Federal judge strikes down Michigan ban
on same-sex marriage ADVERTISING Federal judge strikes down Michigan ban
on same-sex marriage DETROIT — Michigan’s ban on gay marriage is unconstitutional, a federal judge said Friday, striking down a law that was widely
Federal judge strikes down Michigan ban
on same-sex marriage
DETROIT — Michigan’s ban on gay marriage is unconstitutional, a federal judge said Friday, striking down a law that was widely embraced by voters a decade ago in the latest in a series of similar decisions across the country.
But unlike cases in other states, U.S. District Judge Bernard Friedman did not suspend his decision while the Michigan attorney general pursues an appeal. That means clerks could start issuing licenses Monday unless a higher court intervenes.
Friedman released his 31-page ruling exactly two weeks after a rare trial that mostly focused on the impact of same-sex parenting on children. The challenge was brought by two Detroit-area nurses originally seeking to overturn Michigan’s ban on joint adoptions by gay couples.
The judge noted that supporters of same-sex marriage believe the Michigan ban was at least partly the result of animosity toward gays and lesbians.
“Many Michigan residents have religious convictions whose principles govern the conduct of their daily lives and inform their own viewpoints about marriage,” Friedman said. “Nonetheless, these views cannot strip other citizens of the guarantees of equal protection under the law.”
Pricing game:
Walmart’s online tool compares rivals’ prices, offers shoppers lowest
NEW YORK — The “Every Day Low Price” king is trying to shake up the world of pricing once again.
Walmart told The Associated Press that it has rolled out an online tool that compares its prices on 80,000 food and household products — from canned beans to dishwashing soap — with those of its competitors. If a lower price is found elsewhere, the discounter will refund the difference to shoppers in the form a store credit.
The world’s largest retailer began offering the feature, called “Savings Catcher,” on its website late last month in seven big markets that include Dallas, San Diego and Atlanta. The tool compares advertised prices at retailers with physical stores, and not at online rivals such as Amazon.com that also offer low prices on staples.
The move by Walmart, which has a long history of undercutting competitors, could not only change the way people shop, but also how other retailers price their merchandise. After all, Americans already increasingly are searching for the lowest prices on their tablets and smartphones while in checkout aisles.
Shoppers do this so often that big retailers that include behemoths like Target and Best Buy have started offering to match the lower prices of rivals — but only if shoppers do the research on their own. The idea behind Walmart’s online feature, on the other hand, is to do the legwork for customers.
Purported ‘Crown
of Thorns’ goes on
display at Notre Dame Cathedral in Paris
PARIS — An ancient relic that many Christians revere as Jesus Christ’s “Crown of Thorns” has made a special public appearance at Notre Dame Cathedral in Paris.
The crown — a circular band of branches encased in a gilded, golden tube — is being displayed for three days to mark the 800th anniversary of the birthday and christening of King Louis IX of France, who acquired it in 1239.
The relic was first mentioned by Jerusalem pilgrims in the 5th century and was transferred to Constantinople in the 10th century.
The artifact has appeared in special ceremonies a handful of times in the last hundred years: in 1997, and in 1939 on the eve of World War II, to celebrate seven centuries since it came to France.
By wire sources
