The Italian mafia has long been synonymous with extortion and mob hits, but its taste for murder and racketeering could soon be a thing of the past. According to the latest official data, 17 people were killed by the mob in Italy in 2022, compared to more than 700 in 1991. Criminal organizations like La Cosa Nostra from Sicily, Naples' Camorra and the Calabrian 'Ndrangheta have "moved aggressively into the low-risk, low-key world of white-collar crime," said Reuters. 

What did the commentators say? 
Post-pandemic, a trend is "developing that's a warning for all of Europe," said Bloomberg. While mobsters continue to pursue their traditional criminal enterprises in larger cities, in Italy's depressed regions, "gangster tentacles are reaching more subtly and pervasively into the social and economic fabric." 

The mafia has effectively evolved from extortion rackets to "insolvencies and bankruptcies," said Milan magistrate Pasquale Addesso. They have "entered the world of subcontracting, responding to a demand for tax evasion from entrepreneurs." 

The math behind the "why" is simple, said Reuters. Carrying 50 grams of cocaine can land you up to 20 years in prison, while sending out false invoices to gain $540 million in fraudulent tax credits carries a maximum term of six years. These complex cases can also often take years, moving past the low statutes of limitations for white-collar crimes. 

What next? 
The huge surge in false invoicing, tax evasion and insolvencies is proving an overwhelming challenge for authorities, especially because much of the investment has been in "small businesses — bars, restaurants and apartments suitable for short-term tourist letting — that offer risk diversification," said The Economist. "If you buy a hotel and it's seized, you lose everything," a businessman with family ties to the Camorra told the publication. "If you buy 10 bars and two are seized, you still have eight." 

Tax avoidance is becoming a major front in the battle against organized crime, said Maurizio de Lucia, Sicily's chief prosecutor, arguing that the dentist who fails to issue an invoice has the same effect as the drug dealer. "They are both using the same service, they are entering the same terrain."

Assisted dying usually applies to patients suffering terminal illnesses who choose to die more peacefully. The practice is hotly contested and still illegal in most of the world. However, a handful of countries allow the practice, and others are considering its legalization. 

Where it's legal
Belgium legalized assisted death in 2002 and has more open laws than other nations. The country allows foreigners to submit end-of-life requests, making it a haven for neighboring countries. In addition, people can "make advance directives so that assisted dying can be administered in accordance with their wishes," said Forbes. 

Colombia legalized euthanasia for terminally ill adult patients in 2014. By 2018, the country approved the practice for children over age 6, not requiring parental consent past the age of 14. In 2022, the country decriminalized assisted suicide for people who "suffer from severe health conditions that patients consider a threat to their dignity," even if they are not terminal, said Colombia Reports. 

Luxembourg legalized assisted suicide and euthanasia in 2009 for a person suffering from an "incurable condition … constantly in unbearable physical or mental pain," the Library of Congress said. Parental consent is required for those between the ages of 16 and 18, and assisted dying is not permitted for anyone younger than 16.

Where it's under review
Australia legalized assisted dying in all of its states by 2022. However, it's not legal in the country's Northern and Australian Capital Territories. That could change soon. In December 2022, "commonwealth laws that stopped the territories from making new laws on voluntary assisted dying were repealed, which opens a pathway to potential future legalization," said The Guardian.

In the United States, assisted dying is legal in California, Colorado, Hawaii, Maine, Montana, New Mexico, New Jersey, Oregon, Vermont, Washington state and Washington, D.C. Close to 20 other states are considering bills legalizing it as well. "These bills typically allow people with six months or less to live to request prescriptions from a doctor that they can take at home if and when they decide to end their lives," said Axios.