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THE man who killed five people and injured two others in a bow-and-arrow attack in Norway this week has been handed over to health services, the prosecution said on Friday, fuelling doubts about his mental health.

Identified as Danish citizen Espen Andersen Brathen, 37, he converted to Islam and is believed to have been radicalised. He has confessed to the killings.

Meanwhile, the prosecution has asked for Brathen to be held in detention for four weeks, the first two in isolation.

A psychiatric evaluation was expected to take several months. | AFP

New Zealand

A FORMER Pretoria doctor accused of murdering her three daughters after moving to New Zealand intends entering not-guilty pleas.

Lauren Dickason, 40, is accused of killing Liané, 6, and 2-year-old twins Maya and Karla on September 16 by strangling them with cable ties. She is in Hillmorton Hospital’s forensic unit in Christchurch for mental evaluation.

On Friday, her appearance by video link was excused when the case was called in the High Court, the New Zealand Herald reported. There was a link to the Timaru Court House so relatives and media could watch proceedings. |

United Kingdom

BRITAIN announced on Friday it would ease rules on how many deliveries foreign truck drivers can make in an attempt to ease a supply chain crisis and a shortage of drivers.

Drivers from the EU can currently only make two pick-ups and drop-offs within seven days of arriving in Britain.

Under the new rules, which the government hopes to implement before Christmas, they will be able to make unlimited trips during a two-week period.

“That’s the equivalent of adding thousands of extra lorry drivers to the road..., it’ll come in towards the end of the year,” transport minister Grant Shapps told Sky News. | AFP

Japan

NEW Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida announced an outline of Covid-19 counter-measures on Friday, saying that the government would come up with an overall set early next month.

The government said it would seek to increase using hospitals for Covid patients, in addition to designating more hospital beds for patients with respiratory disease, Xinhua news agency reported.

Kishida said the government planned to present a more detailed response in next month.