In brief: Tests find 121 children have lead poisoning

BEIJING – Medical tests have shown at least 121 children living near a battery plant in eastern China are suffering from lead poisoning, the latest in a recent string of such cases that have affected hundreds.

Two medical agencies tested 287 children younger than 14 years of age for lead poisoning and found 121 of them had excessive levels of lead in their blood, the government of Shanghang county in Fujian province said in a statement late Saturday. An investigation was ongoing, it said.

The discovery of clusters of lead poisoning in recent weeks has sparked unrest and growing anger in China over public safety scandals in which children have been the main victims.

Lutheran faction votes to consider splitting

FISHERS, Ind. – Conservative members of the nation’s largest Lutheran denomination voted Saturday to spend 12 months deciding whether to split from the church after it liberalized its stance on gay clergy.

About 1,200 people approved a constitution for the conservative umbrella group Lutheran CORE and a resolution directing its steering committee to report back in a year on whether to stay within the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America, form their own denomination or join another.

Some members urged the assembly to more quickly sever ties with the 4.7-million member ELCA after the vote last month to allow gays and lesbians in committed relationships to serve as clergy.

Woman given wrong embryo gives birth

TOLEDO, Ohio – The biological parents of a baby boy born to a woman who had the wrong embryo implanted by a fertility clinic say they will be “eternally grateful” to her.

Paul and Shannon Morell said in a statement Saturday that the baby was born Thursday.

The Morells described birth mother Carolyn Savage as their “guardian angel.”

The Savages say a fertility clinic outside Ohio transferred the wrong frozen embryo in February. The Savages said they never considered terminating the pregnancy or trying to fight for custody.