MONTEVIDEO, Uruguay – Marriage equality is all but certain in the South American nation of Uruguay after the lower house of Congress late Tuesday voted 81-6 in favor of a bill that would grant the same rights to same-sex couples that are enjoyed by straight couples.

The bill goes to the Senate, where it is expected to be approved in January. President José Mujica says he will sign the bill into law.

"This is not a homosexual or gay marriage law. It is a measure to equalize the institution independent of the sex of the couple," said Julio Bango, one of the authors of the bill.

MADRID -- The Constitutional Court, Spain's highest legal authority, today voted 8-3 against a bid to overturn the nation's marriage-equality law.

In 2005, Spain's Parliament approved the marriage law when the government was controlled by the Socialists. The Popular Party, which opposed the law, took power in Spain last year and asked the Constitutional Court to declare the law unconstitutional.

Recently, my daughter and I were out of the country for a month, affording her the pleasure of recovering from heartsickness in a foreign land, with muchos hombres muy guapos, and me, the opportunity to reflect on my homeland from afar.

Kate found the joy of traveling young in Europe, and I found that the United States is no better or worse than any other country. It just happens to be mine.

MADRID -- A group of elderly Spanish gay men are rebelling against the homophobia of their generation by setting up what will be the country's first gay and lesbian retirement home.

"Homosexuals who go into homes often also have to go straight back into the closet," said Federico Armenteros, the man behind the scheme. "This will be a place that is open to everyone and where no one will have to hide their sexuality."

In a country where many people over 40 grew up being taught that gay people were sick or criminals, the atmosphere in some retirement homes is still crudely homophobic.