Nation/world briefs

Detroit News wire services

Nation

GOP cool to Obama call for 2-party health talks

Washington -- Republicans gave a chilly reception Monday to President Barack Obama's invitation to discuss health care in a bipartisan, televised setting later this month, part of the White House effort to revive the stalled legislation. The House and Senate GOP leaders said Obama and his fellow Democrats must shelve their long-debated health care bill. Obama on Sunday invited GOP and Democratic leaders to discuss possible compromises in a half-day, televised gathering on Feb. 25.

• Climate change agency forming: The Obama administration is forming a new agency to study and report on the changing climate.

Feds, kids in D.C. region get snow day

Washington -- Federal workers and school children got a day off Monday as the Mid-Atlantic region dug out from as much as 3 feet of snow that made travel nearly impossible and knocked out power to tens of thousands of people. More snow is expected today into Wednesday and the new storm was expected to hit a wider area.

Shuttle blasts off on last night flight

Cape Canaveral, Fla.-- Endeavour and six astronauts rocketed into orbit Monday on what's likely the last nighttime launch for the shuttle program, hauling a new room and observation deck for the International Space Station. The shuttle is set to arrive at the station early Wednesday.

Authorities probe cause of deadly blast

Middletown, Conn. -- Authorities launched a criminal investigation Monday into the cause of an explosion that killed five people at a power plant under construction, saying they couldn't rule out negligence. Search-and-rescue crews declared a section of the nearly completed Kleen Energy plan too unstable to comb through Monday.

In other headlines

• Chinese spy gets 15-plus years in prison: A Chinese-born engineer -- Dongfan "Greg" Chung -- convicted of espionage and other federal charges in California was sentenced Monday to more than 15 years in prison.

• Autism risks detailed in children of older mothers: A woman's chance of having a child with autism increase substantially as she ages, but the risk may be less for older dads than previously suggested, a new study found. The study was released in the February issue of the journal Autism Research.

World

Lawyer: Clients had OK for Haiti kids

Port-au-Prince, Haiti-- The new attorney for 10 Americans charged with child kidnapping in Haiti says the group had authorization to take the children. Aviol Fluerant tells reporters that parents gave their kids to the Baptists in good faith. It was not immediately clear Monday who may have given authorization. The group's original lawyer was fired after he allegedly tried to bribe the missionaries' way out of jail.

Arrests thwarted hotel attack, cops say

Lahore, Pakistan-- Authorities arrested six suspected Taliban militants with a suicide vest and hand grenades allegedly on their way Monday to attack a five-star hotel and kill Americans in Pakistan's cultural capital, police said.

In other headlines

• Iran moves closer to nuke warhead capacity : Iran moved closer to being able to produce nuclear warheads Monday with formal notification that it will enrich uranium to higher levels.

From Detroit News wire services