50 per cent of Americans surveyed believed that HIV/AIDS contributes homophobia and discrimination, according to the report authored by Ethel Klein.

This statistic has barely changed in 20 years. In 1986, 49 per cent of Americans believed that “fear of infection was causing discrimination against all homosexuals”, according to a poll conducted by Newsweek.

A disproportionately high number of HIV/AIDS sufferers are gay.

Klein has conducted an examination of public opinion poll data, which results indicate that there is still stigma attached to HIV.

However, the report does uncover some more positive statistics regarding public attitudes towards HIV and those living with HIV.

Nearly two-thirds of Americans would support higher government spending on HIV prevention and care. The seriousness of HIV/AIDS as a health issue was also recognised by those polled, with four out of five saying AIDS is a problem.

Americans consider cancer as the top health issue in the country, with HIV and heart disease “virtually tied” for second most important health issue.

The numbers of those saying they would be “very comfortable” to work with someone living with HIV or AIDS rose from 32 per cent in 1997 to 40 per cent in 2006.

Marjorie Hill, chief executive officer at the GMHC, said: “These findings reinforce two pressing needs of the HIV/AIDS community: our education efforts are limited and not teaching all communities at highest risk, and the public agrees that added resources are desperately needed to fight the epidemic”

A UK survey released last month suggested that one-third of people living with HIV experienced discrimination relating to their status in the last year.

The research from the Terrence Higgins Trust and the Department of Health showed that 36 per cent of the 1,777 respondents revealed they had experienced discrimination from family members, friends and health professionals.

The survey, carried out by Sigma Research, also found that discrimination was compounded by homophobia, racism or asylum and immigration-related prejudice.

Sixteen-year-old Sophie Webster, played by Brooke Vincent, is currently going out with Ben Richardson, played by Lucien Laviscount.

The News of the World reports that Sophie breaks off the relationship in order to start a lesbian “fling”.

A source told the newspaper: “The show’s bosses want to create a soap representative of society in 2009 and they are acutely aware that they need more gay characters and that they need to tackle more gay issues.”

Sophie recently surprised her parents, Sally and Kevin, by becoming a born-again Christian.

The source said that Granada bosses are considering the introduction of a new character as Sophie’s love interest.

Sophie’s Bible study group friend, Sian Powers, played by Sacha Parkinson, is reportedly in the running to co-star in the storyline.

Despite being the first lesbian character to be introduced to Corrie, it is not the first time a same-sex couple has been featured on the long-running show.

In 2003, the Independent Television Commission (ITC) received 21 complaints from viewers after a pre-watershed gay kiss was featured between Todd Grimshaw (Bruno Langley) and Nick Tilsley (Adam Rickett).

According to the BBC, the ITC said “A young man’s confusion with his sexuality, expressed in a clumsily and inexplicit manner, did not go beyond what has previously been seen in a drama at this time of the evening.”

This is not the first time the News of the World has reported that Corrie is set to gain a lesbian character.

Last July, the newspaper reported that popular barmaid Violet Wilson was to be the programme’s first lesbian.

A source at Granada said: “Violet was pinpointed as the one character they could take down that route. It does seem ridiculous it has never been explored on Corrie but that’s all about to change.”

The group, which has been running for almost a decade, now considers its work complete.

The Hartford, Connecticut, organisation has said that the state’s Supreme Court legalisation of same-sex marriage last autumn means they can close their doors with the knowledge of success.

A statement on the group’s website read: “With the knowledge that same-sex couples’ right to marry is secure, we can officially close our doors at the end of the year.”

The group formed in 1999 to lobby for legislation approving gay adoption, eventually growing into a statewide umbrella organisation for people and groups supporting gay marriage.

Connecticut and Massachusetts are the only states in the US to have legalised gay marriage so far.

The Staines Guardian reports that the 25-year-old, of Hounslow, stated in court today that Dulloo lied because of homophobia motivated by religious beliefs.

He said: “In Islam you are not allowed to be gay. There’s such a thing as an honour killing. Dulloo’s lying as a punishment. He is trying to punish me after he found out about my sexuality.”

He went on to claim that Dulloo is homophobic: “He hates gays, he makes no qualms about it.”

Both men deny murder. Mr Davies suffered 75 per cent burns, dying 12 days after the incident.

Kurrimbukus said earlier today that his relationship with Charlie Davies had once been “perfect”.

Prosecutor Victor Temple claimed that after Davies, 23, had broken off his two-year relationship with the student, Kurrimbukus was consumed with rage.

He went on describe how superglue had been used to jam the lock to Davies’ family home on June 14th last year.

It is alleged that Kurrimbukus poured petrol over his ex-boyfriend’s head, setting light to him before leaving in Dulloo’s car.

In police interviews, Dulloo denied ever having met Davies, despite Kurribukus claiming that the three had all been present at a dinner in central London with other friends in May of last year, the court heard.

Kurrimbukus also told Kingston Crown Court that his family had not known of his relationship with Davies, and his sexual orientation was a secret: “My parents didn’t know I was in a relationship, especially with another man.”

The co-defendant added that his relationship had been “better than ever” at this point and was “getting better every day”.

Both men also deny a separate charge of arson.

The trial continues.

Aitken, justice spokesman for the Conservative Party, claimed that “99.99 per cent of people could not give a damn about this sort of thing”, the Daily Express reports.

The booklet has been put together by The Association of Chief Police Officers in Scotland (ACPOS) in order to respectfully recognise Scotland’s diverse populace.

It states that officers should take care when addressing LGBT people, suggesting that ‘homosexual’ should not be used as it is a term “which some LGB people find offensive”.

Trans issues are also mentioned, with advice given on how to search trans people.

Further advice states: “A transgender person is not breaking the law by using the opposite gender toilet facilities from the gender they were labelled at birth”.

Ian Latimer, chair of ACPOS’ Equality and Diversity committee, said: “Scotland’s communities have changed significantly, and continue to change. It is important to provide guidance and support to staff and ensure that they can more effectively meet the needs of our diverse communities”

The guide, of which 7,000 copies have been printed, has also been sent out to the British Transport Police and prosecutors.

Kurrimbukus, along with his childhood friend Yusuf Dulloo, both deny murder. Mr Davies suffered 75 per cent burns, dying 12 days after the incident.

Prosecutor Victor Temple claimed that after Davies, 23, had broken off his two-year relationship with the student, Kurrimbukus was consumed with rage.

He went on describe how superglue had been used to jam the lock to Davies’ family home on June 14th last year.

It is alleged that Kurrimbukus poured petrol over his ex-boyfriend’s head, setting light to him before leaving in Dulloo’s car.

In police interviews, Dulloo denied ever having met Davies, despite Kurribukus claiming that the three had all been present at a dinner in central London with other friends in May of last year, the court heard.

Kurrimbukus also told Kingston Crown Court that his family had not known of his relationship with Davies, and his sexual orientation was a secret: “My parents didn’t know I was in a relationship, especially with another man.”

The co-defendant added that his relationship had been “better than ever” at this point and was “getting better every day”.

Both men also deny a separate charge of arson.

The trial continues.

The L Word guest star was pressed by Advocate.com to clear up the “confusion” that had been sparked when Diva magazine implied that Ford had officially come out and had an affair with co-star Katherine Moennig.

She had told Diva: “”For me, there’s never been a distinction about anything to do with sexuality, so there was no declaration to be made. My siblings and I would bring home men and women, and as long as they were human it wasn’t a big thing.”

She added that people “can draw whatever conclusions they want” on her rumoured relationship with Moenig.

Speaking to Advocate.com, she declared: “Look, I am gay, and I just wanted there not to be this big emphasis on it.”

Her explanation for appearing “ambiguous” in the Diva interview was that she had attempted to make her sexuality a non-issue.

However, she denied rumours of a relationship with Moenig, saying “I would never”.

She weighed in on the gay marriage debate, saying: “If you don’t want to have a gay marriage, don’t have one.

“Don’t marry someone of the same sex, but let me do it if I want to! Ellen and Portia became poster children for gay marriage because we don’t have a lot of people that are representing this.”

“People are gay and it’s part of life” the actress said, going on to criticise the media for its influence over Prop 8: “There are still those walls, and there are those people who say, ‘Hide who you are. Be careful. Don’t be too gay.’ I think a lot of that, and the media feeding into that, is part of the reason that Prop 8 passed.”

The 29-year-old co-stars as Molly Kroll in The L Word alongside her controversial comedienne mother, Cybil Shepherd.

The anonymous survey, part of a wider scheme which allows residents to give their opinions, will help police collect information on the safety of both the ‘gay scene’ and the needs of LGBT people in suburban areas.

Maria Andronicou, senior research officer for West Midlands Police, said: “We feel it is essential to capture the views of these communities if we are to improve the service we give.

“Those who complete the survey will not only be helping shape the way we police the gay scene, but how we respond to the needs of lesbian, gay, bi-sexual and trans people in suburban areas.”

Jim Field-Evans, chair of the force’s Rainbow Network, which is backing the campaign, said: “WMP is working hard to keep LGBT communities safe. This annual survey allows LGBT people throughout the region to have their say on how we police their neighbourhood and the gay scene and if we are tackling the issues which matter most.

Over 300 people completed a similar survey last year, and WMP is ranked 28th in the national Stonewall Workplace Equality Index, which recognises the top 100 employers of LGBT people.

The proposal passed today with a 261 to 22 vote and 16 abstentions.

The only party to oppose the ruling were the Christian Democrats, stating that the party wanted to maintain “a several hundred-year-old concept” of marriage.

It is not yet certain that the changes will affect church marriage ceremonies, but in February, a majority of Church of Sweden bishops said the church should no longer handle legal marriage registrations, DPA reported.

The new legislation comes into effect as of May 1st, replacing the current legislation established in 1995 approving registered partnership much like civil partnerships in the UK.

Couples with a ‘registered partnership’ can either retain this status or apply to the relevant authorities to have it amended.

The president of the Swedish Federation for LGBT Rights, Soren Juvas, called the ruling “a great victory” and Evon Frid of the Left Party said it was “a positive change”.

A poll for the Sifo Institute published in January 2008 found that 71 per cent of Swedes think gay people should be allowed to marry.

In January 2007 the Church of Sweden, which was disestablished in 2000, began offering religious blessings to gay unions and actively welcomed LGBT clergy.

A Lutheran denomination, it claims more than 7 million members out of a population of 9 million

Last year the Church agreed that marriage and partnership were equivalent forms of unions.

It recommended however that the term “marriage” be referred only to heterosexual couples.

Mark Brigham, 38, formerly of the Metropolitan Police, met the 15-year-old at a party in August. The teenager’s family had asked Brigham to give him advice as he had just come out.

Brigham described the youth, who cannot be named, to his friends as “stunning.” The two stayed in contact using Facebook and text messages before performing ‘consensual sex acts’ on each other, a jury at Portsmouth Crown Court heard.

Richard Atchley, defending, said: “He resigned immediately and did not wait to be sacked.

“He has genuine remorse and abjectly apologises to all for behaviour that came at the bottom of a very long downward spiral caused by what was going on in his private life.”

Judge Roger Hetherington said to Brigham upon his sentencing: “The offences are aggravated by the disparity of age between the two of you – you were more than twice his age.”

Brigham had been going through some personal difficulties, including the break up of a relationship and had large debts, the court heard. He has been forced to sign on the sex offender’s register, which he will remain on indefinitely and is banned from working with children.

The complaints focus on an episode aired on 20th March, in which trans character Georgina was mocked by other characters.

Viewers complained that she was the subject of a barrage of taunts such as “She’s a walking GM crop, it’s not natural” and her identity was derided by the other characters, who referred to her as “it” and ‘joking’ about her “hairy hands, stubbly face and Adam’s apple”.

A Facebook group of 424 members is encouraging viewers to complain to Ofcom, arguing that production company Kudos “blatantly flouted official guidelines in order to use a transsexual character as the butt of cruelty”.

The show’s broadcast has inspired Ryan Combs to create a group called Trans Media Watch, which “serves to acknowledge transphobic rhetoric where it exists and call people to action to fight against harmful representations of trans people and trans lives.”

In response to a letter of complaint, an ITV spokesperson apologised, saying: “It is never our intention to upset or to offend our viewers but obviously for you on this occasion we got it completely wrong.

“The episode did highlight, in a comedic way, the prejudice suffered by many, and I should like to mention that positive comments were made by the characters of Gillian and Kelly in defence of Georgina to counter those made by Jonathan Pope.”

This apology has not been accepted by all of the complainants. Felix Garnet, of Trans Media Watch told PinkNews.co.uk: “ITV was disingenuous by saying the programme was to highlight prejudice.

“The rationale [behind ITV's apology] is that the character Georgina was supported by other characters, but we feel the supportive comments were weak”

Georgina, as a guest character on the show, did not have “the opportunity to defend herself,” Felix claimed.

“The behaviour of the characters is typical of illegal abuse suffered by trans people in the workplace.”

Professor Stephen Whittle, on behalf of Press For Change, also complained to Ofcom:

He said: “This programme set out to belittle, abuse and insult a transsexual woman, in ways that were completely unacceptable and inciting public derision and hatred of transsexual people.”

An ITV spokesman said this afternoon: “Moving Wallpaper is a well established satirical comedy now in its second series. All material broadcast was in the context of the nature of the programme and there was absolutely no intention to offend. ITV has a strong record in the positive portrayal of lesbian, gay and transgender characters.”

The Oprah Winfrey Leadership Academy School For Girls, in Henley-on-Klip, near Johannesburg in South Africa, aims to educate 450 high-achieving female students a year by 2011.

Winfrey’s spokesperson, Lisa Halliday, confirmed today that seven pupils concerned in the controversy were found to have “touched each other intimately”.

It is also alleged that they were “intimidating others into partaking of inappropriate behaviours”.

A letter sent to one of the suspended girls’ parents apparently read: “You have been found guilty of physical contact of a sexual nature with another pupil on campus, harassment, bullying other girls on campus and of being dishonest by not telling investigators the whole truth”.

This is the second time Winfrey’s $46 million (£32 million) school has been at the centre of an alleged sexual harassment case.

In 2007, former matron Virginia Tiny Makgobo, faced 13 charges including indecent assault, common assault, assaulting a minor to perform an indecent act and verbal abuse of pupils, all of which she has denied.

Winfrey herself is yet to comment on the more recent allegations, but this will most likely be a blow to the TV host and philanthropist, who has previously said of her pupils: “These girls are like my children. That’s not just rhetoric for me. I take their futures and the possibility for what their futures hold very seriously.”

The school’s spokesperson, Moliehi Molekoa, said she hoped to be able to provide more information on the seven suspensions soon, according to South African publication The Cape Argus. 

Speaking at the protest in the capital of the east African country, lesbian activist Jacqueline Masha said “We are law-abiding citizens. We deserve equal rights and protection under the law and constitution.”

Ugandan law deems homosexuality as illegal. Despite there being no known cases of lesbians or gays being convicted, legislation states that perpetrators of this ‘crime’ can expect to face a penalty of up to seven years’ imprisonment.

“Uganda is a Christian country,” said Minister of State for Ethics Nsaba Buturo. “We don’t believe in homosexuality. We love the gays and homosexuals but we hate their activities. We want to help them to get rehabilitated.”

According to Associated Press, the protestors, all but one of whom were female, told of their experiences of homophobia at the hands of church officials and ordinary Ugandans.

Masha has been victimised by verbal taunts, such as “pig,” “inhuman” and “un-Ugandan.”

Victor Mukasa, described being publicly stripped naked and taunted by a pastor and his congregation as they attempted to ‘exorcise’ her. Mukasa remains proud: “That did not stop me from being a lesbian.”

Activists say Uganda, with a population of 31 million, has some 500,000 gays and lesbians.

Ugandan officials have previously blamed Europe for ‘spreading’ homosexuality.

Last year, Ugandan Bishop Luzinda said: “I have been hearing that gays are demanding that the government should legalise their activities. This is absurd because God created a man and woman so that they can produce and fill this world.

“The government should not be tempted to legalise this backward culture which is bound to destroy this country.
“Not all that comes from Europe is superior and must be taken up by us.”

A member of the centre-left Social Democrats, Mauch has been elected with a lead of 11,000 votes over her opposition following the surprise resignation of previous incumbent Elmar Ledergerber late last year.

Mauch will be delivering a speech at the opening of the Europride 09 parade, alongside European Parliament member Daniel Cohn-Bendit and Moldavian human rights activist Mihaela Copot.

A spokesman of the EuroPride said: “This is a real stroke of luck for the EuroPride in Zurich. None of us really expected that”

Despite previous criticism that both Mauch and her opposition, Kathrin Martelli, will not be able to fill their predecessors’ shoes, there is hope that Mauch’s election will bring positive change.

One political analyst from Zurich University claimed: “Being a lesbian (is) an advantage, Zurich has a large gay community and the city people generally want to show you that they are open minded.”

Presented the Excellence in Media Award by gay singer-songwriter Clay Aiken, Tyra received official recognition of her efforts to advance the gay community.

Tyra was commended for helping to increase awareness of trans issues by featuring Isis, who identifies as “a woman born physically male”, as a contestant in Cycle 11 of America’s Next Top Model.

The former model and television host, 35, invited Isis to appear as a guest on The Tyra Banks Show, so she could speak at length about her identity away from the pressures of the modelling competition.

After the interview, Tyra told Isis that she would foot the bill for Isis’ gender-reassignment surgery, and in her acceptance speech last night, exclaimed “You embraced me and now I embrace you in front of millions to show how beautiful you are, how absolutely amazing you are, how giving you are, and I will continue to do that as long as I have a platform. I will continue to get the message out about gays, lesbians, bisexuals and transgender people.”

Lesbian icon kd lang picked up the award for Outstanding Music Artist for her latest album, Watershed, beating other nominees Sam Sparro and Hercules and Love Affair. The New York Times and Newsweek received gongs for their respective, balanced coverage and representation of LGBT issues.

The Special Recognition Award was given to ‘The Laramie Project, 10 Years Later – The Lasting Legacy of Matthew Shepard’ a two-hour radio documentary by Romaine Patterson about the social impacts of The Laramie Project, the award-winning play and film documenting the brutal, homophobic murder of Matthew Shepard.

GLAAD is holding two futher Media Awards over the next few months; one in Los Angeles and another in San Francisco. Nominees include Milk, Vicky Cristina Barcelona and Brideshead Revisited for Outstanding Film and Skins, Ugly Betty and Desperate Housewives for Outstanding Comedy Series.