Latest news with #Dib
The Advertiser
3 days ago
- Climate
- The Advertiser
Thousands still stranded as flood recovery ramps up
Rescuers have saved horses and helped paramedics reach isolated patients as the recovery effort continues after record-breaking floods that killed five people. More than 1000 buildings have been declared uninhabitable amid promises for further government assistance. About 3500 people remain isolated along the NSW mid-north coast, despite waters receding in recent days. Premier Chris Minns and Emergency Services Minister Jihad Dib returned to flood-hit communities between Port Macquarie and Taree on Wednesday, meeting with volunteers and affected farmers and businesses. "This flood emergency is not yet over," Mr Dib earlier told parliament. More than 800 flood rescues have been conducted throughout the event, including a further nine rescues up to 5am on Wednesday, the State Emergency Service said. Three of them were to rescue horses, as well as helping ambulance officers reach a patient through floodwaters. The rescues took place around the Hunter region and in Tamworth on the northern tablelands. Resupply operations continue for isolated communities, while others have been working through the clean up, NSW SES Assistant Commissioner Colin Malone said. "We have teams on the ground and are working closely with recovery partners to provide support and assistance through a range of measures over the coming days," he said. Prime Minister Anthony Albanese visited Taree on Tuesday. The visits come as communities impacted by the flooding, which claimed five lives, wait for an upgrade in the disaster response to trigger further grants. Federal funds have been made available for severely affected communities and sectors including clean up and recovery grants for small businesses and primary producers and a community recovery fund. "Recovery is going to take time," Federal Emergency Services Minister Kristy McBain said. "We will be there for the long haul." Disaster recovery payments up to $1000 for eligible adults and $400 for eligible children, on top of personal hardship payments up to $900 per family have also been pledged. Up to 13 weeks' income support will be available and primary producers can access concessional loans and freight subsidies. The ongoing clean up, with the help of some 70 army personnel on the ground and thousands of volunteers as well as state agencies, has collected more than 10,000 cubic metres of waste. More than 9200 damage assessments have taken place, with about 2000 to go. Many of the more than 1000 buildings deemed uninhabitable may only be so for the short term. "In some of those cases, it's just flooding over the floorboards, or minor damage," Mr Dib said. "It doesn't mean that they're uninhabitable completely." About 30 homes need "serious work" or are beyond repair. Volunteers are carrying the load of the day-to-day recovery as communities count the cost of the floods. One person was charged with looting offences after allegedly stealing tools, paintings, family photos, DVDs and other personal items in Wingham. Rescuers have saved horses and helped paramedics reach isolated patients as the recovery effort continues after record-breaking floods that killed five people. More than 1000 buildings have been declared uninhabitable amid promises for further government assistance. About 3500 people remain isolated along the NSW mid-north coast, despite waters receding in recent days. Premier Chris Minns and Emergency Services Minister Jihad Dib returned to flood-hit communities between Port Macquarie and Taree on Wednesday, meeting with volunteers and affected farmers and businesses. "This flood emergency is not yet over," Mr Dib earlier told parliament. More than 800 flood rescues have been conducted throughout the event, including a further nine rescues up to 5am on Wednesday, the State Emergency Service said. Three of them were to rescue horses, as well as helping ambulance officers reach a patient through floodwaters. The rescues took place around the Hunter region and in Tamworth on the northern tablelands. Resupply operations continue for isolated communities, while others have been working through the clean up, NSW SES Assistant Commissioner Colin Malone said. "We have teams on the ground and are working closely with recovery partners to provide support and assistance through a range of measures over the coming days," he said. Prime Minister Anthony Albanese visited Taree on Tuesday. The visits come as communities impacted by the flooding, which claimed five lives, wait for an upgrade in the disaster response to trigger further grants. Federal funds have been made available for severely affected communities and sectors including clean up and recovery grants for small businesses and primary producers and a community recovery fund. "Recovery is going to take time," Federal Emergency Services Minister Kristy McBain said. "We will be there for the long haul." Disaster recovery payments up to $1000 for eligible adults and $400 for eligible children, on top of personal hardship payments up to $900 per family have also been pledged. Up to 13 weeks' income support will be available and primary producers can access concessional loans and freight subsidies. The ongoing clean up, with the help of some 70 army personnel on the ground and thousands of volunteers as well as state agencies, has collected more than 10,000 cubic metres of waste. More than 9200 damage assessments have taken place, with about 2000 to go. Many of the more than 1000 buildings deemed uninhabitable may only be so for the short term. "In some of those cases, it's just flooding over the floorboards, or minor damage," Mr Dib said. "It doesn't mean that they're uninhabitable completely." About 30 homes need "serious work" or are beyond repair. Volunteers are carrying the load of the day-to-day recovery as communities count the cost of the floods. One person was charged with looting offences after allegedly stealing tools, paintings, family photos, DVDs and other personal items in Wingham. Rescuers have saved horses and helped paramedics reach isolated patients as the recovery effort continues after record-breaking floods that killed five people. More than 1000 buildings have been declared uninhabitable amid promises for further government assistance. About 3500 people remain isolated along the NSW mid-north coast, despite waters receding in recent days. Premier Chris Minns and Emergency Services Minister Jihad Dib returned to flood-hit communities between Port Macquarie and Taree on Wednesday, meeting with volunteers and affected farmers and businesses. "This flood emergency is not yet over," Mr Dib earlier told parliament. More than 800 flood rescues have been conducted throughout the event, including a further nine rescues up to 5am on Wednesday, the State Emergency Service said. Three of them were to rescue horses, as well as helping ambulance officers reach a patient through floodwaters. The rescues took place around the Hunter region and in Tamworth on the northern tablelands. Resupply operations continue for isolated communities, while others have been working through the clean up, NSW SES Assistant Commissioner Colin Malone said. "We have teams on the ground and are working closely with recovery partners to provide support and assistance through a range of measures over the coming days," he said. Prime Minister Anthony Albanese visited Taree on Tuesday. The visits come as communities impacted by the flooding, which claimed five lives, wait for an upgrade in the disaster response to trigger further grants. Federal funds have been made available for severely affected communities and sectors including clean up and recovery grants for small businesses and primary producers and a community recovery fund. "Recovery is going to take time," Federal Emergency Services Minister Kristy McBain said. "We will be there for the long haul." Disaster recovery payments up to $1000 for eligible adults and $400 for eligible children, on top of personal hardship payments up to $900 per family have also been pledged. Up to 13 weeks' income support will be available and primary producers can access concessional loans and freight subsidies. The ongoing clean up, with the help of some 70 army personnel on the ground and thousands of volunteers as well as state agencies, has collected more than 10,000 cubic metres of waste. More than 9200 damage assessments have taken place, with about 2000 to go. Many of the more than 1000 buildings deemed uninhabitable may only be so for the short term. "In some of those cases, it's just flooding over the floorboards, or minor damage," Mr Dib said. "It doesn't mean that they're uninhabitable completely." About 30 homes need "serious work" or are beyond repair. Volunteers are carrying the load of the day-to-day recovery as communities count the cost of the floods. One person was charged with looting offences after allegedly stealing tools, paintings, family photos, DVDs and other personal items in Wingham. Rescuers have saved horses and helped paramedics reach isolated patients as the recovery effort continues after record-breaking floods that killed five people. More than 1000 buildings have been declared uninhabitable amid promises for further government assistance. About 3500 people remain isolated along the NSW mid-north coast, despite waters receding in recent days. Premier Chris Minns and Emergency Services Minister Jihad Dib returned to flood-hit communities between Port Macquarie and Taree on Wednesday, meeting with volunteers and affected farmers and businesses. "This flood emergency is not yet over," Mr Dib earlier told parliament. More than 800 flood rescues have been conducted throughout the event, including a further nine rescues up to 5am on Wednesday, the State Emergency Service said. Three of them were to rescue horses, as well as helping ambulance officers reach a patient through floodwaters. The rescues took place around the Hunter region and in Tamworth on the northern tablelands. Resupply operations continue for isolated communities, while others have been working through the clean up, NSW SES Assistant Commissioner Colin Malone said. "We have teams on the ground and are working closely with recovery partners to provide support and assistance through a range of measures over the coming days," he said. Prime Minister Anthony Albanese visited Taree on Tuesday. The visits come as communities impacted by the flooding, which claimed five lives, wait for an upgrade in the disaster response to trigger further grants. Federal funds have been made available for severely affected communities and sectors including clean up and recovery grants for small businesses and primary producers and a community recovery fund. "Recovery is going to take time," Federal Emergency Services Minister Kristy McBain said. "We will be there for the long haul." Disaster recovery payments up to $1000 for eligible adults and $400 for eligible children, on top of personal hardship payments up to $900 per family have also been pledged. Up to 13 weeks' income support will be available and primary producers can access concessional loans and freight subsidies. The ongoing clean up, with the help of some 70 army personnel on the ground and thousands of volunteers as well as state agencies, has collected more than 10,000 cubic metres of waste. More than 9200 damage assessments have taken place, with about 2000 to go. Many of the more than 1000 buildings deemed uninhabitable may only be so for the short term. "In some of those cases, it's just flooding over the floorboards, or minor damage," Mr Dib said. "It doesn't mean that they're uninhabitable completely." About 30 homes need "serious work" or are beyond repair. Volunteers are carrying the load of the day-to-day recovery as communities count the cost of the floods. One person was charged with looting offences after allegedly stealing tools, paintings, family photos, DVDs and other personal items in Wingham.
Epoch Times
4 days ago
- Business
- Epoch Times
New Boutique Hotel, With 6 Rooms and 60 Workers, Is an Outlier in South Beach
Vinod Sreeharsha Miami Herald On Collins Avenue, in the heart of Miami Beach's Art Deco district, Donatella Boutique Hotel & Restaurant doesn't seem to belong. The entrance, a narrow single metal door facing the street, is easy to miss. Once entering, you go down a long, outdoor corridor. Plants are everywhere and bright Miami colors nowhere. And it's quiet, almost peaceful. A look through the entrance of Donatella on May 1, 2025, in Miami, Florida. D.A. Varela/Miami Herald/TNS Donatella Boutique Hotel & Restaurant opened May 9. The restaurant is the center of this venue, 1350 Collins Ave. Dinner tables in a corridor give the place a Mediterranean feel. But before grabbing a seat, you are surrounded by two-story villas to the front, left, and right. Each of the three buildings has two rooms for a total of six rooms. Related Stories 4/24/2025 8/8/2023 That's boutique. There isn't a fancy digital kiosk to check in at when you arrive. There aren't even elevators. But there are carefully restored, spiral red oak staircases to take you to your rooms. If you're out of shape, employees will help. If you're fit, take the help anyway because don't want your luggage damaging the pristine floor. About 60 employees work here—10 for each room. While your bags are taken upstairs, you can have a cocktail in the small check-in area that has a bar. A detail shot of the stairs leading from the restaurant area to a hotel room inside Donatella on May 1, 2025, in Miami, Florida. D.A. Varela/Miami Herald/TNS How Donatella Owners Came Together Donatella Boutique Hotel & Restaurant is owned by and a collaboration between Jamil Dib, co-founder and owner of Vida & Estilo Hospitality Group, and the Nakash Group, owners of The Setai, the luxury Miami Beach hotel. Vida & Estilo runs Salty Flame, the Asian-influenced steak bar on Brickell Avenue, Paperfish Sushi, Barsecco, and more than 18 restaurants in the Miami area and Las Vegas. Dib has lived in South Florida since 1996. After the COVID-19 pandemic, Joe Nakash, chairman of The Setai Hotel, and Dib, a friend, met up and decided they wanted to start a business together. When they saw the property, they 'fell in love' with it, Dib said in an interview with the Miami Herald at the Donatella. An exterior shot of Donatella on May 1, 2025, in Miami, Florida. D.A. Varela/Miami Herald/TNS 'For me, it's more about the architecture,' Dib said. 'You do not find this in Miami Beach.' They acquired the building in 2022 for $6 million, according to Miami-Dade property records. They knew it would not be 'an easy remodeling.' The building was mostly kept intact although a small pool was removed to make way for part of the restaurant. An interior shot of the hotel room named Bianca Allegra' at Donatella on May 1, 2025, in Miami, Florida. D.A. Varela/Miami Herald/TNS From Justin Bieber to Boutique Hotel The property, then known as the Orchid House, was being used as a three-villa rental with a shared kitchen. Singer Justin Bieber stayed there in 2014, a trip that ended with his arrest. It was built in the 1920s by Wallace Tutt, who also designed what became the Versace mansion on nearby Ocean Drive. The rooms at the remodeled Donatella have Italian travertine stone, warm wood, and large bathrooms and vanity areas. Miami-based Mico Design Studios did interiors. A detail shot of the bed inside the hotel room named Bianca Allegra' at Donatella on May 1, 2025, in Miami, Florida. D.A. Varela/Miami Herald/TNS The colors are light—lots of white—while Miami Beach's typical bright colors and neon are absent. The natural stone has light tones as well. There's a peaceful ambience to the rooms, similar to hotel rooms in the South of Spain. The villas are connected by wood bridges where you can also eat dinner if you fancy something even more romantic. Wherever you chose to dine, coastal Southern Italian dining will be served by chef Alessandro Morrone, who's from Naples, Italy. His menu features black truffle cacio e pepe, rigatoni nduja, and Skull Island prawns. The restaurant seats 170 people. A private dining room accommodates 15. An interior shot of the dining area of Donatella on May 1, 2025, in Miami, Florida. D.A. Varela/Miami Herald/TNS The Donatella, next to the Shepley Hotel, has no pool or rooftop where groups can hang out. There's no sauna or spa. And you likely won't find South Beach crowds partying late into the night. 'We cannot compete maybe with the big hotels, with the beach clubs, but we're different,' Dib said. A big part of that is paying meticulous attention to every customer and every detail, he said. For example, Dib said he chose every song on the hotel's Spotify playlist. During the interview, he stopped to point out songs he had selected that comprise Donatella Chill. Signature dishes from the restaurant at Donatella on May 1, 2025, in Miami, Florida. D.A. Varela/Miami Herald/TNS The Donatella Connection? The hotel doesn't have a direct connection with its namesake. Donatella Versace is the sister of Gianni Versace, the Italian fashion mogul killed in 1997 on the steps of his Miami Beach mansion. She also was a prominent fashion designer and CEO of Versace until March when she announced she'd step down. 'I don't know the family at all,' Dib said. 'There's no connection.' But he said they did obtain the trademark to use Donatella's name. The U.S. States Patent and Trademark Office records confirmed that. An interior shot of Donatella on May 1, 2025, in Miami, Florida. D.A. Varela/Miami Herald/TNS Dib's partner Joe Nakash acquired Versace's South Beach mansion in a New York auction in 2013 for $41.5 million. The runner-up was Donald Trump. Once a run-down apartment building called The Amsterdam Palace, the Versace mansion is now Villa Casa Casuarina, which includes a boutique hotel. A bartender makes a cocktail inside the bar at Donatella on May 1, 2025, in Miami, Florida. D.A. Varela/Miami Herald/TNS If You Go The hotel's starting rate is $460 a night, Dib said. At the restaurant, he hopes you can get a good meal for $80 to $100. Initially, the restaurant will be open for dinner only. They hope after about two months to start offering Sunday brunch. For reservations at the hotel or more information, go to Copyright 2025 Miami Herald. Visit Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC. Dear Readers: We would love to hear from you. What topics would you like to read about? Please send your feedback and tips to
Perth Now
07-05-2025
- Politics
- Perth Now
Huge change as ‘scourge' costs Aussies $2bn
The NSW government is set to bring in sweeping changes to protect people at risk of identity fraud, after Australians lost more than $2bn to cyber-scams just last year. The state government will introduce legislation on Wednesday to establish a new fraud check service that will allow government and other accredited agencies to confirm whether a person's identity document (ID) details have been stolen or compromised. It would be aimed at empowering agencies to stop criminals misusing people's details to apply for grants or credit, and underpin efforts to help residents secure their ID info and avoid scams and thefts through the work of ID Support NSW. Digital Government Minister Jihad Dib said the legislation, known as the Identity Protection and Recovery Bill, would help protect residents in NSW against cybercriminals after more than 67,000 scams were reported to ScamWatch across Australia in 2024. 'These new laws will help safeguard NSW residents against cyber criminals and the scourge of identity theft, especially when it targets our most vulnerable citizens who can least afford it,' Mr Dib said. Digital Government Minister Jihad Dib said the legislation will help protect residents in NSW against cybercriminals. NewsWire / Max Mason-Hubers Credit: News Corp Australia 'By alerting people quickly and supporting them to secure their identity and replace compromised ID documents, NSW residents will be better protected from impersonation, scams and fraud. 'The new Compromised Credential Register will enable these early notifications to both individuals and agencies, and will send up a red flag when someone tries to use an ID document that has been stolen or compromised.' First launched in late 2021, ID Support NSW notifies residents when a data breach has occurred and helps them to replace any government documents. It also provides community outreach and education about identity theft, privacy, and cyber security resilience. Under the new bill, ID Support will operate as the 'core government provider of identity protection and recovery services', including setting up the Compromised Credential Register to provide a fraud check service for IDs, such as NSW driver's licences and photo cards. Once it is known an ID document has potentially been compromised - including a person's personal details, driver's license, and card number that may be on the dark web - it will be added to the register and the resident and issuing authority would then be notified.
West Australian
07-05-2025
- Politics
- West Australian
NSW government to introduce new laws to target ‘scourge' of cybercrime fraud
The NSW government is set to bring in sweeping changes to protect people at risk of identity fraud, after Australians lost more than $2bn to cyber-scams just last year. The state government will introduce legislation on Wednesday to establish a new fraud check service that will allow government and other accredited agencies to confirm whether a person's identity document (ID) details have been stolen or compromised. It would be aimed at empowering agencies to stop criminals misusing people's details to apply for grants or credit, and underpin efforts to help residents secure their ID info and avoid scams and thefts through the work of ID Support NSW. Digital Government Minister Jihad Dib said the legislation, known as the Identity Protection and Recovery Bill, would help protect residents in NSW against cybercriminals after more than 67,000 scams were reported to ScamWatch across Australia in 2024. 'These new laws will help safeguard NSW residents against cyber criminals and the scourge of identity theft, especially when it targets our most vulnerable citizens who can least afford it,' Mr Dib said. 'By alerting people quickly and supporting them to secure their identity and replace compromised ID documents, NSW residents will be better protected from impersonation, scams and fraud. 'The new Compromised Credential Register will enable these early notifications to both individuals and agencies, and will send up a red flag when someone tries to use an ID document that has been stolen or compromised.' First launched in late 2021, ID Support NSW notifies residents when a data breach has occurred and helps them to replace any government documents. It also provides community outreach and education about identity theft, privacy, and cyber security resilience. Under the new bill, ID Support will operate as the 'core government provider of identity protection and recovery services', including setting up the Compromised Credential Register to provide a fraud check service for IDs, such as NSW driver's licences and photo cards. Once it is known an ID document has potentially been compromised - including a person's personal details, driver's license, and card number that may be on the dark web - it will be added to the register and the resident and issuing authority would then be notified.
Miami Herald
05-05-2025
- Business
- Miami Herald
New boutique hotel, with 6 rooms and 60 workers, is an outlier in South Beach
On Collins Avenue, in the heart of Miami Beach's Art Deco district, Donatella Boutique Hotel & Restaurant doesn't seem to belong. The entrance, a narrow single metal door facing the street, is easy to miss. Once entering, you go down a long, outdoor corridor. Plants are everywhere and bright Miami colors nowhere. And it's quiet, almost peaceful. Donatella Boutique Hotel & Restaurant will open May 9. The restaurant is the center of this venue, 1350 Collins Ave. Dinner tables in a corridor give the place a Mediterranean feel. But before grabbing a seat, you are surrounded by two-story villas to the front, left and right. Each of the three buildings has two rooms for a total of six rooms. That's boutique. There isn't a fancy digital kiosk to check in at when you arrive. There aren't even elevators. But there are carefully restored, spiral red oak staircases to take you to your rooms. If you're out of shape, employees will help. If you're fit, take the help anyway because don't want your luggage damaging the pristine floor. About 60 employees work here — 10 for each room. While your bags are taken upstairs, you can have a cocktail in the small check-in area that has a bar. How Donatella owners came together Donatella Boutique Hotel & Restaurant is owned by and a collaboration between Jamil Dib, co-founder and owner of Vida & Estilo Hospitality Group, and the Nakash Group, owners of The Setai, the luxury Miami Beach hotel. Vida & Estilo runs Salty Flame, the Asian-influenced steak bar on Brickell Avenue, Paperfish Sushi, Barsecco and more than 18 restaurants in the Miami area and Las Vegas. Dib has lived in South Florida since 1996. After the COVID-19 pandemic, Joe Nakash, chairman of The Setai Hotel, and Dib, a friend, met up and decided they wanted to start a business together. When they saw the property, they 'fell in love' with it, Dib said in an interview with the Miami Herald at the Donatella. 'For me, it's more about the architecture,' Dib said. 'You do not find this in Miami Beach.' They acquired the building in 2022 for $6 million, according to Miami-Dade property records. They knew it would not be 'an easy remodeling.' The building was mostly kept intact although a small pool was removed to make way for part of the restaurant. From Justin Bieber to boutique hotel The property, then known as the Orchid House, was being used as a three-villa rental with a shared kitchen. Singer Justin Bieber stayed there in 2014, a trip that ended with his arrest. It was built in the 1920s by Wallace Tutt, who also designed what became the Versace mansion on nearby Ocean Drive. The rooms at the remodeled Donatella have Italian travertine stone, warm wood and large bathrooms and vanity areas. Miami-based Mico Design Studios did interiors. The colors are light — lots of white — while Miami Beach's typical bright colors and neon are absent. The natural stone has light tones as well. There's a peaceful ambience to the rooms, similar to hotel rooms in the South of Spain. The villas are connected by wood bridges where you can also eat dinner if you fancy something even more romantic. Wherever you chose to dine, coastal Southern Italian dining will be served by chef Alessandro Morrone, who's from Naples, Italy. His menu will feature black truffle cacio e pepe, rigatoni nduja and Skull Island prawns. The restaurant seats 170 people. A private dining room accommodates 15. The Donatella, next to the Shepley Hotel, has no pool or rooftop where groups can hang out. There's no sauna or spa. And you likely won't find South Beach crowds partying late into the night. 'We cannot compete maybe with the big hotels, with the beach clubs, but we're different,' Dib said. A big part of that is paying meticulous attention to every customer and every detail, he said. For example, Dib said he chose every song on the hotel's Spotify playlist. During the interview, he stopped to point out songs he had selected that comprise Donatella Chill. The Donatella connection? The hotel doesn't have a direct connection with its namesake. Donatella Versace is the sister of Gianni Versace, the Italian fashion mogul killed in 1997 on the steps of his Miami Beach mansion. She also was a prominent fashion designer and CEO of Versace until March when she announced she'd step down. 'I don't know the family at all,' Dib said. 'There's no connection.' But he said they did obtain the trademark to use Donatella's name. The U.S. States Patent and Trademark Office records confirmed that. Dib's partner Joe Nakash acquired Versace's South Beach mansion in a New York auction in 2013 for $41.5 million. The runner-up was Donald Trump. Once a run-down apartment building called The Amsterdam Palace, the Versace mansion is now Villa Casa Casuarina, which includes a boutique hotel. Tour the Donatella Boutique Hotel Pricing and reservations The hotel's starting rate will be $460 a night, Dib said. At the restaurant, he hopes you can get a good meal for $80 to $100. Initially, the restaurant will be open for dinner only. They hope after about two months to start offering Sunday brunch. For reservations at the hotel or more information, go to .
