Gay weddings now in Netherlands

The Dutch senate has passed laws allowing homosexual couples to marry and adopt children in what correspondents describe as the world's most comprehensive recognition of gay rights.

The legislation had already been passed by the Dutch lower house in September; the senate's vote authorised what's been happening in the Netherlands for some time.

In 1998, Dutch law had recognised the right of same-sex couples to register their partnerships, a measure also allowed in Scandinavian countries and France.

The new law has been strongly opposed by Dutch Christian churches and religious parties, which argue that it overturns the principles of marriage.

From the newsroom of the BBC World Service