U.K. lawmakers approve assisted-dying law

LONDON — British lawmakers voted Friday to legalize assisted dying — a final step in the House of Commons that means the practice will almost certainly be permitted in England and Wales in the coming years, marking a pivotal societal change.
Lawmakers voted 314 to 291 for legalization following an impassioned, four-hour debate. Modeled on a law in Oregon, the Terminally Ill Adults (End of Life) Bill will allow terminally ill people to choose to die. Those with less than six months to live will be permitted to seek lethal medication from the National Health Service, subject to approval of two doctors and a panel of experts.

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Palestine Action to be banned after RAF base break in

The home secretary will move to proscribe Palestine Action group in the coming weeks, effectively branding them as a terrorist organisation, the BBC understands. Yvette Cooper is preparing a written statement before Parliament on Monday - which if passed will make becoming a member of the group illegal. The decision comes as a security review begins at military bases across the UK, after pro-Palestinian activists broke into RAF Brize Norton in Oxfordshire and sprayed two military planes with red paint. Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer condemned the action as "disgraceful," describing it as an "act of vandalism". South East counter terrorism police confirmed its specialist officers were investigating the incident alongside Thames Valley Police and the Ministry of Defence (MoD). Counter-terrorism police added the incident happened in the early hours of Friday and that enquiries were "ongoing to establish the exact circumstances". Footage posted online by Palestine Action on Friday showed two people inside the Oxfordshire airbase in darkness, with one riding on a scooter up to an Airbus Voyager and spraying paint into its jet engine. After sharing the footage, a Palestine Action spokesperson said: "Despite publicly condemning the Israeli government, Britain continues to send military cargo, fly spy planes over Gaza and refuel US and Israeli fighter jets." The group claimed its activists had evaded security and had put the air-to-air refuelling tankers "out of service". However RAF engineers have been assessing the damage, with a defence source earlier telling the BBC that they did not expect the incident would affect operations. Thames Valley Police earlier said it had received a report about people gaining access to the base and causing criminal damage. "Inquiries are ongoing to locate and arrest those responsible," the force said. It is understood this incident was not the first time the group has targeted military sites. RAF Brize Norton serves as the hub for UK strategic air transport and refuelling, including flights to RAF Akrotiri in Cyprus. The air force has conducted reconnaissance flights over Gaza out of the Cyprus base.

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an hour ago

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Palestine Action to be banned after break-in at RAF base

The Home Secretary is preparing to ban Palestine Action following the group's vandalism of two planes at an RAF base, the PA news agency understands. Yvette Cooper has decided to proscribe the group, making it a criminal offence to belong to or support Palestine Action. The decision comes after the group posted footage online showing two people inside the base at RAF Brize Norton in Oxfordshire. The clip shows one person riding an electric scooter up to an Airbus Voyager air-to-air refuelling tanker and appearing to spray paint into its jet engine. The incident is being also investigated by counter terror police. The Home Secretary has the power to proscribe an organisation under the Terrorism Act of 2000 if she believes it is 'concerned in terrorism'. Proscription will require Ms Cooper to lay an order in Parliament, which must then be debated and approved by both MPs and peers. Some 81 organisations have been proscribed under the 2000 Act, including Islamist terrorist groups such as Hamas and al Qaida, far-right groups such as National Action, and Russian private military company Wagner Group. Another 14 organisations connected with Northern Ireland are also banned under previous legislation, including the IRA and UDA. Belonging to or expressing support for a proscribed organisation, along with a number of other actions, are criminal offences carrying a maximum sentence of 14 years in prison. Friday's incident at Brize Norton, described by the Prime Minister as 'disgraceful', prompted calls for Palestine Action to be banned. The group has staged a series of demonstrations in recent months, including spraying the London offices of Allianz Insurance with red paint over its alleged links to Israeli defence company Elbit, and vandalising Donald Trump's Turnberry golf course in South Ayrshire. The Campaign Against Antisemitism (CAA) welcomed the news that Ms Cooper intended to proscribe the group, saying: 'Nobody should be surprised that those who vandalised Jewish premises with impunity have now been emboldened to sabotage RAF jets.' CAA chief executive Gideon Falter urged the Home Secretary to proscribe the Houthi rebel group and Iran's Revolutionary Guard Corps, adding: 'This country needs to clamp down on the domestic and foreign terrorists running amok on our soil.' Former home secretary Suella Braverman said it was 'absolutely the correct decision'.

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an hour ago

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UK Government 'set to proscribe Palestine Action after RAF protest'

THE UK Government is set to proscribe Palestine Action, effectively treating them as a terrorist group, after activists staged a protest at an RAF base, reports say. Sky News and the BBC report that Home Secretary Yvette Cooper will make the announcement on Monday, making it illegal for people to join or support the protest group. The decision comes after the group posted footage online showing two people inside the base at RAF Brize Norton in Oxfordshire. The clip shows one person riding an electric scooter up to an Airbus Voyager air-to-air refuelling tanker and appearing to spray paint into its jet engine. The still shows the activists under the planes (Image: Palestine Action) The group said it took the action as flights leave Brize Norton for RAF Akrotiri in Cyprus daily. The UK Government has been flying spy planes over Gaza from this location. "Despite publicly condemning the Israeli government, Britain continues to send military cargo, fly spy planes over Gaza and refuel US/Israeli fighter jets. Britain isn't just complicit, it's an active participant in the Gaza genocide and war crimes across the Middle East," a spokesperson said. "By decommissioning two military planes, Palestine Action have directly intervened in the genocide and prevented crimes against the Palestinian people." The incident is being investigated by counter terror police. READ MORE: (Image: Palestine Action) The Home Secretary has the power to proscribe an organisation under the Terrorism Act of 2000 if she believes it is 'concerned in terrorism'. Proscription will require Cooper to lay an order in Parliament, which must then be debated and approved by both MPs and peers. Palestine Action regularly demonstrate across the UK, targeting firms linked to weapons manufacturers. Palestine Action Scotland has also targeted Scottish Enterprise due to grants it provides to firms supplying Israel with weaponry.