Mexico joins the neutrality protocol of the Panama Canal

A historic step at the end of life

France’s National Assembly gave the final green light to a bill that allows adults with incurable diseases to receive medication to end their life. The vote was 291 in favor and 241 against, after a long parliamentary process initiated more than three years ago by President Emmanuel Macron.

“I made a commitment to the French people to open this path. With seriousness, humility and respect for our democracy, that commitment has been fulfilled,” Macron wrote in X.

Rigorous conditions

The law focuses on self-administration of lethal medication. Only patients over 18 years of age, citizens or legal residents, with a serious, incurable disease and in an advanced or terminal phase can request it. The pain must be unbearable and uncontrollable, and the request voluntary.

Psychological suffering alone does not qualify. People with serious psychiatric disorders or neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer’s are also not eligible. The process includes an application reviewed in 15 days and a reflection period of at least two days.

The patient will be able to choose the time and place, even at home, accompanied by loved ones. A doctor or nurse will verify your wish moments before and will remain nearby in case complications arise. Health insurance will cover all costs.

Divided reactions

The Association for the Right to Die with Dignity celebrated the law: it allows “choosing to end unbearable suffering, freely and with full awareness.” Its president, Jonathan Denis, stressed that “a law that creates a new right never forces anyone to exercise it.”

In contrast, the anti-euthanasia group Alliance Vita warned that “presenting death as a desirable solution can never be an acceptable response to suffering” and called for strengthening palliative care. They fear pressure on elderly or disabled people.

Constitutional review pending

The Senate, with a conservative majority, rejected the project. However, the National Assembly has the final say. Prime Minister Sébastien Lecornu and the president of the Senate will refer the law to the Constitutional Council, which must rule within a month. Only after that approval will it come into force.

France thus joins the countries that regulate medical assistance in dying. In the United Kingdom, a similar project is advancing with new amendments, while in Germany the Bundestag rejected two proposals in 2023.

After two days of US-brokered talks in Rome, Lebanon and Israel moved toward implementing pilot zones in southern Lebanon, where Israeli forces would withdraw and hand over control to the Lebanese army. This was reported on Wednesday by the US State Department.

What was agreed?

The most recent war between Israel and Hezbollah broke out when the Lebanese group launched rockets into Israeli territory days after Tel Aviv and Washington began their conflict against Iran on February 28. Since then, Israel has occupied a wide swath of southern Lebanon. Hezbollah opposes direct negotiations.

The State Department statement called the talks “productive” and noted that the parties “agreed on the structure and guidelines for the pilot zones process, which will be finalized and implemented in the coming days.” So far, neither Lebanon nor Israel have officially declared the result.

Pilot zones and controversy

Both countries signed a “framework agreement” on June 26, which outlines the Israeli withdrawal from southern Lebanon and steps towards a future peace agreement. The plan would begin with two pilot zones where the Israeli army would cede control to the Lebanese, which would clear those areas of Hezbollah presence. However, implementation had stalled.

Lebanese President Joseph Aoun — who will visit Washington on July 21 — instructed his delegation in Rome “to demand the immediate withdrawal of Israeli forces from the two pilot zones before any further discussions.”

The zones generated controversy because Israeli troops were not present in much of the selected area, which questioned how a withdrawal could occur. The Lebanese army was seeking larger areas that included more occupied territory.

The State Department indicated that after implementing the pilot zones, it will move on to “expanded technical talks… with the goal of reaching a comprehensive agreement between Israel and Lebanon.”

Reactions

Hezbollah and Iran had attempted to link the end of the Lebanese conflict to broader talks between the US and Iran. The Lebanese government sought to separate both paths to negotiate a direct ceasefire with Israel. The armed group has declared that it will not abide by the agreement or disarm. Israeli officials, for their part, plan a prolonged occupation of southern Lebanon.

In an interview with Fox News, US President Donald Trump said he wants to see Israel withdraw from Lebanon and southern Syria, or “reposition” its forces.

“Southern Syria and parts of Lebanon, yes, it would be good to get out, I think, and I think you could see things calm down a little bit,” Trump said, adding: “We have to focus our energy on the big leagues. The big leagues are Iran.”

Trump also repeated his proposal that Syrian President Ahmad al-Sharaa send forces to Lebanon to “deal with” Hezbollah. Al-Sharaa has said that Syria wants to stay out of the regional war and will not intervene militarily in Lebanon.

The Pentagon’s options

Senior Pentagon officials in recent weeks analyzed possible actions against Cuba, including a military assault, as reported by CBS News. The media cited US sources who indicated among the options an air assault led by the US Army, with the participation of thousands of troops from the 101st Airborne Division, the only unit trained for that mission.

However, the same sources stressed that these discussions do not imply a decision by President Donald Trump or the Pentagon. Acting Pentagon Press Secretary Joel Valdez told CBS:

“We do not comment on hypothetical military operations.”

Any operation against Cuba would represent a challenge for the Pentagon, since the attention of the Armed Forces is focused on fronts such as Iran.

Reactions in Cuba and the US

The Secretary of State, Marco Rubio, has expressed his preference for diplomatic means to achieve a transition on the island. However, security concerns persist, such as Cuba’s acquisition of drones of unknown origin, reported by CBS.

Last June, Secretary of War Pete Hegseth visited the US naval base at Guantánamo and warned:

“It would be unwise for the Cuban government to attempt to acquire or have access to the types of weapons that could reach this base or US territory. They would be inviting a type of confrontation that they not only do not want, but could not endure.”

Cuban Foreign Minister Bruno Rodríguez responded in May that a military aggression against the island “would cause a true humanitarian catastrophe, a bloodbath. Cuban and American citizens would lose their lives, a fact that only politicians who do not send their children and relatives to wars bet on.”