Italy mandates Super Green Pass for access to public venues

The new pass confirms proof of vaccination or recovery from the virus within the past six months. [Forward to a friend]( | [Subscribe]( | [View in your browser]( [Top of The World]( --------------------------------------------------------------- What The World is following Italy mandates Super Green Pass for access to public venues [Pizza shop customers eat their meal in downtown Milan, Italy, on the first day a super green health pass went into effect, Dec. 6, 2021.] Credit: Antonio Calanni/AP Italy Italy has ramped up its COVID-19 measures, banning people without a [Super Green Pass]( from many public activities, starting from Monday through mid-January. The pass confirms proof of vaccination or recovery from the virus within the past six months, and cannot be obtained with only a negative test result like previous passes. The move will [bar unvaccinated people]( from many venues, like theaters, cinemas, music venues, sports events, restaurants and bars. Italy has seen a spike in coronavirus cases since October and is trying to curb the spread of the new omicron variant. Myanmar A court in Myanmar has sentenced civilian leader Aung San Suu Kyi — who was ousted in a de facto coup in February — to two years in prison, after her four-year sentence was halved. She’s been convicted of inciting dissent and breaking COVID-19 rules in the [first of a series of verdicts](. International critics have condemned her trial as a “[sham](.” If she’s found guilty of all the charges she faces, Suu Kyi could be sentenced to more than 100 years in prison. Meanwhile, reports emerged on Sunday of a military vehicle [driving through a group of protesters]( in Yangon, citing eight injuries and conflicting reports on fatalities. Two witnesses also mentioned seeing soldiers firing into the crowd. The Gambia President Adama Barrow has secured his re-election in The Gambia with a comfortable lead. It’s the first vote since former President Yahya Jammeh was forced into exile after 22 years in power. But opposition candidates have [rejected the results](, claiming unspecified irregularities. Barrow’s first term was dominated by the COVID-19 pandemic, which [hit the economy]( of a country that’s heavily dependent on tourism. Many voters have said they’re hoping for an improvement in living standards. The World Bank states that about half of the nation’s population lives on [less than $1.90 a day](. --------------------------------------------------------------- We need 213 more donors before Dec. 31 to reach our goal. Can we count on you? We’re grateful to supporters like Barbara in California, who shared: “Love The World. Trust the news. Revel in the music.” If you, like Barbara, love The World, trust our international coverage, and dance along to our global hits, please support our nonprofit newsroom by making your gift today. --------------------------------------------------------------- From The World [Unlikely comrades: the US' and Vietnam’s militaries]( [Former US Ambassador to Vietnam Ted Osius, left, arrived for the opening ceremony of the Communist Party of Vietnam's 12th Congress in Hanoi, Vietnam, Jan. 21, 2016.]( Credit: Luong Thai Linh/Pool photo via AP/File How far will the US go in making a darling of Vietnam’s military? The US has developed a strategy to help Vietnam’s navy stand up to China, namely in the South China Sea, the largest sea body on Earth, which is now flooded with Chinese warships and militarized island bases. The World's Southeast Asia correspondent Patrick Winn [discussed the matter with former Ambassador Ted Osius](, who served in Hanoi from 2014 to 2017. [This ‘living lab’ in Sweden experiments with the future of sustainable cities]( [The HSB Living Lab in Sweden, where 40 residents work toward sustainable living solutions in the face of climate change.]( Credit: Courtesy of HSB Living Lab The Living Lab is home to 40 resident students and researchers who showcase the most advanced [innovations in energy-conservation technologies](. It was launched in 2016 by HSB, Sweden’s largest housing cooperative, which pioneered the modern Swedish kitchen, bathroom and indoor waste disposal system. --------------------------------------------------------------- Double take A dentist in Italy may face criminal charges for trying to get a COVID-19 vaccination in a [fake arm made of silicone]( in order to get a vaccine pass. The nurse giving the shot said she noticed right away that the limb wasn't real and thought the man was an amputee who had offered the wrong arm by mistake. He admitted that he didn't actually want the shot, but had been suspended from work because of his refusal to get vaccinated, something Italy requires of all medical personnel. [Screenshot of a tweet by The Hill.]( Credit: Twitter --------------------------------------------------------------- In case you missed it from The World --------------------------------------------------------------- - [Not your grandparents’ Hanukkah doughnuts]( - [Kurds returned to Iraq after attempting migration through Belarus]( - [How far will the US go to make a darling of Vietnam’s military?]( - [Climate change likely didn’t impact Madagascar drought]( - [New Interpol president complaint]( - [Lebanese minister forced to resign after comments about Saudi war in Yemen]( - [As Gambians head to the polls, a dictator’s influence still looms]( - [Friday prayers in Sudan]( - [Investors eye Evergrande for debt default]( - [Omicron highlights the need to address HIV and other diseases]( - [Biden administration restarts controversial immigration policy at US-Mexico border]( Don't forget to subscribe to The World's Latest Edition podcast using your favorite podcast player: [RadioPublic](, [Apple Podcasts](, [Stitcher](, [Soundcloud](, [RSS]( [The World logo]( [The World on Facebook]( [The World's Twitter account]( [Donate]( | [Forward to a friend]( | [Subscribe]( | [Edit your subscription]( | [Unsubscribe]( | [View in your browser]( Top of the World is written weekday mornings by the team at [The World](. 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