Family kidnaps youth living with transsexual
IANS


JAIPUR: Police here are investigating the case of a youth who was allegedly kidnapped by his family members to prevent his living with a transsexual.

Police arrested the youth Nafees' uncle and another person on a complaint that they along with some hired goons beat up a group of transsexuals that had visited the youth's house to free him after the family locked up Nafees to prevent his going back to the transsexual.

Nafees was living with a transsexual as "man and wife" in the city's Bibi Fatima Colony for some time, something to which his family had objected, a police official told IANS


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Battle over 'Defense of Marriage' amendment reaches La. high court


NEW ORLEANS (AP) — The battle over a proposed constitutional ban on gay marriages and civil unions was in the hands of the Louisiana Supreme Court on Wednesday.

The final appeal in three separate cases brought by opponents of the ban was filed with the high court on Wednesday.

Opponents, led by gay rights activists, lost the latest round of legal arguments on Monday when the state 4th Circuit Court of Appeal overturned a New Orleans judge's ruling that the ban was unconstitutional and should be stripped from the Sept. 18 ballot.

The ruling came in one of three lawsuits filed by gay activists to keep voters from casting ballots on the amendment. The state Supreme Court had already been asked to hear arguments in the first two cases and attorney John Rawls said he hoped the court would consider all three together.

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Missouri delegates are heckled by gays
By DAVID LIEB ~ Associated Press Writer


NEW YORK (AP) -- Protesters jeered and chanted "Missouri is a hate state" Tuesday as delegates of one of the first states to pass a constitutional amendment banning gay marriage headed to dinner.

Missouri delegates were heckled as they arrived and left a downtown restaurant before the convention's evening speeches.

Although protests have abounded in New York, Tuesday's was the first protest specifically targeted at Missouri's delegation.

"The reason why we're targeting the Missouri delegation is because they have already passed the amendment," said Ray Dries, 50, of New York. "They're anti-American. These people are fascists."


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University of Pittsburgh to offer same-sex benefits
By MIKE CRISSEY, Associated Press Writer


The University of Pittsburgh has agreed to offer health benefits to same-sex partners, ending eight years of legal wrangling over coverage for employees.

The state-affiliated university's decision to offer benefits to same-sex partners was included in an eight-page memo sent to employees Wednesday. The benefits will be offered starting Jan. 1.