International

Controversial assisted suicide bill introduced in UK Parliament

British lawmakers began debating on Friday the processing of a bill on assisted dying for certain terminally ill patients, a proposal that has sparked controversy.

The bill would allow assisted suicide for patients in England and Wales who are terminally ill, with only six months of life expectancy remaining.

To qualify for this option, patients must be able to express a clear choice and obtain approval from two doctors and a judge.

The bill’s sponsor, Labour MP Kim Leadbeater, argues that these provisions make it “the most robust” legislation on the issue in the world.

Speaking before the House of Commons, Leadbeater said the bill aims to provide “choice, autonomy, and dignity” to adults suffering from terminal illnesses.

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She argued that the current law “is not clear and does not protect patients, families, and healthcare staff, which forces people into desperate actions.”

Leadbeater shared the story of Norman, a man who had been battling prostate cancer for 15 years. “When the disease spread and the pain became unbearable, he went to his garden and shot himself in the head.”

If the bill passes this initial stage, it will need to be reviewed and amended in committee before being brought back for approval by both houses of the British Parliament.

Although the proposal originates from within the Labour Party, the Labour government has not officially endorsed it, and the outcome of the vote will depend more on personal convictions than party directives.

Nine years ago, a similar bill on assisted suicide was rejected by Parliament, but public opinion has shifted since then and is now largely supportive of the proposal.

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A poll published on Friday by YouGov found that three-quarters of residents in England and Wales support this change in the law.

International

Germany says football bodies alone will decide on possible World Cup boycott

The German Football Association (DFB) and FIFA will decide with full “autonomy” whether to boycott the upcoming World Cup, which will be hosted mainly by the United States in six months, following threats made by former U.S. president Donald Trump, the German government told AFP on Tuesday.

Trump has threatened to seize Greenland and impose higher tariffs on European countries that oppose the plan, raising political tensions between the United States and Europe.

“This assessment therefore lies with the relevant federations, in this case the DFB and FIFA. The federal government will respect that decision,” Sports State Secretary Christiane Schenderlein said in a statement emailed to AFP.

AFP had asked the German government about the possibility of a boycott of the World Cup to be jointly hosted by Canada, the United States and Mexico from June 11 to July 19.

“The federal government respects the autonomy of sport. Decisions regarding participation in major sporting events or possible boycotts fall exclusively within the responsibility of the relevant sports federations, not the political sphere,” said Schenderlein, a member of the conservative CDU, the party of Chancellor Friedrich Merz.

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International

Daily Mail publisher insists reports relied on legitimate sources amid privacy trial

Two British tabloids accused of phone hacking and other forms of “unlawful information gathering” against Prince Harry and six other individuals, including singer Elton John, insisted on Tuesday that their reporting relied on legitimate sources.

Associated Newspapers Ltd (ANL), the publisher of the Daily Mail and The Mail on Sunday, sought to rebut allegations of privacy violations through illegal methods on the second day of trial at London’s High Court, following a lawsuit filed by the seven claimants.

Prince Harry, 41, who attended court hearings on both Monday and Tuesday, could be called to testify starting Wednesday in a trial expected to last up to nine weeks.

Lawyers for the claimants said the alleged illegal activities took place between 1993 and 2011, with some incidents reportedly extending as late as 2018. They argue that the tabloids hired private investigators to intercept phone calls and obtain confidential information, including detailed phone records, medical histories, and bank statements.

However, Anthony White, counsel for ANL, told the court that the trial would show the company presents “a compelling account of a pattern of lawful source acquisition” for its articles.

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White added that the claims would require the court to believe that journalists and staff at the tabloids had engaged in widespread dishonesty, which the company strongly denies.

International

Death toll from southern Spain train crash rises to 40

The death toll from the train accident that occurred on Sunday in southern Spain has risen to 40, according to investigative sources cited by EFE on Monday afternoon.

Since early Monday, search operations have focused on the damaged carriages of a Renfe train bound for Huelva, which collided with the last derailed cars of an Iryo train traveling from Málaga to Madrid after it left the tracks.

The crash has also left more than 150 people injured. Of these, 41 remain hospitalized, including 12 in intensive care units at hospitals across the Andalusia region.

More than 220 Civil Guard officers are working at the site, searching the railway line and surrounding areas for key evidence to help identify victims and determine the causes of the accident.

The tragedy has revived memories of the deadliest railway disasters in Europe in recent decades. In Spain, the most severe occurred on July 24, 2013, when an Alvia train derailed near Santiago de Compostela, killing 80 people and injuring 130 others.

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At the European level, the worst rail disaster took place on June 3, 1998, in Eschede, northern Germany, when a high-speed train struck a bridge pillar at 200 kilometers per hour, resulting in 98 deaths and 120 injuries.