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Bryce Thompson scores 17 points and Oklahoma State beats Miami 80-74 in the Charleston ClassicIn a message to the American people, the King expressed “great sadness” at the news of Mr Carter’s death, describing him as “a committed public servant” who “devoted his life to promoting peace and human rights”. He added: “His dedication and humility served as an inspiration to many, and I remember with great fondness his visit to the United Kingdom in 1977. “My thoughts and prayers are with President Carter’s family and the American people at this time.” Mr Carter, a former peanut farmer, served one term in the White House between 1977 and 1981 and spent his post-presidency years as a global humanitarian, winning the Nobel Peace Prize in 2002. Sir Keir Starmer said Mr Carter had “lived his values in the service of others to the very end” through “decades of selfless public service”. Praising a “lifelong dedication to peace” that saw him win the Nobel Peace Prize in 2002, Sir Keir added: “Motivated by his strong faith and values, President Carter redefined the post-presidency with a remarkable commitment to social justice and human rights at home and abroad.” Tributes to Mr Carter followed the announcement of his death by his family on Sunday, more than a year after he decided to enter hospice care. His son, Chip Carter, said: “My father was a hero, not only to me but to everyone who believes in peace, human rights, and unselfish love.” Very sorry to hear of President Carter’s passing. I pay tribute to his decades of selfless public service. My thoughts are with his family and friends at this time. pic.twitter.com/IaKmZcteb1 — Keir Starmer (@Keir_Starmer) December 29, 2024 US President Joe Biden, one of the first elected politicians to endorse Mr Carter’s bid for the presidency in 1976, said the world had “lost an extraordinary leader, statesman and humanitarian”. He said: “Over six decades, we had the honour of calling Jimmy Carter a dear friend. But, what’s extraordinary about Jimmy Carter, though, is that millions of people throughout America and the world who never met him thought of him as a dear friend as well. “With his compassion and moral clarity, he worked to eradicate disease, forge peace, advance civil rights and human rights, promote free and fair elections, house the homeless, and always advocate for the least among us.” Vice President Kamala Harris said Mr Carter “reminded our nation and the world that there is strength in decency and compassion”. “His life and legacy continue to inspire me — and will inspire generations to come,” she said. “Our world is a better place because of President Carter.” Other UK politicians also paid tribute to Mr Carter. Liberal Democrat leader Sir Ed Davey said he was “an inspiration” who “led a truly remarkable life dedicated to public service with a genuine care for people”. Scottish First Minister John Swinney described the former president as “a good, decent, honest man who strove for peace in all that he did”, while Welsh First Minister said he was “a remarkable man” and “a humanitarian and scholar”. Former prime minister Sir Tony Blair said Mr Carter’s “life was a testament to public service”. He added: “I always had the greatest respect for him, his spirit and his dedication. He fundamentally cared and consistently toiled to help those in need.” Gordon Brown, another former prime minister, said it was a “privilege” to have known Mr Carter, who “will be mourned, not just in America, but in every continent where human rights are valued”. Mr Carter is expected to receive a state funeral featuring public observances in Atlanta, Georgia, and Washington DC before being buried in his hometown of Plains, Georgia. A moderate democrat born in Plains in October 1924, Mr Carter’s political career took him from the Georgia state senate to the state governorship and, finally, the White House, where he took office as 39th president in the wake of the Watergate scandal and the Vietnam War. His presidency saw economic disruption amid volatile oil prices, along with social tensions at home and challenges abroad including the Iranian revolution that sparked a 444-day hostage crisis at the US embassy in Tehran. But he also brokered the Camp David Accords between Egypt and Israel, which led to a peace treaty between the two countries in 1979. After his defeat in the 1980 presidential election, he worked more than four decades leading The Carter Centre, which he and his late wife Rosalynn co-founded in 1982 to “wage peace, fight disease, and build hope”. Under his leadership, the Carter Center virtually eliminated Guinea Worm disease, which has gone from affecting 3.5 million people in Africa and Asia in 1986 to just 14 in 2023. Mrs Carter, who died last year aged 96, had played a more active role in her husband’s presidency than previous first ladies, with Mr Carter saying she had been “my equal partner in everything I ever accomplished”. Earlier this year, on his 100th birthday, Mr Carter received a private congratulatory message from the King, expressing admiration for his life of public serviceNone
Wade Taylor IV racked up 19 points that included eight in the final 3:22 of the game as No. 22 Texas A&M outlasted Texas Tech 72-67 on Sunday afternoon in the USLBM Coast-to-Coast Challenge in Fort Worth, Texas. Texas A&M (8-2) led by as many as 11 points in the first half and by three at halftime before the Red Raiders surged to the front early in the second half. Down 52-49, the Aggies produced an 11-0 surge capped by a jumper by Zhuric Phelps to take a 60-52 advantage with 5:02 to play The Aggies' margin was just two points when Taylor went hard to the hole on back-to-back possessions for layups that pushed the lead to 64-58. A 3-pointer by Tech's Chance McMillian cut lead to three but Taylor, Henry Coleman III and Solomon Washington converted free throws over the final 27 seconds to provide the deciding points for A&M. Jace Carter added 16 points and Phelps had 12 for the Aggies, who have won four straight games. McMillian's 23 points were a game high, while Kevin Overton added 17 and Darrion Williams had 11 for Texas Tech (7-2), which had a three-game winning streak snapped. The Aggies ruled the game's first five minutes, blitzing to a 13-2 lead thanks to eight early points from Taylor and a stifling defense that forced Tech into four turnovers. The Red Raiders responded with an 8-2 run capped by a jumper by Federiko Federiko to close the gap to five points at the 10:57 mark. Texas Tech continued to battle back, clawing to within 26-24 with 5:16 left in the first half thanks to a 9-0 run. Texas A&M boosted the margin to as many as six points after Manny Obaseki hit a layup with 2:23 remaining before McMillian canned a pair of free throws with 41 seconds to play to pull to within 34-31 at the break. Overton led all scorers with 14 points before halftime while Carter paced the Aggies with 13. The Red Raiders pulled even on Federiko's jumper 46 seconds into the second half, went in front on a jumper by Elijah Hawkins with 18:22 to play and pushed their advantage to five points on another Hawkins jumper at the 16:30 mark of the half. The Aggies swung back, tying the contest at 49 when Washington sank a 3-pointer with 10:48 left, setting the stage for the furious finish. --Field Level Media
Some 140 years after its first trailblazing luxury train chugged out of Paris’s Gare de l’Est bound for Constantinople, the Orient Express is having something of a rebirth. Arguably the most interesting in a flurry of announcements from the brand is the launch of Orient Express Silenseas, a new collection of yachts that are a collaboration between three French giants: global hospitality group Accor, luxury goods titan LVMH and shipbuilders Chantiers de l’Atlantique. Orient Express Corinthian is the world’s largest sailing yacht. The finished product looks like the lovechild of the fanciest superyacht and the most elegant sailing boat. The first yacht to be completed, Orient Express Corinthian, which at 220m long, with three 100m-high sails, is the world’s largest sailing yacht, won’t be taking paying guests until 2026, but the first images of its interiors have been released. Luxury hotel groups such as Ritz Carlton, Four Seasons and Aman have all announced launches of luxury yachts this year . But while they may be fabulous, they are smallish cruise ships, not yachts. Evrima, for example, the first in the Ritz-Carlton Yacht Collection, offers 224 suites. Then there’s Four Seasons, whose first “yacht”, when it launches in 2026, will have 14 decks and 95 suites. With just 50 cabins, Aman at Sea, which launches in 2027, is the closest of the offerings to a superyacht and also in scale to the 54-suite Orient Express Corinthian. But what Orient Express Corinthian has that none of the others do is sails. The interiors team took inspiration from classic French liners such as SS Normandie. There’s something much cooler and more adventurous-seeming about a great big yacht with sails than an all-bling one with just an engine. This is something that hasn’t escaped Jeff Bezos, who spent $500 million on his three-masted boat Koru , which at 127 metres was the world’s largest sailing yacht – until now. Inspired by the golden age of the French Riviera, Orient Express Corinthian has been designed by French architect and designer Maxime d’Angeac, who has also worked on a new Orient Express train that will launch in France around the same time. The two will combine on certain itineraries. Sustainability was central to the design process, seen through the minimal use of leather, no plastic and lots of walnut wood panelling. “The pillars of Orient Express are art deco, geometric patterns and strong colours, which both train and boat have,” says d’Angeac. “Train interiors can be much darker as this makes them feel cosy and luxurious. The boat [has] much more space and height, so its design feels more Riviera, like a villa on the Côte d’Azur. I’ve also replaced the really small windows you usually get in yacht cabins with huge, durable windows.” Orient Express Corinthian will have five restaurants, eight bars including a speakeasy, two swimming pools including a lap pool, an amphitheatre cabaret space and a private recording studio. In-room spa treatments and meditation sessions will also be available. The boats will spend summers in the Mediterranean and the Adriatic and winters in the Caribbean, with dining, shopping and cultural experiences offered at multiple stop-offs along the way. Sustainability has been at the forefront of the design process, as has working out how to be beautiful but also functional. For example, there is hardly any leather, no plastic and lots of walnut wood panelling, which as well as being elegant and warm is durable and lightweight. The team examined classic French liners such as SS Normandie for inspiration. There are lovely details at every turn: a long, daybed window seat that lifts up to reveal a wooden games box stocked with chess, dominoes and playing cards; luxurious velvet headboards and bathrooms lined in the most decadent-looking Violetta Calacatta marble with crimson walls behind. All of this will be accompanied by Orient Express service, with butlers on hand around the clock. The luxurious bathrooms feature Violetta Calacatta marble. Sustainability was central to the design process, seen through the minimal use of leather, no plastic and lots of walnut wood panellingThe luxurious bathrooms feature Violetta Calacatta marble “The in-room bar,” replies d’Angeac, when I ask him to name a small detail he particularly likes. “When I arrive at a hotel, I’m always excited to see what has been chosen. We are still deciding but I can tell you it will be the best artisan cocktails and chocolate, as opposed to big names. We will simply use small French companies offering the best things.” Silenseas is also debuting groundbreaking wind-harnessing technology that has been 20 years in the making: SolidSail, a rigid, foldable carbon sail and mast system that will provide more than 50 per cent of the yachts’ propulsion. “Wind technology is the future of cruising, everyone knows that,” says d’Angeac. “We can’t just go on producing bigger and bigger boats with enormous polluting engines. Using less gasoline is really important to us, so we will adapt our routes to ensure we follow the wind, which will all be part of the experience.” This hybrid system will combine wind power with an engine running on liquified natural gas (LNG – typically at least 85 per cent methane). While LNG is by no means the perfect option, it is much cleaner than other fossil fuels such as coal, gas or oil, so makes for a better alternative while the infrastructure needed to handle fully renewable energy is still being developed. It was said that Orient Express founder Georges Nagelmackers was first inspired to design a luxury train on a transatlantic crossing to America in 1867, revelling in its luxurious suites, social scene and general grandeur. “I think he would have gone into luxury cruising eventually, had he not died so young,” says d’Agneac. Either way, this feels like a full-circle moment. The Telegraph, LondonEd Seeks Growth
Souq Al-Mubarakiya: A popular stop for Khaleeji Zain 26 fans
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Driving through the Medical Innovation District in Fort Worth’s Near Southside, it’s impossible to overlook the various construction layouts, workers, vehicles and cranes turning dirt and moving projects forward. After all, every major health system in Fort Worth — Baylor Scott & White Health, Cook Children’s Health Care System, JPS Health Network, Medical City Healthcare, Moncrief Cancer Institute and Texas Health Resources — is undergoing a major expansion that will help grow the city’s medical capabilities in the coming years. Robert Sturns, the city’s director of economic development, said these plans are driven by “a need for these institutions to expand their capacity based on the massive population growth that Fort Worth — and North Texas in general — has seen over the past several years.” “It’s important that Fort Worth’s medical ecosystem continues to keep pace with its population growth, so high-quality patient care is accessible to as many people as possible,” he said in a statement. Major health systems across Tarrant County say their expansion projects will provide upgraded technology and better care to patients, officials said in interviews with the Report. “I don’t think it’s an overstatement to say it’s probably the most exciting time in the history of the Near Southside’s Medical District,” Mike Brennan, president of Near Southside Inc., said. Get essential daily news for the Fort Worth area. Sign up for insightful, in-depth stories — completely free. Here’s what you can expect to see. Baylor Scott & White to raise new Fort Worth garage, building Baylor Scott & White All Saints Medical Center is currently undergoing construction on a new five-story parking garage that will improve access and parking as part of “a long-term plan to grow our campus,” according to the hospital’s website . Baylor Scott & White All Saints Medical Center is the Fort Worth branch of Baylor Scott & White Health. The Fort Worth hospital has 538 beds and offers a range of medical services, which include emergency care, labor and delivery, surgery and cancer care. The Fort Worth hospital is also constructing a new four-story office building called Baylor All Saints Professional Pavilion II that will sit on top of the parking garage. The office building, which totals 100,000 square feet, is expected to be complete in the first quarter of 2025, according to LoopNet. Charles Williams , president of Baylor Scott & White All Saints, said he is proud to be building on a legacy “of more than 100 years of service in our communities.” “For us, growth isn’t just physical buildings,” he said in a statement. “That means we want to help our patients and customers with what they need to live better, whether it is high-quality care in a hospital setting, convenient care when and where they want it, like on their smartphones or in the comfort of their homes, or wellness offerings to avoid needing ‘sick care’ altogether.” Cook Children’s lays groundwork for 10-year expansion plan Cook Children’s Health Care System is setting the stage for growth by embarking on a 10-year master plan to expand and enhance its Fort Worth medical center located in the heart of the Medical District. The plan will kick off with the construction of a 700,000-square-foot medical tower that is currently labeled as the West Tower. The facility will be an extension of the existing medical center — which currently spans 2.5 million square feet — and make way for an expansion of the neonatal intensive care with an additional 37 beds. The West Tower also allows for an expansion and redesign of the pediatric intensive care unit and increases capacity for hematology and oncology services. The building will add additional operating rooms and imaging services. Cook Children’s anticipates it will start construction of the West Tower by the end of 2025. The health system previously declined to provide information about the total cost of the tower. “It’s an ambitious plan, but it’s exactly what we need to support the growing population and demand for services in our area,” Rick W. Merrill, president and CEO of Cook Children’s Health Care System, said in a statement. The pediatric health system’s master plan will add a total of 1 million square feet to the medical campus over the span of 10 years. JPS nears completion of first project in master facility plan Since 2018, JPS Health Network — also known as the Tarrant County Hospital District — has been undergoing construction on its master facility plan . The hospital system’s master facility plan is supported by an $800 million bond package voters approved in 2018. The plan details new facilities, including a medical home , psychiatric emergency center , medical outpatient building, pavilion expansion and a new hospital. JPS leaders originally estimated the total cost of the plan at roughly $1.2 billion with the county hospital prepared to contribute $400 million to ensure the expansion. But progress on the master facility plan slowed because of the COVID-19 pandemic, JPS president and CEO Dr. Karen Duncan previously told the Report. Six years later, the hospital district estimated the total cost of the plan would jump to $2.1 billion due to increased labor costs, price of materials and inflation affecting the health care industry. Because of financial changes and reprioritization , JPS has since removed three medical homes that were included in the original proposal from its master facility plan. The only medical home currently in the plan is set to open in southwest Fort Worth in early 2025. This will be the first JPS master facility plan project to be completed. “Texas has one of the highest populations of uninsured individuals , so for JPS to be able to provide that access for those individuals who would have no opportunity to have access to health care ... is really exciting for us,” Duncan told the Report in a follow-up interview. Per the original plans, JPS’ next project, the psychiatric emergency center, is set to open in summer 2025. That project will increase the hospital district’s behavioral health capacity from 30 beds to roughly 90. The master facility plan will conclude with new hospital towers in winter 2029 — more than a decade after the approval of the bond package. “Whether it’s building the design or starting construction, all of those (master facility plan) projects have now started,” she said. “We are still working through the towers. Is it one? Is it two? Is it three? That doesn’t have an answer yet.” Medical City Fort Worth to grow its Tarrant reach Medical City Fort Worth recently confirmed to the Report it is in the planning stages of a $37 million expansion project that will include a cardiac laboratory and four operating rooms. Construction, which is budgeted at $18 million, is set to begin in early 2025. The new laboratory and operating rooms will take up roughly 17,380 square feet within the existing hospital, according to a filing with the Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation. In a follow-up interview with the Report, Medical City Fort Worth CEO John Hoover said the hospital decided to expand its services to keep up with the population growth in Tarrant and surrounding Parker and Johnson counties. Hoover did not provide additional information about the remaining $19 million of the expansion plans, but said some of those costs are linked to permitting and architectural fees. Medical City Fort Worth is also in the early stages of exploring an expansion of its Tower B , which currently houses emergency services, surgical patient rooms and neuro intensive care unit rooms, Hoover added. “We’ve begun the beginning phases of engagement with our architects and some contractors around a vertical tower expansion, so that could range anywhere from 30 to up close to 100 incremental beds,” he told the Report. Moncrief Cancer Institute looks to expand its facility UT Southwestern is looking to grow its Moncrief Cancer Institute with a $177 million expansion project. Moncrief Cancer Institute offers medical and surgical oncology, chemotherapy, imaging and a compounding pharmacy. UT Southwestern currently owns a parcel across the street from the cancer center and intends to use the property to expand by nearly 65,000 square feet to accommodate a new radiation oncology facility and parking garage. Before its plan can become a reality, the cancer center has to navigate several government entities for the nod on one major request that is necessary for the expansion: to permanently close a block of South Jennings Avenue . In late June, representatives for UT Southwestern received unanimous approval from Fort Worth’s Urban Design Commission for the street closure recommendation. The proposal will head to Fort Worth City Council at a later date for final approval. Dr. Jonathan Efron, executive vice president for health system affairs at UT Southwestern, said the medical center wants to grow the capabilities of cancer services in Fort Worth. “What we have found is that within the Fort Worth area, unlike in Dallas, there is a shortage of the machines that provide radiation therapy,” he told the Report. “Some patients are having to travel elsewhere every day and we’re excited to fill that void.” If Moncrief Cancer Institute receives the final necessary approval, the project is expected to break ground in spring 2025 and complete construction in spring 2028. Texas Health Fort Worth to renovate floors in its Justin Tower Texas Health Harris Methodist Hospital Fort Worth completed work on its nine-story Jane and John Justin Tower in early 2022. The $300 million expansion project — the largest in the history of the nonprofit Texas Health Resources — added 440,00 square feet, 144 patient beds, 15 surgical suites and new preoperative and post-operative units to the Fort Worth campus. Jared Shelton, who was named president of Texas Health Fort Worth in September, told the Report the addition of the Justin Tower has been “an unbelievable success” as the hospital grows its service areas to patients from across Texas. “Everybody who’s been in (Justin Tower) recognizes what a blessing it is for our campus to be able to offer the latest and greatest in health care, larger rooms — the most up-to-date technology,” he said. “It’s really a legacy project for Texas Health Fort Worth.” With the success of Justin Tower has come a growing need for more services. The tower has almost immediately filled up, Shelton added. Texas Health Fort Worth is in the planning process of building out areas on the fourth and fifth floors of the tower. Renovations are set to begin at the end of the first quarter of 2025 and will last through 2026, Shelton said. “Those (floors) were shelled out for us to be able to grow into as there was patient demand, and we’re already seeing that demand,” he said. “It’ll add around 70 beds to Justin Tower.” David Moreno is the health reporter for the Fort Worth Report. His position is supported by a grant from Texas Health Resources. Contact him at david.moreno@fortworthreport.org or @davidmreports . At the Fort Worth Report, news decisions are made independently of our board members and financial supporters. Read more about our editorial independence policy here . Your support makes TWICE the impact today. As November draws to a close , time is running out to double your impact. Thanks to the generosity of the Nicholas Martin Jr. Family Foundation, every dollar you give will be matched—up to $15,000. Will you give today to help trusted, local reporting thrive in Fort Worth and Tarrant County? 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You can’t sell or syndicate our stories. You can only publish select stories individually — not as a collection. Any web site our stories appear on must include a contact for your organization. If you share our stories on social media, please tag us in your posts using @FortWorthReport on Facebook and @FortWorthReport on Twitter. by David Moreno, Fort Worth Report November 24, 2024Sure, it comes on the heels of the two-time reigning national champion Huskies (5-3) responding to losing all three games during the Maui Invitational with a blowout victory over Maryland Eastern Shore on Saturday. UConn, which had won 17 consecutive games entering the Maui tournament, fell 23 spots from No. 2 to nearly out of the Associated Press Top 25 poll released Monday. "I think it's such a long season and we're eight games in," Hurley said when asked about facing the Bears. "Our performance in Maui shocked the college basketball world and the sports world, and obviously a lot went on there." "I don't think it's a must-win game in Game Nine of the season, but it's an opportunity to play in Gampel (Pavilion), where we play great and are very comfortable, and we know we're gonna have a great crowd." "We also know we're playing a top-level team, so it's a big game for us and it's a big game for them." Wednesday's game signifies the start of a tough stretch in UConn's schedule. The Huskies will visit Texas on Sunday and challenge No. 7 Gonzaga in New York on Dec. 14 before beginning Big East play on Dec. 18 against Xavier, which fell from No. 22 to out of the poll on Monday. But let's go back to Saturday's 99-45 dismantling of the Hawks. Jaylin Stewart started in place of the injured Alex Karaban (head) and joined Liam McNeeley by scoring 16 points to put UConn back in the win column. Solo Ball contributed 12 points, Aidan Mahaney had 11 and Tarris Reed Jr. (10 points, 12 rebounds) and Jayden Ross (10 points, 10 rebounds) each recorded a double-double. "This experience they're getting, (Stewart), Jayden Ross, Solo Ball, these guys are going to keep getting better and better," Hurley said. "Jaylin Stewart has flashed. That Memphis game (in which he scored 16 points on 7-of-9 shooting), he flashed a lot in that one. "... These sophomores are just going to keep getting better and better. That's why I do think we do need the grace and support of our people here at UConn. Because they're going to be such different players in January and February." Coming off a split in the Bahamas, Baylor (5-2) bounced back from a 77-62 setback to then-No. 11 Tennessee on Nov. 22 with a decisive 91-60 victory over New Orleans last Wednesday. "I know we're all a little tired," Bears coach Scott Drew said. "Whenever you come back from the Bahamas and a trip like that, the first game, you can be playing in mud. And I think the guys did a pretty good job, for the most part." Jayden Nunn drained six of his seven 3-pointers in the first half and finished with a season-high 23 points to power Baylor past the Privateers. Robert Wright III scored 18 points, Jeremy Roach had 17 and Miami transfer Norchad Omier recorded his third consecutive double-double after finishing with 12 points and a season-high 13 rebounds. --Field Level Media
CHARLESTON, S.C. (AP) — Bryce Thompson scored 17 points, Marchelus Avery had 15 points and eight rebounds, and Oklahoma State beat Miami 80-74 on Friday in the consolation bracket of the Charleston Classic. Oklahoma State (4-1) will play in the fifth-place game on Sunday, while Miami (3-2) will try to avoid going winless in the tournament. Javascript is required for you to be able to read premium content. Please enable it in your browser settings.Leading academic experts in the fields of health, end of life care and the legal system have joined together to sign an open letter opposing the assited dying bill which MPs are due to debate on Friday. The bill tabled by Labour MP Kim Leadbeater would for the first time allow for the NHS to assist people to take their own lives. Ms Leadbeater and supporters of the legisaltion claim that the bill would provide the “strictest safeguards anywhere in the world” to prevent the system being abused and ensure it only applied to terminally ill patients. Among these are that any requests to end life would need to be signed off by two doctors and a judge. However, the 73 academics in an open letter to MPs have fuelled concerns that the safeguards are not strong enough and could open the doors for coercion of the vulnerable to end their own lives. This follows similar concerns being raised by 11-time Paralympic gold medalist now member of the House of Lords, Tanni Grey-Thompson in a devastating intervention in The Independent last week. Her concerns were echoed by Liberty and the former head of the family court division . The academics questioned Ms Leadbeater’s private member’s bill as “an inadequate parliamentary process for an issue of such ethical and legal complexity.” They also said that the central argument in favour of the change of the law, on the need to provide choice “is too simplistic.” The letter warned: “Laws must be concerned for the safety of the whole population, especially the most vulnerable. “ And they noted that “research has shown that a person’s stated wish to die is frequently unstable and depends on the care and support they receive.” The academics also cited data which suggested that end of life care provision notably gets worse once a country such as Canada, Switzerland or the US State of Oregon adopts assisted dying or euthanasia. “The decrease in the rankings in terms of palliative care of countries with assisted suicide or euthanasia is worrying in this regard. Such care, not the offer of assisted suicide, is the ethical imperative.” Turning to the bill itself they demanded much greater scrutiny on the safeguards. The letter warned: “Coercion would be a reality with a change in the law. To deny this is to ignore the 400,000 cases annually of domestic abuse for older people in England and Wales. If the law were to change, we would see people with terminal disease feeling they should accept assisted suicide because (as has been the case for over 47 per cent of those seeking assisted suicide in Oregon and over 59 per cent in the State of Washington) they would feel they were a burden to friends and family.” The letter went on: “Experts in the subtle field of mental capacity and disability can err in their assessments and non-experts would have to spot where a question about decision-making capacity arose in the first place. Capacity assessments would not assess whether someone felt they were a burden. “And being informed about palliative care by a non-expert is very different from receiving it. Even a High Court judge would find it difficult to investigate all such complexities.” Looking at the ethical dimension of the debate, there was a danger the bill “undermines the western legal, ethical and common-sense” approach by introducing a provision for killing. “The proposed bill relies on worrying differences between, on the one hand, ‘providing’, ‘preparing’ a medical device to ‘assist’ a person to take lethal drugs (all of which are regarded as legal in the bill) and, on the other hand, ‘inducing another person to take the lethal drugs (which would warrant up to 14 years in prison).” They warned that the example of the State of Oregon used by proponents of the bill actually underlines its dangers. “Oregon, often held up as the paradigm where eligibility criteria have not expanded, has in fact shown slippage. The definition of “’terminal’ turns out to include non-terminal conditions where the person has refused treatment, which would include anorexia and type-1 diabetes.” The academics also supported the argument put forward by health secretary Wes Streeting to oppose the bill that introducing assisted dying when palliative care is not in a fit state would be wrong. “It lacks prudence to allow such a radical change to healthcare practice at a time of crisis for the NHS, especially given the increased financial pressures on general practice, hospices and care homes.” The argument supports the intervention made by former Gordon Brown last week calling for a commission into palliative care treatment before any decision to support assisted dying. The academics added: “To allow assisted suicide would be to upend the ethics of healthcare. As Lord Walton (a neurologist) said, the prohibition of intentional killing ‘is the cornerstone of law and of social relationships.’ Assisting suicide should have no place in medical practice or in a civilised society.” Among the medical signatories are: Dr Matthew Doré, honorary secretary of the Association for Palliative Medicine for Great Britain and Ireland; Irene Tuffrey-Wijne, professor of intellectual disability and palliative care at Kingston University, London; Mari Lloyd-Williams, professor of supportive and palliative care at University of Liverpool; Dr Robert Barber, consultant in old age psychiatrist and honorary clinical senior lecturer at Newcastle; John O’Brien, professor of old age psychiatry at the University of Cambridge School of Clinical Medicine; Alan Thomas, professor of old age psychiatry, director of Brains for Dementia Research at Newcastle University; Dr Paul Keeley, clinical associate professor and consultant at Glasgow Royal Infirmary; Professor Sheila the Baroness Hollins, emeritus professor of psychiatry of disability at St George’s University of London. Legal experts include Professor Charles Foster, Faculty of Law, University of Oxford; Dr Philip Murray, fellow and director of studies in law at Robinson College, Cambridge University; Dr Mary Neal, reader in Law (healthcare law and ethics) at the University of Strathclyde. Academics in ethics include Dr Nigel Biggar, professor emeritus of moral theology at the University of Oxford; and Joshua Hordern, professor of christian ethics, University of Oxford.