Gay rights groups ready to fight US marriage laws

This follows 11 states voting in favour of amendments that define marriage as the union between a man and a woman. The Washington Times reports two lesbian couples filed a federal lawsuit challenging Oklahoma\'s new marriage law. The couples claim that the state amendment violates their due-process and equal-protection rights under the 14th Amendment to the US Constitution. No state constitution can abridge federally guaranteed rights. Lawsuits seeking same-sex \'marriage\' rights are also planned in New York, California, Washington, Maryland and New Jersey. Legal challenges to amendments are also expected in Georgia, Ohio, Arkansas, Kentucky, Oregon and Mississippi. Full report in The Washington Times

The issue of gay marriage is becoming a global issue. In Ireland, a lesbian couple has launched a High Court challenge against the government\'s refusal to recognise their marriage, in a case that could have implications for thousands of cohabiting couples. Catherine Zapaonne and Louise Gilligan appeared in the High Court in Dublin to seek a judicial review of the inspector of taxes\' refusal to recognise them as a couple, reports The Guardian. The couple are Irish citizens and married in Vancouver, Canada, in September last year - a marriage recognised under Canadian law. When they returned to Ireland and applied for the tax allowances of a married couple, their application was rejected. Lawyers said the revenue office\'s refusal to grant them the same tax relief as a heterosexual married couple was discriminatory and breached their constitutional and human rights under the European convention. Full report in The Guardian