2 - The Michigan Daily - January 13, 2004 NATION/WORLD Fox supports Bush NEWS IN BRIEF HA NEFMAROUND THE WORLD ,;.. ..J1 t f, z-s. immigration plan TRENTON,NJ. New Jersey legalizes same-sex unions AP PHo Iraqi school children wait quietly yesterday as Iraqi police officers pass out flyers asking the children to help coalition forces near Ramadi, Iraq. Iraqis ro over lack of work and food MONTERREY, Mexico (AP) - President Bush and Mexican President Vicente Fox forged agreement yester- day on the contentious issues of immi- gration and Iraq, ending two years of discord that followed the terrorist attacks of Sept. 11, 2001. Fox wholeheartedly embraced Bush's immigration proposal to grant legal status to millions of undocument- ed workers in the United States, most of them from Mexico. "What else can we wish?" Fox said at a news confer- ence with the president. The two leaders met before the opening of a 34-nation hemispheric summit dealing with issues such as poverty, trade, corruption and unhappi- ness in Latin America about new U.S. -security measures to combat terrorism. Bush dismissed suggestions that the immigration proposal was an election- year gambit to attract Hispanic voters in America. However, Bush predicted, "There will be politics probably involved in whether or not it passes Congress." "It recognizes the reality of our country," Bush said. "The truth is, the vast majority of foreign workers in America are from Mexico." The two leaders were eager to proj- ect unity after two rocky years. The Sept. 11 attacks distracted Bush from the immigration overhaul that Fox had appealed for, and relations cooled further when Mexico refused to support the U.S.-led invasion of Iraq. In August 2002, Fox canceled a visit to Bush's ranch to protest the Texas execution of police killer Javier Suarez Medina. In a gesture of reconciliation, Bush re-invited Fox to his Texas ranch March 5 and 6, and Fox accepted. They sought to emphasize agree- ment on postwar Iraq, too. Fox con- gratulated Bush for the capture of Saddam Hussein by American forces. "He will be taken to trial, to judgment. We fully support that," the Mexican president said. Bush offered a forceful defense of the war, despite U.S. casualty totals approaching 500. "The decision I made is the right one for America. And history will provide it is the right one for the world," he said. On another issue, Bush declined to criticize former Treasury Secretary Paul O'Neill, whose new book says the administration aimed to topple the Iraqi government before the Sept. 11 attacks. New Jersey became the fifth state to recognize same-sex partnerships yester- day, but activists said they will not stop the fight until openly gay couples can legally marry. Under the new law, domestic partners will gain access to medical benefits, insurance and other legal rights. New Jersey also will recognize such partnerships granted in other states. The bill does not authorize gay marriage, which is against the law in New Jer- sey and Gov. James E. McGreevey said he would not support legislation that would amend the state's marriage laws to include same-sex partners. The law will not force businesses to offer health coverage to same-sex partners of employees but does require insurance companies to make it available. It also allows a surviving partner to gain property rights and other survivor's benefits. "This legislation is a matter of fundamental decency," McGreevey said before signing the law. At least one conservative group plans a court challenge to the law, while gay rights activists said they would push for more. "We are pursuing all roads to justice," said Laura Popel, president New Jersey Lesbian and Gay Coalition. JERUSALEM Sharon to seek parliament approval of plan Prime Minister Ariel Sharon promised his hard-line allies yesterday that he would seek parliament approval before taking unilateral steps in the West Bank and Gaza Strip. A top Sharon confident said Israel could start taking steps to with- draw from parts of the territories in about six months. Speaking to parliament, Sharon sought to reassure coalition partners who have been alarmed by his plans to pull back troops and dismantly some Jewish settle- ments if peace negotiations with the Palestinians don't bring results. Parliamentary approval for Sharon's so-called plan of disengagement from the Palestinians would not be assured. Right wingers oppose the withdrawal, and moderates accuse Sharon of trying to impose a boundary on the Palestinians. Sharon said yesterday he remains committed to the U.S.-backed "road map" peace plan that envisions a Palestinian state as the centerpiece of a peace deal by 2005. The prime minister reiterated that if it becomes clear in the coming months In third day of protests, 400 Iraqis march on government building KUT, Iraq (AP) - Ukrainian sol- diers fired into the air yesterday to dis- perse hundreds of Iraqis who rioted for jobs and food as a second southern Shiite Muslim city was rocked by unrest - a barometer of rising frustra- tion with the U.S. led-occupation in a region of Iraq considered friendly to the Americans. Also yesterday, a roadside bomb in the capital killed one American soldier and wounded two, bringing the U.S. death toll in the Iraqi conflict to 495. Large explosions rocked central Bagh- dad later in the day, but officials reported no casualties. Trouble started in Kut, 95 miles southeast of Baghdad, when about 400 protesters marched for a third straight day on a government building to demand jobs. Someone in the crowd threw a grenade at police and Ukrainian sol- diers guarding the building, injuring four Iraqi policemen and one Ukrain- ian, according to Lt. Zafer Wedad. The Ukrainians then fired in the air to disperse the crowd, injuring one pro- tester, Wedad said. He said the demon- strators hurled bricks at the building and trashed a post office in the city. In a similar protest in Amarah on Sunday, waves of protesters rushed British troops guarding the city hall before being pushed back. On Satur- day, clashes in Amarah killed six pro- testers and wounded at least 11. Unrest in the Shiite areas has spread as the country's leading Shiite cleric, Grand Ayatollah Ali al-Husseini al-Sis- tani, has spoken out against the U.S.- backed formula for transferring power to the Iraqis. In a full-page newspaper advertise- ment yesterday, al-Sistani repeated his demand that a proposed provisional legislature be elected rather than cho- sen by regional committees as called for under a plan endorsed by the U.S.- led coalition and the Iraqi Governing Council. Al-Sistani is highly influential among Iraq's majority Shiites. No details were available about the death in Baghdad of the 1st Armored Division soldier. Most of the U.S. deaths in Iraq have occurred since President Bush declared an end to major combat on May 1. Still, U.S. officials said yesterday that insurgent attacks against coalition forces declined to an average of 17 a day in the past week, compared to 30 a day before Saddam Hussein was cap- tured on Dec. 13: Most of the attacks are believed carried out by supporters of the ousted regime. In the late yesterday blasts, Iraqi and U.S. security officials said at least two mortars exploded near the Baghdad Hotel in the center of the capital. At least one round exploded in the Tigris River and the other exploded on the river bank, U.S. troops said. There were no casualties, the Americans said. Opposites attract that the Palestinians are not living up to al steps. WASH INGTON Guns used in crimes linked to same stores About one of every seven guns linked to American crimes or consid- ered suspicious from 1996 through 2000 can be traced back to the same 120 gun stores, a gun safety group said yesterday, urging the government to set up a watch list of irresponsible or cor- rupt gun dealers. Of the 373,006 guns traced from crimes during the five-year period, 54,694 came from the 120 stores, according to data from the Bureau of Alcohol, Firearms, Tobacco and Explo- sives. The data, which surfaced in a lawsuit by the NAACP against gun manufacturers, was made public by the Washington-based Americans for Gun Safety Foundation. The 120 stores - located in 22 states - made up less than 1 percent of the 80,000 individuals and stores licensed to sell guns during that peri- od, said Jim Kessler, the group's poli- cy director. TOMYO U.S. seeks expanded Japanese military role As Japan prepares to send hundreds of troops to help rebuild Iraq, some U.S. officials hope the deployment marks a 1 their obligations, he will take unilater- first step in drawing the staunch Ameri- can ally into a more active role in U.S.- supported military operations. Bush administration and Pentagon officials would be happy to see Japan evolve into an ally like Australia, will- ing to commit its high-tech combat forces to coalition operations around the world, according to a Western diplo- mat in Tokyo, speaking yesterday on the condition of anonymity. Gen. Richard Myers, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, called the impend- ing Japanese deployment historic. WASHINGTON Poll: Americans split over colony on moon President Bush's plan to build a space station on the moon and eventual- ly send astronauts to Mars hasn't grabbed the public's imagination, an Associated Press poll suggests. More than half in the poll said it would be better to spend the money on domestic programs rather than on space research. Asked whether they favored the Unit- ed States expanding the space program the way Bush proposes, people were evenly split, with 48 percent favoring the idea and the same number opposing it, according to the poll conducted for the AP by Ipsos-Public Affairs. - Compiled from Daily wire reports , 6 Former sumo wrestler Konishiki and his wife, Chie lijima, announce their marriage at a Tokyo hotel yesterday during a press conference. i CONNERLY Continued from Page 1 Bollinger." BAMN and other activists counter that race-conscious admissions is nec- essary for equality. Massie argued that there is a pattern of discrimination throughout history. "Inequality is an inescapable part of society. What affirmative action attempts to do is offset that. Without (racial preferences) the University of Michigan would return to a virtually all white institution as it was before affir- mative action was instituted," he said. "I don't think there's any under- qualified minorities that have been accepted to the University of Michi- gan," he added. Polls indicate that over half of Michigan's voters oppose racial pref- erences. And students are part of the largest group that approve of banning racial preferences in higher education, said Gratz. "Most support comes from young voters" according to a recent poll, she said. But MCRI may face obstacles in the Democratic Party, which is opposing the initiative, and the Republicn Party, which has officially refused to support the campaign. Despite the presence of three repub- lican state representatives at the event yesterday, prominent members of the Michigan Republican Party, such as GOP Chair Betsy DeVos, view MCRI as divisive to the state. MCRI Co-Chair and State Rep. Leon Drolet (R-Clinton Twp.) said Connerly will be an advisor to the MCRI. "Ward's national organization is an important source of advice. No one is more experienced," Drolet said. The first person to sign the MCRI petition was University philosophy Prof. and MCRI member Carl Cohen, who encouraged Gratz to bring a law- suit against the University. "With this initiative let us guarantee that all citizens regardless of their race or national origin will be equal before the law," said Cohen as he signed the petition. The signature drive is expected to cost $1 million, and if the petition is completed MCRI expects to spend another $4 million getting the initiative WWW.MICHIGANDAILY.COM The Michigan Daily (ISSN 0745-967) is published Monday through Friday during the fall and winter terms by students at the University of Michigan. One copy is available free of charge to all readers. Additional copies may be picked up at the Daily's office for $2. Subscriptions for fail term, starting in September, via U.S. mail are $105. Winter term (January through April) is $110, yearlong (September through April) is $190. University affiliates are subject to a reduced subscription rate. On-campus subscriptions for fall term are $35. Subscrip- tions must be prepaid. The Michigan Daily is a member of The Associated Press and The Associated Collegiate Press. ADDRESS: The Michigan Daily, 420 Maynard St., Ann Arbor, Michigan 48109-1327. E-mail letters to the editor to letters@michigandaily.com. NEWS Shabina S. 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