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.
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A mob attack on an Ahmadi place of worship in Karachi has left one man dead, highlighting ongoing persecution of the minority group.
A Russian court has sentenced 19-year-old Darya Kozyreva to nearly three years in prison for protesting the war in Ukraine using poetry and graffiti.
The new U.S. ambassador to Japan has called for closer military coordination with Tokyo, framing the alliance as crucial amid rising regional tensions and ongoing trade disputes.
Students in Serbia have rallied outside a police station as Belgrade University’s rector is questioned over support for anti-government protests.
OpenAI has unveiled a new option called Flex processing, an API service designed to provide more affordable AI model usage in exchange for slower response times and occasional resource unavailability.
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Start your day informed with AnewZ Morning Brief: here are the top news stories for April 16th, covering the latest developments you need to know.
A mob attack on an Ahmadi place of worship in Karachi has left one man dead, highlighting ongoing persecution of the minority group.
A Russian court has sentenced 19-year-old Darya Kozyreva to nearly three years in prison for protesting the war in Ukraine using poetry and graffiti.
The new U.S. ambassador to Japan has called for closer military coordination with Tokyo, framing the alliance as crucial amid rising regional tensions and ongoing trade disputes.
Students in Serbia have rallied outside a police station as Belgrade University’s rector is questioned over support for anti-government protests.
Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov extended Moscow’s support for the ongoing indirect nuclear talks between the United States and Iran, offering to mediate or assist in any way that would be beneficial to Tehran and acceptable to Washington.
A mob attack on an Ahmadi place of worship in Karachi has left one man dead, highlighting ongoing persecution of the minority group.
A Russian court has sentenced 19-year-old Darya Kozyreva to nearly three years in prison for protesting the war in Ukraine using poetry and graffiti.
The new U.S. ambassador to Japan has called for closer military coordination with Tokyo, framing the alliance as crucial amid rising regional tensions and ongoing trade disputes.
Students in Serbia have rallied outside a police station as Belgrade University’s rector is questioned over support for anti-government protests.
OpenAI has unveiled a new option called Flex processing, an API service designed to provide more affordable AI model usage in exchange for slower response times and occasional resource unavailability.
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