Tag: Italy

Italy Rejects Chinese COVID-19 Vaccines as China Admits They’re Less Effective Against Delta Variant

Italy has joined a growing list of countries casting doubt on Chinese-made COVID-19 vaccines. Italian Prime Minister Mario Draghi told reporters at the end of a European Union summit on June 22: “The Chinese vaccine … has shown itself not to be adequate. You can see that from Chile’s experience of tackling the epidemic.” More than…


3D Video Replaces Huge Sets in Verona as Full Operas Resume

VERONA, Italy—The Verona Arena amphitheater in northern Italy has returned to staging full operas for the first time since the pandemic—but with one big difference. The monumental sets that normally fill the vast amphitheater stage have been replaced by dynamic, 3D images broadcast on huge LED screens, recreating a Sicilian village or a Fellini-esque film…


Explosive Device Found Near Stadium in Rome

Italian police closed off streets about 2 kilometers (1.2 miles) from the Stadio Olimpico in Rome after an explosive device was found attached to a parked car about four hours before the match between Italy and Switzerland. There was no indication of any connection to the tournament. Rome Mayor Virginia Raggi wrote on Twitter the…


Italy Judge Releases 3 Held in Jail Over Cable Car Crash, One Under House Arrest

MILAN—An Italian judge ruled late on Saturday that three men detained over a cable car crash that killed 14 people in northern Italy could leave prison, with one of them being placed under house arrest. In the crash a week ago, the gondola on a cable way connecting the Lake Maggiore resort town of Stresa…


Thai National Volleyball Team Tests Positive for COVID-19 After Taking Chinese-Made Vaccines

Recently, 26 members of the Thai national women’s volleyball team tested positive after receiving injections of Chinese-made COVID-19 vaccines, which led to the team withdrawing from the Volleyball Nations League (VNL) 2021. Thailand, a neighboring country of China that has purchased a large amount of Chinese COVID-19 vaccines, withdraw its team from the VNL, which…


Italian Court Hands 2 US Tourists Life Sentences for Murdering Police Officer as Teens

ROME—Two American tourists were sentenced to life in prison by an Italian court on Wednesday for the 2019 murder of a policeman near their Rome hotel in a case that shook the nation. Finnegan Lee Elder, who was 19 at the time, had admitted to stabbing Mario Cerciello Rega in the early hours of July…


Over 800 Migrants Rescued at Sea Head to Italy

ROME—Two Italian ports faced an influx of hundreds of migrants on Saturday, as a charity ship sailed toward a Sicilian port with 236 people rescued in the Mediterranean from traffickers’ boats, while Italian coast guard and border police brought 532 others to a tiny island. The maritime rescue group SOS Mediterranee said a ship it…


Italy First in EU to Mandate COVID-19 Shots for Health Workers

Italy on March 31 became the first EU country to mandate that its health care workers be vaccinated against COVID-19, the disease caused by the CCP virus, in a move the government said is aimed at protecting its vulnerable patients in hospitals. In a decree passed by Prime Minister Mario Draghi’s cabinet, all health care…


Italy Enters Strict 3-Day Lockdown Over Easter

ROME—Italy has entered a three-day strict nationwide lockdown to deter Easter travel and in a move the government said was to help prevent new surges of the coronavirus. Even though the rate of infections is coming down, the Health Ministry placed all regions into the strictest “red zone” lockdown through Monday as a precaution. The…


Italy Mandates COVID-19 Shots for All Its Healthcare Workers

Italy’s government has announced that all health workers in the country must get a COVID-19 jab or face possible sanctions. A decree on Wednesday—approved by Prime Minister Mario Draghi’s cabinet—says that health workers, including pharmacists, “are required to undergo vaccination,” with those who refuse facing potential suspension without pay, according to Reuters. “The aim of…