Washington, DC, USA. The California Supreme Court reignited a political wildfire with its ruling legalizing same-sex marriage in the most populous state in the union, but the issue already has burned out in more than half the states. More than four years ago, Massachusetts’ first-in-the-nation decision legalizing gay marriage sparked a political backlash that resulted in voter-approved constitutional bans on same-sex weddings in 23 states. Four states already had constitutional bans.

This year, voters in three more states — California, Arizona and Florida — are likely to consider similar bans.

In addition, high courts in three states — Maryland (2007), New York (2006) and Washington state (2006) — already have ruled against gay couples’ claims that matrimony is a state constitutional right. Two other courts, New Jersey (2006) and Vermont (1999), ruled that same-sex couples have the right to the benefits of marriage, but not the title. A similar case is awaiting decision in

Bilbao, Spain. Most scientific and technological advances tend to take their place silently in society until general awareness reaches a critical level (usually after the fact). Biotechnology often finds itself the center of public debate and regulatory attention from the start, due partly to the moral issues posed by many of its applications. Stem cell research is one example, garnering extensive comments and debate by by public officials and pundits from many corners of society. But what do ordinary citizens have to say on the subject?

In the Second BBVA Foundation International Study on Attitudes to Biotechnology, the BBVA Foundation performed an in-depth comparative analysis of the attitudes of citizens towards research with embryos for the purpose of obtaining stem cells. Survey respondents were drawn from 12 European countries plus Israel, Japan, and the United States.

Sacramento, CA, USA. The California Supreme Court has ruled that California's ban on same-sex marriage is unconstitutional. Under court rules, the ruling takes effect in 30 days.

Opponents of the decision say they will ask the court to place a stay on its decision pending a public vote expected to take place in November.

The court's 121-page majority opinion states that California law may not deprive gays and lesbians of the same rights enjoyed by other citizens.

Springfield, VA. USA. Kenneth Zucker is a specialist in Gender Identity Disorder (GID) which he associates with homosexuality, both of which he feels can treated and “cured” with reparation therapy. Zucker will chair the workgroup on sexual and GID disorders that will develop the guidelines for the fifth edition of the American Psychiatric Association (APA), a revision to the APA Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM). The final result, DSM-V is planned for completion in 2010.

To date there are no scientifically rigorous outcome studies to determine either the actual effectiveness of “reparative” treatments or the harm to the patient that may come from them. The emperor has no clothes.

Theories of "reparative" therapists define homosexuality as either a developmental arrest, a severe form of psychopathology, or some combination of both. In recent years, versions of "reparative" therapy have integrated older psychoanalytic theories that pathologize homosex