Homosexuals have been able to register as couples for years now, but the Dutch Parliament yesterday approved a bill by a vote of 107-33 giving gay marriages the same legal status as heterosexual marriages. Gay couples will now be allowed to marry in town halls, adopt children, and divorce through the courts. (See also the Associated Press' coverage.)

Nine months after the city of Al-Koshh (also spelled El-Kosheh and several other variants) erupted in deadly riots that left 23 people (almost all Christians) dead. Twenty people were sentenced to various terms of hard labor, from one year to 10; 76 other defendants are being or have been tried for involvement in the riots. "The court, as well as the Egyptian people, Muslims and Christians, regret the events that occurred. Let those be exceptional events, that are never to be repeated," Judge Safa al Noufous Mohamed al Khatib said as he read out the verdicts.

A new bungee-jump ride in downtown Beijing has irritated members of a 350-year-old Catholic church—right across the street from the ride, less than 150 feet away. The ride can be seen through the windows of the church, and parishioners are concerned that happy screams will interrupt church services. Other neighbors disagree. "I don't see any clash between the bungee jumping and church,'' college student Zhao Haixiang tells the Associated Press. "Religion ought to be part of life. We shouldn't make it too serious." Plus, life could be a lot worse for the church than a neighboring bungee ride.

"I ...