Mexico City close to legalizing gay unions

Mexico City lawmakers gave preliminary approval for homosexual civil unions on Monday and the measure could become law this week, allowing gay unions for the first time in the world's second-biggest Catholic nation.

The human rights commission of the capital's assembly approved giving gays a contract that grants them legal rights in the city. "We're taking the first steps to recognize and to give equal rights to people of sexual diversity," said leftist local congresswoman Leticia Quezada, head of the commission. (Reuters)