Latest news with #Government
ITV News
27 minutes ago
- Health
- ITV News
Welsh NHS could refuse to offer assisted dying services, Health Secretary confirms
The Health Secretary has confirmed that the Welsh NHS could refuse to offer assisted dying services even if they were to be introduced in Miles said that Senedd members will have the power to block the implementation of the law change although he acknowledged that private sector health providers could offer such a service here in to change the law to legalise assisted dying in Wales and England were agreed in the House of Commons in June which voted to pass the Terminally Ill Adults (End of Life) Bill by 314 to 291. Of Wales' 32 MPs, 24 backed the bill, seven voted against and one did not proposed law-change will next be debated in the House of is devolved, so the implementation of any assisted dying service would be carried out through the Welsh NHS which is controlled by the Welsh Government and ultimately answerable to the Senedd itself. In a vote last October on the principle of assisted dying, Senedd members including the First Minister and Health Secretary voted against it, which means there is every chance that MSs could vote to block in turn raises the prospect of assisted dying being legalised here in Wales but Welsh doctors prohibited from providing the Secretary Jeremy Miles has been giving evidence to the Senedd's Health Committee which has been trying to gain some clarity about the Miles told the committee that the Welsh Government has taken a neutral position on the confirmed that Senedd Members do not have the power to block the change to the law itself, but could refuse to introduce regulations which would allow the NHS to offer assisted dying services. The cabinet secretary said: 'In order for those regulations to be laid, which would be necessary in order for, for example, the NHS to provide this service in Wales, then a Welsh Government…would need to make a policy decision to be open to introducing the service, then to lay the regulations and for the Senedd to approve those.'So that's in relation to services provided in the public sector…by the NHS, because that's within devolved competence.'But he added that private sector health services here could introduce an assisted dying service, even if there was not one provided by the Welsh said: 'Obviously the bill operates by way of amendment the suicide act. So there would be options in England and Wales for services to be provided other than in the public sector, as it is in other parts of the world, obviously.'He was pressed by the committee's chair, Peter Fox, for 'further clarity on regulations". He was asked: "If they are not made by Welsh Government and consequently approved by the Senedd, the NHS in Wales will not be able to provide assisted dying services.?'Mr Miles replied: 'That is correct.' Committee members raised concerns about confusion if different regulations and services were to be offered within Wales and across the border in England. Mr Miles said: "I accept, as is quite often said, that if you live on the border, perhaps there's more uncertainty. But as you say, we have been through a period [the Covid pandemic] when the law was clear and different on either side of the border, ways of implementing that are effective."
Scottish Sun
27 minutes ago
- Business
- Scottish Sun
UK's biggest mobile provider is shutting service TODAY leaving thousands of Brits with no internet in huge shake-up
Scroll down to find out whether your device will be affected END OF THE LINE UK's biggest mobile provider is shutting service TODAY leaving thousands of Brits with no internet in huge shake-up Click to share on X/Twitter (Opens in new window) Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window) THE UK'S largest mobile provider is continuing its shut down of a major service today, which could leave customers without internet. Britain's major mobile providers have been gradually switching off a key service over the past few years, following an agreement with the Government made in 2021. Sign up for Scottish Sun newsletter Sign up 1 Virgin Media O2 is turning off its 3G network Credit: Getty EE, Vodafone and Three have all shut off their 3G services, with Virgin Media O2 the last to follow suit. The telecoms giant said that the switch off is so that it can focus on "faster, more reliable and more energy-efficient" 4G and 5G networks." The 3G switch off began in Durham on April 2, and is continuing today, July 16, in Norwich, Telford and Guildford. Torquay's 3G network will then be switched off on August 4. The mobile provider has confirmed that the rest of the UK will have its 3G networks turned off by the end of the year. The switch off will also affect Giffgaff, Sky Mobile and Tesco Mobile users as they all use Virgin Media O2's network. "We're switching off our 3G network to focus our attention and investment on upgrading faster and more reliable 4G and 5G networks that will give our customers a better overall experience", Virgin Media O2's Chief Technology Officer, Jeanie York, said. 'Following the successful pilot in Durham earlier this year, we will be switching off 3G in Norwich, Telford and Guildford in July, and Torquay in early August, with the rest of the UK to follow by the end of the year." Virgin Media O2 customers living in the affected areas have been urged to upgrade to a device which supports 4G or 5G before the switch off takes place. Anyone who's device is only capable of supporting 3G will be left without mobile data, but will still be able to text, take phone calls, and access WiFi. WhatsApp is closing down on three mobile devices in hours with users blocked from sending and receiving messages Martin Lewis' Money Saving Expert (MSE) explained: "If you have a phone or Sim that only supports 3G, you'll effectively no longer be able to use the internet once it's fully switched off by your provider – you'll still technically be able to connect to the internet, but you'll struggle to do even basic tasks. "You'll still be able to make calls and send text messages over 2G, though the quality of the call will likely be a lot worse than it was on the 3G network." Virgin Media O2 has said that the "vast majority" of its customers already have a device which supports 4G or 5G, so will be completely unaffected by the switch off. It added that any customers still using a 3G device who are known to be vulnerable have been offered a 4G device free of charge. Which mobile networks are affected by the 3G switch off? Mobile networks affected by O2's 3G switch off: -O2 - Tesco Mobile - Sky Mobile - GiffGaff Networks which have already switched off 3G: - Vodafone - Asda Mobile - Lebara - Talk Mobile - Voxi - EE - 1pMobile - Ecotalk - IQ Mobile - Lycamobile - Mozillion - RWG Mobile - Spusi - Talk Home - Utility Warehouse - Your Co-op - Three - iD Mobile, Smarty - Honest Mobile - Superdrug All other customers who do not currently have a device compatible with 4G or 5G have been offered a new device at a reduced cost. Jeanie York added: "While we know that the vast majority of our customers already have a 4G or 5G device and will not have to take any action, our priority is to provide support to those who need it. "That is why we are reaching out directly to customers who do not have a 4G or 5G handset, and calling those we know are vulnerable, to provide information about their next steps. "It is important these customers upgrade their handsets in order to continue using mobile data after 3G is switched off.' Customers wishing to dispose of their old 3G devices should recycle them through O2 recycle, which could see them get cash for the old handsets. How to check if your device is affected Smartphone users who have purchased their device in the last 10 years are unlikely to be affected by the switch off. However, if you are still unsure, you can do a simple trick to check. Click on the settings page on your phone and search for Network Mode or Preferred Network. If you spot 4G or 5G listed, then you will be unaffected by the switch off.
Al Jazeera
27 minutes ago
- Politics
- Al Jazeera
Thousands of Nigerians attend funeral of ex-President Buhari
Thousands of Nigerians attend funeral of ex-President Buhari NewsFeed Thousands of Nigerians attended the funeral procession of former President Muhammadu Buhari, in his hometown of Dauru. Video Duration 01 minutes 06 seconds 01:06 Video Duration 01 minutes 36 seconds 01:36 Video Duration 00 minutes 58 seconds 00:58 Video Duration 01 minutes 05 seconds 01:05 Video Duration 00 minutes 44 seconds 00:44 Video Duration 00 minutes 38 seconds 00:38 Video Duration 02 minutes 56 seconds 02:56
Online Citizen
44 minutes ago
- Automotive
- Online Citizen
SM Lee defends market approach for COE while Jamus Lim urges more empathy and social fairness
SINGAPORE: On 15 July 2025, Senior Minister Lee Hsien Loong staunchly defended Singapore's Certificate of Entitlement (COE) system during a dialogue at the 69th Annual Dinner of the Economic Society of Singapore (ESS). Responding to public concerns over affordability and fairness, Lee reiterated that the COE system remains a vital mechanism to allocate Singapore's scarce road space through market pricing. During the event, moderator and ESS President Euston Quah raised the question of whether COEs should be made more affordable for those who may have greater need for a car. Lee replied that while he understood the desire to tailor COE prices to individual circumstances, but any attempt to engineer it too finely to meet individual needs would fail. 'There's really no easy way to make something which is valuable be distributed fairly, and at the same time, very cheap,' Lee explained, adding that trying to factor in individual needs such as family size or disability would make the system contradictory and unmanageable. Lee reiterated the purpose of the COE system: to use market forces to manage limited road space and control car ownership. He noted that the Government had already brought forward future quotas to increase COE supply and ease upward price pressure, but cautioned that managing demand remained the core challenge. Lee rejected alternatives like Beijing's licence plate lottery, arguing it would not be suited to Singapore's context. Pressed again by Quah on whether special groups should receive concessions, Lee maintained that while Singaporeans are entitled to reliable, affordable public transport, car ownership was not a guaranteed right. 'I can guarantee every Singaporean affordable, convenient transportation. I cannot guarantee every Singaporean an affordable car,' Lee stated. 'It is different from HDB houses. Every Singaporean household can get one. But cars, no.' Lee suggested that instead of adjusting the COE system, the Government could provide direct financial assistance to those in need. 'For example, if you have a child, it is better that I give you a bigger baby bonus rather than a cheaper COE,' he said, arguing that such an approach is more transparent and less prone to loopholes. Jamus Lim calls for deeper social values in policymaking In a Facebook post on 16 July 2025, Workers' Party Member of Parliament Associate Professor Jamus Lim acknowledged Lee's 'masterclass' in economic reasoning but expressed concern about over-reliance on market mechanisms. The Sengkang MP stressed that values such as compassion, equity, and loyalty cannot be captured by prices alone. 'What's sorely missing… is how those with genuine needs may not have the purchasing power to meet those needs, even if their needs may have more merit,' Lim wrote. Lim contended that when Lee defaults to an auction-based mechanism, he is not merely saying, 'I don't have the wisdom to decide. Let the market choose.' Rather, he is conceding the fulfilment of needs to those who are better positioned financially — those with more money. While acknowledging that Lee had rightly underscored the importance of access to public transport, Lim argued that not every facet of life should be governed by market logic. 'Society has values—about compassion, equity, respect, and loyalty—that's are poorly valued by impersonal markets,' Lim wrote, drawing parallels to family and civic life where altruism prevails over transaction. Lim called on Singaporeans to view existing policies not as immutable structures, but as systems open to reform. 'We are not mindless slaves to the prevailing structures… If we want to head toward a more empathetic and just society, then it is on us to seize that vision and make it real,' he stated. SM Lee responds to Lim's post publicly in rare gesture In a rare gesture, Lee's official Facebook account commented directly on Lim's post, reiterating key points from his dialogue remarks. Lee clarified that the Government's approach was to (1) ensure access to efficient public transport, and (2) directly assist groups in need, such as by increasing financial grants to families with young children. Rather than complicate the COE system, these targeted interventions better address social needs, Lee maintained. 'Therefore where we disagree is not over who cares more for our fellow Singaporeans, but what is the best way to meet people's needs and take care of them,' added Lee. Lim calls for more targeted measures In response, Lim thanked Lee for elaborating on his position, acknowledging the clarity on the two points raised. He agreed with the focus on accessible public transport and recognised the rationale behind financial grants, but argued for a more direct mechanism to signal support for specific social groups. 'I, however, favour a more targeted mechanism, ' Lim explained. 'It would not only better channel behavior toward a specific social objective, but also signal more directly as to how the government is helping certain groups out (while also blunting the transactional nature of the system).' Lim concluded by emphasising that the disagreement was not about who cares more for Singaporeans, but about different philosophies on how best to help them. ' And that, in turn, hinges on our differing beliefs about the behavior of people, and the efficacy of markets,' Lim wrote. Calls grow for needs-based tweaks to COE system amid fairness concerns A Netizen commented on Jamus Lim's post agreed that while the COE system is efficient, it can be unfair to those with genuine needs who cannot outbid wealthier buyers. The comment suggested ideas like reserving a portion of COEs for people with special needs, offering targeted subsidies, or creating separate COE categories for essential use vehicles. Others proposed measures such as instalment payments or capped bids to protect vulnerable groups from price spikes. Some pointed to international examples like Beijing's licence lottery, arguing it shows how non-market allocation can reduce inequality and traffic. Others noted that Singapore's own public housing and education subsidies prove needs-based systems can work. A comment criticised past governance for being overly profit-driven and for letting market forces dominate basic social goods like housing. Assoc Prof Lim himself replied that modern economics offers practical tools—like better auction designs and exemptions—that could balance efficiency with fairness if society chooses to act.
Malay Mail
an hour ago
- Malay Mail
Quake rumours don't stop Japan's tourist boom — but Hong Kong numbers dive
TOKYO, July 16 — A record 21.5 million tourists visited Japan in the first six months of the year, a 21-per cent increase year-on-year, official figures showed today, despite visitors from Hong Kong dropping by a third over rumours of a quake. 'The number exceeded 20 million in six months, the fastest pace ever,' the Japan National Tourism Organisation (JNTO) said in a statement. The figure in June alone jumped 7.6 per cent to record 3.4 million, due to 'increased demand to coincide with school holidays,' it said. The number was boosted by a jump year-on-year in tourists from China, South Korea, Singapore, India, the United States and Germany. But the number of travellers from Hong Kong plunged 33.4 per cent, with the JNTO citing online rumours warning of a huge quake in Japan. People from Hong Kong made nearly 2.7 million trips to Japan in 2024. Although it is impossible to know exactly when earthquakes will hit, fear-inducing predictions have spread widely among the Chinese city's residents. Some posts cited a Japanese manga comic that predicts a major natural disaster in July 2025 — based on the author's dream. Japanese authorities have repeatedly said the rumours are false. The government has set an ambitious target of almost doubling tourist numbers to 60 million annually by 2030. Authorities say they want to spread tourists more evenly around the country, and to avoid a bottleneck of visitors eager to snap spring cherry blossoms or vivid autumn colours. But as in other global tourist magnets like Venice in Italy, there has been a growing pushback from residents in destinations such as the ancient capital of Kyoto. — AFP
