U.S. & WORLD NEWS DIGEST | House rejects Patriot Act terms

House rejects Patriot Act terms

WASHINGTON

The House on Tuesday failed to extend the life of three surveillance tools that are key to the nation’s post-Sept. 11 anti-terror law, a slipup for the new Republican leadership that miscalculated the level of opposition.

The Patriot Act bill would have renewed the authority for court-approved roving wiretaps that permit surveillance on multiple phones. Also addressed was Section 215, the so-called library- records provision that gives the FBI court-approved access to “any tangible thing” relevant to a terrorism investigation.

The third deals with the “lone-wolf” provision of a 2004 anti-terror law that permits secret intelligence surveillance of non-U.S. people not known to be affiliated with a specific terrorist organization.

Navy sets schedule for training on law

WASHINGTON

The Navy plans to finish training its sailors on the new law allowing gays to serve openly by the end of June, a schedule the Navy secretary said Tuesday that he is comfortable they can meet.

Navy Secretary Ray Mabus told The Associated Press that he has been assured by Navy leaders that key commanders and training teams can be ready to go by the end of April, and they will train their sailors by June 30.

The Navy is the first of the military services to release its training schedule and plans.

Police: Mother left newborn in toilet

GREENVILLE, S.C.

Authorities have arrested a woman they say left the infant she had just delivered in a toilet at a South Carolina sports and concert arena.

Police Chief Terri Wilfong says the 25-year-old woman from Easley is a married mother of a 4-year-old. Authorities say Jessica Blackham was arrested Tuesday night after she came to the Greenville police station accompanied by family members.

She is charged with two counts of felony child abuse and one count of unlawful neglect toward a child. If convicted on all charges, she could face up to 50 years in prison.

Wilfong says the infant’s prognosis is good.

Medal recipient to end military career

DES MOINES, Iowa

Medal of Honor recipient and Iowa native Staff Sgt. Sal Giunta will end his Army career in June and move to Colorado to pursue his education, a military spokesman said Tuesday.

Giunta has opted not to re-enlist and will leave the Army in mid-June, said Army spokesman George Wright. Giunta and his wife, Jenny, plan to move to Fort Collins, Colo., where he will attend school.

Giunta, 26, is the first living service member from the wars in Afghanistan or Iraq to receive the Medal of Honor, the nation’s highest military honor.

Olbermann heads to Current TV

NEW YORK

Less than a month after leaving MSNBC, liberal lightning rod Keith Olbermann said Tuesday he’s headed to Current TV, the public-affairs channel launched in 2005 by former Vice President Al Gore.

Olbermann will start this spring with a New York-based prime-time talk show on Current. He also was named chief news officer at Current, which is available in 60 million homes in the U.S., a little more than half the nation’s homes with television, but has few viewers.

Associated Press