NEWS FROM AROUND THE WORLD

WORLD/ UK TO INTRODUCE FULL GAY MARRIAGE: The British government is expected to announce full marriage equality for gays and lesbians under reforms to marriage laws to be announced later this week. The reported move will end the final legal discrimination against gays and lesbians in Britain. According to media reports, a proposal to end the ban on same sex marriage will be announced by the Liberal Democrat equality minister at the same time as the government announces the time table for civil partnerships to be held in religious buildings. Civil partnerships were introduced in the UK in 2005 and offer gays and lesbian couples similar legal rights to straight married couples. Differences include the grounds for dissolution, some insurance and pension rights and they are not recognised as having the same status as marriage abroad. A consequence of the ban on gay marriage means that a married transgendered person must divorce their partner before being recognised in their new gender. In addition, couples are barred from having any religious elements in the civil partnership ceremony. Und the new proposals, religious insitituions will not be forced to host ceremonies if they do not wish to.

WORLD/ EGYPTIAN MILITARY DISSOLVES PARLIAMENT: Egypt's new military authorities say they are dissolving parliament and suspending the constitution. The higher military council said it would stay in power 6 months, or until elections. Egypt's current parliament is dominated by supporters of President Hosni Mubarak, who was ousted on Friday after 18 days of mass protests. Earlier there were scuffles in Cairo's Tahrir Square as protesters thwarted army efforts to remove them. Reports say the situation on the square has become a good-natured standoff, but protesters have vowed to stay night after night.

WORLD/ PROTESTS IN YEMEN CONTINUE: About 2000 demonstrators have clashed with police in the Yemeni capital Sanaa on the 3rd day of anti-government protests. Violence broke out as demonstrators marched through the city, demanding political reform and the resignation of President Ali Abdullah Saleh.Yemen's protests have gathered momentum with the success of Egypt's revolution. Witnesses said several people were hurt as police armed with batons clashed with stone-throwing protesters.