Germany to pass same-sex marriage law

Germany is expected to legalise same-sex marriage on Friday, joining many other western democracies in granting gay and lesbian couples full rights, including adoption.The election-year bill is being pushed by Chancellor Angela Merkel's leftist rivals who pounced on a U-turn she made Monday -- a manoeuvre that left many of her conservative lawmakers fuming.Gay and lesbian groups cheered the push for marriage equality in Germany where so-called civil unions were legalised in 2001.