Hundreds of gay marriages are expected to take place in Germany in the next few weeks after a new law allowing official registration of same-sex partnerships comes into effect.
San Francisco judge rules that the lesbian partner of a woman mauled to death by dogs can file a wrongful-death suit despite she not being a "surviving spouse" under California law.
Same-sex couples in Austalia have been asked to declare their relationship in the country's national census next Tuesday to show that their issues are not that of a minority.
Despite a leaked memo suggesting that the Games may either be scaled down, moved to another city or be entirely cancelled, officials have now found a new confidence in the Sydney organisers.