• First Gay Couples in Connecticut Tie the Knot
• Court Rules Navy Can Continue Sonar Exercises Despite Threat to Marine Mammals
• Bolivia to Inspect US DEA Offices
• Another School Collapses in Haiti
• Saffron Rebellion Activists Receive Lengthy Prison Terms
• US Missile Defense Talks with Russia Break Down

First Gay Couples in Connecticut Tie the Knot
That's the sound from New Haven City Hall this morning as gay and lesbians cheered the first same sex marriages. Today the state finalized a state Supreme Court decision from September to legalize gay marriage. This morning a lesbian couple took out the first marriage license that no longer lists the partners as "bride" and "groom." Melinda Tuhus reports from New Haven.

Reporter:
Barbara and Robin Levine-Ritterman were among the 8 same-sex couples whose victory at the Connecticut Supreme Court in September legalized same-sex marriage.  The court ruled they had a right to equal protection under the state Constitution.  The couple had a commitment ceremony 16 years ago, and then was joined in a civil union when that became available in Connecticut in 2005. But standing on the steps of City Hall amidst white balloons, red roses, and supporters wearing big pink "I do" buttons, Barbara said that wasn't good enough when she went to the hospital for a cancer checkup.

"When they said, 'What's your marital status?' I said 'civil union,' and she said, 'Oh, there's no place for that in the computer; I'll just put you down as single.' Which just made me feel like I was back up there when the chemo almost killed me and wondering if I got sent to the intensive care unit, was Robin going to be able to come with me?"
 
The Levine-Rittermans haven't set a wedding date yet, but later in the morning, a lesbian couple that was not party to the lawsuit got married at City Hall.  For FSRN, I'm Melinda Tuhus in New Haven.
 

Court Rules Navy Can Continue Sonar Exercises Despite Threat to Marine Mammals
The US Supreme Court released its first decision of the current term today – siding with the Navy in a case about sonar and its effects on marine mammals.  Environmentalists argue the sonar used by submarines and other vessels can cause irreversible damage to dolphins and whales.  But the justices determined the need for the Navy to conduct realistic training exercises outweighed the potential for harm.  The Navy is now cleared to go forward with testing off the coast of Southern California.

Bolivia to Inspect US DEA Offices
The US and Bolivian governments are taking steps to ease their current diplomatic crisis.  Leny Olivera reports from Bolivia.

Reporter:
The Bolivian government and the U.S. embassy have agreed to carry out inspections of Drug Enforcement Administration offices throughout Bolivia. The announcement came after a meeting in La Paz between the US Embassy and Bolivian ministers. Relations between two countries broke down on November 1st, when president Evo Morales suspended the work of the US Drug Enforcement Agency in Bolivia, saying the agency's officials were planning to undermine his administration.  The objective of the inspections is to find information to confirm those suspicions.  The inspections will be carried out the 14 and 15 of November, led by high-ranking Bolivian police and the interior minister.  Bolivia is also setting up its own internal agency to fight drug trafficking.  For FSRN I'm Leny Olivera from Cochabamba, Bolivia.
 
Another School Collapses in Haiti
Another school building has collapsed in Haiti today following heavy rains.  The building came down while classes were in session and injured 9 people.  This is the second school to collapse in a week. The first, last Friday, killed nearly 90.

Saffron Rebellion Activists Receive Lengthy Prison Terms
Human rights groups are criticizing the Junta of Myanmar, or Burma, for handing down 65-year sentences to 14 activists. Amnesty International claims they are among 2,000 political prisoners in Burma's jails.  FSRN's Claudia Cragg reports.

Reporter:
Those sentenced are part of the Generation '88 Students group being punished for their activities during the so-called "Saffron Revolution," a monk-led uprising in Burma last year.  Speaking to FSRN, David Mathieson of Human Rights' Watch said he is not surprised that, so far, there appears to be no reaction within Burma.

"These harsh sentences and intense intimidation are designed to scare the population so they won't protest, so they won't actually challenge the military government."

Mathieson is calling for the UN to rise to the challenge of showing how unfair the jail terms are.

"It's ludicrous that people facing 150 years in prison on some 22 trumped up charges for doing nothing more than marching peacefully down the street and calling for dialogue with the military government for sustainable reform"

Meanwhile, a prominent labor rights activist, Su Su Nway, has also been sentenced to 12 and a half years for a poem criticizing General Than Shwe.  And a 28-year-old blogger has been given 20 years. For Free Speech Radio News, I'm Claudia Cragg.

US Missile Defense Talks with Russia Break Down
And mediation talks have broken down today between Russia and the United States over a proposed missile defense system in Poland and the Czech Republic.  Russia has countered with threats of its own missile deployment on the border of Poland.