In honor of Martin Luther King Jr. day, leaders in his hometown of Atlanta talk about strides the country has made in the last 50 years and how much more work needs to be done on Monday. Speakers at Ebenezer Baptist Church highlight themes of the civil rights struggle then and now. (Read full story at KentWired.com.)

The U.S. said Monday the invitation for Iran to join this week’s Syria peace talks should be withdrawn and the Syrian opposition group threatens to avoid the event entirely. The last-minute invitation from the U.N. chief set off an outbreak of diplomacy to recover the talks to end Syria’s ruinous three-year civil war.

Iran frees banks of centrifuges involved in its uranium enrichment work Monday, allowing the U.S. and the EU to partially lift economic authorizations, easing concerns over the country’s nuclear program. (Read full story at KentWired.com.)

Two people were found dead, and 10 were seriously injured, in an explosion and partial building collapse at an Omaha, Neb. processing plant Monday morning. Officials say it is unclear if the death toll will continue to rise, as 38 people were working.

Contact Taylor Williams at [email protected].