DHAKA, May 13 — Bangladesh’s once-praised family planning system is buckling under severe contraceptive shortages, raising fears of a rise in unplanned pregnancies in one of the world’s most densely populated countries.

For decades, the South Asian nation was hailed as a success for slashing birth rates through an expansive state-backed family planning programme that sent field workers door to door with pills, condoms and advice on birth spacing.

But that system is now faltering, with government clinics across the country of 170 million people running out of basic contraceptives after procurement failures and administrative disruption left supplies depleted in nearly a third of districts.

“We haven’t had supplies of condoms for the last four to five months,” said Ahmed Bin Sultan, 33, a family planning officer at the Savar Upazila Health Complex in Dhaka.

“We are continuously requesting service seekers to buy them from dispensaries.”

The centre is barely functioning, like most government-run facilities that have offered nearly free family planning services to underprivileged people for decades.

Bin Sultan oversees a population of 100,000 in Savar, many of them workers in the country’s key garment manufacturing sector.

Condoms, oral pills, emergency contraceptive pills, intrauterine devices (IUDs) and injectables were unavailable at around a third of the country’s 64 districts, according to government figures for May.

Stocks in other districts are also running low.

Tamanna, 22, a mother of two, comes to the Savar centre for pills—but must return every month.

“They used to give three to four sachets of pills, but that has been reduced,” said the domestic worker, who gave only one name.

“And taking time off work on weekdays is difficult.”

‘Mismanagement’ 

Public health expert Be-Nazir Ahmed said the impact was wider than contraception alone, pointing to an ongoing measles outbreak due to a failure to vaccinate. Some 400 children have died since mid-March.

“The measles outbreak, shortages of rabies vaccines and now the family planning commodity crisis are all results of mismanagement,” he said.

Officials and researchers warn the crisis could reverse decades of progress.

Bangladesh’s fertility rate recently began rising for the first time in years, in what insiders describe as a stagnating family planning programme.

Family planning was once taboo in the Muslim-majority country. But beginning in the 1970s, thousands of field workers went door to door discussing marital health, birth spacing and contraceptive options.

“Family planning in Bangladesh was once almost like a social movement,” said Tahmina, 54, a family welfare official who uses one name.

“When I started in 1992, people would secretly come to collect pills and condoms.”

In 1975, the total fertility rate was 6.3 children per woman. Within 30 years, it had dropped to 3.0, and by 2022 it stood at 2.3.

It has now risen to 2.4, according to UN data.

Officials blame shifting priorities and procurement delays, which increased during and after the chaos of a 2024 uprising that overthrew the country’s autocratic government.

“We failed to procure birth control commodities in 2024 due to administrative setbacks,” a senior official said, requesting anonymity.

“From 2024 to 2026, we also failed to convince the government that the shortage had reached a critical level.”

This photograph taken on April 27, 2026 shows people waiting in the lobby at the Savar Upazila Health Complex in Dhaka. . Bangladesh's once-praised family planning system is buckling under severe contraceptive shortages, raising fears of a rise in unplanned pregnancies in one of the world's most densely populated countries. — AFP pic

Lost momentum 

Part of the rise also resulted from the suspension of family planning activities during the Covid-19 pandemic.

But Mohammad Bellal Hossain, population science professor at the University of Dhaka, also pointed to years of declining political attention to population policy under ousted prime minister Sheikh Hasina.

“It seemed to lose momentum when we saw Sheikh Hasina attend the population council meeting only once in 17 years,” Hossain said.

A new government was elected in February, but continued shortages have forced clinics to turn away couples or steer them towards whatever methods remain available.

Abortion pills require a prescription, but many pharmacies often sell them without one, contributing to widespread use without proper medical guidance.

“We are receiving patients with post-abortion complications,” said Kishwar Imdad, country director of Marie Stopes Bangladesh.

He said the charity’s family planning programme in remote areas “was halted in 2024 due to the shortage of commodities”, and that “the supply chain has still not been restored”.

Mohammad Abdul Kalam, the director of family planning in Bangladesh’s health ministry, sought to allay fears over supplies.

“We have secured supplies of oral pills and condoms, and they will start reaching the centres by June,” Kalam told AFP.

“However, restoring the supply chain will take some more time. By August, there should be no shortage.” — AFP

BRASÍLIA, May 13 — Organised crime in South America is a growing threat to the Amazon rainforest, according to a report published yesterday, as the encroachment of criminal groups into protected areas fuels violence and sets back environmental preservation in the world’s largest tropical rainforest.

The report by the International Crisis Group think tank said the search for new drug trafficking routes and illegal mining areas is compelling organised crime rings to expand their reach in the Amazon basin, leading to devastating effects on the environment.

The Amazon “is under attack from organised crime,” the report concluded.

“Organised crime has become one of the main obstacles to efforts to stop environmental damage in the Amazon,” said Bram Ebus, a Crisis Group expert.

“What used to be primarily a conservation challenge has become a political and security crisis,” he added.

The report said gangs operate in at least 67 percent of Amazon municipalities in Bolivia, Brazil, Ecuador, Peru and Venezuela, citing data from the Amazon Underworld periodical.

The International Crisis Group urged governments to work with Indigenous communities to combat the spread of organised crime.

It also appealed to international suppliers of raw materials to ensure their supply chains are not tainted with products from criminal origins.

Surveillance in the vast, remote rainforest has never been simple.

The Amazon rainforest stretches across nine South American nations, with the majority located in Brazil. It has a central role in the fight to combat climate change.

The report mentions that organised crime groups take advantage of government weak spots to expand their territory throughout the jungle, particularly Brazilian crime groups like Comando Vermelho (Red Command) and First Capital Command (PCC).

The spread occasionally crosses borders with nearby countries like Colombia, Venezuela and Ecuador, competing or even collaborating with armed groups from the neighboring states.

The think tank added that such crime groups were “exercising a brutal violence” in communities under their control. — AFP

LOS ANGELES, May 13 — After the Los Angeles Lakers were swept by the Oklahoma City Thunder in the second round of the playoffs, LeBron James enters an offseason of uncertainty that could see him stay in LA, join another team or even retire.

With his 23rd NBA season in the books, the league’s all-time leading scorer has many options to weigh, but the 41-year-old was not ready to make a decision fresh off the Lakers’ 115-110 loss in the Western Conference semi-final series on Monday.

“I don’t know what the future holds for me, obviously,” the 22-times All-Star told reporters, adding that he will “recalibrate with my ⁠family and talk with them, and spend some time with them” before making a decision.

Numbers have been declining

As James left the floor on Monday after putting up 24 points and a game-high 12 rebounds, some wondered if it was his last dance in the NBA.

At 41, it is not a surprise that James is not producing as much as he once did, averaging 20.9 points per game this season while playing a supporting role behind Luka Doncic and Austin Reaves. His numbers have been declining since 2021-22, when he averaged 30.3 points per game.

James, who has the longest career in NBA history, said he has “always been in love with the process” of playing basketball, from showing up to morning practices and “giving everything I got.”

The native of Akron, Ohio was selected first overall in the 2003 NBA Draft by the Cleveland Cavaliers and steadily rose to stardom, earning MVP honors in 2009 and 2010.

He took his talents to the Miami Heat in 2010, winning back-to-back championships in 2012 and 2013 before returning to the Cavaliers in 2014.

In 2016 he led Cleveland to a championship, ending the city’s 52-year professional sports title drought.

He left the Cavaliers for the second time in 2018 to join the Lakers, where he won a fourth title in 2020.

Return to LA still an option

James can choose to re-sign with L.A., though head coach JJ Redick cautioned that a decision would likely come in the next two months.

“I haven’t even thought about that,” Redick also told the media post-game. “We’ll deal with the offseason in the offseason, which is the next two months.”

It is hard to imagine a team that would not jump at the chance of having James on their roster, but they will need to give him a solid reason to join. Widely considered one of the best players of all time — his 43,440 points are the most in league history — he will likely want to go out on top.

His eldest son, LA guard Bronny James, said he has “no clue” about his father’s plans.

“He looks like he can play another however many years, but he’s been in league for longer than he’s been out of league,” said the 21-year-old. “It’s insane. I think he should think about it, and whatever he feels happy with, do that.” — Reuters 

WASHINGTON, May 13 — US legislation that would require social media companies to take more responsibility for how their apps affect children and teens overcame a key hurdle on Tuesday, when a leading Republican senator said he would back the bill.

US Senator Ted Cruz said at an event in Washington on Tuesday that he will back the Kids Online Safety Act, which would require social media companies to “exercise reasonable care” when designing features that contribute to harms to minors, according to the legislation.

The list of harms includes eating disorders, depression and sexual harassment of minors, among others.

Cruz’s support is significant because he chairs the Senate Commerce Committee, the panel typically responsible for vetting and approving the legislation before the rest of the chamber votes on it.

Cruz supported similar legislation in the past, but so far had not arranged a formal committee vote on the bill during the 119th Congress, the legislature’s current session.

“We are going to pass it out of the Commerce Committee, we’re going to pass it in the Senate,” he said at an event outside the US Capitol on Tuesday with parents who say they lost their children to online harms.

A spokesperson for Cruz did not provide details about what he would do next with the legislation, adding that his support for the bill was “consistent” with his previous statements. — Reuters 

MAY 13 — The education debate in Malaysia often circles around familiar concerns like artificial intelligence, employability, STEM readiness, digital literacy, rankings, and curriculum reform. Yet, beneath all these discussions lies a deeper crisis that remains largely unaddressed: our inability to navigate difference.

Schools and universities today are not merely spaces of academic instruction. They are collision points between generations, cultures, identities, technologies, values, and worldviews. A lecturer from Generation X may struggle to understand the communication patterns of Gen Z students. Administrators raised in rigid hierarchical systems may find younger educators questioning authority structures they once considered normal. Students themselves come from increasingly diverse linguistic, socioeconomic, and cultural backgrounds, yet are often expected to conform to a singular model of “good” behaviour and learning. What we are witnessing is a cultural disruption and this is precisely why cultural intelligence may become the most important educational competency of the future.

Cultural intelligence, often defined as the ability to function effectively across diverse cultural contexts, is commonly discussed within multinational corporations or international business settings. But limiting it to global business misses its larger significance. In education, cultural intelligence is not merely about understanding ethnic diversity. It is about understanding human differences across generations, communication styles, values, digital behaviours, socioeconomic realities, and evolving definitions of identity and success.

Our education systems still operate on industrial-age assumptions. Students are grouped by age, assessed through standardised measurements, and expected to absorb knowledge in uniform ways. Yet, the modern classroom has become profoundly fragmented. One student may learn best through interactive media, another through reflective writing. One views authority as collaborative, another as absolute. One communicates through concise digital expressions, another through formal academic language. Instead of recognising these differences as realities to be navigated intelligently, institutions often interpret them as disciplinary problems, generational decline, or resistance.

According to the author, schools and universities today are not merely spaces of academic instruction. They are collision points between generations, cultures, identities, technologies, values, and worldviews. — Pexels.com pic

The result is mutual frustration. Older educators frequently lament that younger generations are too sensitive or unwilling to endure hardship. Younger students, meanwhile, perceive institutions as disconnected, emotionally unintelligent, and increasingly irrelevant to contemporary realities. Both sides speak, but neither truly understands the cultural lens through which the other operates.

The widening gap requires educational environments that develop cultural intelligence. Unfortunately, many institutions continue to confuse exposure with understanding. Simply placing diverse individuals in the same classroom does not automatically produce empathy or collaboration. In some cases, it intensifies misunderstanding. Diversity without cultural intelligence often creates silent segregation. 

The challenge becomes even more urgent in the digital era. Social media algorithms increasingly shape how young people interpret the world. Students are exposed to global conversations, social movements, and identity discourses long before educators address them in classrooms. Educational institutions, however, often respond reactively, treating these realities as distractions rather than recognising them as part of students’ cultural ecosystems. This disconnect explains why many educational policies feel outdated almost immediately after implementation. Systems designed for predictability are now operating within environments defined by constant cultural change.

Ironically, while education systems emphasise academic intelligence, they frequently neglect the very competencies necessary for societal cohesion: listening, contextual understanding, intercultural communication, emotional adaptability, and critical self-awareness. In other words, we are producing graduates who may be technically competent but culturally unequipped.

The consequences extend beyond classrooms. Workplaces increasingly struggle with multigenerational tensions. Younger employees seek flexibility, meaning, and psychological safety, while older management structures prioritise endurance, loyalty, and hierarchy. Public discourse grows more polarised because individuals lack the skills to engage differences constructively. Even national conversations around race, religion, language, and identity often collapse into defensive reactions rather than meaningful dialogue.

Education cannot solve every societal fracture, but it can determine whether future generations inherit the tools to navigate them wisely. Cultural intelligence should not exist merely as a diversity workshop or occasional seminar. It must become embedded within pedagogy itself. Teacher training programmes should include intercultural communication and generational literacy. Students should learn how values are shaped by context, history, technology, and lived experiences. Assessments should reward collaboration across differences, not just individual performance.

More importantly, institutions themselves must model cultural intelligence. Universities and schools cannot preach adaptability while maintaining rigid bureaucratic cultures that resist change. Nor can they demand empathy from students while dismissing the concerns of younger generations as entitlement. Educational leadership today requires more than administrative competence. It requires interpretive competence or the ability to understand why people think, communicate, and behave differently in rapidly changing environments.

Malaysia, in many ways, is uniquely positioned to lead this conversation. As a multicultural society, we have long promoted coexistence as part of our national identity. Yet, coexistence alone is insufficient. The future demands the ability to negotiate complexity, ambiguity, and difference without collapsing into hostility or fragmentation. The question is no longer whether our students can compete globally. The more pressing question is whether they can understand one another well enough to build sustainable futures together. Perhaps, the true purpose of education in the 21st century is to cultivate culturally intelligent citizens capable of navigating an increasingly divided world.

* Ahmad Ashaari Alias is lecturer at the Centre for Languages and Pre-University Academic Development (CELPAD), International Islamic University Malaysia (IIUM)

** This is the personal opinion of the writer or publication and does not necessarily represent the views of Malay Mail.  

SEREMBAN, May 13 — The Negeri Sembilan Health Department (JKNNS) has detected four suspected cases of leptospirosis, or rat urine disease, at the Taman Eko Rimba Ulu Bendul recreational park in Kuala Pilah.

JKNNS said one patient was admitted to hospital while three others received outpatient treatment after showing symptoms including fever, headache and muscle pain.

“All cases had a history of visiting and carrying out water activities at the recreational area, while clinical samples have been taken for confirmatory tests,” the department said in a statement today.

It said a risk assessment found the environment at the recreational park conducive to the spread of leptospirosis, a zoonotic disease caused by Leptospira bacteria that can spread through contaminated water, soil or food.

Following the cases, the recreational area was temporarily closed to allow cleaning, sanitation and water quality monitoring works to be carried out as part of prevention and control measures.

JKNNS also advised the public to avoid water recreational areas during the rainy season, maintain cleanliness, avoid swimming with open wounds and practise good personal hygiene to reduce the risk of infection. — Bernama 

MANILA, May 13 — Volleys of gunshots were heard ‌at the Philippine Senate today and people were told to run for cover, Reuters witnesses heard, as chaos mounted in anticipation of an attempt to arrest ‌a top senator wanted by the International Criminal Court.

It was unclear what was happening or who fired the shots. More than 10 military personnel in camouflage fatigues had earlier arrived at the Senate building, some carrying assault rifles, Reuters journalists saw.

It was not immediately clear why troops were there and military officials could not immediately be reached for comment. It was unclear if other security personnel were inside the building.

It came as Ronald dela Rosa, the chief enforcer in former Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte’s bloody “war ‌on drugs”, said on Facebook his arrest was imminent and urged people ⁠to mobilise to prevent his handover to ⁠the ICC. 

Dela Rosa, who has taken refuge ⁠in his legislative office since Monday, ⁠called on ⁠the public to turn out and block his arrest, saying that law enforcement agents were on the way following the ICC’s unsealing of an arrest ⁠warrant. 

The warrant, dated November and made public on Monday, seeks the arrest of the former police chief on charges of crimes against humanity, the same crimes 81-year-old Duterte is accused of as he awaits trial in The Hague following his arrest last year.

“I am appealing to ⁠you, I hope you can help me. Do not allow another Filipino to be brought to The Hague,” dela Rosa said in a ⁠video posted on Facebook from his Senate office.

Dela Rosa, 64, was Duterte’s ⁠top lieutenant ⁠overseeing a fierce crackdown during which thousands of alleged drug dealers were slain, with human rights groups accusing police of systematic murders and cover-ups.

Police reject the allegations ‌and say the more than 6,000 killed in anti-drugs operations were all armed and had resisted arrest. — Reuters

KOTA KINABALU, May 13 — The Sabah government has decided to postpone the Malaysian Border Control and Protection Agency (AKPS) policy and implementation until it receives assurances that the move will not erode the state’s special immigration powers and autonomy.

Chief Minister Datuk Seri Hajiji Noor said Sabah’s immigration autonomy, together with that of Sarawak, was non-negotiable as it formed part of the safeguards enshrined under the Malaysia Agreement 1963 (MA63).

“It must be stressed that immigration autonomy for Sabah and Sarawak cannot be negotiated because the implementation of Malaysia’s formation under MA63 is subject to the autonomy provisions granted to both states.

“This guarantees constitutional safeguards to ensure Sabah’s position remains protected,” he said in a statement today.

Hajiji said the Sabah Cabinet had reviewed issues surrounding the implementation of AKPS in the state and found elements that could potentially dilute Sabah’s immigration powers and special rights through the agency’s legal framework and operational structure.

Under the proposed arrangement, AKPS would assume the role currently carried out by the Sabah Immigration Department at the state’s entry points.

He said the state government would not have direct authority over the agency, except through the Sabah Immigration director as provided under Subsection 6(3) of the Malaysian Border Control and Protection Agency Act 2024 (Act 860).

“Besides that, the Sabah government has also identified inconsistencies between Act 860 and the Immigration Act 1959/63 [Act 155], which could affect the smooth execution of enforcement duties at Sabah’s entry points,” he added. — Bernama 

KUALA LUMPUR, May 13 — A former employee of a pay television station was sentenced to four years’ imprisonment by the Sessions Court here today after pleading guilty to 731 charges of tampering with the company’s database over nearly seven years.

Judge Izralizam Sanusi imposed a four-year jail sentence on Nora Idayu Jaafar, 49, for each charge and ordered all sentences to run concurrently from today.

Today’s proceedings took about five hours as the court read out all 731 charges against Nora Idayu before she entered her guilty plea.

According to the facts of the case, Nora Idayu, who had worked with Astro since 2003, was granted access to the company’s internal AMDOCS Customer Relationship Management (CRM) system through two user IDs registered under her name.

Checks on the Enterprise Data Warehouse (EDW) and CRM systems revealed that 731 regular customer accounts had been unlawfully converted into corporate accounts using the accused’s two user IDs between October 30, 2013 and August 20, 2020.

The accused’s actions were not authorised by Astro, as corporate accounts were non-paying accounts created solely for the company’s internal use, while regular customers were required to subscribe through paid customer accounts instead of accessing Astro services through corporate accounts without authorisation.

Under the charges, Nora Idayu, who worked in the Commercial Support Unit, was accused of tampering with data by converting 731 regular customer accounts into corporate accounts, despite knowing that the act would result in unauthorised changes to the database contents.

The offences were allegedly committed at the Astro office at Menara Icon, Jalan Tun Razak here under Section 5(1) of the Computer Crimes Act 1997, which carries a maximum fine of RM100,000 or imprisonment of up to seven years, or both.

Earlier, lawyer Daniel Annamalai, representing the accused, pleaded for the prison sentences for all charges to run concurrently, citing his client’s clean record and bipolar disorder, which affected her emotional stability and judgment.

“The accused began working in 2003, but became involved in these offences after getting married in 2013 due to extreme domestic pressure and financial difficulties caused by her former husband, who was a compulsive gambler.

“An excessively harsh sentence may worsen the accused’s mental health condition, whereas a balanced sentence would allow her the opportunity to undergo rehabilitation and continue receiving treatment,” the lawyer said.

However, deputy public prosecutor Siti Aina Rodhiah Shikh Md Saud urged the court to impose a heavy sentence, stressing that the offences were committed consistently and systematically over a very long period.

“The accused’s actions have affected the integrity and reliability of Astro’s computer systems, particularly the CRM system, which is the company’s core customer management and transaction system,” she said. — Bernama 

KUALA LUMPUR, May 13 — Five Malaysians were rescued by the Greek Coast Guard after a vessel carrying them was involved in a shipwreck off the coast of Kastellorizo, Greece, on Tuesday (May 12).

In a statement on Wednesday, the Foreign Ministry said preliminary reports indicated that the vessel experienced technical and navigational system failures during its voyage, causing it to strike a coral reef before sinking near the coast.

“Following the incident, three of the Malaysian nationals were released by Greek authorities after completing documentation and immigration processes.

“However, two Malaysians have been detained by local authorities to assist in investigations regarding alleged violations of local environmental laws, specifically concerning damage to the marine ecosystem caused by the collision with the reef,” the statement stated.

The Foreign Ministry said it would continue monitoring developments in the case and issue updates as necessary.

“The Embassy of Malaysia in Bucharest is in close contact with the relevant Greek authorities and is extending all necessary consular assistance to ensure their safety, welfare and legal rights are fully protected throughout the ongoing legal process,” it said. — Bernama 

KUALA LUMPUR, May 13 — Police arrested a man and seized various protected wildlife parts worth more than RM5.3 million during a raid at an antique shop on Jalan Gaya in Kota Kinabalu, Sabah, today.

Bukit Aman Internal Security and Public Order Department’s Wildlife Crime Bureau/Special Intelligence Investigation (WCB/PSK) commander Datuk Mohd Zaki Ashar said the 53-year-old suspect, who is also the owner of the shop, was arrested during the raid at 9.45am.

Inspections uncovered 16 tusks believed to be from wild boars, nine teeth believed to be from tigers, 10 teeth believed to be from bears, 13 bezoar stones, and 394 swiftlet nests weighing 2,243 grammes.

“Initial investigations found that the man admitted purchasing swiftlet nests and bezoar stones from a supplier in Lintas, Sabah, without a valid licence or permit.

“The protected wildlife parts are believed to have been obtained from villagers in Tawau at low prices before being sold in the local market around Kota Kinabalu,” he said in a statement today.

Mohd Zaki said all the items were kept without permits from the authorities, with the total value of the seizure estimated at RM5.32 million.

The suspect and seized items were taken to the Kota Kinabalu district police headquarters before being handed over to the Sabah Wildlife Department for further action. The case is being investigated under Sections 41(1) and 41(2) of the Sabah Wildlife Conservation Enactment 1997. 

Meanwhile, Mohd Zaki said that in a raid under Ops Taring Bravo 1 on Jalan Labuk, Sandakan, at 3pm today, a 27-year-old man was arrested for involvement in the illegal transfer of subsidised diesel.

He said inspections found that the premises did not possess a valid licence or permit for the storage and transfer of subsidised diesel.

He said 10,200 litres of subsidised diesel, a tanker lorry, eight drums, one electric pump unit and two 12,000-litre skid tanks were seized, with the total value estimated at RM158,330.

“The suspect and all seized items were handed over to the investigating officer from the Ministry of Domestic Trade and Cost of Living (KPDN) Sandakan branch for further investigation,” he said.

Mohd Zaki said the police would continue to ensure that the misappropriation of subsidised diesel is curbed at all times and that all licensed companies comply with the stipulated conditions. — Bernama 

BRUSSELS, May 13 —  The EU plans to force railway companies to sell rivals’ tickets on their websites and share data with booking platforms, under new rules unveiled today aiming to boost train travel.

Brussels said the move, fiercely opposed by operators, would make journeys more seamless, helping passengers to find, compare and buy tickets in one go.

“Freedom of movement is one of Europe’s greatest achievements. Today, we are taking it a step further by making travel across all 27 member states simpler, smarter and more passenger friendly,” said the EU’s transport chief Apostolos Tzitzikostas.

The European Commission wants to improve rail connection across Europe to cut carbon emissions from air transport.

But the goal has long rubbed up against a fragmented network broken into national systems that critics say create hurdles and push up costs.

Passengers often have to buy tickets from different operators to patch together a multi-country trip.

Almost 400 million people travelled internationally by air within the bloc in 2024, compared to about 150 million who took cross-border train trips, according to EU data.

To change that the commission proposed obliging rail operators to make their tickets available to all online platforms that want to sell them.

Undertakings that hold at least 50 percent of a national market would also have to display on their websites all services run in their country by competitors—and sell the related tickets if clients want them.

The Community of European Railways (CER) lobby group slammed the idea as an “unprecedented” regulatory overreach.

“I’m not aware of any case where somebody is obliged to sell the product of a competitor. Think about Lufthansa obliged to sell Ryanair” flights, CER head Alberto Mazzola told AFP.

Opposition from operators—often publicly run national champions—could hamper the plan’s chances to become law as it is, as it needs approval from EU member states.

Mazzola also argued that firms that invested in their ticketing platforms would have to open them to “free-riders”, and the requirement to hand over data would benefit US-operated booking giants, tilting negotiating power in their favour.

He added that cross-border rail travel accounted for only about seven percent of train trips in Europe because high-speed infrastructure was not always there, and not because of ticketing issues.

‘Window of opportunity’ 

The proposal has more support in the European Parliament, which also needs to back it—and prolonged negotiations on a compromise text between lawmakers and EU nations are likely.

“Booking cross-border train journeys within Europe is still unnecessarily complicated,” said Vivien Costanzo, a centre-left EU lawmaker.

“A European rail system needs simple bookings, reliable connections, and clear rights for passengers. Only then will rail become a genuine European alternative to short-haul flights,” she said.

A 2025 YouGov survey for the advocacy group Transport & Environment found that almost two in three respondents had avoided rail trips because the booking process was a hassle, with studies showing that booking a train takes on average 70 percent longer than for a flight.

“With more competition on the railways, passengers will benefit from better service and lower prices,” said Jan-Christoph Oetjen, a centrist European lawmaker.

The commission also proposed to update passengers’ rights to regulate cases where they miss a connection having bought a single ticket.

Under the new rules the company responsible for the delay will have to re-route or reimburse travellers and provide assistance, including overnight accommodation and meals where necessary.

Passengers left behind due to a disruption should also be allowed to hop on the next train.

The move comes as the Iran war has sent jet fuel prices soaring and raised the spectre of shortages during Europe’s peak travel season.

This should provide rail operators a “window of opportunity” to “create a positive narrative” around international rail travel and invest in improving services, said T&E’s Victor Thevenet.

Rail accounted for just 0.3 per cent of EU planet-warming emissions from transport in 2022, compared to almost 12 per cent for civil aviation, according to EU data. — AFP