Nation in brief

N.H. is latest state to OK gay marriage

New Hampshire’s governor Wednesday afternoon signed legislation making the state the sixth to allow gay marriage. The law will take effect in January, exactly two years after the state legalized civil unions. New Hampshire joins Massachusetts, Connecticut, Maine, Vermont and Iowa in recognizing same-sex marriages, though opponents hope to overturn Maine’s law with a public vote. Gov. John Lynch demanded —- and got —- language protecting the rights of religious opponents of gay marriage before signing the bills.

Rule is reversed on illegal immigrants

A rule limiting access to lawyers for immigrants facing deportation has been tossed out by the Obama administration. The rule was issued in the waning days of the Bush administration, angering immigrants rights groups. On Wednesday, Attorney General Eric Holder said he is vacating the order issued by predecessor Michael Mukasey which said that immigrants facing deportation do not have an automatic right to an effective lawyer. Holder said he is also instructing the Justice Department to begin working on a new rule.

Sensitive nuclear info posted to Web site

The government’s inadvertent Internet posting of a 266-page list of U.S. nuclear sites provided a one-step guide for anyone wanting details about uranium storage locations, nuclear fuel fabrication plants and nuclear research facilities. Obama administration officials said Wednesday the document contained no classified material about nuclear weapons, and that the information was available from public sources. The Government Printing Office removed the information from its Web site after being told about its sensitive nature. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) said the release exposed lax safeguards and asked congressional investigators to review the incident.

Warrantless wiretap suits tossed by judge

A federal judge on Wednesday tossed out more than three dozen lawsuits filed against the nation’s telecommunications companies for allegedly taking part in the government’s e-mail and telephone eavesdropping program that was done without court approval. In addition, he ordered officials in Maine, New Jersey, Connecticut, Vermont and Missouri to halt their investigations of the companies’ actions. The judge’s actions were widely expected after Congress in July agreed on new surveillance rules that included protection from legal liability for telecommunications companies.

Guilty pleas likely in tainted pet food case

A company and its owners have agreed to plead guilty in connection with melamine-tainted pet food that may have killed thousands of dogs and cats in 2007, according to a court document. Stephen and Sally Miller and Las Vegas-based ChemNutra Inc., along with two Chinese companies, were indicted in February 2008 on charges alleging they imported wheat gluten tainted with the chemical melamine, which was then sold to pet food makers.

NASA clears shuttle Endeavour for launch

NASA has cleared space shuttle Endeavour for a June 13 launch to the international space station. Endeavour will carry seven astronauts and the last part of Japan’s science lab.