World

Takeaways from AP's report on euthanasia, doctors and ethics in Canada

Published

3 hours ago

October 16, 2024

Takeaways from AP's report on euthanasia, doctors and ethics in Canada

TORONTO (AP) — Canada has arguably the world’s most permissive system of euthanasia — the practice of doctors and nurse practitioners killing patients with an injection of drugs at their request. Canada allows euthanasia for people who aren’t terminally ill but are suffering unmanageable pain.

As Canada pushes to expand euthanasia and more countries move to legalize it, health care workers here are grappling with requests from people whose pain might be alleviated by money, adequate housing or social connections. And internal data obtained exclusively by The Associated Press from Canada’s most populous province suggest a significant number of people euthanized when they are in unmanageable pain but not about to die live in Ontario’s poorest areas.

Here’s a look at the main takeaways from an AP investigation into euthanasia in Canada, commonly known there as medical assistance in dying, or MAiD.

Some doctors fear providing euthanasia, even in legal cases

Canada allows euthanasia for people with “irremediable suffering” from serious but nonfatal medical conditions and disabilities.

After euthanasia was legalized in 2016, doctors and nurses set up email discussion groups as confidential forums to discuss potentially troubling cases, with limited patient details. They’re now run by the Canadian Association of MAiD Assessors and Providers, an educational and research organization.

Dozens of messages provided to the AP by a participant in the forums — on condition of anonymity, due to the confidential nature of the messages and cases — show a fraught process where medical professionals test the limits of what conditions warrant euthanasia.

In one case, a middle-aged worker whose ankle and back injuries made him unable to resume his previous job told his doctor the government’s measly support was “leaving (him) with no choice but to pursue MAiD.” His doctor told forum participants the patient met legal criteria, with severe pain, strained social relationships and inability to work.

Others agreed, but the doctor hesitated because the man cited reduced government payments as a key factor — and the doctor noted fear of being portrayed in the media as having euthanized someone “in a case where services were inadequate.”

Case of homeless people spark debate

Cases of homelessness appear regularly on the private forums.
One doctor wrote that although his patient had a serious lung disease, his suffering was “mostly because he is homeless, in debt and cannot tolerate the idea of (long-term care) of any kind.” A respondent questioned whether the fear of living in a nursing home was truly intolerable. Another said the prospect of “looking at the wall or ceiling waiting to be fed … to have diapers changed” was sufficiently painful.
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One provider said any suggestion they should provide patients with better housing options before offering euthanasia “seems simply unrealistic and hence, cruel,” amid a national housing crisis.

Data suggest marginalized people are affected

Government officials have largely refuted the idea that socially disadvantaged people are being euthanized.
But in Ontario, more than three-quarters of people euthanized when their death wasn’t imminent required disability support before their death in 2023, according to data from a slideshow presentation by the province’s chief coroner, shared with AP by both a researcher and a doctor on condition of anonymity due to its sensitive nature.
Of people killed when they weren’t terminally ill, nearly 29% lived in the poorest parts of Ontario, compared with 20% of the province’s general population living in the most deprived communities, the data show.
The figures suggest poverty may be a factor in Canada’s nonterminal euthanasia cases.
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But Dr. Dirk Huyer, Ontario’s chief coroner, told AP that the data was only an early analysis and “it’s tough to know exactly what it means,” saying that his job was only to present the statistics.
Poverty doesn’t appear to disproportionately affect patients with terminal diseases who are euthanized, according to the leaked data. Experts say no other country with legal euthanasia has seen a marked number of deaths in impoverished people.
Overall for Ontario, the data show, nonterminal patients account for a small portion of all euthanasia cases: 116 of 4,528 deaths last year. But the presentation and discussion among Ontario officials and medical professionals show rising awareness of euthanasia deaths for social reasons.

Privately, officials admit concern

Canadian officials have examined worrisome cases that haven’t been publicly disclosed.

A document from the Ministry of the Solicitor General in Ontario sent to all euthanasia providers in the province in May noted two cases of “lessons learned” in nonterminal cases. The document was shared with AP by a doctor on condition of anonymity because it wasn’t authorized for release.

In one, a 74-year-old patient who’d suffered blood pressure, a stroke and blindness was increasingly dependent on their spouse. The patient told their doctor they were interested in euthanasia, citing deteriorating vision loss and quality of life.

Among other issues identified, officials wrote the patient’s euthanasia was scheduled “based on the spouse’s preference of timing” and questioned whether “the patient’s death was genuinely voluntary.”

Canada pushes boundaries

Theo Boer, professor of health care ethics at Groningen University in the Netherlands, said that unlike other countries with legal euthanasia, Canada appears to be providing it for social reasons in some cases.

“That may be what Canadians want, but they would still benefit from some honest self-reflection about what is going on,” he said.

Some of that reflection is happening in the confidential providers’ forums. They’ve debated whether it’s valid to euthanize people for obesity in several cases. They’ve also beem divided over ending the lives of people in mourning.

Canada’s government said it legalized euthanasia to reduce suffering and support individual autonomy — and polls have consistently shown public approval.

But its laws are now being challenged on all sides. The advocacy group Dying with Dignity filed an August lawsuit in Ontario, alleging it’s “discriminatory” to exclude mentally ill people from euthanasia. Meanwhile, a coalition of disability-rights organizations in another lawsuit argued that euthanasia legislation has resulted in the premature deaths of people with disabilities.

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The Associated Press Health and Science Department receives support from the Howard Hughes Medical Institute’s Science and Educational Media Group. This story also was supported by funding from a Pulitzer Traveling Fellowship grant. The AP is solely responsible for all content.

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World

Set sail on world’s largest cruise ship, which can accommodate over 7,000 guests per voyage

Published

4 hours ago

October 16, 2024

Press Room

Have you ever wondered what it’s like to set sail on the world’s largest cruise ship? In order to cross that item off your bucket list, you’ll need to book a trip on Royal Caribbean’s Icon of the Seas, which currently holds the record for the largest cruise ship in the world.

Icon of the Seas was built at the Meyer Turku Shipyard in Turku, Finland, according to Royal Caribbean’s Press Center Fact Sheet, and set sail on its first voyage on Jan. 27, 2024.

The ship has 20 decks, 18 of which are accessible to guests, with 2,350 crew members, 2,805 staterooms and the capability to hold 5,610 guests at double occupancy on each trip, according to the fact sheet. At maximum capacity, the cruise ship can hold 7,600 passengers, per the Economic Times.

Royal Caribbean’s Icon of the Seas is the world’s biggest cruise ship. (Getty Images)

PASSENGER REFLECTS ON 9 MONTHS AT SEA AFTER EMBARKING ON CRUISE THAT WENT VIRAL ON TIKTOK

The Royal Caribbean ship weighs 248,663 gross tons and is 1,196 feet long, per the fact sheet.

Icon of the Seas departs out of Miami and offers both Western and Eastern Caribbean seven-night vacations for guests.

There is one Western Caribbean option for guests who wish to travel on Icon of the Seas. The itinerary for this vacation is a departure from Miami, a day at sea, followed by the first stop in Puerto Costa Maya, Mexico, immediately followed by Roatan, Honduras, and Cozumel, Mexico. The sixth day of the vacation is spent at sea, and then the ship stops at Perfect Day at CocoCay, Bahamas, Royal Caribbean’s private island.

Royal Caribbean's Perfect Day at CocoCay

Icon of the Seas stops at Perfect Day at CocoCay in the Bahamas, a destination exclusively for Royal Caribbean guests. (Richard Tribou/Orlando Sentinel/Tribune News Service via Getty Images)

CRUISE PASSENGERS GO WILD HIDING RUBBER DUCKS ON SHIPS IN VIRAL GAME OF HIDE-AND-SEEK

There are five different Eastern Caribbean options guests can choose to set sail on, varying slightly in the stops made.

Stops of the Eastern Caribbean Icon of the Seas cruise include Labadee, Haiti, San Juan, Puerto Rico, Charlotte Amalie, St. Thomas, Perfect Day at CocoCay, Bahamas, Philipsburg, St. Maarten, and Basseterre, St. Kitts and Nevis.

Not all the Eastern Caribbean cruises stop at all these destinations. Some vacations are filled with more destinations, while others are filled with more days spent at sea.

For those full days at sea and hours spent on the ship after exploring a stop, there is so much for guests to do.

Surfside is one of the neighborhoods on Royal Caribbean’s Icon of the Seas. (Saul Martinez for Washington Post via Getty Images)

6 CRUISE SAFETY TIPS TO KEEP YOU PROTECTED AND AT EASE DURING YOUR VACATION AT SEA

Guests certainly won’t be hungry while traveling, with 13 dining options included in the price of your vacation.

Complimentary dining options include Royal Caribbean favorites like Windjammer for breakfast, lunch and dinner, Sprinkles for a soft-serve ice cream cone whenever you desire and Sorrento’s for a late night slice of pizza.

There are also new complementary dining options on Icon of the Seas, such as Aquadome Market, The Pearl, Basecamp, Surfside Bites and The Grove.

If you want specialty dining while on board, there are, again, Royal Caribbean stables like Izumi and Chops Grille, as well as new places to dine, like Celebration Table and Pier 7.

Sorrento’s is a Royal Caribbean favorite, where guests can grab a complimentary slice of pizza. (Pedro Portal/El Nuevo Herald/Tribune News Service via Getty Images)

HOW TO PROTECT YOUR ONLINE PRIVACY AND SECURITY ON YOUR NEXT CRUISE VACATION

For days spent lounging in the sun, guests can relax at one of Icon of the Sea’s seven pools, including Royal Bay, which is the largest at sea, containing over 40,000 gallons of water, according to Royal Caribbean’s website.

Icon of the Sea’s also broke a record for the largest swim-up bar at sea, with Swim & Tonic, according to Royal Caribbean’s website, which is the only swim-up bar on any Royal Caribbean ship.

The Hideaway Pool is an adult-only area, which features the first ever infinity pool at sea, according to Royal Caribbean.

Cloud 17 is another adult-only area, featuring a more secluded pool overlooking the ocean on the top deck of the ship.

Icon of the Seas features six waterslides. (Joe Raedle/Getty Images)

TRAVEL EXPERTS REVEAL BEST TIME TO FLY BEFORE A CRUISE AND WHY

The Cove Pool is another option guests can spend time in, with plenty of loungers and daybeds to ensure a relaxing experience.

For the kids, there’s an aqua park, as well as record-breaking watersides that can be enjoyed by kids and adults alike.

Among the six watersides on Icon of the Seas are Frightening Bolt, the tallest at sea, according to Royal Caribbean’s website, as well as Pressure Drop, which is the first free fall waterside on a cruise ship.

There are several different pools on Icon of the Seas, with plenty of relaxing and thrilling spaces for guests to utilize during their vacation. (Eva Marie Uzcategui/Bloomberg via Getty Images)

NEW CRUISE SHIPS SETTING SAIL IN 2025 AS EXPERTS SEE ‘MASSIVE BOOM’ IN TRAVEL TREND

Throughout the day, there is often live music and other entertainment at the pools for guests to enjoy.

After a day in the sun, there is plenty to do going late into the night with over 15 bars and lounges for guests to visit while onboard Icon of the Seas, like Boleros, Schooner Bar and Spotlight Karaoke. New bars and lounges on Icon of the Seas include Bubbles, Dueling Pianos and The Lemon Post.

Additionally, there are several different shows, including Broadway-style productions, ice shows in the Absolute Zero rink, as well as water shows in the Aquadome (Icon of the Seas’ version of Royal Caribbean’s popular AquaTheater), that guests can see during their vacation.

There is a plethora of stateroom and suite options on Royal Caribbean’s Icon of the Seas for a comfortable stay. (Saul Martinez for The Washington Post via Getty Images)

As for accommodations, there are many options to choose from, including interior state rooms, ocean view rooms, balcony rooms and large family suites, such as the two-bedroom, three-level Ultimate Family Townhome fit for eight cruisers.

Ashlyn Messier is a writer for Fox News Digital.

World

US military amends records of those discharged with ‘Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell’

Published

5 hours ago

October 16, 2024

Press Room

US military amends records of those discharged with ‘Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell’

Defence secretary says the step helps to ‘redress the harms’ done by the policy, which forced LGBTQ service members to hide their identities.

The United States military has upgraded the records of service members discharged under an old anti-LGBTQ policy known as “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” in an effort to make amends.

Defence Secretary Lloyd Austin said on Tuesday that 851 service members who lost their positions under “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” had their status changed to “honourable discharge”.

Those who received discharges in categories other than “honourable” often lost out on military benefits, which range from educational funds, healthcare, pensions and other forms of compensation.

“Brave LGBTQ Americans have long volunteered to serve the country that they love. Some of these troops were administratively separated from military service under the now-repealed ‘Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell’ policy,” the statement reads.

“Under President [Joe] Biden’s leadership, the Department of Defense has taken extraordinary steps to redress the harms done by ‘Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell’ and other policies on these former Service members.”

Under @POTUS‘ leadership, the Department of Defense has taken extraordinary steps to redress the harms done by “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” and other policies on former Service members who are LGBTQ+. Read my full statement: pic.twitter.com/3wbh8nI3pP
— Secretary of Defense Lloyd J. Austin III (@SecDef) October 15, 2024

The move is the latest effort to address the legacy of the discriminatory policy, which was issued by Democratic President Bill Clinton in 1994.

The directive allowed LGBTQ people to serve in the military so long as they kept their identities hidden. Any openly gay or bisexual people were otherwise vulnerable to expulsion.

Clinton championed “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” as an alternative to previous military policy, which banned homosexuality outright. The Democrat had hoped to end the ban if elected president but was unable to, as he faced stiff resistance from military leaders and members of Congress.

That ultimately led to the rise of “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell”: Military personnel were not required to reveal their sexual orientation, nor were officials supposed to inquire.

Critics, however, pointed out that the new policy was equally discriminatory. It was ultimately repealed in 2011, allowing LGBTQ people to serve openly in the military.

However, some 13,500 service members were discharged while “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” was in force.

The Biden administration has attempted to address historical anti-LGBTQ discrimination in the military, even beyond “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell”.

In June, Biden issued “unconditional pardons” to those service members convicted under the now-repealed Article 125 of the Uniform Code of Military Justice for consensual sex.

Previously, Article 125 barred sodomy and other “unnatural carnal copulation with another person of the same or opposite sex”. Thousands of people had been court-martialed under the law.
Biden’s pardon, however, helped some of those affected regain access to lost benefits.

In the case of “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell”, the Defense Department announced that it would proactively review old records in September 2023.

“After a year of exceptional work, the Military Department Review Boards directed relief in 96.8% of the 851 cases that they proactively reviewed,” said Austin.

Not all of the 13,500 service members needed to have their records reviewed, however, since some had been honourably discharged, had not served in the military long enough to qualify for certain benefits, or were dishonourably discharged due to other reasons.

World

Reuters/Ipsos poll: Harris holds steady 45%-42% lead over Trump | Honolulu Star-Advertiser

Published

11 hours ago

October 15, 2024

Press Room

Reuters/Ipsos poll: Harris holds steady 45%-42% lead over Trump | Honolulu Star-Advertiser

REUTERS/NATHAN HOWARD, JEENAH MOON

Vice President Kamala Harris at the White House, Washington, and former President Donald Trump in Bedminster, New Jersey.

WASHINGTON >> Democratic Vice President Kamala Harris held a marginal 3-percentage-point lead over Republican Donald Trump — 45% to 42% — as the two stayed locked in a tight race to win the Nov. 5 U.S. presidential election, a new Reuters/Ipsos poll found.

While the gap between the two remained steady compared with a Reuters/Ipsos poll conducted a week earlier, the new poll, which closed on Sunday, gave signs that voters — particularly Democrats — might be more enthused about this year’s election than they were ahead of the November 2020 presidential election when Democrat Joe Biden defeated Trump.

Some 78% of registered voters in the three-day poll — including 86% of Democrats and 81% of Republicans — said they were “completely certain” they would cast a ballot in the presidential election. The share of sure-to-vote poll respondents was up from 74% in a Reuters/Ipsos survey conducted Oct. 23-27, 2020, when 74% of Democrats and 79% of Republicans said they were certain to cast ballots.

The poll had a margin of error of around 4 percentage points.

Harris entered the race in July after Biden ended his reelection effort following a poor debate performance against Trump in June. Trump at the time was widely seen as the front-runner, partly based on his perceived strength on the economy after several years of high inflation under the Biden administration, which has eased in recent months.

More recently, Harris appears to be drawing strength from voters picking her as the better candidate for healthcare policy and for handling political extremism, although voters also rate the U.S. economy as the top issue in the election and said Trump was the better economic steward, according to the new poll.

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Harris led Trump by 5 points — 43% to 38% — when voters were asked to pick who was better for handling political extremism and threats to democracy. She led him by 14 points on healthcare policy. On both issues, Harris’ lead over Trump was largely unchanged from a Sept. 20-23 Reuters/Ipsos poll.

Trump led Harris 45% to 40% when voters were asked who was the better candidate for the “economy, unemployment and jobs,” the category of national priorities that 26% of poll respondents picked as the biggest problem facing the nation, compared with 23% who picked political extremism and 3% who said healthcare.

Trump’s 5-point edge on the economy compared with a 2-point advantage in the Sept. 20-23 poll.

While national surveys, including Reuters/Ipsos polls, give important signals on the views of the electorate, the state-by-state results of the Electoral College determine the winner, with seven battleground states likely to be decisive. Polls have shown Harris and Trump are neck and neck in those battleground states, with many results within the margins of error.

Given the close match, the candidates’ efforts to ensure that their supporters actually cast ballots will likely be key in determining the winner. Just two-thirds of U.S. adults voted in the November 2020 election, which was the highest turnout in over a century, according to estimates by the U.S. Census Bureau and the Pew Research Center.

Roughly one-third of registered voters are Democrats and one-third Republican, with the balance independents or something else, according to Pew.

While voters appear relatively eager to cast ballots, neither candidate was liked by a majority of the electorate. Only 46% of voters in the poll said they had a favorable opinion of Harris, and 42% said the same of Trump.

The latest Reuters/Ipsos poll surveyed 938 U.S. adults online, nationwide, including 807 registered voters. Among these, 769 were considered the most likely to turn out on Election Day. Among these likely voters, Harris held a 3-percentage-point lead over Trump, 47% to 44%.