Iran whistleblower died from drug-laden salad

A doctor who exposed the torture of jailed protesters in Iran died of poisoning from an overdose of a blood pressure drug in a salad, prosecutors say. The findings fueled opposition fears that he was killed because of what he knew.

Investigators are still trying to determine whether his death was a suicide or murder, Tehran's public prosecutor Abbas Dowlatabadi said, according to the state news agency IRNA.

The 26-year-old doctor, Ramin Pourandarjani, died on Nov. 10 in mysterious circumstances _ with authorities initially saying he was in a car accident, had a heart attack or committed suicide.

Pourandarjani was a doctor at Kahrizak, a prison on …

How much is too much? Jenny McCarthy shows us

In the last couple of months, Jenny McCarthy has been on more majormagazine covers than Elizabeth Dole or Katie Couric or Sandra Bullockor Janet Evans or just about any other woman you can name.

There's no call for that kind of behavior.

That McCarthy has nothing funny or insightful to say, that sheisn't even particularly spectacular to look at unless you have athing for Barbie-shaped fake blonds, seems to matter not one whit,because the media machine has been programmed to turn this affable(if somewhat annoying) young Chicago native and Mother McAuleygraduate into the Next Big Deal.

Move over, Anna Nicole Smith and Pamela Lee: America has a newfavorite …

Alabama's Maze, Mosley injured in title game

NEW ORLEANS (AP) — Alabama's leading receiver, Marquis Maze, and linebacker C.J. Mosley sustained apparent left leg injuries in the BCS title game.

Maze pulled up at the end of a 49-yard punt return in the first quarter, going out of bounds. Maze came into the game with 56 catches for …

Sunday's Sports Scoreboard

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All Times Eastern
American League
Oakland 3, Cleveland 1 F
Seattle 8, Detroit 1 F
N.Y. Yankees 7, Toronto 6 F 10 Innings
Baltimore 6, Boston 1 F
Tampa Bay 7, Minnesota 4 F
Chicago White Sox 1, Texas 0 -3

Stocks dive 78

NEW YORK The Dow Jones industrial average nearly sank below 9,000today as investors struck a defensive pose with earnings-reportingseason winding down and few encouraging prospects on the near-termhorizon.

But the Dow ended down 78.71 points at 9,064.62, recovering froma 123-point slide to 9,020.

Broad-market indexes also turned sharply lower as investorscontinued to cash in on the stock market's recent climb. The Dow,which sank 33 points on Thursday, closed at a record 9,184.94 onTuesday.Stocks were also pressured today by reports that J.P. Morgan hadrecommended that its clients cut back on their exposure to stocks.Instead, the investment firm said, more money …

Staubli: The benchmark for perfect shed formation, drawing-in and warp tying technology

Wherever in the world, quality fabrics are manufactured, almost always, a Staubli Bobby cam motion or jacquard machine can be found as a special accessory on the loom.

Staubli has played a major part in shaping the history of shedding machines used in the manufacture of flat, velvet, and heavy fabrics. With all of its innovations, Staubli has contributed significantly to the technical perfection and performance found in Bobby weaving today.

Staubli dobbies and cam motions have been developed with a view of offering various types of shedding machines, either mechanically or electronically controlled, for any loom or weft insertion system.

In 1987, Staubli set a …

Sides remain far apart on Mideast ceasefire

Talks in Cairo to end the fighting in the Gaza Strip showed little promise Saturday as the parties to the conflict continued to disagree most aspects of a cease-fire, particularly the role of international monitors or forces.

Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas called for international troops to supervise a cease-fire in Gaza and "protect the Palestinians," a move rejected by the militant Hamas group that controls the strip. Israel also wants international monitors to ensure compliance with any deal, but Egypt has refused to base them on its soil.

Even as Hamas negotiators arrived in Cairo, their Damascus-based leader, Khaled Mashaal, accused …