Photo: Steven Monjeza and Tiwonge Chimbalanga appear in court on charges of indecency

A new crackdown on homosexuality in parts of Africa has forced gay communities into hiding, fearing for their lives.

In Malawi, two men who dared to go public with their relationship by holding a traditional "marriage" ceremony are on trial for indecency, and face 14 years in jail.

"It's so scary," one gay man, who didn't want to be identified, told Sky News in the city of Blantyre, where the trial is taking place.

"We are not feeling free and are worried about being arrested."

It is the first case to be brought under Malawi's longstanding legislation banning homosexuality in years. The rise of US style evangelist preachers has contributed to a hardening of attitudes in the tiny southern African state.

"Biblically it is demonic," pastor Stanley Ndovi said, flipping through the pages of his bible to show me the passages that condemn homosexuality.  "It is wrong and these people should be counselled and helped."

US : Texas Attorney General Greg Abbott has intervened in a first-of-its-kind Travis County same-sex divorce case, arguing that the women involved, who were married in another state, may not be legally granted a divorce because Texas law defines marriage as between a man and a woman.

Angelique Naylor, 39, and Sabina Daly, 41, married in 2004 in Massachusetts, where gay marriage is legal. They returned to their home in Austin and together adopted a son, who is now 4. They have been separated for more than a year.

Last week, at the close of a two-day hearing before state District Judge Scott Jenkins on how they should divide their property and share custody of their son, the two reached an agreement that in part called for them to divorce. According to Naylor's lawyer, Jennifer Cochran, Jenkins granted the divorce orally and ordered the parties to put their agreement in writing and return to court next month for his signature.

"This is the first time in over a year that our family has been at peace," said Naylor, who still lives in Austin. Daly has moved to San Antonio with their son.

Full Story at source: http://www.statesman.com

WASHINGTON (AFP) - A large majority of US voters believe that homosexual men and women should be allowed to serve openly in the US military, according to a poll out Wednesday.

The independent Quinnipiac University poll asked Americans about their views on the law that requires gay service members to keep quiet about their sexual orientation or face expulsion from the military, known as "Don't Ask, Don't Tell."

The survey was conducted after President Barack Obama last month renewed his vow to change the law and allow gays to serve openly in uniform.

The poll found that 57 percent of US voters believe that gays should serve openly, an idea opposed by 36 percent. Americans also believe by a 66 to 31 percent margin that it is discriminatory to prevent openly gay men and women to serve.

However, by a 54 to 38 percent margin, those surveyed also believe that gays serving in the military should limit displaying their sexual orientation on the job.US military households -- homes with an active or reserve member, or a veteran in their family -- were evenly divided over the issue.

Full sotry at source: http://au.news.yahoo.com

WASHINGTON: Three years ago, the Republican senator John McCain was pretty clear about his stand on the military's ''Don't ask, don't tell'' policy on gay service personnel.

The war hero said he would support ending the ban once the top brass told him they were OK with it.

''The day that the leadership of the military comes to me and says, 'Senator, we ought to change the policy,' then I think we ought to consider seriously changing it because those leaders in the military are the ones we give the responsibility to,'' he told an audience of college students.

That day arrived on Tuesday, with the US Defence Secretary, Robert Gates, and the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, Mike Mullen, testifying to senators following President Barack Obama's announcement that he would seek a congressional repeal of the 15-year-old policy.

Late last year, the National Equality March was held in Washington, DC to raise awareness for federal equal rights recognition from the US Government.  

In the spirit of this event, it is worth taking a look at some US legal cases which have the potential to dramatically alter the recognition of gay marriage.

First up is a divorce case recently filed in Texas.  At this point you might be asking yourself, ‘Wait a minute, I didn’t think those crazy Texans allowed same-sex marriages’. Well they don’t and therein lies the issue.  The two men were residents of Massachusetts and became married while living there.  Several years later they relocated to Texas and found themselves desiring to end their marriage.  Since they are no longer residents of Massachusetts, they had to file their divorce in a Texas court.

At the preliminary hearing, Justice Callahan had every reason to dismiss the case on constitutional grounds under the recent Defense of Marriage Act passed in Texas, banning gay marriage.  However, Callahan decided not only did she have jurisdiction to hear the matter, but stated in her decision that ban on gay marriage in Texas was unconstitutional under the 14th Amendment to the US Constitution.  The matter is set to proceed in early 2010, and if it is upheld on what will more than likely be an appeal from the State Attorney General, then the Texas legislature will undoubtedly have to rethink its Defense of Marriage Act.

WASHINGTON (AFP) - The US military's top officer delivered an ardent appeal for lifting the ban on gays serving openly in uniform, saying it was "the right thing to do."

In dramatic testimony before a Senate panel, Admiral Mike Mullen became the first chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff to endorse repealing the ban, providing a powerful boost to President Barack Obama's bid to change the policy.

But no action was on the horizon for at least a year as Mullen and Defense Secretary Robert Gates unveiled plans to carry out a year-long review looking at the possible effect of ending the ban.

"Speaking for myself, and myself only, it is my personal belief that allowing gays and lesbians to serve openly would be the right thing to do," Mullen said.

"No matter how I look at this issue, I cannot escape being troubled by the fact that we have in place a policy which forces young men and women to lie about who they are in order to defend their fellow citizens."

Wading into politically sensitive territory, Mullen said the issue "comes down to integrity, theirs as individuals and ours as an institution."