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France Moves to Abolish Marital Duty to Have Sex; UK Gears Up for Driverless Taxis; Tesla Shifts Focus to AI; Energy Bill Support Extended
France is set to abolish the concept of "conjugal rights," the notion that marriage implies a duty to have sex, while in the UK, driverless taxis are expected to launch as early as September. Meanwhile, Tesla is cutting car models as it shifts its focus to robots and AI, and millions of low-income households in the UK will continue to receive £150 off their energy bills for another five years.
In France, a bill approved by the National Assembly 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 an argument in fault-based divorce. Supporters hope the law will help deter marital rape, arguing that allowing the concept of a marital duty to persist is problematic.
Across the Channel, the UK is preparing for the arrival of driverless taxis. Waymo, the US driverless car firm owned by Google-parent Alphabet, aims to launch a robotaxi service in London as soon as September, BBC Technology reported. The UK government plans to change regulations in the second half of 2026 to enable driverless taxis, though a specific date has not been set. A pilot service is scheduled to launch 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."
Tesla, the electric vehicle (EV) maker led by Elon Musk, is undergoing a strategic shift. The company reported a 3% decrease in total revenues in 2025, and a 61% drop in profits in the last three months of the year, according to BBC Technology. Tesla also announced plans to discontinue production of its Model S and Model X vehicles, repurposing its California manufacturing plant to produce its line of humanoid robots, known as Optimus. This move comes after China's BYD overtook Tesla as the world's biggest EV maker in January.
In other news, millions of low-income households in the UK will continue to receive £150 off their winter energy bills for another five years, BBC Business reported. 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 said extending the scheme would help with the ongoing high cost of living, which has been largely driven by increased energy costs. Charities generally welcomed the continuation, although some argued that £150 was not sufficient to adequately assist struggling households. The eligibility for the program was widened last year to include an additional 2.7 million families.
Meanwhile, in the United States, Republicans and Democrats in the Senate reached an agreement on a package of five spending bills, according to BBC World. However, a sixth bill related to funding for the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) was removed from the package. Funding for DHS will continue at its current level for two weeks while both sides work on a new deal to fund the agency, CBS News reported. US President Donald Trump said the agreement would allow progress on other funding priorities.
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