/ August 23, 2010: Once more, the new DPP Guidelines were used to acquit a RtD campaigner. Libby Wilson, of FATE Scotland, was suspected of aiding a MS-sufferer, and because of that (police found her telephone number written down somewhere in the "victim's" possessions) arrested and later released on bail.

August 20, 2010: In July the Economist published the results of a lengthy first-ever global study into the Quality of Dying in 40 countries. This study was commissioned by the Singaporese Lien Foundation and performed by the Econimist Intelligence Unit (EIU). It presents an Index that ranks countries according to their provision of end-of-life care. Read further to see some conclusions and comments.

July 25, 2010: More than a year after the start of the prosecution of Mr. Rees and Dr. Michael Irwin because of their assistance to Mr Raymond Cutkelvin to have his assisted suicide realised at Dignitas in Switzerland, the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) announced he would take no further action to both.

July 12, 2010: As of July 1, 2010 a new guidance for doctors by the UK General Medical Council “Treatment and care towards the end of life; good practice in decision making” has come into effect.

April 26, 2010: Dr Michael Irwin, a retired general practitioner, wants to make a test case out of his assistance in helping someone to commit suicide three years ago. By writing Keir Starmer, UK's DPP, he effectively is inviting criminal charges within weeks, for which the former GP could be jailed for up to 14 years.

March 11, 2010: The Society for Old Age Rational Suicide (established on International Human Rights Day December 10, 2009, in Brighton, UK) today published its website. The Society campaigns for a change of law so that very elderly, mentally competent individuals, who are suffering unbearably (not "terminally") ... can have a dignified death, as an ultimate human right.

February 25, 2010: Later today Keir Starmer DPP from the UK Crown Prosectution Service will publish the long awaited guidelines on the prosecution of people who assisted with suicide. He said so in an article in The Times, more or less also as a reaction to an article by Gordon Brown, UK's Prime Minister.

February 14, 2010: On February 1 this year, BBC 1 broadcasted the Richard Dimbleby Lecture "Shaking Hands With Death" by famous author Terry Pratchet. In this lecture Pratchet - himself being diagnosed with [early] Alzheimer - made a plea for a "pre-assistance assessment" by tribunals, a system used in the UK in other sensitive situations.

November 24, 2009: A leading Church of Scotland minister, Dr. John Cameron, will publish an article next month in "Life and Work" (the Church of Scotland magazine), positioning himself as an opponent to his church's negative views and reaction on the End of Life Choices bill of MP Margo MacDonald.

October 21, 2009: Ludovic Kennedy, writer, broadcaster and cam