SAN FRANCISCO — The California Supreme Court on Wednesday rejected petitions to delay its same-sex marriage decision, clearing the way for gay couples to marry later this month. The court’s action on the case — which makes it possible for same-sex unions to begin June 17 — was unusually quick. Most appeals, even unsuccessful ones, trigger a 30- to 60-day delay in the effective date of a ruling. The court voted 4-3 to reject petitions by Christian groups that it reconsider its May 15 ruling. The court also refused to delay the effective date of the decision until after the November election, when voters will consider a constitutional amendment to reinstate the ban on same-sex marriage.
State may export prison inmates
It’s legal for California to send thousands of inmates to out-of-state private prisons to ease prison crowding, a state appeals court said Wednesday in a ruling that reverses a lower-court decision. The Third District Appellate Court in Sacramento said Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger, who authorized the transfers, has broad powers to proclaim a state of emergency “when a condition of extreme peril to the safety of persons and property exists,” and that the situation in California’s prisons met that standard.
Assembly OKs worker sick leave
Supporters are pleased and business groups are worried now that legislation requiring paid sick leave for 6 million California workers has cleared the Assembly. Assembly Bill 2716 was approved by the Assembly last week on a 43-25 vote and now moves to the Senate. There, it likely faces a tougher challenge as it moves through several committees, starting in late June. If the bill is approved, California would become the first state in the nation to ensure paid sick days for workers.
D.C.: Talks set on trade with China
The United States and China will hold the fourth round of high-level economic talks June 17 and 18 in Annapolis, Md. The Treasury Department announced Wednesday that the discussions will take place at the U.S. Naval Academy. The U.S. delegation will be led by Treasury Secretary Henry Paulson, who has used previous sessions to press the Chinese to move more quickly to allow their currency to rise in value against the dollar. American manufacturers have complained that the Chinese currency is undervalued by as much as 40 percent, giving Chinese producers a huge price advantage against American companies.
Louisiana: Corruption charges
A brother, a sister and a niece of indicted U.S. Rep. William Jefferson were charged Wednesday in New Orleans with pocketing more than $600,000 in state and federal grant money intended for charitable and educational projects. A federal grand jury indicted New Orleans tax assessor Betty Jefferson; her brother, Mose Jefferson; and her daughter, Angela Coleman, on charges that include federal program fraud, identity theft and conspiracy to commit money laundering.
Iraq: Explosions kill 22 people
A pair of explosions in Baghdad killed at least 22 people Wednesday as insurgents launched attacks aimed at Iraqi police officers. It was the deadliest day in the capital in several months. Three U.S. soldiers were killed by small-arms fire in an attack in Hawija, near the northern city of Kirkuk. At least 4,090 American soldiers have died since the Iraq war began in March 2003, according to the Associated Press.
Pakistan: Al-Qaida claims attack
An Al-Qaida group has purportedly claimed responsibility for the suicide attack earlier this week against Denmark’s embassy in Pakistan that left six people dead. An Internet message late Wednesday says the attack was carried out to fulfill Osama bin Laden’s promise of revenge over the reprinting in Danish papers of a cartoon of Islam’s Prophet Muhammad. Denmark officials said earlier that they suspected al-Qaida was behind Tuesday’s attack.
Japan: Ruling on citizenship
Japan’s Supreme Court ruled Wednesday against a law that denied citizenship to children born out of wedlock to Japanese fathers and foreign mothers, a news report said. Kyodo News agency reported that the court ruled in favor of 10 Japanese-Filipino children suing for citizenship in Japan. The suits were filed by Filipino mothers who had proved the fathers of their children were Japanese, the report said. Children born to Japanese mothers are automatically granted Japanese nationality, no matter what the nationality of the father is or whether the parents are married.
Belgium: Fuel costs spark rioting
Riot police charged hundreds of protesting fishermen outside European Union headquarters Wednesday after a demonstration over high fuel prices turned violent. Protesters hurled flares, firecrackers and rocks at police beyond razor-wire barricades. They also fired flare guns at the EU headquarters building. As they retreated down the main boulevard through Brussels’ European Union district, protesters broke into some EU buildings, smashing windows and dragging out flags and other material to light bonfires in the street. Europeans are faced with higher fuel prices than elsewhere because of excise taxes that are added to the national sales tax.
From Herald news services
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