The new law coming into effect Thursday grants same-sex couples the same legal rights as heterosexual couples

India's top court on Tuesday declined to allow same-sex marriages in the country.

The Australian Parliament votes to allow same-sex marriage across the nation, following a bitter and divisive debate settled by the government polling voters in a much-criticized ballot survey that strongly endorsed change.

Germany's parliament votes Friday to legalise gay marriage after Chancellor Angela Merkel did an about-face that freed members of conservative party to vote their "conscience" rather than follow party lines.