NEEDLESS PAIN: Many people, especially those in developing countries, needlessly suffer during childbirth or cancer because of insufficient painkiller use, a global watchdog group said. Governments should take steps to improve the availability of opioid analgesics — narcotic drugs used for the treatment of moderate to severe pain — the UN-affiliated International Narcotics Control Board said in its annual report for 2007.
EGYPTIAN ROUNDUP: Police arrested 64 members of Egypt’s largest opposition movement Tuesday, the first day for registration of candidates for key local council elections, the group and police said. The Muslim Brotherhood has accused the government of seeking to prevent it from running in the elections with a wave of recent arrests. Brotherhood spokesman Gamal Nassar said the new arrests included some potential candidates for the April 8 local council elections.
BUYING BABIES: Costa Rican police detained 14 people, including a family court judge and a lawyer, on suspicion of participating in a scheme in which mothers allegedly were paid an average of $10,000 apiece to give up their babies. There was no immediate evidence that any babies were sent abroad, but police investigations continue.
ARMENIAN SILENCE: The only foreign radio programming in Armenia’s native language was taken off the air and its Web site blocked as part of the country’s state of emergency, the broadcaster said. Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty said its two Armenian affiliates halted the broadcasts to comply with the emergency decree that allows media to report only news sanctioned by the government. Some Armenian newspapers did not publish Tuesday in protest.
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Page compiled from Tribune news services
