The bill passed the House of Lords without further opposition

The government's Marriage (Same Sex Couples) Bill has passed the House of Lords without further opposition.

The bill is expected to return tomorrow to the House of Commons for MPs to consider amendments made to the bill in the House of Lords by the government, none of which were major amendments.

It is predicted that, by the end of this week, the Commons will give final parliamentary approval to the bill and Her Majesty the Queen will give it Royal Assent. [Telegraph, 15 July]

Irish abortion bill news round-up:

• Minister Creighton exercises conscientious objection despite Enda Kenny's threats [Pat Buckley, 12 July]
• High Court challenge to Protection of Life in Pregnancy Bill rejected as the Bill is currently under consideration [Pat Buckley, 12 July]
• All night debate in Ireland's pro-abortion legislation failed to dispose of all amendments [Pat Buckley, 11 July]
• Call from Europe for Taoiseach to respect conscientious objection of Fine Gael Party members [Pat Buckley, 10 July]
• Ireland's proposed abortion bill will advance abortion as a human right says Dana [Pat Buckley, 9 July]

Other stories:

• NHS figures disclose 33 women have had at least nine abortions [Telegraph, 11 July]
• Number of abortions performed on cohabitees has trebled in a decade [Mail, 11 July]
• Chile's president praises 11-year-old for going ahead with pregnancy resulting from rape [Telegraph, 11 July]
• Liverpool care pathway should be phased out, independent review finds [Guardian, 15 July]
• Scholar says population fears ignore history's evidence [CNA, 11 July]
• China's Big (and Growing) Problem With Its Elderly Population [Atlantic, 10 July]
• Controversial sex education film Living and Growing angers parents at Devonshire Primary School [This is Local London, 11 July]
• Christians defeat graphic Planned Parenthood condom ad campaign in Estonia [LifeSiteNews.com, 8 July]
• Hitler's Struggle for Eugenics: Part III [SPUC youth blog, 12 July]