The Michigan Daily - michigandaily.com Monday, Apri115, 2013 - 3A The Michigan Daily - michigandailycom MondayApriIl5,2013-3A NEWS BRIEFS DETROIT Program launched to help immigrant entrepreneurs As lawmakers in Washing- ton work out an overhaul of the immigration system, a Michi- gan-based social and economic services agency has launched a comprehensive program to help immigrants open or expand businesses. Dearborn-based ACCESS recently held a graduation cer- emony for the inaugural class of its Immigrant Entrepreneur Development Program. It's one of several immigrant- and refu- gee-focused efforts in the orga- nization's new Growth Center division. The Detroit area, which is home to one of the nation's larg- est Arab populations, also has Nigerian, Bangladeshi, Bosnian and other communities. The pro- gram aims to assist newcomers in their entrepreneurial quest through classes, individual busi- ness coaching and direct access to programs and services inside and outside of the organiza- tion, such as business incuba- tors and financial institutions. SAN FRANCISCO Injuries sustained 0 in tour bus crash near Yosemite A tour bus carrying visitors from Yosemite National Park was traveling at an unsafe speed when the driver lost control and crashed on a mountain road, leaving 16 people injured, the California Highway Patrol said Sunday. The bus was about six miles outside of the south entrance of the park when it went off High- way 41, a winding mountain road, when it crashed about 6 p.m. Saturday. It came to a stop when it hit a tree, CHP Officer Scott Jobinger said. Fifteen pas sengers and a tour guide suffered minor to moder- ate injuries. NEW YORK 9/11 memorial to begin charging $2 reservation fee Visitors to the National Sep- tember 11 Memorial & Museum must now pay a $2 service fee to reserve passes online or by phone. The fee went into effect last month, although there is no charge for admission to the memorial on the World Trade Center site. There's also no charge for same- day passes distributed on a first- come, first-served basis. Family members of some 9/11 victims say the fee violates the memorial's mission. "They're making money off the people that died. It's disgust- ing," Jim Riches, a retired FDNY deputy chief who lost his firefight- er son, told the New York Post. RIYADH, Saudi Arabia Prince backs new reforms allowing women to drive Saudi billionaire Prince Alwaleed bin Talal has indicated support of allowing women there to drive. He says that would help the kingdom's campaign to cut down on the number of foreign workers. Saudi Arabia follows an ultra- conservative interpretation of Islam and bans women from driv- ing. "The question of allowing women to drive in Saudi Arabia will save more than 500,000 jobs in addition to the social and eco- nomic benefits," the prince wrote Sunday on his Twitter account. Thousands of foreign workers have been fired from their jobs and then deported, part of a gov- ernment campaign against for- eigners who illegally reside and work in the kingdom. -Compiled from Daily wire reports. London School blasts BBC for phony trip S US( U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry, center, tours the Zojoji Buddhist temple in Tokyo Sunday, April 14, 2013. The United States and Japan on Sunday offered new talks with North Korea concerning the nation's nuclear programs. Sec. Kerry in Japan to seek diplomacy with North Korea Seoul and Beijing also stops on State Department trip TOKYO (AP) - The United States and Japan opened the door Sunday to new nuclear talks with North Korea if the saber-rattling country low- ered tensions and honored past agreements, even as it rejected South Korea's latest offer of dia- logue asa "crafty trick." U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry told reporters in Tokyo that North Korea would find "ready partners" in the United States if it began abandoning its nuclear program. Japan's foreign minister, Fumio Kishida, also demand- ed a resolution to a dispute concerning Japanese citizens abducted decades ago by North Korean officials. The diplomats seemed to point the way for a possible revival of the six-nation talks that have been suspended for four years. China long pushed has for the process to resume without conditions. But the U.S. and allies South Korea and Japan fear rewarding North Korea for its belligerence and endless rep- etition of a cycle of tensions and failed talks that have prolonged the crisis. Kerry's message of openness to diplomacy was clear, however unlikely the chances appeared that North Korean leader Kim Jong Un's government would meet the American's conditions. "I'm not going to be so stuck in the mud that an opportunity to actually get something done is flagrantly wasted because of a kind of predetermined stub- bornness," he told U.S.-based journalists. "You have to keep your mind open. But fundamentally, the concept is they're going to have to show some kind of good faith here so we're not going to around and around in the same- old, same-old," he said. Tensions have run high on the Korean Peninsula for months, with North Korea testing a nuclear device and its intercontinental ballistic mis- sile technology. The reclusive communist state hasn't stopped there. It has issued almost daily threats that have included possible nucle- ar strikes against the United States. Analysts and foreign officials say that is still beyond the North Koreans' capability. While many threats have been dismissed as bluster, U.S. and South Korean say they believe the North in the coming days may test a mid-range mis- sile designed to reach as far as Guam, the U.S. territory in the Pacific where the Pentagon is deploying a land-based missile- defense system. Japan is the last stop on a 10-day trip overseas for Kerry, who visited Seoul and Beijing as well in recent days. In South Korea, he strongly warned North Korea not to launch a missile and he reaf- firmed U.S. defense of its allies in the region. In China, he secured a public pledge from Beijing, the lone government with significant influence over North Korea, to rid the North of nuclear weapons. Before returning to the United States, Kerry planned a speech Monday in Japan on the Obama administration's Asia policy. So far, Republican lawmakers in the U.S. have largely backed the administration's efforts on North Korea. U.S. Sen. Marco Rubio, R-Fla., told CBS' "Face the Nation" that he was encouraged by Kerry's China visit and that he hoped "we can get the Chinese to care more about this issue. U.S. Sen. John McCain of Arizona suggested on CNN's "State of the Union" that the U.S. make a counter-threat by using missile interceptors to hit anyNorth Korean missile thatis test-fired. At each stop along his trip, Kerry stressed that the United States wanted a peaceful resolu- tion of the North Korea situation six decades after a cease-fire ended the Korean War. But North Korea on Sunday served a reminder of the diffi- cult task ahead. Its Committee for the Peaceful Reunification of Korea said the government had no intention of talking with Seoul unless the South aban- dons its confrontational pos- ture, as the North called it. LO ain's tutiot Econc of pu using repor Th to se the se Marc witho sion t meml have the p been autho Th powe come cause threa range It atten faced handl allege ted b atop Th tary o eight- air M Th the ur the a from identi show. stude remo their not be Th by LS ety I Club. they arran appro about Th LSE o gradu day i the u the b stude poten allow trip, a years ingth AB the n said crew "eigh Kore LS secre Sund lied t stude was r journ "TI issue,' er. " have and, 1 BBC. that h chool: reporters that position. It's incrediblyreck- less." ed students to get She said Sweeney was being "disingenuous" by citing free- into country speech concerns as justification for putting students in danger. NDON (AP) - One of Brit- LSE blamed BBC for not being leading academic insti- forthcoming about its reporting ts, the London School of plans in North Korea. In the past, omics, is accusing the BBC journalists have at times been ttting students at risk by detained for working without them as cover for a covert authorization in North Korea, ting trip to North Korea. where foreign reporting crews e school says BBC's decision usually have to operate under nd three TV journalists to strict governmental supervision. cretive communist state in In an email sent to staff and h to shoot a documentary students, the university com- cut governmental permis- plains that the BBC program o work there by posing as was produced "using as cover a bers of a student trip could visit to North Korean which took caused grave trouble for place from 23-30 March in the upils, if the deception had name of the Grimshaw Club, a uncoveredby North Korean student society at LSE." rities. BBC News Head of News Pro- e squabble between two gramsCeriThomassaidonaBBC rful British institutions News program Sunday that the s at a time of uncertainty students were given the infor- d by North Korea's bellicose mation needed to give informed ts to launch a new medium- consent to the increased risk of missile at its enemies. traveling with journalists who brought more unwelcome did not have authorization to tion to the BBC, which has work in North Korea. sustained criticism for its He said, however, that the stu- ing of an investigation into dents were told roughly a month 'd child sex abuse commit- before the trip that there would y the late Jimmy Savile, long be "a journalist" traveling with BBC talk showhost. thembutcwere latertold,oncethey e "Panorama" documen- were enroute to North Korea,that cn North Korea based on the there would be three journalists day trip in March is set to who would be conducting under- onday night. cover filming for TV. e BBC has thus far refused Thomas said the students may niversity's plea to keep it off have been under the impres- ir to protect the students sion that a print journalist, not a possible retribution if their three-person TV crew, was going ities are revealed on the to be involved. The broadcaster said three He said BBC would air the %ts who have asked to be documentary despite LSE's con- ved fromthe showwill have cerns because of high public images blurred so they can- interest in the show. e identified. "It is disappointing for us that e trip was not organized LSEhas chosentomakethis pub- E but by a students' soci- lic,"hesaid. "We wouldhavekept known as the Grimshaw them out of this altogether. They University officials said could have avoided the publicity, did not know about the BBC and we think that would have gement and would not have lowered the reputational risk." 'ved it if they had known He said BBC executives felt BBC's plans. that if the deception was discov- e BBC's John Sweeney, who ered the students likely would fficials say posed as a post- have been deported, but he late LSE student, said Sun- admitted he could not "categori- t was "entirely wrong" for cally" rule out the possibility niversity to try to prevent that their lives might have been roadcast. He said all of the at risk. nts had been told about the BBC press officials said senior tial risk and had agreed to executives would not discuss the the journalists to join the matter but might issue further adding that all were over 18 statements. of age and capable of mak- The BBC's action sparked con- eir own decisions. cerns that the use of a British BBC story about the trip that academic research trip as a cover etwork filed online Sunday for a clandestine TV reporting Sweeney and a two-person venture might undermine the that included his wife spent ability of researchers to operate t days undercover" in North overseas. a. Nicola Dandridge,chiefexecu- E student union general tive of Universities UK, said BBC tary Alex Peters-Day said must understand how its actions ay that the students were might hurt research institutions. o and that at least one of the She said the BBC may have not nts on the eight-day trip only put students in harm's way not told in advance of the but also damaged the reputations alists' participation. of British universities. his is a student welfare "We regret the BBC's " she told a BBC interview- approach," she said. We don't know what could A BBC story about the trip happened to those students says Sweeney and a two-person truthfully, neither does the crew that included his wife spent It's absolutely disgraceful "eight days undercover" in North e (Sweeney) put students in Korea. Debate renews over Mich. high school graduation requirements Lawmakers claim current system doesn't allow for trade careers LANSING, Mich. (AP) - Some Michigan lawmakers are making another attempt to change the state's high school graduation require- ments, which they argue do not provide flexibility to allow students to pursue career and technical education programs. Then-Gov. Jennifer Gran- holm signed the Michigan Merit Curriculum into law in 2006, making the state's graduation requirements among the tough- est in the country. Backers said they'd create a well-educated, well-prepared workforce cru- cial to the state's economic future. But some lawmakers say the standards are designed for students heading to four- year colleges, leavingthose who want to pursue careers in con- struction, welding and agricul- tural science behind. "We are not trying to degrade the education system and cre- ate a two-tied set of students," Republican Rep. Peter Pettalia of Presque Isle told the House Education Committee. "We are trying to engage a group of students we believe are falling through the cracks." Under the bills, students would still need four years of math, but would be able to sub- stitute algebra II with statis- tics, technical math or another math relevant to their career and technical education, said Republican Rep. Ed McBroom of Vulcan. The bills, which are also backed by some Democrats, would also remove foreign lan- guage requirements and allow students to use extracurricular activities to replace some phys- ical education credits. Agri- cultural science would be an eligible science course. Similar bills are pending in the Senate. The Michigan Association of Secondary School Principals opposes the bills because it says the current requirements work. Since 2006, the state's graduation rate has increased by about 1 percent while the dropout rate has decreased by 4 percent, according to the group. Efforts have been made to revise the graduation require- ments nearly every year since the law was signed, but the bills never gained traction in the Legislature. But McBroom said changes in these bills are so small that he thinks they will make it through the House this year. The question remains whether Republican Gov. Rick Snyder, who in his State of the State Address called it "unac- ceptable" that only 17 percent of the state's students are "col- lege ready," would back the changes. "These bills do represent a significant policy change and so the administration will be thoroughly reviewing them and the impacts they could have in our efforts to prepare our kids for the workplace of tomorrow," Snyder spokesman Kurt Weiss said in an email. McBroom told the commit- tee that by the time students complete the 18 required cred- its, they usually only have about 6 credits left for other classes. That means students can get boxed out of career and technical education programs, which has caused some schools to stop offering such programs, he said. But State Superintendent Mike Flanagan said the per- centage of Michigan students in career and technical educa- tion programs has remained flat since the curriculum was put in place. About 7.6 percent of Michigan students are in these programs now, compared to about 7.5 percent when the requirements were set. There is already plenty of leeway, particularly when it comes to algebra II, said Wendy Zdeb-Roper, the exec- utive director of the Michi- gan Association of Secondary School Principals and a former high school principal. Stu- dents can spread out the alge- bra II content over two years. Algebra II can also be embed- ded into career and technical classes. Students may also follow a personal curriculum, or an indi- vidualized curriculum devel- oped by the superintendent, parents and student. CENTER FOR SIOETHICS AND SOCIAL SCIENCES IN MEDICNE 2013 CBSSM Research Colloquium & Bishop Lecture in Bioethics Wednesday, April 17th, 8:15 am-4:15 pm Alumni Center (200 Fletcher St.) Featured Keynote Address: Ruth Macklin, PhD will present the Bishop Lecture in Bioethics entitled, "Global Gender Justice: Violence against women; whose responsibility?" The Bishop lecture is sponsored by the.Ronald C. and Nancy V. Bishop estate and the Center for Bioethics and Social Sciences in Medicine. For more information, including Colloquium abstracts & speaker bios: cbssm.org/events BUILDING 16U4TH FLOOR C ANN ARBOR, MI 48109 to . WWW.CBSSM.ORG CENTER FOR BIOETHICS AND SOCIAL SCIENCES IN MEDICINE