
Princess of Wales pulls out of engagement at Royal Ascot
LONDON — The Princess of Wales canceled plans to attend Royal Ascot on Wednesday as she continues to balance the demands of her public duties against the realities of her recovery from cancer.
Kate, as Prince William's wife is commonly known, has been gradually returning to public duties since last fall, when she announced that she had completed chemotherapy and would return to work. At the time, she said her road to full recovery would be long and she would 'take each day as it comes.'
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Britain swelters in 30C heatwave before hottest day of year, in photos
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Esther Rantzen and terminally ill preacher make case for assisted dying Bill
A terminally ill Christian preacher has criticised the 'nonsensical' religious argument against assisted dying that suffering must be part of life, as Dame Esther Rantzen urged MPs to pass a Bill she said could 'transform the final days of generations in the future'. The broadcaster made a plea to parliamentarians on the eve of Friday's vote to change what she branded a 'current, cruel, messy criminal law'. The House of Commons will have a debate and vote on the Terminally Ill Adults (End of Life) Bill on Friday, which will see it either progress to the House of Lords or fall completely. Dame Esther, a staunch supporter of Kim Leadbeater's Terminally Ill Adults (End of Life) Bill, has been a prominent voice in the conversation on assisted dying. Last week, Labour MP and Bill opponent, Rupa Huq, pledged to be a voice for the voiceless, noting that the Childline founder and others' views are already well-known. She added: 'We know that Esther Rantzen wants this. We know (broadcaster) Jonathan Dimbleby wants this. 'But our role is to be voice of the voiceless as well.' Dame Esther, who is terminally ill with cancer, said the 'truly voiceless' are the terminally ill who face ' an agonising death' and their relatives. She told the PA news agency: 'This is a crucial debate for the truly voiceless. 'They are the terminally ill adults for whom life has become unbearable and who need assistance, not to shorten their lives but to shorten an agonising death – and their loved ones who under the current law will be accused of committing a crime if they try to assist or even stay alongside to say goodbye. 'These are the truly vulnerable and voiceless who depend on our lawmakers to change our current, cruel, messy criminal law. 'All this Bill allows is choice for desperately ill adults who are dying anyway but want the confidence of knowing that they can ask for help to choose what we all hope for; a quick, pain-free death with good memories left behind as their legacy for those they love. 'Please allow us terminally ill the dignity of choice over our own deaths. A change in the law cannot come in time for me, but will transform the final days of generations in the future. Those who disagree with assisted dying under the new law will have the right to their own choice, please allow the rest of us to have the same right.' Dame Esther's words came as a group of terminally ill and bereaved people shared their stories at a press briefing alongside the Labour Bill sponsor, Ms Leadbeater, on Thursday. Church of England lay preacher Pamela Fisher, who is terminally ill with cancer, made an impassioned speech against the religious arguments made by some who oppose assisted dying. She said: 'I completely reject the assumption that the sanctity of life requires terminally ill people to undergo a distressing and painful death against their will. I disagree with those that say it is God alone who decides how and when we die. 'Yes, life is a gift from God to be honoured, but it's nonsensical to say that assisted dying is wrong because suffering is part of God's plan for us.' The Catholic Archbishop of Westminster, Cardinal Vincent Nichols – who is opposed to assisted dying – has previously argued that the suffering of human beings is 'an intrinsic part of our human journey, a journey embraced by the eternal word of God, Christ Jesus himself'. Meanwhile, Anil Douglas, whose father took his own life having suffered with multiple sclerosis, recalled the trauma of finding him. He said a six-month police investigation followed, and told the press conference: 'The law in this country failed my father.' He added: 'The (current) law leads people like my father to make lonely and dangerous decisions. It does not protect against coercion. It does not offer protections or choice for dying people. 'It does not offer terminally ill, mentally competent adults with six months or less to live, the chance to choose a safe and compassionate death when even the very best palliative care is not enough. It leads to lonely, dangerous, traumatic deaths.' Bill opponents have argued it is not robust enough to protect the most vulnerable against coercion, and others who might choose assisted dying because they feel they are a burden. The proposed legislation would allow terminally ill adults in England and Wales, with fewer than six months to live, to apply for an assisted death, subject to approval by two doctors and a panel featuring a social worker, senior legal figure and psychiatrist.
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Senior doctors asked about prospect of industrial action amid row over pay
Senior doctors in England are taking part in an indicative ballot in an escalation of a row over pay with the Government. Many doctors were given a 4% pay uplift in May. But the British Medical Association (BMA) said at the time that the pay rise does not go far enough in restoring historical pay freezes. The union announced that consultants and specialist, associate specialist, and specialty (SAS) doctors in England will take part in an indicative ballot over the recent pay offer. A 4% pay uplift, less than current inflation, is an insult to doctors in England. This Government has shown it simply doesn't value doctors. 'The DDRB has failed doctors. If this is the best they can do, government needs to think again.' says @DrPhilBanfield This 'award'… — The BMA (@TheBMA) May 22, 2025 The BMA said that after the offer the committees representing these doctors wrote to the Health Secretary Wes Streeting calling for him to meet for negotiations. But the union said it had not received a reply. The indicative ballot, which will ask whether they are willing to take part in industrial action, will open on July 21 and close on September 1. Resident doctors in England, formally known as junior doctors, are already being balloted over the prospect of strike action. BMA consultants committee co-chairs Dr Helen Neary and Dr Shanu Datta, said in a statement: 'Last month's offer was an insult to senior doctors and undoes so much of the progress made last year. 'The 4% was below April's RPI inflation, let alone anywhere close to making a dent in the huge pay cuts consultants have experienced over the last 17 years. 'Without restoring consultants' value we will continue to drive our most experienced clinical leaders and academics away – in many cases to better pay and conditions overseas – when patients and the public need them most. 'We've been clear to the Government that we're ready to get around the table and to secure a better outcome for doctors, patients and the public, but with no response, we have no choice but to prepare for the possibility of further action.' They added: 'Our resident colleagues have already launched their ballot, to which we offer them our fully fledged support. We ask the Government whether it can really risk having several groups of doctors on picket lines together later this year.' BMA SAS committee chairwoman Dr Ujjwala Mohite added: 'SAS doctors are the backbone and unsung heroes of the NHS, yet this year's pay 'award' once again completely disregards the value we offer to patients and the health service. 'Even with the uplift, SAS pay will be down by almost a quarter in real terms compared to 2008. We are certainly not working a quarter less than we were 16 years ago.' The Department of Health and Social Care has been approached for comment.