Court will hear case about execution pain

Court will hear caseabout execution pain
Death penalty opponent Christine Sparacino, above, stands outside the Florida State Prison in Starke, Fla., just before the scheduled execution of Clarence Hill. In Washington, hours after staying the execution of Hill, who was already strapped to a gurney, the Supreme Court said Wednesday it would hear arguments that the drug cocktail used in lethal injections can cause excruciating pain. Lethal injections are used in most states that have capital punishment, and there's been a growing dispute over the way they are carried out. The Supreme Court has never found a specific form of execution to be cruel and unusual punishment, and the latest case from Florida does not give court members that opportunity. The justices will, however, spell out what options are available to inmates with last-minute challenges to the way they will be put to death. Hill, who filed the appeal, had been strapped to a gurney with intravenous lines running into his arms Tuesday night when he won a temporary Supreme Court stay, Hill's lawyer said.
Natural gas pipelinewill traverse rain forest
RIO DE JANEIRO, Brazil -- Environmentalists were caught off guard when South American leaders announced plans to build a massive natural gas pipeline through the Amazon rain forest. Proponents say the $20 billion project, still in early planning stages, will help satisfy the growing regional demand for gas and help make South America less dependent on outside sources. But environmentalists say it could damage part of the Amazon -- the world's largest wilderness -- by polluting waterways, destroying trees and creating roads that could draw ranchers and loggers. Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez says the pipeline is a central part of his efforts to reduce dependence on the United States and its pressure for free market policies known as the Washington Consensus. It's "the beginning of the South American consensus," Chavez has said. "This pipeline is vital for us."
Miner emerges from comabut still is unable to speak
MORGANTOWN, W.Va. -- The sole survivor of a mine explosion that killed 12 fellow miners emerged from a light coma Wednesday but still cannot speak, his doctor said. Randal McCloy Jr., who had been in a coma since his Jan. 4 rescue, is able to respond to simple commands and follow movements with his eyes, said Dr. Larry Roberts at Ruby Memorial Hospital. He also is able to chew and swallow soft foods. McCloy, 26, of Simpson, may have suffered brain damage from the carbon monoxide exposure in the mine, but the extent of any damage is not yet known. He has developed a slight fever but remains in fair condition. Roberts said McCloy continues to show slight neurological improvement each day. "The family obviously is thrilled with Randy's constant progress," said Aly Goodwin Gregg, the family's spokeswoman. "They remain optimistic about his continued recovery and they recognize how long the recovery process is going to take." Gregg said McCloy's wife has remained at his side and his children visit him regularly. They talk to him and he responds to them.
Chinese travelers prepareby buying adult diapers
SHANGHAI, China -- Along with food and firecrackers, Chinese are adding a new item to their lunar New Year shopping: adult diapers. Sales have soared ahead of the holiday as travelers prepare for long trips home aboard trains so crowded that even the toilets are jammed with people, newspapers said this week. In Foshan, a southern industrial city with a large migrant population, supermarkets report diaper sales have risen 50 percent since the main travel season began Jan. 14, the papers said. The problem arises from the need to sell twice as many tickets as there are train seats to accommodate the crush of travelers. Those without seats must find some place -- any place -- to put themselves, including in overhead racks, between cars and in toilets.
Associated Press