In brief: Women sue to serve in military combat role

Richmond, Va. – Two women in the Army Reserve have sued the U.S. Department of Defense and the Army in a bid to reverse military policies banning women from serving in combat roles.

The lawsuit filed in U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia accuses the government of violating the constitutional rights of servicewomen by excluding them from certain ground combat units and other positions solely on the basis of their gender. It seeks to end such policies by the Defense Department and Army and to require the military to make all assignments and training decisions without regard to a service member’s gender.

The lawsuit, filed Wednesday, is the first lawsuit to challenge the combat ban, according to University of Virginia Law School professor Anne Coughlin, who led an effort to look into the policies.

Command Sgt. Maj. Jane Baldwin and Col. Ellen Haring allege the policies have hindered their career advancement, and that continued enforcement of the policy unconstitutionally bars women from certain positions available to men, restricts current and future earnings, their opportunities for advancement and their future retirement benefits.

Detergent maker plans new lid to deter kids

Dallas – The maker of Tide Pods will create a new double-latch lid to deter children from accessing and eating the brightly colored detergent packets, a company spokesman said Friday.

Procter & Gamble spokesman Paul Fox said the Cincinnati-based company plans to create a new lid on tubs of Tide Pods “in the next couple of weeks.” The company continues to study the design of the package, Fox said.

Doctors say children sometimes swallow Tide Pods and similar laundry products, around 1-inch cubes that are meant to be dropped into a washing machine in place of liquid or powder detergent. Nearly 250 cases nationally have been reported to poison control centers this year, a figure that’s expected to rise. No deaths have been reported.

Spokesmen for other detergent-makers did not immediately say if they also planned changes.

Tropical storm gathers strength over Atlantic

Miami – Tropical storm warnings were issued for the Southeast coast from north Florida to South Carolina as a cluster of thunderstorms was gathering strength Friday night and expected to become Tropical Storm Beryl over the Memorial Day weekend.

The National Weather Service said that the storm’s maximum sustained winds were at 45 mph. But they are expected to increase as the storm moves over the waters of the Atlantic.