The US government says it will no longer defend in the courts a law which bans the recognition of same sex marriage.

US Attorney General Eric Holder said the administration would no longer defend the Defense of Marriage Act (Doma).

Doma defines marriage as "only a legal union between one man and one woman as husband and wife".

Until now the US has defended the law in challenges to its constitutionality.

In a letter to the House speaker John Boehner, Mr Holder said that President Obama had concluded Doma is "unconstitutional".

Court challenge

It "violates the equal protection component of the Fifth Amendment," the letter reads.

"While both the wisdom and the legality of Section 3 of DOMA will continue to be the subject of both extensive litigation and public debate, this administration will no longer assert its constitutionality in court," added the statement.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-us-canada-12560964