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Italy is to become the first European country to make a vaccine passport system compulsory for all workers. Proof of vaccination, a negative test or recent recovery from infection must be provided or staff will be suspended without pay and face a fine. The law set to apply to both public and private employees from 15 October after the Italian government approved the measures on Thursday.
A painting by Pablo Picasso that was stolen nine years ago during a heist at a Greek gallery has been recovered. Police say a 49-year-old builder has been arrested for the theft of Picasso’s Head of a Woman and a second work by Dutch artist Piet Mondrian. Initially, the raid on the Athens National Gallery in 2012 was blamed on two thieves.
The Vatican has written to the Italian government warning that a draft anti-homophobia law could violate the 92-year-old Lateran Treaty governing relations between Rome and the Catholic Church, and restrict religious freedom in Italy. The letter said it would threaten the Church’s “freedom of thought” and expressed fears that religious schools would be forced to participate in a new national day against homophobia.
Three people have been arrested in Italy over Sunday’s cable car accident that left 14 dead. Investigators say the emergency brakes had been disabled and the three members of the operating company were aware. According to a local transport official, the brake failure meant the car was traveling at over 100km/h (62 mph) when the cable broke. Prosecutors are carrying out an investigation into suspected involuntary homicide and negligence.
At least 14 people have died from a cable car accident in northern Italy on Sunday, according to officials. The car was completing its 20-minute voyage, some 4,891 feet above sea level at the top of the mountain, when the cable broke 984 feet from the top of the mountain, according to Italian news agency ANSA. The car then crashed into a wooded area with no direct road access.
The battle is on to save Rome’s umbrella pine trees – as much a part of the landscape of the Italian capital as its ancient monuments – from a deadly parasite. The trees, which offer respite from Rome’s summer heat, have become infested with pine tortoise scale, insects originally from North America that are capable of killing pines in two to three years.
An alleged Mafia fugitive who had been on the run since 2014 was arrested by police in the Dominican Republic thanks to his hobby as a YouTube chef. Marc Feren Claude Biart, a 53-year-old suspected member of the ‘Ndrangheta mafia organization, arrived in Milan, Italy, on Monday following his arrest on March 24. While the videos never showed the man’s face, investigators say they were able to recognize Biart from his tattoos.
Italy will be placed under a nationwide lockdown over the Easter weekend for the second year running, a draft decree law seen by Reuters said on Friday, underlining the struggle to stem a fresh surge in coronavirus cases. Non-essential shops will be shuttered nationwide from April 3-5. On those days, Italians will only be allowed to leave their homes for work, health or emergency reasons.
Italy’s ambassador to Democratic Republic of Congo, his bodyguard and a driver from the World Food Programme were killed on Monday when their convoy was attacked in the east of the country, Italy and the United Nations said. WFP said the delegation was on its way to visit a school feeding program in Rutshuru. It said the road had previously been cleared for travel without security escorts.
President Sergio Mattarella asked former European Central Bank chief Mario Draghi on Wednesday to form a government tasked with tackling the coronavirus crisis and deep economic recession that are battering Italy. Draghi, widely credited with saving the euro zone from collapse in 2012, accepted the mandate, saying he was confident he could find backing in Italy’s fractured parliament for a new administration.