Bid to repeal US military gays policy fails in Senate

US Senate Republicans on Thursday blocked White House-backed legislation to repeal a ban on gays serving openly in the US military, possibly killing the measure for the year.

On a 57-40 vote, Democrats fell short of the needed 60 votes to clear a Republican procedural hurdle and move to end the 17-year-old policy known as "don't ask, don't tell." (Reuters)