Author: France 24

After a three-and-a-half-month trial, anaesthetist Frédéric Péchier was sentenced Thursday in Besançon to life in prison for all the charges against him, a verdict he plans to appeal. Péchier is accused of poisoning 30 patients, 12 of whom died, between 2008 and 2017.

London-based energy giant BP announced on Wednesday it was appointing Meg O’Neill as CEO starting on April 1. The executive, who has been at the head of Australian group Woodside Energy for the past four years, is expected to focus her efforts on the company’s core oil and gas activities in a bid to catch up with rivals. Also in this edition: YouTube gains the rights to broadcast the Oscars ceremony starting in 2029, underlining streaming’s increasing power in Hollywood. 

From 2029, the Oscars will no longer air on US network television but will stream worldwide on YouTube, ending ABC’s decades-long broadcast. The Academy says the move reflects its global audience, as falling TV ratings and the rise of streaming continue to reshape Hollywood and the wider entertainment industry.

A trial opened December 18 in Aleppo for suspects accused of post-Assad violence, including attacks on transitional government forces. About 500 people are under investigation, in what is seen as a landmark case as it is the first time government-linked security forces are being held accountable, with Syrians closely watching for a fair trial. FRANCE 24’s Dana Alboz has more from Damascus.

Champions League title holders Paris Saint-Germain defeated Copa Libertadores winners Flamengo in a penalty shoot-out on Wednesday to clinch their first FIFA Intercontinental Cup title and wrap up the calendar year with a record six trophies.

Warner Brothers Discovery has rejected Paramount Skydance’s hostile takeover bid, saying it carries many risks and is inferior to Netflix’s offer.  The company’s board said the Ellison family that controls Paramount “consistently misled” them about guarantees and urged shareholders not to sell them their stocks. Plus, as oil prices rose following Donald Trump’s order to blockade oil tankers in and out of Venezuela, we take a look at just how central oil is to the country’s economy. 

Emma Jones takes us through the third installment of James Cameron’s epic project, as “Avatar: Fire and Ash” takes us back to the spectacular setting of Pandora. We discuss the message at the heart of the movies and the new additions to its cast. Next, director Kleber Mendonça Filho plunges us into 1970s Brazil thanks to a swinging soundtrack and anamorphic Panavision lenses, as Wagner Moura gives an award-winning performance in “The Secret Agent”. We also check out a moving tribute to Neil Diamond and small-time musicians the world over in “Song Sung Blue”, starring Hugh Jackman and Kate Hudson.…

Palestinians in Gaza were struggling to recover on Tuesday after days of torrential rain battered the enclave, flooding displacement camps, turning dirt roads into mud, and causing already war-damaged buildings to collapse, leaving at least 12 people dead, including a two-week-old baby. More than 150 millimeters of rain fell in some areas over the past week, inundating tents sheltering displaced families. Arwa Damon, founder of the International Network for Aid, Relief and Assistance, emphasizes that the rains, combined with sewage, are causing an extraordinary rise in diseases across Gaza, particularly diarrhea among children, which can be fatal if not treated.

In the outskirts of Hanoi, Vietnam, some villages are covered in waste, sorted by hand by residents who have no other option for work. Although no clear link has been established between cancer rates and the handling of plastic waste, the UN is warning about these dangerous practices.

France and Paris Saint-Germain attacker Ousmane Dembélé won the men’s FIFA Best award at a ceremony in Qatar on Tuesday, while Barcelona midfield maestro Aitana Bonmati collected the women’s prize for the third year in a row.