Italy: Venice introduces entry fee for tourists to increase income for City upkeep

Venice starts charging tourist fees to pay 
for increasing cost city maintenance

The legendary northern Italian city of Venice moved closer to cementing its status as an open-air museum than a functioning urban landscape with permanent residents after it introduced a programme where visitors to the city must now be issued a ticket to visit.

Beginning on May 25 the visitors of the city of canals will begin paying a €3 entry fee, which will later rise to €6 in 2020.

The Venetian government eventually plans to create a variable entry fee ranging from €3-to-€10 depending on the number of tourists in the city. Visitors who attempt to avoid paying the entry fee will face a stiff €450 municipal fine.

The plan is to exempt hotel guests, as they already pay a city tax, and children under the age of 6,

Over the past decade, Venice has been so inundated with tourists that local residents have had difficulty coping with the increasing crowds and sky-high property prices that continue to climb. Local residents that have lived in Venice for generations have been forced to leave the city as scores of cruise ship visitors and day=trippers have effectively taken over.

An estimated 14 million tourists visit Venice just for a day, which brings little-to-no benefit to the local economy. Instead, tourism burden local authorities are left with excessive costs for the cleaning and maintenance of the city’s centuries-old infrastructure.

Read more: Venice introduces entry fee for tourists

Britain - Brexit - USA: Britain is getting the shaft by USA by having to accept chlorine treated Chicken and meats

UK-US trade deal: Envoy attacks 'myths' about US farming

 

Read more at:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-47426138

Spain: British residents Living in Spain will be allowed to stay in Spain after a no-deal Brexit

Brexit: Spain to give 400,000 Britons rights under no deal

Read more at: 

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-47412708

The Netherlands: Moroccan-Dutch employment reaches new records

Read more at

https://www.moroccoworldnews.com/2019/02/266782/moroccan-dutch-employment-rate-netherlands/amp/

European Airline Industry: Dutch surprise France by taking airline stake

Air-France KLM: Dutch surprise France by taking airline stake

Read more at :
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-47386140

Child Sex Abuse : Silent hypocrisy reigns at most Christian denominations about sexual crimes committed in Catholic Churches against minors - by "a follower of Jesus"

"You are my children never forget that"

The most senior Catholic cleric ever charged with child sex abuse has been convicted of molesting two choirboys moments after celebrating Mass, dealing a new blow to the Catholic hierarchy's credibility after a year of global revelations of abuse and cover-up.

What is amazing is that  most Christian denomination, from Evangelicals to Orthodox, so far, have put their head in the sand and not come out condemning these practices jointly or individually.

Just in case they have forgotten, here is a direct quote from the Bible, as to the place children take in the teachings of Jesus.

"He called a little child to him, and placed the child among them. And he said: “Truly I tell you, unless you change and become like little children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven. Therefore, whoever takes the lowly position of this child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven. And whoever welcomes one such child in my name welcomes me.”
— Matthew 18:1-5

By not speaking out openly against these sexual crimes committed against minors by fellow Christian denominations, Christian denominations in general won't be taken seriously, whatever they do or say.  

EU-Digest

Britain - Brexit: Labour prepared to back new Brexit referendum

Jeremy Corbyn has told Labour MPs the party will move to back another vote if their own proposed Brexit deal is rejected on Wednesday.

Labour's Emily Thornberry said if the parliamentary process ended with a choice of no deal or the PM's deal, the public should decide.

Theresa May is under growing pressure to delay the 29 March Brexit date.

Labour have not yet made clear what their proposed referendum would be on, but a party briefing paper to MPs says that any referendum would need to have "a credible Leave option and Remain".

The prime minister, who will update MPs on the negotiations on Tuesday, has insisted the UK can still leave next month as planned.

The UK voted to leave the EU in a referendum in June 2016, but the withdrawal deal Mrs May negotiated with the EU has to be agreed by MPs - and it suffered a huge defeat by them last month.

Mrs May has ruled out a "meaningful vote" on her Brexit deal this week - saying one would be held by 12 March - but she will give MPs the chance to have their say on how the next steps for Brexit.

MPs will be able to table amendments to a government motion, putting forward their proposals on what they think should happen next.

Read more: Labour prepared to back new Brexit referendum - BBC News