Nation, world briefs 1/26/16

Child abuse rises 3 percent in U.S.

NEW YORK -- The number of U.S. children victimized by abuse and neglect increased by nearly 3 percent in the latest annual reporting period, according to new federal data. According to the report released Monday by the Department of Health and Human Services, the estimated number of victimized children in the 2014 fiscal year was 702,208 -- up from 682,307 in 2013. The report estimated fatalities attributable to child abuse and neglect at 1,580 -- up from 1,530 in 2013. States with more than 30 percent increases in maltreatment over the past five years include Arizona, Kansas, Louisiana, Massachusetts, New Jersey, New Mexico, North Dakota, Oklahoma and Tennessee, according to the report. About 70 percent of the fatalities in 2014 involved children younger than 3, and parents were the perpetrators in 80 percent of the cases. Georgia, Illinois, West Virginia, Oklahoma and Michigan had the highest rates of child fatalities.

Judge nixes end to teacher sick-outs

DETROIT -- A judge denied a second attempt by Detroit Public Schools on Monday to obtain a temporary restraining order against teacher sick-outs that have closed dozens of buildings this month and kept thousands of students home. State Court of Claims Judge Cynthia Stephens said the district didn't present enough evidence to prove the teachers' union or its president had encouraged members to miss work for her to issue such an order. Teacher strikes are illegal under Michigan law. The district filed a lawsuit last week to stop the sick-outs, which Wednesday closed more than 85 of the district's 100 schools that serve about 46,000 students. Two schools were closed Monday because of teacher absences, the district said. Teachers are protesting their pay, crowded classes, supply shortages and poor conditions in some school buildings.

Ex-prosecutor to lead Flint probe

LANSING, Mich. -- A former prosecutor and a retired head of the Detroit FBI will play key roles in an investigation into Flint's lead-tainted water as part of the effort to seek answers while also preventing conflicts of interest, Michigan's attorney general announced Monday. Republican Bill Schuette said Todd Flood, a former assistant prosecutor for Wayne County, which includes Detroit, will lead the investigation and serve as special counsel. He will be joined by Andy Arena, who led Detroit's FBI office from 2007 until 2012. Schuette gave no timetable for the investigation. It could focus on whether environmental laws were broken or whether there was misconduct in the process that left Flint's drinking water contaminated.

Syria peace talks to begin Friday

GENEVA -- Peace talks between the Syrian government and opposition groups are to start Friday, the U.N. special envoy on Syria announced Monday. Staffan de Mistura said he would be sending invitations to the talks in Geneva today. The talks are expected to take six months, and the sides will not talk directly to each other at first. De Mistura said the priorities would be creating a broad cease-fire, stopping the threat from the Islamic State group and clearing the way for humanitarian aid. "We want to make sure that when and if we start, to start at least on the right foot," he said. "It will be uphill anyway."

-- From wire reports