Judge rules Oklahoma gay marriage ban unconstitutional

Judge rules Oklahoma gay marriage ban unconstitutional
Three injured as pupil opens fire at New Mexico school
Maulidur Rasul procession headed by his majesty
Preparing to celebrate new year
Ten arrested, hunt on for 11th suspect
Cat stolen from flower shop

Posted: 14 Jan 2014 04:52 PM PST

WASHINGTON: A US federal judge struck down Oklahoma's ban on same-sex marriage Tuesday, saying it was unconstitutional, a month after a similar move in Utah.

The ruling in the long-running case also followed a landmark Supreme Court decision in June finding that couples in same-sex marriages were entitled to the same benefits and protections as their heterosexual counterparts.

"The court holds that Oklahoma's constitutional amendment limiting marriage to opposite-sex couples violates the Equal Protection Clause of the Fourteenth Amendment to the US Constitution," US District Judge Terence Kern wrote in his opinion.

A month ago, a federal judge in Utah overturned that state's ban on same-sex marriage, a decision that saw hundreds of couples get married.

But the US Supreme Court later temporarily blocked the weddings after the state filed an emergency request to stay the judge's ruling, though the federal government has said it would give full backing to about 1,300 gay marriages that took place between the two rulings.

Last month, the New Mexico state Supreme Court also declared same-sex marriage constitutional.

Kern said his ruling would not go into effect immediately, saying he would wait for the Utah case to go through the appeals process in the wake of the Supreme Court's decision to grant a stay.

So Oklahoma will not see same-sex marriages until Kern's decision goes into effect. And the state is likely to appeal, adding uncertainty to the fate of gay couples there.

In his ruling, Kern denounced the state's gay-marriage ban as an "arbitrary, irrational exclusion of just one class of Oklahoma citizens from a governmental benefit."

Gay rights activities hailed Kern's decision.

"With last year's historic victories at the Supreme Court guiding the way, it is clear that we are on a path to full and equal citizenship for all lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender Americans," Human Rights Campaign president Chad Griffin said in a statement.

"Today's news from Oklahoma shows that time has come for fairness and dignity to reach every American in all 50 states."

Two plaintiff couples, Mary Bishop and Sharon Baldwin and Gay Phillips and Susan Barton, had filed their case in November 2004 a day after Oklahoma voters passed a constitutional amendment limiting marriage to a union between one man and one woman. -AFP

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Three injured as pupil opens fire at New Mexico school

Posted: 14 Jan 2014 04:50 PM PST

LOS ANGELES: Three people were wounded after a student opened fire at a school in New Mexico, authorities said Tuesday.

The gunman began shooting at Berrendo Middle School in the town of Roswell around 7:30 am (1430 GMT) before being arrested.

"At this time, we can confirm that two students were injured, a boy and a girl, as well as a school staff member," New Mexico Governor Susana Martinez told reporters.

"One male victim, 12 years old, is currently in critical condition and is in Lubbock hospital. One female victim, who is 13 years of age, is in serious condition."

Martinez said the school employee quickly stopped the shooter when he "walked right up to him (the gunman) and asked him to set down the firearm, which he did."

"He was also assisted by a state police lieutenant who was dropping off his own child," she added.

The wounded school employee "didn't ask for any medical care because he wanted to continue to take care of the children that were in the gym," Martinez added.

New Mexico police chief Peter Kassetas said the shooter had probably acted alone.

"I believe we have the only individual in custody right now that's responsible for this," he said, adding that police had not yet uncovered a motive for the attack.

According to early reports, the gunman burst into a school gymnasium and pulled his weapon from a bag before opening fire.

The incident was the latest in a long line of US school shootings that have triggered a nationwide debate over gun control in the United States.

President Barack Obama called for tighter gun ownership laws in the aftermath of the December 2012 shooting at Sandy Hook Elementary in Newtown, Connecticut, where 20 children and six adult staff members were shot dead by a heavily armed gunman. -AFP

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Maulidur Rasul procession headed by his majesty

Posted: 14 Jan 2014 04:46 PM PST

BANDAR SERI BEGAWAN: To commemorate the Maulidur Rasul or birthday anniversary of Prophet Muhammad (pbuh), His Majesty the Sultan and Yang Di-Pertuan of Brunei Darussalam joined thousands of people in a procession in the capital yesterday, Brudirect reported.

More than 30,000 people gathered altogether for the annual processions held simultaneously from the four districts nationwide yesterday morning.

The theme for this year's celebration is "Rasulullah Pembawa Rahmat Sejagat" (Prophet Muhammad (pbuh), the universal carrier of mercy).

The Maulidur celebration for the Brunei-Muara District was held at Taman Haji Sir Muda Omar 'Ali Saifuddien led by His Majesty the Sultan and Yang Di-Pertuan of Brunei Darussalam.

Also present in the event to accompany the monarch were HRH Prince Haji Al-Muhtadee Billah, the Crown Prince and Senior Minister at the Prime Minister's Office, HRH Prince Haji Sufri Bolkiah, HRH Prince 'Abdul Malik and HRH Prince 'Abdul Wakeel.

The celebrations began with the reading of Surah Al-Fatihah led by State Mufti Pehin Datu Seri Maharaja Dato Paduka Seri Setia (Dr) Ustaz Hj Abdul Aziz Juned.

This year saw the participation of 143 teams, including representatives from government ministries and departments, uniformed organizations, education institutions, associations, mukim groups, Village Consultative Councils, Mosque Takmir committees as well as from the private sector.

The event continued with a presentation of Dikir Marhaban by a dikir group from the Prime Minister's office. Following the "Ya Habibi" recitation, 21 cannon shots were fired to mark the occasion.

To mark the start of the procession, Pehin Datu Imam Dato Paduka Seri Setia Ustaz Haji Awang Abdul Hamid bin Bakal led the 'selawat' recitation.

Amid the drizzling rain, His Majesty, together with the other members of the royal family led the 17,410 people in the 4.7-kilometre Maulidur Rasul walk.

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Preparing to celebrate new year

Posted: 14 Jan 2014 11:50 AM PST

Posted on January 15, 2014, Wednesday

Kuching South City Council maintenance section personnel work to spruce up the landscaping surrounding the city's iconic cat statue at the Padungan roundabout in preparation for the Lunar New Year. The statue is now dressed in a traditional Chinese costume to usher in the Year of the Horse. — Photo by Jeffery Mostapa

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Ten arrested, hunt on for 11th suspect

Posted: 14 Jan 2014 11:36 AM PST

MIRI: Police have arrested 10 suspects and are on the hunt for the 11th in connection with the robbery-murder case of a 19-year-old university student on Jan 4.

On Monday, 10 people, including a woman, were arrested during a raid by a special task force, nine days after the murder of Mu Tshun Vui at his rented house in Desa Senadin.

During a press conference yesterday, Miri police chief ACP Mun Kock Keong named the 11th suspect as George Kalang, 31, whose last known address was Lot 2472, Tudan Phase 6, Desaras Stage 2.

"Nine days after the murder of Mu Tshun Vui, the police here have managed to arrest 10 individuals, including one foreigner at different locations on Monday.

"One more suspect is still on the run and we are hunting him down," he said.

Preliminary investigations on the 10 suspects revealed that some of them have records for housebreak-in, Mun said.

During the raid, police also recovered a yellow gas cylinder, which is believed to have been stolen from the victim's house.

"We also recovered three motorcycles believed to have been used by the suspects when committing the crime," Mun added.

The 10 suspects arrested are remanded for six days from yesterday (Jan 14). Mun urged those with information on George's whereabouts to contact investigating officer ASP Zainan Azili on 0111-2099878 or to go to the nearest police station.

"Otherwise, the person concerned can surrender himself to the police to help us in facilitating the case," he added.

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Cat stolen from flower shop

Posted: 14 Jan 2014 11:35 AM PST

SIBU: A cat worth a few hundred ringgit was stolen from a flower shop at Central Road here yesterday.

According to the owner, a passer-by saw a man on a motorcycle stopping in front of her shop at 10.30am and took away the cat which she had tied to a post nearby.

She has kept the cat as pet for two years.

Meanwhile, a man in his 20s cheated death when he managed to escape from his car after it burst into flames in an incident at 1am yesterday.

The man was driving along Pedada Road here when he lost control of the vehicle and crashed into a road divider.

The front part of the car was badly damaged causing the engine to burst into flames.

The Fire and Rescue Department rushed to the scene after they received a distress call.

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