World/nation briefs

Health exchanges OK'd for six states The Obama administration gave conditional approval on Monday to health insurance marketplaces being set up by six states led by Democratic governors eager to carry out the president's health care law. They are Colorado, Connecticut, Maryland, Massachusetts, Oregon and Washington. At the same time, the administration rejected pleas from other states that want to carry out a partial expansion of Medicaid, to cover fewer people than the president and Congress originally intended.

Strauss-Kahn, maid agree to settle suit Former French politician Dominique Strauss-Kahn and the hotel housekeeper who accused him of sexually assaulting her last year have agreed to settle her lawsuit stemming from their sexual encounter. The settlement, whose terms were not disclosed, was announced at a hearing in State Supreme Court in the Bronx. Strauss-Kahn was arrested in May 2011 after Diallo told detectives that he had sexually assaulted her in his suite.

Powerball winner's name released The second winner of the $587.5 million Powerball jackpot is a 37-year-old electronics industry professional. Matthew Good of suburban Phoenix chose to remain anonymous after claiming the prize last week. Lottery winners in Arizona are a matter of public record, and the Associated Press filed a public records request. Good took the one-time payout of $192 million from the Nov. 28 drawing.

Proclamation legalizes marijuana Marijuana for recreational use became legal in Colorado when the governor declared the voter-approved change part of the state constitution. Colorado is the second state after Washington to allow pot use without a doctor's recommendation. Both states prohibit public use, and commercial sales in Colorado and Washington won't be permitted until after regulations are written. Gov. John Hickenlooper, a Democrat, opposed the measure but had no veto power over the voter-approved amendment to the constitution.

Technical glitch delays launching of rocket North Korea says a technical glitch was found in the rocket it had planned to launch as early as this week to put a satellite in orbit. It still plans to try the launching by the end of the month.

Female official killed by assassins Gunmen killed another female Afghan official in the latest in a series of violent attacks on women. The acting director for women's affairs in northeastern Laghman Province was shot by two gunmen as she was on her way to work. Najia Sediqqi had been filling in for her predecessor, Hanifa Safi, who was assassinated in July by a bomb attached to her car. A week earlier, a 22-year-old student named Hanisa was shot to death as she reported for her first day as a volunteer at a polio immunization effort in Kapisa Province.

Venezuelan leader arrives for surgery Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez arrived in Havana for a fourth cancer-related operation after designating Vice President Nicolas Maduro as his political heir. Chavez, 58, was greeted warmly by Cuban President Raul Castro in the early morning darkness after his plane touched down. The men hugged and smiled for the cameras but made no comments about the visit. Chavez refuses to divulge details of his illness.

6th person arrested in BBC sex scandal Police arrested the sixth suspect in the sex abuse probe spurred by allegations against the late BBC entertainer Jimmy Savile. The man, who is in his 60s, was not identified. The arrest is the latest in a scandal spurred by the case of Savile, a popular BBC children's program host who has been accused of serial sexual abuse of underage girls. Police say there may be several hundred victims of Savile, who died last year age 84.

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