New Zealand has become the first country in the Asia-Pacific region and the 13th in the world to legalize same-sex marriage.

The New Zealand Parliament on Wednesday passed the Marriage (Definition of Marriage) Amendment Bill (39-2) by an overwhelming majority of 77 to 44.

Catch up on the stories you missed with Fatster’s news roundup, including links to the war on women, state abortion laws, freeloader Bobby Jindal, House investigations, Mayor Bloomberg’s police, voter suppression, Maryland v. Kansas, Affordable Care Act, Chicago schools, Egypt President v. the Court, New Zealand, Russian Wikipedia, Iraq, UK banks, Chinese trade, Nouriel Roubini, Obama v GOP, ALEC defections, and much more.

The White House wants to fast track the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) “free trade” agreement with Australia, Brunei, Chile, Malaysia, New Zealand, Peru, Singapore, and Vietnam. Japan is waiting in the wings, Canada and Mexico want in, Taiwan has announced its intention to meet membership requirements and China says it will “earnestly study” whether to seek entry into the agreement.

Basically, the TPP is NAFTA on steroids.

Earthquake in Christchurch, revolution (and repression) in Libya.