World News for Students of English

30-10-2025 07:00

Dahbia Benkired, a 27-year-old woman from Algeria, received a life sentence without parole for raping, torturing, and killing 12-year-old Lola Daviet in Paris in 2022.

It is the first time in French history that such a sentence has been given to a woman. During the trial, Benkired showed no emotion, even when shown photos of her victim. Experts said she had no mental illness but described her as cold and lacking empathy. She said she was indifferent when asked about the murder.

The crime shocked France and started a political debate because Benkired was in the country illegally. The court heard about her difficult past, including childhood violence, abuse, and drug use, but the jury still found her fully responsible. French law allows a review of such sentences after 30 years, but only under very strict conditions. Lola’s family expressed deep sadness during the verdict and said they wanted justice for their daughter.

Difficult words: parole (permission to leave prison early), empathy (ability to understand others’ feelings), indifferent (not caring or showing any feelings about something), debate (a discussion where people express different opinions about an important topic).

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