A French court has sentenced an anesthesiologist, Frédéric Péchier, to life in prison for intentionally poisoning 30 patients, leading to the deaths of 12 people. The crimes took place between 2008 and 2017 at two medical clinics in the city of Besançon, in eastern France. The verdict came after a long 15-week trial, and the court described the crimes as extremely serious. Life sentences are rare in France, which shows how severe the court believed the case was. Péchier was also permanently banned from practicing medicine and will not be eligible for parole for at least 22 years. He has denied the accusations since the investigation began eight years ago, and his lawyer has said he plans to appeal the verdict. One of the victims was a 4-year-old boy named Tedy, who fell into a coma after Péchier allegedly injected a toxic substance into his IV during a routine surgery. Although Tedy survived, he suffered cardiac arrest for 25 minutes and needed multiple doses of adrenaline and electric shocks to stay alive. Lawyers for the victims said the verdict brought relief after years of waiting for justice. Victims’ attorneys described Péchier as one of the worst criminals in modern French legal history due to the number of deaths and survivors affected. They criticized him for refusing to explain why the poisonings occurred, though they hope an appeal trial might reveal more information. Péchier has said he understands the pain of the victims’ families but insists he is not responsible. He told a French radio station that the accusations destroyed his personal life, leading to the loss of his job, divorce, separation from his children, and a suicide attempt. Despite this, the court ordered his immediate imprisonment following the verdict. This case connects to broader global discussions about patient safety, trust in medical professionals, and oversight in health care systems. Around the world, rare but shocking cases of medical abuse raise questions about how hospitals monitor staff and protect vulnerable patients.

For many Jewish Australians, feelings of insecurity have long been part of daily life. Rebecca Di Veroli, who grew up Jewish in Australia, remembers armed guards outside synagogues, high walls around Jewish schools, and her father’s fear of attending Jewish events in public spaces. Although she once thought those fears were exaggerated, they became frighteningly real during a Hanukkah celebration at Bondi Beach in Sydney last Sunday. During the event, gunmen opened fire on the crowd. Di Veroli described lying on top of her 5-year-old son under a table, trying to protect him as bullets landed nearby. A rabbi who had been serving food moments earlier was shot in the chest. The attack killed 15 people, and authorities later said the gunmen were inspired by the extremist group Islamic State. The attack deeply shocked Australia’s small but close-knit Jewish community, many of whom are descendants of Holocaust survivors who fled Europe to escape persecution. Bondi Beach, where many Jewish families settled after World War II, had long been a place of celebration, hosting events like bar and bat mitzvahs and annual Hanukkah gatherings. For decades, these events were seen as safe and joyful traditions. Tensions had already been rising before the attack. Since the Hamas-led assault on Israel on Oct. 7, 2023, and the war in Gaza that followed, Australia has seen an increase in antisemitic vandalism, threats, and attacks, including firebombings of synagogues and Jewish businesses. In response, the Australian government increased police protection, strengthened hate-crime laws, and invested more money in security. However, some community members feel these actions came too late. After the Bondi Beach attack, many expressed anger and disappointment, saying the government did not act quickly enough despite earlier warnings from its own antisemitism envoy. This attack reflects a wider global rise in antisemitism and religiously motivated violence linked to international conflicts. Similar concerns are being raised in countries across Europe, North America, and beyond, highlighting how global tensions can affect minority communities far from the original conflict zones.