Nation briefs 3/11/06

Bush signs law restricting sale of pseudoephedrine

As part of the USA Patriot Act, President Bush signed into law new restrictions on the sale of over-the-counter cold and allergy medicines, that contain a key ingredient for the drug. Customers will be limited to buying 300 30-milligram pills in a month or 120 such pills in a day. The measure would make an exception for "single-use" sales -- individually packaged pseudoephedrine products. By Sept. 30, retailers will be required to sell such medicines from behind the counter and purchasers would have to show ID and sign log books.

Former White House adviser arrested for theft

COLLEGE PARK, Md. -- A former domestic policy adviser to President Bush has been charged with theft for allegedly receiving phony refunds at department stores. Claude Alexander Allen, 45, was arrested Thursday by Montgomery County police for allegedly claiming refunds for more than $5,000 worth of merchandise he did not buy, according to county and federal authorities. Allen was the No. 2 official in the Health and Human Services Department when Bush nominated him in April 2003 to the 4th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in Richmond, Va. Police believe

Interior Secretary Norton resigns from Cabinet

WASHINGTON -- Interior Secretary Gale Norton resigned Friday after five years of guiding the Bush administration's initiative to open government lands in the West to more oil and gas drilling, logging, grazing and commercial recreation. Norton, the first woman to lead the Interior Department in its 157-year history, told President Bush in a letter she intends to leave at the end of March.

Body of American hostage found in Iraq

WASHINGTON -- An American who was among four Christian activists kidnapped last year in Iraq has been killed, a State Department spokesman said Friday. The FBI verified that a body found in Iraq Friday morning was that of Tom Fox, 54, of Clear Brook, Va., spokesman Noel Clay said. He said he had no information on the other three hostages. Clay said additional forensics will be done in the United States. The U.S. Embassy in Baghdad is investigating, he said. Fox's family has been notified, Clay said, and "our heartfelt condolences go out to them."

-- From wire reports