Venice To Double Tourist Entry Fee Days In 2025

Oct 28 2024

In 2025, Venice will double the number of days it charges tourists an entrance fee after a trial run of the system last year.

The initiative aims to spread out tourist arrivals, reducing crowding and protecting the city’s infrastructure. Starting April 18 through July 27, day-trippers visiting from Friday to Sunday and on public holidays will pay €5 if they book four days in advance, or €10 for late bookings.

Visitors over 14 must book online and present a QR code for random inspections, with fines for those without tickets. Exemptions apply to residents, overnight guests, students, and those visiting relatives in Venice.

The fee, introduced for 29 days in 2024, generated around €2.4 million but faced criticism from local officials who argue it fails to manage tourist flows.

Some critics, including city councillor Giovanni Andrea Martini, say that raising the fee would turn Venice into a “museum.”

While mayor Luigi Brugnaro awaits a full budget analysis, Venice officials assert the city is leading global efforts against over-tourism, as UNESCO has raised concerns about mass tourism and climate change threatening Venice’s cultural heritage.

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Injured Honey Buzzard Rescued In Mdina

Oct 28 2024

The Malta Ranger Unit were in right place at the right time to rescue an injured Honey Buzzard in Mdina.

The rangers were out on patrol in Rabat and got a call from a member of the public that a large bird had been spotted below the bastions.

The bird, which has a wing-span of over 120cm, was retrieved from dense vegetation, but it is reported too early to know what injuries it sustained and why it wasn’t flying.

The bird was handed over to BirdLife Malta and will be taken to the Malta government vet who will examine it.

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Manchester United Manager Erik Ten Hag Sacked

Oct 28 2024

Manchester United has dismissed manager Erik ten Hag following a poor start to the season, as confirmed by the club on Monday.

United, currently 14th in the Premier League, suffered their fourth league defeat in nine games against West Ham, with only one win in their last eight matches across all competitions.

This disappointing performance marked United’s worst season start in English top-flight football since 1989.

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Ten Hag, appointed in April 2022, led the team to victories in the Carabao Cup in 2023 and the FA Cup in 2024.

However, recent struggles cast doubt over his future, with pressure mounting from fans and management. Despite initial support from United’s co-owner Jim Ratcliffe, Ten Hag’s position became untenable.

The club has named former United striker Ruud van Nistelrooy as interim head coach, with the current coaching team assisting him while a search for a permanent manager is underway.

In their statement, United expressed gratitude for Ten Hag’s contributions and wished him success in his future endeavours. Van Nistelrooy will now look to stabilise the team’s performance as they aim to recover from their current league position.

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Shorter Work Week Sees Iceland Economic Boost

Oct 28 2024

Iceland’s economy is thriving, outpacing much of Europe since the nationwide adoption of a shorter workweek with no reduction in pay.

Between 2020 and 2022, over half of Icelandic workers adopted shorter hours, including four-day workweeks, boosting productivity and worker well-being, according to research by the Autonomy Institute and Iceland’s Association for Sustainability and Democracy (Alda).

The study shows that, despite reduced hours, Iceland saw robust economic growth and maintains one of the lowest unemployment rates in Europe. In 2023, Iceland’s economy grew by 5%, second only to Malta among high-income European nations, a significant increase over its prior decade’s average of around 2%.

Initial trials from 2015 to 2019, which reduced public sector hours from 40 to 35-36 per week, showed sustained or improved productivity and notable increases in worker well-being, reducing stress, burnout, and health concerns.

Following the trials, Icelandic unions secured reduced hours for tens of thousands of workers.

While the IMF expects Iceland’s growth to slow due to lower tourism demand, the country’s unemployment remains a strong indicator of economic health, with last year’s rate at 3.4%, well below the European average.

Similar shorter workweek trials are gaining traction worldwide, including recent successful trials in the U.S. and Ireland.

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