Activists: 3,000 detained in 3 days

Activists: 3,000 detained in 3 days

BEIRUT

Syrian troops going house to house have detained more than 3,000 people in the past three days in the rebellious town of Rastan, which saw some of the worst fighting of the 6-month-old uprising recently, activists said Monday. Over the past week, the military fought hundreds of army defectors who sided with anti-regime protesters in Rastan. The fighting demonstrated the increasingly militarized nature of the uprising and heightened fears that Syria may be sliding toward civil war.

DNA helps free man wrongly convicted

AUSTIN, Texas

Texas prosecutors agreed Monday to release an Austin man who spent nearly 25 years in prison for beating his wife to death — but always maintained his innocence — after DNA tests showed another man was responsible. District Judge Sid Harle recommended Michael Morton go free to the state Court of Criminal Appeals, which will make the final determination on overturning his conviction. Morton is set for release this afternoon or Wednesday morning, after a final hearing before Judge Harle.

ER docs: Murray withheld information

LOS ANGELES

Michael Jackson was clinically dead when he arrived at a hospital, and two emergency- room doctors said they thought it was futile to attempt to revive him. His doctor, however, insisted that they try. Both doctors, testifying at Dr. Conrad Murray’s involuntary-manslaughter trial Monday, said Murray failed to tell them that he had been giving Jackson the anesthetic propofol or when Jackson had been medicated or stopped breathing.

Scientists to gather to discuss Yeti

MOSCOW

Scientists from seven countries will gather to discuss the possible existence of the fabled Yeti and the creature’s biology and habits, Russian officials in the central Siberian town Tashtagol told the German news agency DPA.

Cryptozoological researchers from Russia, the United States and China will attend the meetings scheduled from Thursday to Saturday in Kemerovo province some 2,000 miles east of Moscow.

The experts will present “surprising insights, and unique photographs and audio recordings” about the creature, a Kemerovo spokesman said.

Probe: Drug abusers exploit Medicare

WASHINGTON

Drug abusers are exploiting Medicare prescription’s benefit to score large quantities of painkillers, and taxpayers have to foot most of the bill, congressional investigators say in a report.

About 170,000 Medicare recipients received prescriptions from multiple doctors for 14 frequently abused medications in 2008, the Government Accountability Office found in an investigation for the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee.

Fire destroys Texas chemical plant

WAXAHACHIE, Texas

Rapidly moving flames and booming explosions destroyed a chemical- processing plant Monday morning, leading to evacuations of schools and homes as thick, black toxic smoke darkened the skies.

No injuries were reported in the industrial fire that began about 11 a.m. CDT at Magnablend’s Texas Liquid Facility about 30 miles south of Dallas.

Though the smoke would be dangerous to inhale, early reports discounted any immediate risk from those not at the scene. The Environmental Protection Agency was continuing to monitor the situation.

Combined dispatches