LGBT rights
Nepal has registered its first same-sex marriage, which activists hailed as a victory for LGBT rights. Authorities in the western Lumjung district formally registered the union of Maya Gurung, 35, and Surendra Pandey, 27, on Wednesday. It came five months after the Supreme Court issued an interim order allowing same-sex couples to register their marriages. Taiwan is the only other place in Asia that has legalised same-sex marriage. Ms Gurung told the BBC that their registration was a "big day" not just for the couple, but all sexual minorities. "The fight for rights is not easy. We have done it. And it will be easier for future generations," she said. "The registration has opened doors to a lot of things for us." The couple had said that they wanted to open a joint bank account and share ownership of the land they bought. But their biggest dream is to adopt a child, once their finances are more stable. They have been together for almost a decade.