A daily fee for tourism in Venice, updated COVID-19 vaccines, and more in today’s Bwoglines!

Happening in the World: Venice will vote to approve a €5 ($5.37) daily fee for visitors in an attempt to control tourism. Visitors over the age of 14 would book their entry into the city and pay the fee in advance. Mass tourism has impacted both the climate and Venice residents. Cruise ships cause pollution and erode the city’s foundation. As more buildings are turned into hotels or rented to tourists, it has become harder for residents to find housing. A limit on rental accommodations for tourists has also been proposed along with the daily fee. (BBC)

Happening in the US: Updated COVID-19 vaccines were approved yesterday by the FDA. Vaccinations could become available to some later this week, with the last step in the approval process being a sign off from the CDC. The new vaccine specifically targets a newer omicron variant, which the FDA determined is similar enough to other common coronavirus strains to also provide cross-protection. The vaccine will be free to most Americans through insurance, but the CDC is working with healthcare providers to temporarily provide free shots to the uninsured as well. The vaccine can be administered at the same time as upcoming flu vaccinations. (AP)

Happening in NYC: Negotiations deciding how the NYPD responds to protests have been reopened after the police offers’ union argued that a settlement made last Tuesday may endanger officers. The deal, which sought to resolve lawsuits around the citywide Black Lives Matter protests in 2020, included an agreement to create an oversight committee assessing officer behavior and a new approach to policing demonstrations. The police officers’ union opposes several details of the new approach which they say may slow officer response time and risk officer and public safety. (The Gothamist)

Happening in Our Community: How Brazilian Civil Society responded to Threats against Democracy, a discussion promoted by the Vladimir Herzog Institute and the Washington Brazil Office will be held in the International Affairs Building today from 6 to 7:30 pm. Speakers Paulo Abrão and Rogerio Sottili will lead the discussion on the role of Brazilian civil society in resisting attacks against democracy.

Vaccines via Bwog Archives