2 - The Michigan Daily - Tuesday, March 15, 2005 NATION/WORLD Calif. judge rules for gay mamage NEWS IN BRIEF H E A D L IN E F RA R U W O R L D . U Supporters rejoice in recent of San Francisco's historical role as a gay rights But Kramer rejected that argument, citing 0 court decision finding the state bans unconstitutional SAN FRANCISCO (AP) - A judge ruled yesterday that California's ban on gay marriage is unconstitutional - a legal milestone that, if upheld on appeal, would open the way for the most populous state to follow Massachusetts in allowing same-sex couples to wed. Judge Richard Kramer of San Francisco Coun- ty's trial-level Superior Court likened the ban to laws requiring racial segregation in schools, and said there appears to be "no rational purpose" for denying marriage to gay couples. The ruling came in response to lawsuits filed by the city of San Francisco and a dozen gay couples a year ago after the California Supreme Court halted a four-week same-sex marriage spree started by Mayor Gavin Newsom. The opinion had been eagerly awaited because battleground.Y Gay marriage supporters hailed the ruling as a historic development akin to the 1948 state Supreme Court decision that made California the first state to legalize interracial marriage. "Today's ruling is an important step toward a more fair and just California that rejects discrimi- nation and affirms family values for all California families," San Francisco City Attorney Dennis Herrera said. At issue were a 1977 law that defined marriage as "a personal relation arising out of a civil contract between a man and a woman," and a voter-approved measure in 2000 that amended the law to say more explicitly: "Only marriage between a man and a woman is valid or recognized in California." The state maintained that tradition dictates that marriage should be limited to opposite-sex couples. Attorney General Bill Lockyer also cited the state's domestic-partners law as evidence that California does not discriminate against gays. Brown v. Board of Education - the landmark U.S. Supreme Court decision that struck down segregat- ed schools. "The idea that marriage-like rights without mar- riage is adequate smacks of a concept long rejected by the courts - separate but equal," the judge wrote. It could be months or years before the state actually sanctions same-sex marriage, if ever. Robert Tyler, an attorney with the conservative Alli- ance Defense Fund, said the group would appeal. And Lockyer has said in the past that he expected the matter eventually would have to be settled by the California Supreme Court. Last winter, nearly 4,000 gay couples got mar- ried after Newsom instructed the city to issue them licenses. The California Supreme Court later declared those marriages void, saying the mayor overstepped his authority. But the court did not address the underlying issue of whether the law against gay marriage violates the California Constitution. NYU in Prague Apply Now. . Explore a city rich with the artistic, architectural, and political legacy of three cultures: Czech, German, and Jewish. . Earn NYU credit while studying with the Czech Republic's most prominent scholars, artists, and leaders. . Take courses (taught in English) in Communications, Economics, European Studies, Fine Arts, History, Literature, Music, Politics, Sociology, and more. " Learn Czech, German, Polish, or Russian. . Scholarships are available. *edu/abroad/worldwide Palestinian holy site wili fall on Israeli side JERUSALEM (AP) - The final route of Israel's separationbarrier around Jerusalem will encompass large areas claimed by the Palestin- ians, including their intended capital and the biggest Jewish settlement in the West Bank, Israeli officials con- firmed yesterday. The route would also place a holy site in the Palestinian town of Bethlehem on the Israeli side of the barrier, while leaving a Palestinian refugee camp in Jerusalem encircled by a separate fence, the officials said. Late yesterday, Israeli and Palestin- ian Cabinet ministers agreed again on a handover of the West Bank town of Jericho to Palestinian security control. Earlier agreements fell through over details about roadblocks. Israeli officials said the handover is set for Wednesday, to be followed two or three days later by Tulkarem, then Qalqiliya. Two other towns are to be transferred to Palestinian control as well - Bethlehem and Ramallah - but those were not agreed on at yesterday's meeting between Palestinian Interior Minister Nasser Yousef and Israeli Defense Minister Shaul Mofaz. U.N. Secretary-General Kofi Annan, meanwhile, was optimistic about efforts to get peace talks back on track, saying "the positive developments here give us a chance to re-energize the process." Annan spoke after meeting with Palestinian leader Mahmoud Abbas in the West Bank city of Ramallah. Pal- estinian militants were to begin talks Tuesday in Cairo on formalizing an unofficial truce with Israel. Israel began building the barrier in the West Bank two years ago, saying it was needed to keep out Palestinian attackers. Palestinians say the struc- ture, which dips into the West Bank, is an attempt by Israel to impose a border without waiting for a peace deal. The section around Jerusalem is especially sensitive. The Palestinians hope to establish their capital in east Jerusalem, a traditional Arab commer- cial, religious and social center. Israel, which captured east Jerusalem in the 1967 Mideast war, claims all the city as its capital. Prime Minister Ariel Sharon con- vened a meeting of senior Cabinet min- isters late Sunday to discuss the route of the barrier, which got Cabinet approval last month. Under the plan, the West Bank settle- ment of Maaleh Adumim, which lies five miles east of Jerusalem, would be on the Israeli side of the barrier, Israeli officials said. About 30,000 Israelis live in Maaleh Adumim, the largest Jewish settlement. "Does anyone have even the slightest doubt that Maaleh Adumim is an inte- gral part of Israel?" said Israeli Vice Premier Ehud Olmert, who heads a ministerial committee on the Jerusalem barrier. A senior Israeli official said the com- mittee is planning 11 crossings to allow access from the West Bank. Univer tyefM hgan 2005« Instte May 9-14 or August 22-27 At LeaderShape you will.... AT LANTA Courthouse suspect's rape case a mistrial Prosecutors yesterday dropped a weapons charge against a man accused of opening fire in an Atlanta courthouse, and a mistrial was declared in the suspect's rape case as officials continued sorting out charges in the slayings of a judge and three others. The suspected gunman, Brian Nichols, could appear in court as early as today, authorities said. He was arrested Saturday morning after a rampage that began when he overpowered a sheriff's deputy who was escorting him to his rape trial. Nichols, 33, had been in federal custody since his arrest on a federal firearms charge. But officials announced Monday that the charge had been dropped so he could be hand- ed over to Fulton County authorities, who will likely be the first to prosecute him. He faces federal and state charges in the deaths of a judge, a court reporter, a deputy and a federal agent. Prosecutors will likely decide within 30 days what charges to file against Nichols, said Fulton County district attorney's spokesman Erik Friedly. Nichols was being retried for rape and other charges when he escaped from a deputy Friday. BEIRUT, Lebanon Anti-Syria rally dwarfs Hezbollah event Hundreds of thousands of anti-Syrian demonstrators flooded the capital yester- day in the biggest protest ever in Lebanon, surpassing the turnout for an earlier pro- Damascus rally organized by the Islamic militant Hezbollah. In a show of national unity, Sunnis, Druse and Christians packed Martyrs' Square as brass bands played and balloons soared skyward. The rally, perhaps the biggest anti-government demonstration ever staged in the Arab world, was the opposition's bid to regain momentum after two serious blows: the reinstatement of the pro-Syrian prime minister and a huge rally last week by the Shiite group Hezbollah. Protesters - some bused in from across Lebanon - jammed Martyrs' Square and spilled into nearby streets. They chanted, sang and shouted in a mix of the Arabic accents of the country's regions, demanding Syrian troops depart and that their government be purged of Damascus's influence. BAGHDAD, Iraq Kurds, Shiites meet for last-minute talks Kurdish leaders converged on Baghdad for last-minute talks yesterday with majority Shiites as both sides pressed to secure a deal to form a coali- tion government before the newly elected parliament meets for the first time later this week. In northern Iraq, gunmen killed Hussam Hilal Sarsam, a Kurdish camera- man for the Kurdish satellite channel KurdSat, witnesses who saw his corpse transported by Iraqi troops outside the governor's office in Mosul said. Twelve miles south of Baghdad, a suicide car bomb exploded in Youssifi- yah, said police Lt. Adnan Mohammed of the nearby Mahmudiyah hospital. The blast missed a convoy of SUVs, hitting a civilian vehicle instead and wounding four civilians. In the capital, five bodyguards of Sa'ad al-Amily, the Healtp Ministry's director general, were wounded in a roadside bomb attack, a police captain said on condition of anonymity. NEW YORK Clinton recovering from successful surgery Former President Clinton left the hospital yesterday, four days after undergoing surgery to remove scar tissue and fluid around his left lung. "I'm glad to be home and look forward to getting back to work within the next month or so," Clinton said in a statement issued by his spokesman, Jim Kennedy. Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton accompanied her husband from the hospital to their home, where the 42nd president was to continue his recovery. A motorcade of five or six SUVs was seen leaving New York-Presbyterian Hospi- tal/Columbia University Medical Center shortly after 5 p.m. Clinton's problem developed after his heart bypass surgery six months ago. Doctors described last week's operation as a low-risk procedure to relieve a prob- lem that crops up in only a fraction of 1 percent of bypass cases. 6 I 4 - Compiled from Daily wire reports ww .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 fall term, starting in September, via U.S. mail are $110. Winter term (January through April) is $115, yearlong (September through April) is $195. University affiliates are subject to a reduced subscription rate. On-campus subscriptions for fall term are $35. Subscriptions 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 tothedaily@michigandaily.com. , I! I~m e r u , . m . ie 14 NEWS Farayha Arrine, Managing Editor 763-2459, nows@mIchigandaIly.com EDITORS: Melissa Benton, Donn M. Fresard, Michael Kan, Jameel Naqvl STAFF: Omayah Atassi, Liz Belts, Adrian Chen, Amber Colvin, Jon Cohen, Jeremy Davidson, Adhiraj Dutt, Victoria Edwards, Chloe Foster, Laura Frank, Magaly Grimaldo, Julia Heming, Tina Hildreth, Jacqueline Howard, Alexa Jenner, Anne Joling, Carmen Johnson, Genevieve Lampinen, Andrew Kaplan, Emily Kraack, Rachel Kruer, Tomislav Ladika, Kingson Man, Kelly McDermott, Carissa Miller, Justin Miller, Naila Moreira, Mark Osmond, Kristin Ostby, Koustubh Patwardhan, Leslie Rott, Ekjyot Saini, Talia Selitsky, Sarah Sprague, Karl Stampfl, Abby Stassen, Phil Svabik, Karen Tee, Kim Tomlin, Laura Van Hyfte OPINION Suhael Momin, Sam Singer, Editors 763-0379, opinion@mIchigandaily.com ASSOCIATE EDITORS: Matt Rose, Christopher Zbrozek STAFF: Emily Beam, Katherine Cantor, Whitney Dibo, Daniel Faichney, Jesse Forester, Mara Gay, Jared Goldberg, Theresa Kennelly, Andy Kula, Rajiv Prabhakar,, David Russell, Dan Skowronski, Brian Slade CARTOONISTS: Sam Butler, Colin Daly, Alexander Honkala COLUMNISTS: Daniel Adams, Jasmine Clair, Jeff Cravens, Joel Hoard, Sowmya Krishnamurthy, Elliott Mallen, Zac Peskowitz, Jordan Schrader, Dan Shuster SPORTS Ian Herbert, Managing Editor 764-8585, sports@michigandaily.com SENIOR EDITORS: Eric Ambinder, Josh Holman, Megan Kolodgy, Sharad Mattu, Stephanie Wright NIGHT EDITORS: James V. Dowd, Jack Herman, Katie Niemeyer, Jake Rosenwasser, Matt Singer, Matt Venegoni STAFF: Scott Bell, H. Jose Bosch, Daniel Bremmer, Daniel Bromwich, Chris Burke, Gabe Edelson, Gennaro Filice, Seth Gordon, Tyler Hagle, Bob Hunt, Jamie Josephson, Max Kardon. Dan Ketchel, Dan Levy, Sara Livingston, Ellen McGarrity, Chastity Rolling, Brian Schick, Pete Sneider, Ryan Sosin, Anne Uible, Ben Voss, Kevin Wright ARTS Adam Rottenberg, Managing Editor 763-0379, artspage@michigandaily.com ASSOCIATE EDITOR: Alexandra M. Jones, Melissa Runstrom WEEKEND MAGAZINE EDITORS: Ashley Dinges, Doug Wernert SUB-EDITORS: Victoria Edwards, Marshall W. Lee, Punit Mattoo, Evan McGarvey, Bernie Nguyen STAFF: Amanda Andrade, Rachel Berry, Lindsey Bieber, Jeffrey Bloomer, Zach Borden, Lloyd Cargo, Forest Casey, Cyril Cordor, Ian Dickinson, Will Dunlap, Andrew M. Gaerig, Chris Gaerig, Leah Hangarter, Brandon Hang, Lynn Hasselbarth, Joel Hoard, Kevin Hollifield, Andrew Horowitz, Megan Jacobs, Michelle Kjek, Matt Kivel, Garrick Kobylarz, Emily Liu, Jacob Nathan, Jared Newman, Sarah Peterson, Jason Roberts, Ruby Robinson, Niamh Slevin, Abby Stotz PHOTO Ryan Weiner, Managing Editor 764-2459, photo@michigandaiy.com ASSOCIATE EDITORS: Forest Casey, Jason Cooper ASSISTANT EDITORS: Trevor Campbell, Ali Olsen, David Tuman STAFF: Tony Ding, Amy Drumm, Alexander Dziadosz, Cristina Fotieo, Joel Friedman, Glenn Getty, Tommaso Gomez, Ashley Harper, Mike Hulsebus, Jeff Lehnert, Shubra Ohri, Eugene Robertson, Peter Schottenfels, Julia Tapper GRAPHIC DESIGN STAFF: Patricia Chang, Matthew DanielsAshley Dinges, Megan Greydanus, Ashleigh Henton, Lindsey Ungar I I ONLINE 763-2459, online@michigandally.com EDITOR: Angela Cesere STAFF: Bethany Dykstra, Mira Levitan I -J [4 ~ IU~-.~-i .1.. Eston Bond, Managing Editor DISPLAY SALES Christine Hua, Manager 764-0554, display@mIchigandally.com ASSOCIATE SALES MANAGER: Courtney Dwyer SPECIAL SECTIONS MANAGER: Lindsay Pudavick STAFF: Kat Abke, Robert Chin, Esther Cho, Emily Cipriano, Michael Cooper, David Dai, Daniel DiCamillo, Courtney Dwyer, Shannon Fink, Alexis Flod, Ina Geci, Adam Gross, Mark Hynes, Betsy Kuller, Nicole Kulwicki, Katie Merten, Donny Perach, James Richardson, Jessica Sachs, Natalie :