French ‘Doctor Death’ who poisoned patients jailed for life

Frederic Péchier faces a minimum of 22 years behind bars PARIS, Dec 19 (NNN-AGENCIES) — A former anaesthetist has been jailed for life for intentionally poisoning 30 patients, including 12 who died.A court in the city of Besançon in eastern France found Frédéric Péchier guilty of contaminating infusion bags with…

Ghana files extradition request for ex-finance minister Ken Ofori-Atta to US authorities

Embattled former Finance Minister Ken Ofori-Atta ACCRA, Dec 19 (NNN-GNA) — The Attorney General and Minister of Justice, Dr Dominic Akuritinga Ayine, has announced that his office has formally requested the extradition of former Minister of Finance, Ken Ofori-Atta, and an alleged accomplice, Ernest Darko Kore, from the United States. Speaking at…

Ex-Nascar driver and his family among seven killed in US plane crash

STATESVILLE (North Carolina, US), Dec 19 (NNN-AGENCIES) — A former Nascar driver and his family were among the seven people killed in a plane crash at a regional airport in North Carolina, the car-racing organisation has said. A highway patrol spokesman said people on the ground confirmed that Greg Biffle…

Madagascar crisis: SADC Summit approves deployment of Panel of Elders

PRETORIA, Dec 19 (NNN-SANEWS) — The Southern African Development Community (SADC) has approved the deployment of a Panel of Elders and a Mediation Reference Group to Madagascar to support efforts aimed at restoring political stability, constitutional order and democratic governance.This was announced in a communiqué issued following the virtual Extraordinary…

US imposes sanctions on two more ICC judges for Israel probe

WASHINGTON, Dec 19 (NNN-AGENCIES) — The United States imposed sanctions on two more judges of the International Criminal Court after they rejected an attempt by Israel to end a war crimes probe in Gaza.Secretary of State Marco Rubio, who had already ordered sanctions on judges and prosecutors in the case, explicitly linked the new…

Germany to take in more than 500 stranded Afghans from Pakistan

Interior Minister Alexander Dobrindt BERLIN, Dec 19 (NNN-AGENCIES) — The German government said it would take in 535 Afghans who had been promised refuge in Germany but have been stuck in limbo in Pakistan. Interior Minister Alexander Dobrindt told the RND media network Berlin wanted to complete the processing of…

Denmark wants to ban burqas, niqabs in schools and universities

COPENHAGEN, Dec 18 (NNN-AGENCIES) — The Danish government said that it is proposing to extend the country’s ban on full-face veils in public places to schools and universities. “Burqas, niqabs, or other clothing that hides people’s faces have no place in a Danish classroom,” Minister for Immigration and Integration Rasmus…

UK police make arrests for alleged ‘intifada’ protest chants

LONDON, Dec 18 (NNN-AGENCIES) — UK police made their first arrests Wednesday since announcing officers will detain people who publicly chant pro-Palestinian calls to “globalise the intifada”, in a change prompted by Australia’s Bondi Beach attack. London’s Metropolitan Police said two people “who shouted slogans involving calls for intifada were…

ALBA-TCP advances on strategic objectives despite threats and aggression

HAVANA, Dec 18 (NNN-ACN) — The will of the heads of state and government of ALBA-TCP to advance and overcome threats and adversity was evident at the recently concluded 25th Summit of the Latin American and Caribbean integration bloc. This meeting, held virtually with its nine member countries, was inspired…

Tunisians revive protests in Gabes over pollution from state chemical plant

People march on the 15th anniversary of the 2011 uprising to protest over pollution GABES (Tunisia), Dec 18 (NNN-AGENCIES) — Around 2,500 Tunisians marched through the coastal city of Gabes on Wednesday, reviving protests over pollution from a state-owned phosphate complex amid rising anger over perceived failures to protect public…