Britain's proposed assisted dying law for terminally ill individuals may be delayed until 2029, following amendments to the legislation that extend the timeline for implementation and add new safeguards, with the bill still needing approval from both the House of Commons and the House of Lords.
Britain's proposed assisted dying law for terminally ill individuals may be delayed until 2029, following changes in the timeline for its implementation. Initially, the bill, which passed a historic vote last year, aimed to allow assisted dying for mentally competent, terminally ill adults with six months or less to live. This would align Britain with countries like Australia, Canada, and some U.S. states in a significant social reform.
However, lawmaker Kim Leadbeater, who sponsors the bill, announced on Wednesday that the implementation deadline would be extended from two years to four, largely due to amendments to the legislation. The most significant change includes replacing the requirement for a High Court judge to approve each case with a panel of experts, including legal figures, psychiatrists, and social workers. This shift is expected to take more time to establish.
While polls show broad public support for assisted dying, the bill is still under review and must pass through both the House of Commons and the House of Lords. Leadbeater, a member of the Labour Party, emphasized that the four-year delay is a "backstop" and not a set target, though if it extends until 2029, the legislation could be pushed beyond the next national election.
Supporters argue that the law will help terminally ill patients end their suffering and gain more control over their lives, while opponents raise concerns about insufficient safeguards to protect vulnerable individuals from coercion.
In a related development, the Isle of Man recently became the first in the British Isles to approve an assisted dying bill, granting terminally ill residents the legal right to end their lives.
The ruling Fidesz party has delayed debate and voting on a controversial bill that would impose strict controls on NGOs and media receiving foreign funding, citing internal party discussions and external pressure.
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Kazakhstan and Kyrgyzstan have agreed to coordinate efforts in monitoring and controlling locust infestations along their shared border, as concerns mount over potential threats to regional agriculture.
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Azerbaijan and China are exploring expanded cooperation to increase the number of container block trains traversing the Middle Corridor, a vital East-West freight route linking China with Europe via Central Asia and the South Caucasus.
The Trump administration may roll out a $1,000 fee to fast-track visa interviews, raising legal concerns from within the State Department.
Nvidia’s new Blackwell chips are twice as fast as their predecessors in training massive AI models, cutting chip use and time dramatically, new benchmarks reveal.
A U.S. federal judge ruled Wednesday that hundreds of Venezuelans deported to El Salvador under an 18th-century wartime law must be granted the right to challenge their detention—dealing a blow to the Trump administration’s controversial immigration crackdown.
Canadian manufacturers and union leaders are warning of job losses and sales disruptions after the U.S. raised tariffs on Canadian steel and aluminum to 50%, prompting Ottawa to prepare retaliatory measures.
The Government of Ghana has signed a $2 billion memorandum of understanding with key energy partners to extend oil production licenses for the Jubilee and TEN fields through 2040, aiming to boost output, increase gas supply, and drive infrastructure development.
Brazil’s economy is expected to have regained momentum in the first quarter of 2025, driven by a surge in household spending and private investment, according to a Reuters poll of economists conducted from May 21–26.
As peace talks progress, voices from Yerevan, Tbilisi, and Baku reveal hopes, concerns, and expectations for a future shaped by trade, trust, and generational change in the South Caucasus.
In a major blow to one of President Donald Trump’s key economic policies, a US federal court has blocked the administration’s sweeping global tariff regime, ruling that the White House overstepped its constitutional authority.
A bridge collapse in the Vygonichsky district of Russia’s Bryansk region, near the Ukrainian border, caused a train derailment and a traffic accident early Sunday, killing at least seven people and leaving 30 injured, according to emergency services.
Ukraine’s Security Service (SBU) has confirmed it carried out a third targeted attack against the Crimean Bridge, also known as the Kerch Bridge, early Tuesday morning, marking a new escalation in the ongoing conflict with Russia.
Massive flooding in India’s northeastern Assam state has displaced hundreds of thousands and endangered rare one-horned rhinoceroses in one of the country's most densely populated rhino habitats.
The Philippines has inked a $700 million agreement with South Korea's KAI to acquire 12 advanced FA-50 fighter jets by 2030, enhancing its military capabilities amid regional tensions.
The Trump administration may roll out a $1,000 fee to fast-track visa interviews, raising legal concerns from within the State Department.
A U.S. federal judge ruled Wednesday that hundreds of Venezuelans deported to El Salvador under an 18th-century wartime law must be granted the right to challenge their detention—dealing a blow to the Trump administration’s controversial immigration crackdown.
Canadian manufacturers and union leaders are warning of job losses and sales disruptions after the U.S. raised tariffs on Canadian steel and aluminum to 50%, prompting Ottawa to prepare retaliatory measures.
The Trump administration may roll out a $1,000 fee to fast-track visa interviews, raising legal concerns from within the State Department.
Nvidia’s new Blackwell chips are twice as fast as their predecessors in training massive AI models, cutting chip use and time dramatically, new benchmarks reveal.
A U.S. federal judge ruled Wednesday that hundreds of Venezuelans deported to El Salvador under an 18th-century wartime law must be granted the right to challenge their detention—dealing a blow to the Trump administration’s controversial immigration crackdown.
Canadian manufacturers and union leaders are warning of job losses and sales disruptions after the U.S. raised tariffs on Canadian steel and aluminum to 50%, prompting Ottawa to prepare retaliatory measures.
The Government of Ghana has signed a $2 billion memorandum of understanding with key energy partners to extend oil production licenses for the Jubilee and TEN fields through 2040, aiming to boost output, increase gas supply, and drive infrastructure development.
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