marriage news stories on Newser

Romney: Marriage Is Between a Man and a Woman

John Johnson — Sat, 12 May 2012 12:20:01 CDT

Mitt Romney didn't get very political in his commencement speech at Jerry Falwell's Liberty University today, but his brief reference to gay marriage earned his loudest ovation, reports the Washington Post . “Culture—what you believe, what you value, how you live—matters,” Romney said. “As fundamental as these principles are,...

Lesbian Seeking Marriage License Arrested in NC

Rob Quinn — Fri, 11 May 2012 04:31:00 CDT

A lesbian who refused to leave a North Carolina government office without a wedding license was taken away in handcuffs yesterday after what organizers say was the first of many protests against the state's newly passed gay marriage ban . After a march through downtown Winston-Salem, nine gay and lesbian couples—...

Inside a Love Gutted by Dementia

Matt Cantor — Sun, 06 May 2012 08:05:36 CDT

A little-known form of dementia can turn sufferers into completely different people, leaving spouses and children struggling to cope with someone who's still there in body but not in mind. Frontotemporal dementia bears some similarities to Alzheimer's—but it can hit patients who are younger and it develops faster. The...

Nigerian State Playing Matchmaker for Thousands

Matt Cantor — Sun, 06 May 2012 07:37:56 CDT

Nigeria's Kano state is worried: The number of divorces appears to be skyrocketing. And a divorced woman there faces a raft of problems—she may be shunned, in some cases forced to beg or prostitute herself to support her family. So the state government is taking the matter into its...

More Women 'Marrying Down'

Neal Colgrass — Sun, 08 Apr 2012 16:33:45 CDT

Kate Middleton's rags-to-riches marriage may seem weirdly anachronistic to future generations, the Daily Mail reports. According to a British study, women are not only more likely to get a higher education , they're less likely to "marry up" and more likely to "marry down." Brides born in 1958 had a 38%...

1st 'Divorce Expo' Puts Positive Face on Breakups

Neal Colgrass — Sat, 31 Mar 2012 15:29:42 CDT

Divorcees looking for a little advice (or the company of formerly married peeps) are heading over to the so-called divorce expo in New York today, the New York Times reports. “We’re putting a positive face on divorce,” says Francine Baras, co-founder of Start Over Smart—which costs $75 and up...

Living Together No Longer Jinxes Marriage

Dustin Lushing — Fri, 23 Mar 2012 15:35:05 CDT

Living together before getting hitched no longer spells doom for married couples, says a new government study. In the late '60s, a mere 10% of American couples shared a place before marriage, and their divorce rates were higher, writes AP . Now, around 60% of couples move in together before tying...

Cops: Guy Hid Transmitter Under Wife's Bed

John Johnson — Sun, 11 Mar 2012 19:00:05 CDT

The weird crime story of the week from Raccoon Township in Pennsylvania's Beaver County. It seems a woman called police to say she found a "transmitter device" under her bed and was pretty sure her estranged husband put it there, reports the Beaver County Times . When cops approached 66-year-old Wayne...

Gay Texas Judge Refuses to Marry Straight Couples

Rob Quinn — Fri, 24 Feb 2012 04:00:00 CST

Dallas judge Tonya Parker says she won't be conducting any marriage ceremonies until she and every other gay person in Texas have the same right to marry. When she turns straight couples away, Parker tells them: "I’m sorry. I don’t perform marriage ceremonies because we are in a state that...