The United Kingdom’s Civil Partnership Bill cleared its final hurdles Nov. 17 and 19 — passage in the House of Lords and royal assent.

The vote was 251-136. The measure passed the House of Commons Nov. 9 by a vote of 389-47.

Legally registered same-sex couples will obtain marriage rights in areas that include accident compensation, life insurance, immigration, inheritance, intestacy, pensions, taxation, tenancy, spouse and child support and workplace benefits.

The Coalition for Marriage Equality simultaneously welcomed and denounced the bill.

“The fact remains that same-sex marriage is illegal in the United Kingdom and the Civil Partnership Bill will remain a separate system for those in same-sex relationships – almost equal, yet oddly segregated from the rest of mainstream society,” said spokesperson David Henry.

The first registrations likely will not take place until next fall, after the UK’s tax and benefits systems have been overhauled to accommodate same-sex couples.

Argentina has its first gay radio station, broadcasting on the Web at Argentinagayradio.com.ar.

The station broadcasts primarily music, but also segments on health and gay-rights issues, and “a lot of joking around.”

“We respect the gay tendencies in music, the preferences for Latin and electronic music,” station cofounder Sergio Miranda told Diariohoy.net.

“Although if a listener requests folk music, it’ll happen.”

Italy’s Tuscany region banned discrim-ination based on sexual orientation and gender identity Nov. 10. It is reportedly the first Italian region to do so.

The measure was passed by the Tuscany Regional Council.

The law “grant[s] to every person free expression and manifestation of the person’s sexual orientation and of the person’s gender identity.”

It also gives same-sex couples rights in the area of healthcare decisions, and promises to promote cultural events “open to all lifestyles.”

Violators will be fined up to 3,000 euros or $3,900.

Peru’s Constitutional Court Nov. 11 overturned a law that prohibited gays in the military from having sex, the Agence France-Presse news wire reported.

The army had banned same-sex relations on or off military bases under threat of imprisonment or expulsion.

The court said the ban was “completely discriminatory” and unconstitutional.

South Africa’s first national gay radio program launched Nov. 10, reported Marketingweb.co.za.

The “Tuesday Night Show” airs on Radio 2000 from 8:00 to 10:00 p.m.

“The aim ... is to present intellectual, stimulating and contemporary radio programming and content that would not only appeal to the greater gay and lesbian community, but also to a significant straight audience,” said executive producer Maciek Mazur.

Unfortunately, Mazur said, advertisers seem to be taking a “wait and see attitude” to the show. He expects that to change once they hear the program.

Israeli gays and lesbians will automatically inherit a deceased partner’s estate unless it was willed to someone else, following a groundbreaking Nov. 13 ruling by the Nazareth District Court, the Jerusalem Post reported.

The suit was brought by “I.M.” who sought ownership of the house he shared with his late partner for 40 years. The government had rejected his claim, arguing that the 1965 Inheritance Law applied only to common-law opposite-sex couples.

Activists said they believe the ruling may lead to other decisions granting same-sex couples ordinary matrimonial rights.

Sweden’s new minister for equality, Jens Orback, has come under fire from the National Federation for Sexual Equality (RFSL) for trying to sound supportive of same-sex couples.

“Let people live with whom they want,” he told a radio news program Nov. 15. “My grandmother’s wonderful sister lived in Canada. She lived with a horse. I think it’s great. Let people live with whom they want and how they want.”

RFSL’s Sören Andersson told the daily newspaper Expressen: “If Orback equates animal sex and homosexuality, he should resign. It’s absurd to compare relations to domestic animals with relations between people.”

The new nominee for European justice commissioner, Franco Frattini, is more gay-friendly than the previous nominee, who withdrew from consideration under fire for calling homosexuality a “sin.”

Frattini said during European Parliament hearings Nov. 15-16 that same-sex couples who are legally coupled in any one of the 25 nations of the European Union must be recognized as a couple by all of the nations.

He said that it is required by the European Charter of Fundamental Rights.

“That is an obvious principle.”

Slovakia and Austria, among others, have balked at this requirement.