Israeli
government ordered to recognize same-sex marriages performed
abroad

In an unprecedented ruling, Israel's supreme court ordered the government Tuesday to recognize same-sex marriages performed abroad. The lone dissenter on the seven-judge panel is an observant Jew, highlighting the controversy the decision is likely to touch off among ultra-Orthodox Jews and other deeply conservative groups in Israel. The ruling is also contentious because ultra-Orthodox rabbinical authorities currently have a monopoly on marriage and divorce in Israel. (AP)