Latest news with #Municipality
Daily Mail
4 days ago
- Daily Mail
Popular Brit tourist hotspot BANS walking barefoot, picnics and drinking booze on streets in brutal crackdown
A popular British tourist hotspot has banned walking barefoot, picnics, and drinking booze on the streets among a swathe of other prohibitions in a brutal crackdown. Holidaymakers visiting Portofino, a small coastal town on the Italian Riviera in Liguria, are now facing fines for carrying out a variety of actions typically seen abroad. Starting today, travellers in Portofino will no longer be able to walk through the town barefoot, in swimwear, or topless - or sit in the piazza in any of these conditions. Consuming alcohol on public streets has also been prohibited, with only restaurants, bars, and designated areas left to booze in. Begging, sitting, or lying on the streets, walls, sidewalks and parks have also been banned along with having picnics. The new ordinance, signed by Mayor Matteo Viacava, will take effect during the summer season and temporarily expire on September 30. Anyone who is caught violating the regulations before then will be subject to a fine of between £22 and £433. The goal of the latest crackdown is to protect the 'peace and quiet of residents and tourists' in the exclusive coastal resort which brings in up to 100,000 tourists during peak season - despite the town only having a population of 400. The municipality had already attempted to combat troublesome tourists in 2023. During that period, stopping at particularly popular viewpoints across the picturesque town was prohibited. In another Italian coastal town, the port city of Diano Marina, the mayor, Cristiano Za Garibaldi, has also drawn a line under the situation and issued similar strict guidelines. He told the Italian television station Telenord: 'This is not a punishment, but a gesture of respect for the town, its residents, and visitors.' Other cities across Italy have also implemented strict rules for tourists. Picnics on bridges or monuments are prohibited in Venice, bathing in fountains is forbidden in Rome, and noisy shoes are taboo on Capri. It comes after Albufeira, in southern Portugal, last month released a Code of Conduct banning everything from public nudity and sex acts to loud noise, and urinating in public. The harshest penalties - £426 and £1,500 - will apply to those caught fully naked or engaging in sexual acts in public. Partial nudity away from designated beach areas, public drinking, urinating or defecating in public, and creating excessive noise are also punishable by fines ranging from £255 to £1,277. Other violations listed in the code include spitting, misuse of public furniture, and abandoning shopping trolleys, as Albufeira City Council seeks to restore order and cleanliness in high-traffic tourist zones. The crackdown follows a series of incidents, including a viral video last year of eight British men dancing naked on a bar in broad daylight on Albufeira's main party strip, Rua da Oura. The UK Foreign Office issued a travel alert on Thursday, 26 June, warning British nationals of the new regulations, declaring: 'The municipality of Albufeira has introduced a code of conduct which bans inappropriate behaviour in public places. 'Check out the rules that are now in force. If you break the rules, you could be fined on the spot from between 150 and 1,800 euros.' Speaking in May, Mayor José Carlos Rolo said the code was part of a broader strategy to repair Albufeira's image, adding that the rules hope to 'promote harmony' between the tourism sector and local population. Meanwhile, Faro Airport in Portugal started the rollout of e-gate access to UK arrivals last month ahead of the peak summer season in the Algarve. The announcement comes after the Government said on May 19 that British passport holders will be able to use e-gates at more European airports as part of a UK-EU deal. Since Brexit, Britons arriving at EU airports have generally been forced to queue for manned desks to have their passports stamped, rather than use automated gates with facial recognition technology – leading to long waits, particularly in peak periods.
IOL News
5 days ago
- IOL News
eThekwini Municipality grapples with escalating diesel theft, municipal truck driver arrested
Another eThekwini employee was caught stealing diesel from a water tanker at his home in Hammarsdale last week. Image: eThekwini Municipality The eThekwini Municipality has revealed that it has lost hundreds of thousands of rand as a result of diesel theft by some of its employees. The municipality stated on Tuesday that another employee has been caught stealing municipal diesel. The employee was apprehended on July 11. Last month, two municipal employees were apprehended for similar offences. Additionally, in June, a man posing as an eThekwini municipal employee was caught red-handed, fraudulently filling diesel at a petrol station where the City's fleet refuels. In May, two employees were found offloading diesel at a private residence, and another was arrested in February following an anonymous tip from a community member regarding diesel theft. In a statement, the City said a truck driver from the Water Services Directorate was arrested on July 11 after being caught siphoning diesel at his house in Hammarsdale. The suspect was apprehended by the police in Mpumalanga township while in possession of 21 containers, each containing 25 litres of diesel. Jimmy Ngcobo, the Director of the City Integrity and Investigations Directorate, confirmed that the employee confessed to committing this illegal act for over three months. 'This is a clear act of defiance against our relentless efforts to combat fraud and corruption. The suspect acknowledged awareness of other truck drivers who have also been caught siphoning diesel from municipal water trucks." Regarding the recent arrest, Ngcobo stated that the Municipality has incurred losses of approximately R900 000 over the past three months due to this employee's actions. He emphasised that his Directorate is actively investigating various cases of theft, including diesel, asphalt, car batteries, cement, procurement fraud, rims, and printing paper, among others.'The Municipality has adopted a strict zero-tolerance policy against fraud and corruption." THE MERCURY
Filipino Times
5 days ago
- General
- Filipino Times
Dubai completes AED 190M greening projects; over 300K plants added
Dubai Municipality has completed five major landscaping and beautification projects across the city, amounting to AED 190 million, covering 3 million square meters. The locations of the completed projects include the intersection of Al Khail Road with Latifa bint Hamdan Street and the intersection of Sheikh Zayed bin Hamdan Street with Tripoli Street. Other areas include Sheikh Rashid Street to Al Mina Road, the Dubai entrance from Abu Dhabi along Sheikh Zayed Road, and the Al Khawaneej–Al Amardi Street intersection. Over 300,000 trees and seedlings were planted, along with more than 222,000 square meters of ground covers and flowers. Smart irrigation systems were also introduced, using underground pumps and remote control technology to save water and space. According to the Municipality, these sustainable designs and systems will help the city stay cooler and greener, especially in public areas. 'We seek to offer a vibrant and healthy living environment that upholds the highest standards of quality of life for residents and visitors, while maintaining a harmonious balance between the urban, architectural, and environmental landscape,' Marwan Ahmed bin Ghalita, Director General of Dubai Municipality, said. This supports the Green Dubai initiative and the 2040 Urban Master Plan. By early 2025, the city had more than 5.5 million trees and seedlings and nearly 9 million square meters of green areas. In 2024 alone, the Municipality planted an average of 600 trees per day to expand green spaces across the emirate.
Gulf Insider
5 days ago
- General
- Gulf Insider
Dubai Completes $52m Beauty Project With 300,000 Trees
Dubai Municipality has completed a sweeping series of landscaping and afforestation projects across major roads and intersections in the emirate during the first half of 2025, investing AED190m ($51.7m) to beautify more than three million square metres of urban space. The works are part of Dubai's wider Green Dubai initiative and align with the Dubai 2040 Urban Master Plan, aimed at enhancing environmental sustainability, improving quality of life, and reinforcing the city's status as a global leader in urban innovation. The landscaping efforts covered key corridors and entry points to the city, including Al Khail Road and Latifa bint Hamdan Street; Sheikh Zayed bin Hamdan and Tripoli Street; Sheikh Rashid Street to Al Mina Road; 7th Interchange of Sheikh Zayed Road (Abu Dhabi entry) and Al Khawaneej and Al Amardi Street. In total, the Municipality planted more than 300,000 trees and seedlings, along with 222,500sq m of ground covers and flowers. The beauty projects also incorporated smart, sustainable irrigation systems featuring underground pump designs to optimise surface space. These systems are connected to remote-control networks supported by Internet of Things (IoT) technologies, enabling real-time monitoring and water-use efficiency to ensure sustainable irrigation practices. The projects incorporated the planting of native trees such as sidr, ghaf, and neem, alongside ornamental varieties including chorisia, washingtonia, royal poinciana, millingtonia, albizia, and bougainvillaea. Marwan Ahmed bin Ghalita, Director General of the Municipality, said: 'Our aim is to reinforce Dubai's distinctive urban and aesthetic identity and solidify its position as a leading sustainable global city. 'We seek to offer a vibrant and healthy living environment that upholds the highest standards of quality of life for residents and visitors, while maintaining a harmonious balance between the urban, architectural, and environmental landscape.' In addition to greenery, Dubai Municipality integrated architectural design elements to elevate the city's visual identity. At the Al Khail and Latifa bint Hamdan intersection, vertical lighting installations inspired by traditional Arab architecture were added. These lights change colour to mark national events and blend with surrounding landscape design. The Municipality completed $7m beautification project at Airport Road and Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Road interchange Dubai Municipality's broader afforestation and landscaping efforts have accelerated rapidly: Metric Value (as of Q1 2025) Total trees and seedlings managed 5.5m Green areas 8.7 million sqm Seasonal flowers 2 million sqm Ground cover 6.3 million sqm Plant fencing 1.3 million linear metres Trees planted in 2024 216,500 (600/day avg) Increase in green space (2023–2024) +157.5 hectares (from 234 to 391.5 ha) Bader Anwahi, CEO of the Public Facilities Agency at Dubai Municipality, said: 'The landscaping projects were developed in accordance with specific urban and environmental criteria, with a focus on selecting diverse plant species adapted to the local climate. 'This enhances the beauty and unique character of public spaces. We also increased the planting of native and ornamental species cultivated in Dubai Municipality's nurseries. 'In addition, we unified the aesthetic of Dubai's main entry points by installing similar decorative fencing, using carefully selected colour schemes that reflect the emirate's identity and provide visitors with a welcoming sense of arrival.' Dubai Municipality's efforts are part of a broader transformation to position Dubai among the world's most liveable, environmentally conscious, and aesthetically distinctive cities. The Municipality planted an average of around 600 trees per day last yearAlso read: Dubai's Emirates Airline To Enable Crypto Payments
Sharjah 24
11-07-2025
- Sport
- Sharjah 24
Musbah Awad hails Mleiha Club's summer programme
Delegation visits summer activities The organising committee of the summer programme at Mleiha Cultural and Sports Club received a visiting delegation from Mleiha Municipality. The delegation included Musbah Saif Awad, Director of Mleiha Municipality, accompanied by Awad Saeed Harib, Director of Support Services at the Municipality. The visit aimed to follow up on the ongoing activities of the "Sharjah Summer Sports 2025—Our Holidays Are Different" initiative, reflecting institutional cooperation to serve the community. The visiting delegation was welcomed by Mohammed Sultan Al Khasouni, Chairman of the Board of Directors, along with other board members, including Mohammed Awad Al Ketbi, Head of the Summer Activity Organising Committee, and Abdulrahman Muheir Al Ketbi, Head of the Media and Corporate Communications Committee. Tour of facilities and activities The delegation toured the club's premises and summer activity spaces, observing a wide range of knowledge-based workshops, skills training, and recreational programs tailored to diverse age groups. Musbah Saif Awad commended the high quality and variety of the events and praised the club's efforts to deliver a rich summer experience that balances educational and entertainment values. Importance of partnership Mohammed Sultan Khusouni Al Ketbi expressed his appreciation for the visit, emphasising that it reflects a deep partnership and coordination between Mleiha Municipality and the club. He noted that this cooperation is part of a shared commitment to nurturing young talent, equipping them with knowledge and skills, and offering an engaging summer environment that channels their energy toward positive outcomes.
