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Police in Italy have arrested a nurse on charges that he faked giving coronavirus vaccinations to at least 45 people so they could fraudulently obtain a health pass.
The nurse is accused of ditching vaccines in a bin and even putting bandages on his “patients” so no one would suspect the scam.
Police in Ancona, on Italy’s eastern coast, placed four other people under house arrest, accusing them of finding anti-vaccine customers who were willing to pay for a health pass rather than get the shots.
Forty-five people who allegedly received the passes as part of the scam are under investigation. They are required to check in daily with police and prevented from leaving their cities.
Police filmed the nurse working at the huge vaccine centre in Ancona, apparently squirting the needle’s contents into the medical waste bin before pretending to inject the patients' arms, then putting on Band-Aids.
The suspects are accused of corruption, falsifying information and embezzlement, although police said the fake vaccination scheme also wasted a “fundamental public resource.”
Italy has cracked down increasingly hard on the unvaccinated, requiring proof of inoculation or recent recovery from Covid-19 to enter a host of leisure venues and services such as public transport.
Italy, where the outbreak first erupted in Europe in February 2020, has inoculated 86 per cent of its population aged over 12 and has administered boosters to about 60 per cent of those eligible.
There have been several cases of police investigations into fake health passes, and one headline-grabbing case of a dentist who went into get his injection with a silicone fake arm.
After his stunt landed him under criminal investigation, the dentist announced he had been vaccinated and was merely protesting against the government’s vaccine mandates for healthcare workers.
Terror attacks in Paris, November 13, 2015
- At 9.16pm, three suicide attackers killed one person outside the Atade de France during a foootball match between France and Germany
- At 9.25pm, three attackers opened fire on restaurants and cafes over 20 minutes, killing 39 people
- Shortly after 9.40pm, three other attackers launched a three-hour raid on the Bataclan, in which 1,500 people had gathered to watch a rock concert. In total, 90 people were killed
- Salah Abdeslam, the only survivor of the terrorists, did not directly participate in the attacks, thought to be due to a technical glitch in his suicide vest
- He fled to Belgium and was involved in attacks on Brussels in March 2016. He is serving a life sentence in France
Malcolm & Marie
Directed by: Sam Levinson
Starring: John David Washington and Zendaya
Three stars
Dust and sand storms compared
Sand storm
- Particle size: Larger, heavier sand grains
- Visibility: Often dramatic with thick "walls" of sand
- Duration: Short-lived, typically localised
- Travel distance: Limited
- Source: Open desert areas with strong winds
Dust storm
- Particle size: Much finer, lightweight particles
- Visibility: Hazy skies but less intense
- Duration: Can linger for days
- Travel distance: Long-range, up to thousands of kilometres
- Source: Can be carried from distant regions
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
The specs
Engine: 4.0-litre V8 twin-turbocharged and three electric motors
Power: Combined output 920hp
Torque: 730Nm at 4,000-7,000rpm
Transmission: 8-speed dual-clutch automatic
Fuel consumption: 11.2L/100km
On sale: Now, deliveries expected later in 2025
Price: expected to start at Dh1,432,000
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Traits of Chinese zodiac animals
Tiger:independent, successful, volatile
Rat:witty, creative, charming
Ox:diligent, perseverent, conservative
Rabbit:gracious, considerate, sensitive
Dragon:prosperous, brave, rash
Snake:calm, thoughtful, stubborn
Horse:faithful, energetic, carefree
Sheep:easy-going, peacemaker, curious
Monkey:family-orientated, clever, playful
Rooster:honest, confident, pompous
Dog:loyal, kind, perfectionist
Boar:loving, tolerant, indulgent
