Nation, world briefs 2/23/16

U.S., Russia agree on Syria cease-fire

DAMASCUS, Syria -- The United States and Russia agreed on a new cease-fire for Syria that will take effect Saturday, even as major questions over enforcing and responding to violations of the truce are unresolved. Syria's warring government and rebels still need to accept the deal. The timeline for a hoped-for breakthrough comes after the former Cold War foes, backing opposing sides in the conflict, said they finalized the details of a "cessation of hostilities" between President Bashar Assad's government and armed opposition groups after five years of violence that has killed more than 250,000 people. The truce will not cover the Islamic State group, the al-Qaida-linked Nusra Front and any other militias designated as terrorist organizations by the U.N. Security Council.

CDC team to study Zika virus effects

JOAO PESSOA, Brazil -- A 16-member team of the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is starting work on a "case-control" study aimed at determining whether the Zika virus causes babies to be born with the birth defect microcephaly, as Brazilian researchers suspect. The study began Monday with a training session in Joao Pessoa, a city in Brazil's northeastern region that is the epicenter of the South American nation's Zika outbreak. The CDC team is working with dozens of members of Brazil's Health Ministry and Paraiba state's health secretariat. The team members will fan out though Paraiba starting today to track down babies with microcephaly and their mothers. Blood samples will help determine whether the mothers had Zika.

Juvenile allegedly drove into deputy

ORLANDO, Fla. -- A 15-year-old boy who authorities say ran over a Florida sheriff's deputy with a car last week has turned himself in. The teen turned himself in Monday and was taken to a Juvenile Assessment Center. He faces charges of attempted murder on a law-enforcement officer and aggravated battery on a law-enforcement officer. The Orange County Sheriff's Office said the juvenile isn't cooperating. The sheriff's office had been searching for him since Friday, when authorities said he drove into Sgt. Mary Pearce outside a home. Pearce and a juvenile justice officer had come to the house to take the teen into custody on the juvenile equivalent of a warrant. Pearce suffered injuries that were not life-threatening and was released from a hospital.

Car stolen with baby in back seat

LAUREL, Del. -- Delaware State Police said a year-old boy is safe after a car thief drove off with him in the backseat. Authorities said in a news release the car was stolen in Laurel on Sunday night after its owner left it idling in the driveway while he went inside to get his 10-year-old son. Authorities found the car parked and idling about 2 miles away. The toddler was in the vehicle and unharmed. Police saw 30-year-old Frederick Najdek of Delmar, Delaware, walking nearby and questioned him. Najdek was charged with kidnapping and theft. Troopers do not know whether Najdek has a lawyer, and a phone number could not be found for him.

-- From wire reports