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Decisions about ending one’s life are often complex, reflecting a combination of medical, psychological, social, and personal considerations. Credit: Shutterstock

By Joseph Chamie
PORTLAND, USA, Oct 20 2026 (IPS)

People who choose to end their lives through voluntary assisted dying typically face terminal, incurable, or debilitating conditions that cause severe physical or psychological suffering.

Research on requests for medical assistance in dying and euthanasia shows that most individuals seeking these options have advanced, irreversible illnesses or incurable, debilitating conditions that cause severe suffering or diminish their autonomy, dignity, or the ability to engage in meaningful activities.

Despite becoming legally permitted in an increasing number of countries, voluntary assisted dying remains controversial. The debate centers on a fundamental tension between respecting personal autonomy and relieving suffering, on the one hand, and protecting human life, on the other

Although physical pain is an important factor, psychological, existential, and quality-of-life concerns also play major roles in decisions to end life. These include losing independence and physical abilities, losing control over bodily functions, depending on others for basic care, and fearing future pain, suffering, and distress during the final stages of an illness.

Eligibility requirements for medical assistance in dying vary by jurisdiction. Where access is restricted to terminally ill patients, individuals generally must have a prognosis of six months or less to live.

Other jurisdictions permit access under different eligibility criteria. Applicants generally must demonstrate decision-making capacity and make a voluntary, informed request. Independent medical assessments are generally required, and many jurisdictions impose waiting periods or other safeguards.

Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), cancer, and other serious illnesses are frequently associated with requests for voluntary assisted dying. Other requests involve advanced cardiovascular and lung diseases, as well as neurodegenerative conditions, including Alzheimer’s disease and other forms of dementia.

Cancer, particularly when advanced and no longer responsive to treatment, can also involve severe pain, weakness, loss of function, and other debilitating symptoms. Other requests for voluntary assisted dying include terminal illnesses such as advanced cardiovascular and lung diseases and neurodegenerative conditions, such as Alzheimer’s disease and other forms of dementia.

Severe physical pain or psychological distress that cannot be adequately relieved through standard medical or palliative care may lead some people to consider ending their lives. However, the reasons for requesting voluntary assisted dying generally extend beyond physical pain alone.

Loss of autonomy, including the inability to engage in meaningful activities, care for oneself, or maintain personal dignity, may strongly influence these decisions. Some individuals also fear increasing dependence on family members or caregivers, losing control over basic aspects of daily life, or experiencing further deterioration in their quality of life.

Decisions about ending one’s life are often complex, reflecting a combination of medical, psychological, social, and personal considerations. For some individuals, the prospect of prolonged deterioration or increasing dependence may be as important as the symptoms of the underlying illness.

Consequently, requests for voluntary assisted dying generally require careful assessment of an individual’s medical condition, decision-making capacity, wishes, and available alternatives, including palliative and hospice care.

When people actively choose the timing and manner of their death, their choices generally fall into three primary categories, each governed by different legal frameworks, medical protocols, and procedures.

These categories differ principally in who administers the life-ending medication, whether the person must take the medication themselves, and whether the choice involves voluntarily forgoing food and fluids rather than receiving life-ending medication (Table 1).

Source: Compassion & Choices.

The first category is medical aid in dying (MAID), also known as physician-assisted dying or, in some jurisdictions, death with dignity. MAID allows a mentally capable, terminally ill adult who meets specific legal requirements to request and self-administer prescribed medication intended to end their life. In many U.S. jurisdictions where MAID is legal, eligibility generally requires a terminal illness with a prognosis of six months or less, although specific requirements vary by jurisdiction.

The emphasis on self-administration is an important distinction between MAID and voluntary euthanasia. Under MAID, the individual—not a physician or other health professional—takes the medication, retaining control over the timing of the final act. Depending on the jurisdiction, safeguards may include repeated requests, confirmation of the diagnosis and prognosis, assessment of decision-making capacity, and other measures to ensure the decision is voluntary and informed.

MAID is generally intended for people who meet specific legal eligibility requirements. It is not a general option for anyone experiencing suffering or wishing to die. Each jurisdiction determines who qualifies, what medical assessments are required, how requests must be documented, and what waiting periods and other safeguards apply.

The second category is voluntary euthanasia. Unlike MAID, which involves self-administration, voluntary euthanasia occurs when a healthcare professional administers medication intended to end the patient’s life at the individual’s explicit and competent request, typically to relieve otherwise intolerable suffering. It is legally permitted in several countries and jurisdictions, although eligibility requirements, procedures, and safeguards vary considerably.

The third category is voluntarily stopping eating and drinking (VSED). For people who do not qualify for MAID or live where MAID or voluntary euthanasia is unavailable, VSED may be another end-of-life option. It involves a voluntary decision to stop consuming food and fluids, eventually resulting in death. Medical and palliative care may be provided to relieve discomfort during the process.

Voluntary assisted dying is legally permitted in a growing number of countries. In 2026, some form of the practice is legal in approximately 16 countries. Estimates indicate that more than 30,000 people die each year through voluntary assisted dying in jurisdictions where the practice is permitted.

Nearly 5% of the world’s population, or more than 400 million people, live in countries or areas where some form of voluntary assisted dying is legal. These jurisdictions include Australia, Austria, Belgium, Canada, Colombia, Ecuador, France, Germany, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, New Zealand, Portugal, Spain, Switzerland, and Uruguay.

In the United States, Illinois and New York recently joined 11 other states and the District of Columbia in permitting medical aid in dying (MAID) under specified conditions. Nearly one-third of the U.S. population lives in a state where the practice is permitted.

About 60% of U.S. adults consider MAID acceptable or do not view it as a moral issue. Opinions differ by political party, however. About 75% of Democrats compared with 50% of Republicans consider the practice morally acceptable.

Across many regions, including North America, Europe, and Australia, international opinion polls generally find majority support for voluntary assisted dying. A cross-sectional survey of physicians in 17 countries also found nuanced but generally supportive views of physician-assisted death when strict safeguards are in place.

Methods of administering medication also vary across jurisdictions. In Switzerland, individuals self-administer the medication, usually by swallowing a liquid. In Québec, Canada, physicians or nurse practitioners administer it, usually intravenously. In Australia, both self-administration and practitioner administration are permitted.

The laws governing voluntary assisted dying differ considerably across countries and jurisdictions. Nevertheless, the medical conditions and personal circumstances associated with requests for assisted dying tend to show similar patterns across regions and over time.

People with ALS, for example, have been found to have the highest rate of voluntary assisted dying, often several times those of cancer patients. Cancer patients, in turn, are more likely to access voluntary assisted dying than people with other illnesses, such as lung or heart disease. However, cancer remains the most common diagnosis among assisted dying cases, largely because it affects far more people than these other conditions.

Voluntary assisted dying accounts for a relatively small share of all deaths in countries where it is permitted, generally 1% or less in countries such as Germany, Spain, and Switzerland. In other countries, the proportions are considerably higher. Around 2023, assisted dying accounted for 5.4% of deaths in the Netherlands, 4.7% in Canada, and 3.6% in Belgium.

The number of voluntary assisted deaths has increased substantially in some countries. In the Netherlands, for example, the number has reportedly increased threefold since 2002. In Canada, the number initially increased rapidly before growth slowed; assisted dying now accounts for nearly 5% of all deaths.

Despite becoming legally permitted in an increasing number of countries, voluntary assisted dying remains controversial. The debate centers on a fundamental tension between respecting personal autonomy and relieving suffering, on the one hand, and protecting human life, on the other (Table 2).

Source: British Medical Association (BMA).

Arguments in favor of voluntary assisted dying emphasize patient autonomy, relief from suffering, dignity at the end of life, regulatory safeguards, and reduced burdens on families. Arguments against it stress the sanctity of life, risks to vulnerable people, the potential for a “slippery slope”, concerns about medical ethics, and the importance of palliative care.

In sum, voluntary assisted dying is legally permitted in a growing number of countries and jurisdictions, and its use has increased substantially in many of them. Nevertheless, voluntary assisted dying remains a sensitive, controversial, and deeply personal issue, even where it is legally permitted.

Joseph Chamie is a consulting demographer, a former director of the United Nations Population Division, and author of numerous publications on population issues.

Dans le cadre de la réouverture progressive de la ligne Alger-Tripoli, le pavillon national vient de sceller un contrat d’assistance au sol majeur avec Libyan […]

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Un chavirement de pirogue sur le fleuve Mékrou a fait trois morts, dimanche 18 octobre 2026, dans l'arrondissement de Gnèmasson, commune de Ouassa-Péhunco, dans le département de l'Atacora.

Trois morts, c'est le bilan d'un chavirement de barque dimanche 18 octobre 2026 à Gnèmasson, commune de Ouassa-Péhunco. Selon les informations rapportées par Naanè FM, douze jeunes s'apprêtaient à traverser le fleuve lorsque le drame s'est produit. Alors que sept d'entre eux avaient déjà pris place dans la pirogue, celle-ci a chaviré, précipitant ses occupants dans l'eau.

Malgré l'intervention des riverains, trois jeunes n'ont pu être sauvés. L'une des victimes selon le chef du village, serait originaire de Gnèmasson et les deux autres, de Bibékou.
Après ce drame, les autorités locales ont appelé les populations à davantage de prudence lors des traversées du fleuve. Elles insistent notamment sur le respect des règles de sécurité et la nécessité d'éviter la surcharge des pirogues, particulièrement en cette période de montée des eaux.

F. A. A.

The transition to a new United Nations (UN) Secretary-General (SG) comes at a challenging moment, both for the organisation and its member states. It raises questions about how the next SG can guide the UN through volatile times and what they should prioritise amid mounting agendas and tightening budgets. It also gives member states an opportunity to reassess what they need from the UN and how they engage with it. Drawing on dis¬cussions at a convening of thinkers from across Europe, part of the Guidance and Regional Intelli¬gence for the Transition of UN Leadership project, this brief identifies key trends in Europe’s engage¬ment with the UN and lays out how the next SG can set priorities that matter to Europe and use the tools of their office to keep Europe engaged.

The challenge:
• Despite Europe’s significant financial contribu-tion, there is a perception that its influence at the UN is declining as global power shifts. Ear-marked funding still gives it consi¬der¬able say over the UN system, but its influence in formal settings is weakened by its own inconsistencies and by limited outreach to other regions.
• Europe’s interest in the UN may also be fading. Domestic pressures and competing crises push the organisation down the political agenda, as priori¬ties shift towards security, defence and competitiveness.

Priorities for the next SG, as seen from Europe:
• Among numerous agendas, two criteria for prioritisation emerged: (i) relevance to member states’ concerns; (ii) whether the UN can play a distinctive and valuable role.
• For Europe, this points to three areas: (i) peace and security, with the UN contributing to a future peace process and post-war reconstruction in Ukraine; (ii) migration, for which the UN offers a multilateral framework to tackle root causes such as conflict, climate change and global inequality over the long term; (iii) AI governance, where the UN can bring fragmented initiatives together and ensure they complement rather than compete with or duplicate one another.
Recommendations:
• Delivering on these priorities depends not on new mandates or processes – these should be avoided – but on the SG making better use of existing tools, such as their good offices function, their convening power and agenda-setting and their willingness to take political risks. It also depends on adequate financing by member states and on their political support.
• For Europe, the SG should lead with a strategy linked to issues salient to European audiences, act as a bridge-builder between Europe and other regions, and work with Europe’s interests at the UN, including demonstrating how sharing power and supporting a more equitable UN could serve both Europe and other regions in the long term.
 

The transition to a new United Nations (UN) Secretary-General (SG) comes at a challenging moment, both for the organisation and its member states. It raises questions about how the next SG can guide the UN through volatile times and what they should prioritise amid mounting agendas and tightening budgets. It also gives member states an opportunity to reassess what they need from the UN and how they engage with it. Drawing on dis¬cussions at a convening of thinkers from across Europe, part of the Guidance and Regional Intelli¬gence for the Transition of UN Leadership project, this brief identifies key trends in Europe’s engage¬ment with the UN and lays out how the next SG can set priorities that matter to Europe and use the tools of their office to keep Europe engaged.

The challenge:
• Despite Europe’s significant financial contribu-tion, there is a perception that its influence at the UN is declining as global power shifts. Ear-marked funding still gives it consi¬der¬able say over the UN system, but its influence in formal settings is weakened by its own inconsistencies and by limited outreach to other regions.
• Europe’s interest in the UN may also be fading. Domestic pressures and competing crises push the organisation down the political agenda, as priori¬ties shift towards security, defence and competitiveness.

Priorities for the next SG, as seen from Europe:
• Among numerous agendas, two criteria for prioritisation emerged: (i) relevance to member states’ concerns; (ii) whether the UN can play a distinctive and valuable role.
• For Europe, this points to three areas: (i) peace and security, with the UN contributing to a future peace process and post-war reconstruction in Ukraine; (ii) migration, for which the UN offers a multilateral framework to tackle root causes such as conflict, climate change and global inequality over the long term; (iii) AI governance, where the UN can bring fragmented initiatives together and ensure they complement rather than compete with or duplicate one another.
Recommendations:
• Delivering on these priorities depends not on new mandates or processes – these should be avoided – but on the SG making better use of existing tools, such as their good offices function, their convening power and agenda-setting and their willingness to take political risks. It also depends on adequate financing by member states and on their political support.
• For Europe, the SG should lead with a strategy linked to issues salient to European audiences, act as a bridge-builder between Europe and other regions, and work with Europe’s interests at the UN, including demonstrating how sharing power and supporting a more equitable UN could serve both Europe and other regions in the long term.
 

The transition to a new United Nations (UN) Secretary-General (SG) comes at a challenging moment, both for the organisation and its member states. It raises questions about how the next SG can guide the UN through volatile times and what they should prioritise amid mounting agendas and tightening budgets. It also gives member states an opportunity to reassess what they need from the UN and how they engage with it. Drawing on dis¬cussions at a convening of thinkers from across Europe, part of the Guidance and Regional Intelli¬gence for the Transition of UN Leadership project, this brief identifies key trends in Europe’s engage¬ment with the UN and lays out how the next SG can set priorities that matter to Europe and use the tools of their office to keep Europe engaged.

The challenge:
• Despite Europe’s significant financial contribu-tion, there is a perception that its influence at the UN is declining as global power shifts. Ear-marked funding still gives it consi¬der¬able say over the UN system, but its influence in formal settings is weakened by its own inconsistencies and by limited outreach to other regions.
• Europe’s interest in the UN may also be fading. Domestic pressures and competing crises push the organisation down the political agenda, as priori¬ties shift towards security, defence and competitiveness.

Priorities for the next SG, as seen from Europe:
• Among numerous agendas, two criteria for prioritisation emerged: (i) relevance to member states’ concerns; (ii) whether the UN can play a distinctive and valuable role.
• For Europe, this points to three areas: (i) peace and security, with the UN contributing to a future peace process and post-war reconstruction in Ukraine; (ii) migration, for which the UN offers a multilateral framework to tackle root causes such as conflict, climate change and global inequality over the long term; (iii) AI governance, where the UN can bring fragmented initiatives together and ensure they complement rather than compete with or duplicate one another.
Recommendations:
• Delivering on these priorities depends not on new mandates or processes – these should be avoided – but on the SG making better use of existing tools, such as their good offices function, their convening power and agenda-setting and their willingness to take political risks. It also depends on adequate financing by member states and on their political support.
• For Europe, the SG should lead with a strategy linked to issues salient to European audiences, act as a bridge-builder between Europe and other regions, and work with Europe’s interests at the UN, including demonstrating how sharing power and supporting a more equitable UN could serve both Europe and other regions in the long term.
 

Le ministre de l’Énergie et des Énergies renouvelables, Mourad Adjal, a tranché : aucune hausse des tarifs de l’électricité n’est inscrite dans le projet de […]

L’article Votre facture d’électricité va-t-elle augmenter en 2027 ? Adjal répond est apparu en premier sur .

AMENDMENTS 881 - 1147 - Draft report Implementation of the common foreign and security policy – annual report 2026
Committee on Foreign Affairs
David McAllister

Source : © European Union, 2026 - EP

Le vrai prix du carburant en Afrique : 0,023 $ / litre en Libye, contre 3,23 $ / litre en Malawi. Un écart de 140× entre deux pays africains. Les Afriques a classé 41 pays d'après GlobalPetrolPrices (relevés du 12 octobre 2026, prix en dollars US par litre (essence Octane-95)).

Une méthodologie transparente

Ce classement s'appuie sur GlobalPetrolPrices— relevés du 12 octobre 2026, prix en dollars US par litre (essence Octane-95). La métrique retenue est $ / litre, relevée pour 41 pays africains.
Recul critique. Ces chiffres sont un instantané : ils évoluent selon la conjoncture, les politiques publiques (subventions, taxes) et la méthode de collecte. Ils servent à comparer les pays entre eux et à repérer les écarts structurels, pas à prédire une valeur précise. Les données participatives (le cas échéant) et les moyennes masquent des écarts locaux importants.

Trois chiffres qui résument le problème

1. Un écart de 140 fois entre deux pays africains.Le litre d'essence coûte 0,023 $ en Libye contre 3,23 $ au Malawi. Ce n'est pas une question de géographie mais de politique : la Libye subventionne massivement, le Malawi subit la crise du kwacha et l'absence de subvention.

2. La subvention, pas la richesse, décide du prix. Les 5 moins chers sont des producteurs/subventionneurs : Libye (0,02 $), Angola (0,33 $), Algérie (0,35 $), Égypte (0,46 $), Soudan (0,70 $). Le top 5 des plus chers mêle pays enclavés et en crise : Malawi (3,23 $), Zimbabwe (2,05 $), Sierra Leone (2,03 $), Rwanda (1,99 $) et Cap-Vert (1,99 $).

3. L'Afrique du Sud, le Maroc et le Nigeria au milieu du tableau.
Entre 1,5 $ et 1,8 $ le litre, les grandes économies non subventionnées (Afrique du Sud 1,81 $, Maroc 1,56 $, Kenya 1,64 $, Ghana 1,62 $) paient un prix de marché, loin des extrêmes.

: https://lesafriques.com/?laf_track=1&e=article&c=carburant&r=contact%4024haubenin.info
• PDF : https://lesafriques.com/?laf_track=1&e=pdf&c=carburant&r=contact%4024haubenin.info

Citation clé en main :

« Le litre d'essence coûte 0,023 $ en Libye et 3,23 $ au Malawi : un écart de 140 fois entre deux pays africains, selon GlobalPetrolPrices (octobre 2026). » — Dossier, LesAfriques.com

Une opération menée par les agents du Bureau de la Surveillance du Territoire Douanier (BSTD) a permis de découvrir une importante cargaison de cigarettes et des fournitures scolaires non déclarées, dissimulées sous des déchets ménagers d'un camion-benne. L'opération a été menée samedi 17 octobre 2026 à Ekpè, un arrondissement de la commune de Sèmè-Podji, dans le département de l'Ouémé.

Une cargaison frauduleuse sous les déchets transportés par un camion-benne. Le 17 août 2026 à Ekpè, les agents du Bureau de la Surveillance du Territoire Douanier ont procédé à l'interception du véhicule. L'inspection a permis de découvrir plusieurs marchandises dissimulées sous les détritus.
Au terme de la fouille, les douaniers ont mis la main sur 21 000 paquets de cigarettes de différentes marques, notamment YES, TIME, ORIS et ROYAL. À cette cargaison s'ajoutaient des fournitures scolaires qui, selon les informations communiquées, n'avaient pas été déclarées.
Cette découverte met en lumière les méthodes de dissimulation utilisées par certains acteurs de la fraude pour contourner les contrôles douaniers.

Au-delà de la quantité de cigarettes saisies, cette affaire illustre les défis auxquels sont confrontés les services douaniers face à des procédés de fraude de plus en plus discrets. La dissimulation de marchandises sous des déchets ordinaires rappelle la nécessité de renforcer le renseignement, les contrôles ciblés et la coordination des équipes sur le terrain. Pour l'administration douanière, l'enjeu est double : endiguer les circuits de contrebande susceptibles de perturber le marché légal et contribuer à la sécurisation des recettes de l'État.

Quelques images de la saisie

F. A. A.

La France a sollicité l’Algérie pour augmenter ses livraisons de pétrole et de gaz naturel liquéfié dans les plus brefs délais. Si le brut peut […]

L’article Pétrole et GNL : Paris frappe à la porte d’Alger pour un approvisionnement « urgent » est apparu en premier sur .

Dan Mackenzie initially defended his father but now says he felt he had to report his own grandmother.

Recherché pour plusieurs affaires criminelles, un ancien détenu reconverti dans les soins traditionnels a été interpellé au marché de Djékpétimey, dans la commune de Djakotomey.

Un guérisseur traditionnel installé à Gbégnadji, dans l'arrondissement d'Adjido, commune de Toviklin, est soupçonné d'être impliqué dans plusieurs cambriolages et braquages.

Le suspect s'était reconverti après son séjour en prison.

Déjà cité dans une affaire de braquage dont plusieurs présumés complices sont détenus à la maison d'arrêt de Lokossa, il était de nouveau dans le viseur des enquêteurs. Une surveillance discrète a conduit à son arrestation à Djakotomey.

La perquisition à son domicile a permis de saisir des marteaux, une machette et une plaque d'immatriculation de motocyclette. Ces objets ont été récupérés dans le cadre des investigations visant à éclaircir les soupçons qui pèsent sur lui.

M. M.

Le président de l'Assemblée nationale, Joseph Djogbénou, invite les députés de la dixième législature à la cérémonie solennelle d'ouverture de la deuxième session ordinaire de l'année 2026.

Les députés reprennent le chemin de l'hémicycle mercredi 21 octobre, pour l'ouverture officielle de la deuxième session ordinaire de l'année 2026, consacrée également à la session budgétaire.
La cérémonie d'ouverture est prévue pour 10 heures, au Palais des Gouverneurs à Porto-Novo, selon un communiqué radio-télé hémicycle en date du 14 octobre 2026.
Selon les indications du Secrétariat général administratif, les députés sont tenus de rejoindre l'hémicycle au plus tard à 9 h 30. Ils sont également invités à porter leurs attributs républicains pour cette circonstance solennelle.
Cette deuxième session ordinaire sera principalement consacrée à l'examen du projet de loi de finances pour la gestion 2027. Dès l'ouverture des travaux, le président de l'Assemblée nationale procédera à une communication officielle relative aux transmissions du gouvernement.
Cette session budgétaire constitue ainsi une étape importante dans le calendrier parlementaire, avec l'examen des grandes orientations financières de l'État pour l'année 2027.

F. A. A.

Le développement du commerce en ligne et la progression des usages numériques font évoluer les attentes des consommateurs et des entreprises en Algérie. Paiements à […]

L’article Commerce électronique en Algérie : découvrez les solutions digitales d’Al Salam Bank est apparu en premier sur .

Le débat fait déjà le tour des réseaux sociaux. Invité sur un plateau de télévision, David Lisnard, candidat déclaré à l’élection présidentielle en France, a […]

L’article « Je m’en fous » : le dérapage de David Lisnard sur le massacre des Algériens du 17 octobre 1961 est apparu en premier sur .

La météo en Algérie demeure perturbée ce mardi 20 octobre, avec des pluies et des orages annoncés dans plusieurs régions du pays. Les services de […]

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La brigade de lutte contre la cybercriminalité relevant de la Sûreté de wilaya de Constantine a réussi à démanteler une association de malfaiteurs composée de […]

L’article Ils vidaient les comptes des Algériens via une simple application TV : 10 hackers arrêtés à Constantine est apparu en premier sur .

More than 400 people, mostly children, become ill after drinking contaminated water, east of Pretoria.

Kedden a Parlament jóváhagyta az EU nagy sebességű vasúti hálózatának gyorsabb fejlesztésére és a területi kohézió erősítésére vonatkozó ajánlásait.
Közlekedési és Idegenforgalmi Bizottság

Forrás : © Európai Unió, 2026 - EP