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France Moves to Abolish Marital Duty to Have Sex; UK Gears Up for Driverless Taxis; Iran Prepares for Potential Conflict with US; Venezuela Reforms Oil Sector
France is set to legally abolish the concept of "conjugal rights," the notion that marriage implies a duty to engage in sexual relations. The French National Assembly approved a bill on Wednesday that adds a clause to the country's civil code clarifying that "community of living" does not create an "obligation for sexual relations," according to BBC World. The proposed law also prevents the lack of sexual relations from being used as grounds for fault-based divorce. Supporters of the bill hope it will deter marital rape, arguing that allowing the concept of marital duty to persist could enable such crimes.
Meanwhile, in the United Kingdom, driverless taxis may soon become a reality. Waymo, the US driverless car firm owned by Google-parent Alphabet, aims to launch a robotaxi service in London as early as September, BBC Technology reported. A pilot service is slated to begin in April. Local Transport Minister Lilian Greenwood stated, "We're supporting Waymo and other operators through our passenger pilots, and pro-innovation regulations to make self-driving cars a reality on British roads." The UK government plans to change regulations in the second half of 2026 to fully enable driverless taxis.
Tensions are rising in the Middle East as Iran prepares for potential military action from the United States. Al Jazeera reported that Iranian authorities have signaled their readiness to defend the country amid ongoing threats of a US military attack. Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi is scheduled to hold high-level talks in Turkiye on Friday.
In South America, Venezuela's interim President Delcy Rodriguez signed into law an oil reform bill that will increase privatization in the country's nationalized oil sector, Al Jazeera reported. The move fulfills a key demand from the United States. Rodriguez held a signing ceremony with state oil workers on Thursday, hailing the reform as a positive step for Venezuela's economy.
In other news, millions of low-income households in the UK will continue to receive £150 off their energy bills for another five years, according to BBC Business. The government confirmed that its Warm Home Discount scheme, which has been in place since 2011, will remain until the winter of 2030-31. Ministers stated that extending the scheme would help with the ongoing high cost of living, largely driven by increased energy costs. While charities welcomed the continuation, some argued that £150 was insufficient to adequately assist struggling households.
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