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Times
a day ago
- Times
Homeless banned from begging in Italian beauty spot of Portofino
With its pastel-coloured townhouses, rolling hills and celebrity visitors, Portofino has long been known as a chic playground for the wealthy. However, the Ligurian destination is now making headlines for its attempt to erase signs of poverty from its picture-postcard streets. The town council banned begging in key areas, including the historic centre, port and main tourist streets, during this year's high season in an attempt to protect tourists from being pestered. The measure runs from July 14 to September 30. However, a voluntary association representing homeless people has given the council 15 days to scrap the rule or face legal action. 'Begging is not a crime, and in Italy it cannot be outlawed,' said Antonio Mumulo, president of Avvocato di Strada (Street Lawyer), which filed a formal complaint on Friday. Savannah and LeBron James are among the celebrities who have recently visited the idyllic town OLIVER PALOMBI/THE MEGA AGENCY Portofino has only about 400 residents but receives up to 12,000 visitors a day in peak season, with recent celebrity sightings including Madonna and Rihanna. The ban, which was brought in by Matteo Viacava, the mayor, suggests there is a correlation between rising summer tourist numbers and the presence of beggars in the town. As well as banning non-threatening begging in the designated areas, the measure also prohibits aggressive or repeated requests for money anywhere in Portofino. It forbids lying or sitting on the ground, on benches or under porticoes, as well as loitering with food in public spaces. Rule-breakers risk fines from €25 to €500. The text of the council resolution claims beggars cause 'fear and apprehension among citizens and visitors' and says the ban will help protect both locals and tourists from 'exploitation'. With visits from yachts bigger than houses, Potrofino has both wealth extremes ALAMY Critics, however, say it criminalises poverty. 'Portofino has declared war on poor people,' wrote Andrea Orlando, a regional councillor for the Democratic Party and former labour minister, on social media. Avvocato di Strada also argued the ban is unconstitutional and breaches national law, citing court rulings that overturned similar rules in other Italian cities, including Verona. 'There is a growing mentality that poverty is a personal failing that must be punished,' said Mumulo. 'But poverty is often the result of life's accidents. It is wrong to punish people for being poor.' A census by Italy's national statistics agency in 2021 counted more than 96,000 homeless people nationwide, up from about 50,000 seven years earlier. Viacava did not respond to interview requests.
Yahoo
2 days ago
- Sport
- Yahoo
Report – Expectations Sky High For Breakout Young Striker At Inter Milan
Expectations are reportedly sky high for striker Francesco Pio Esposito behind the scenes at Inter Milan. This according to today's print edition of Turin-based newspaper Tuttosport, via FCInter1908. Francesco Pio Esposito will become part of Inter Milan's senior squad next season. Having joined the Nerazzurri youth academy at the age of thirteen, Pio Esposito starred at several youth team levels. Then, he spent the last two seasons on loan with Spezia. And it was last campaign that the young striker really broke through. He managed to score nineteen goals for Spezia, nearly firing the Ligurians to promotion from Serie B. Therefore, it was little surprise that virtually every club in Serie A was interested in signing Pio Esposito this summer. Naturally, Inter considered loaning Pio Esposito out. A stint with a team in the top flight would ensure regular playing time and the opportunity for the 20-year-old to develop. But in the end, that is not the route that Inter took. Expectations Sky High For Francesco Pio Esposito At Inter Milan SEATTLE, WASHINGTON – JUNE 25: Francesco Esposito #94 of FC Internazionale Milano celebrates scoring his team's first goal with Lautaro Martinez #10 during the FIFA Club World Cup 2025 group E match between FC Internazionale Milano and CA River Plate at Lumen Field on June 25, 2025 in Seattle, Washington. (Photo by) According to Tuttosport, Inter are not just making a hopeful bet on Pio Esposito. On the contrary, after the young striker's performances at the Club World Cup, Inter believe that there is a real chance that the 20-year-old can make a big impact in their first team. Pio Esposito has a profile that Inter didn't previously have in their squad. A real out-and-out Number Nine, and a physical battering ram of a centre-forward. The 20-year-old's combination of physicality, holdup play, and finishing ability mean that he will certainly have his chance to play next season. And within Inter, the feeling is that Pio Esposito could become a key player next season.
Telegraph
3 days ago
- Entertainment
- Telegraph
Portofino banned tourists from picnics, going barefoot or lying down. I found the rulebreakers
Sailboats bob gently in the water, overwhelmed by the massive superyachts squeezed in beside them. The early morning sun is already bouncing off the pastel-coloured buildings that frame the charming horseshoe-shaped bay. An Italian flag flutters above my head and church bells toll from a hidden location. It's just gone 8am and there's barely a tourist in sight in the main piazza of Portofino as I take a sip of my first cappuccino of the day with a spectacular view of the water. The tranquillity tastes nearly as good as the coffee. But it won't last. Portofino has been transformed from a sleepy fishing village into the biggest drawcard on the Italian Riviera. Once an exclusive playground for the world's rich and famous, it now attracts thousands of day-trippers and Instagrammers who pour through its piazza and cram its narrow alleys in the summer season. Today, the temperatures are steamy when the cruise ship passengers start spilling out on to the wharf and racing to the gelaterias for their first ice cream of the day. Some of the tourists kick off their shoes and dip their feet in the bay, others stroll around in their bathing costumes or strip off their shirts altogether. But in doing so, they are breaking Portofino's anti-tourist rules. Under its tight restrictions, picnics are also banned, and dogs must be kept on a leash. And sitting on a bench with a beer in your hand or taking an afternoon snooze in the wrong place might also cost you. Yet most visitors have no idea they are liable for fines from €25 (£22) to €500 (£435) for violating the strict new laws, which were recently approved by the local council. Portofino's mayor, Matteo Viacava, has banned bad behaviour in a bid to restore decorum to one of the most popular tourist destinations in Italy. It has a weighty reputation to uphold. Over the years, Portofino has welcomed Hollywood A-listers from Charlie Chaplin and Ava Gardner to VIPs such as Princess Grace of Monaco, Jackie Kennedy Onassis and Winston Churchill. In recent years, Rod Stewart, Elton John and Madonna have holidayed here, and the quaint town's luxury boutiques and designer stores are testament to the well-heeled clientele it continues to attract. Perhaps that's why poor behaviour can no longer be tolerated by the town's 350 permanent residents – unless you are lodging in a five-star hotel or on a private yacht of your own. But while I find one sign banning bare chests and bathing suits, there is no signage advising tourists of the entire list of the new restrictions, and no one in uniform seems to be patrolling the alleys or the pristine piazza enforcing the new rules. On top of that, the mayor is not available for comment and not responding to my calls ('He spoke to the press a few weeks earlier and has nothing further to say,' a council employee tells me). The chief of police is also away from the office during my visit. If anyone is curious about checking the finer details, it takes quite a bit of research to find the new ordinance on the council website. When I ask for help, one council employee tells me he can't find it either. Finally, I root it out… and, of course, it is in Italian. There's no clarity on which misdemeanour warrants a mere €25 fine and which will see you slapped with a €500 one. Back in the piazza, Danny, Harry and Otis have just landed from Huddersfield, and have immediately stripped off their shirts to soak up the sun. The bare-chested 20-year-olds are taken aback when I tell them the move could cost them a few hundred euros if they're caught. 'We got a few funny looks, we didn't know that,' says Danny, a maths student at Leeds University. 'I don't think I could even afford that,' he adds with a grin. Nicole, a 22-year-old cruise ship passenger from St Louis, Missouri, is also surprised she could be fined for taking off her shoes and putting her feet in the shallows. 'I am not interested in a fine,' says Nicole, as she rubs the sand off her feet. 'I think we need to cut this short and put our shoes on,' says her now-panicked mother, Julie. The following morning, local police are spotted patrolling the streets and stopping for coffee, but there is no indication of whether they intend to fine any of the tourists for flouting the rules. 'I am not authorised to speak to you,' one police officer tells me. 'But are you issuing any fines?' I ask. 'You have to go to the town hall. I can't say anything.' Outside Gepi, one of Portofino's most popular gelaterias, tourists are lining up for their favourite flavours, which are sold at a premium. In keeping with the mayor's sentiment, local residents have taken the initiative and placed their own signs saying 'Do not sit here' to deter ice-cream lovers from any errant licks or loitering. 'They were put here by my neighbours because they are annoyed by the mass influx of people,' says 29-year-old Gianluigi Mariotto Rocca, who opens the doors of his ice-cream parlour from 7am to midnight in the summer. He's unapologetic about the enthusiastic ice cream lovers. 'I sell gelato, I don't sell big-name designer brands. There are a lot of people so there's plenty of business.' Mariotto Rocca thinks the council is doing a good job representing the best interests of Portofino and insists bad behaviour is not confined to the tourists who visit the town. 'They're everywhere. It has nothing to do with the tourists here. There are badly behaved people all over the world. It's not just here.' As the sun goes down, the day trippers return to their cruise ships docked in Portofino Bay, the streets empty out and the town recaptures its quiet equilibrium and timeless elegance. Cocktails are being served at the Splendido Mare Hotel overlooking the square and the superyachts have switched on their lights. The aroma of fresh fish and garlic wafts across the alleys from the windows of the restaurants in silent anticipation of their guests. Michela Nicosia, the manager of the Splendido Mare, has worked in Portofino for 30 years and insists the town has lost none of its charm. And no amount of restrictions is going to stop tourists from making the most of their experience. 'Portofino is special during the day, but when you see the VIPs coming down from their mega yachts in the evening, you can still feel la dolce vita because at the end of the day, this is la dolce vita. This is what people are here for.'
Yahoo
4 days ago
- Sport
- Yahoo
Young Striker Hoping To Become Rare Success Story From Inter Milan Academy
Striker Francesco Pio Esposito is hoping to become a rare thing – a major success story from Inter Milan's youth academy. This according to to today's print edition of Milan-based newspaper Corriere della Sera, via FCInterNews. Francesco Pio Esposito will become part of Inter Milan's senior squad next season. Having joined the Nerazzurri youth academy at the age of thirteen, Pio Esposito starred at several youth team levels. Then, he spent the last two seasons on loan with Spezia. And it was last campaign that the young striker really broke through. He managed to score nineteen goals for Spezia, nearly firing the Ligurians to promotion from Serie B. Therefore, it was little surprise that virtually every club in Serie A was interested in signing Pio Esposito this summer. Naturally, Inter considered loaning Pio Esposito out. A stint with a team in the top flight would ensure regular playing time and the opportunity for the 20-year-old to develop. But in the end, that is not the route that Inter took. Francesco Pio Esposito Hoping To Become Rare Inter Youth Academy Success Story SEATTLE, WASHINGTON – JUNE 24: Francesco Pio Esposito of FC Internazionale faces the media during the Training/Press Conference ahead of their FIFA Club World Cup 2025 match between FC Internazionale Milano and CA River Plate at Virginia Mason Athletic Center on June 24, 2025 in Seattle, Washington. (Photo by) The Nerazzurri will give Pio Esposito a place in their senior team next season. This follows the impressive exploits that the 20-year-old showed at the Club World Cup. That proved to be a kind of trial run for him in an Inter shirt. As the Corriere della Sera note, Pio Esposito is hardly going to be a first-choice starter for Inter. However, the Italy Under-21 international will certainly get his chances to play. And furthermore, the fact that Pio Esposito does not use up a slot in Inter's Champions League squad due to coming through the youth academy can be very useful. And the 20-year-old has the chance to really make his mark on the senior team in a way that almost no youth academy graduates have in recent years. Federico Dimarco, of course, has been a major success story. However, he needed to find his feet in a number of loan spells first. Meanwhile, the closest precedent for Pio Esposito as a striker would probably be Mario Balotelli.
The Sun
4 days ago
- Entertainment
- The Sun
Alisha Lehmann loses title of ‘world's most beautiful footballer' as stunning pics of Sweden's Alice Sondergaard emerge
ALISHA LEHMANN has lost the title of being the "world's most beautiful footballer". The Swiss ace had a huge following of 17million followers on Instagram. 12 12 12 Lehmann, 26, was often hailed by fans for her stunning looks while on the pitch. However, a new star has taken her mantle as fans have fallen for Swedish striker Alice Sondergaard. The star is already making waves in the footballing world, having signed for Italian outfit Genoa. Sondergaard, 22, has already represented Sweden as she received her first call-up when she was just 15. However, she did not make the cut for Peter Gerhardsson's final squad for the Euros this summer. She will now be hoping to help Geona remain in Serie A Women's after the team earned promotion to Italy 's top-flight for the first time in their history. She has signed a contract with the Liguria club that will run until 2027. Genoa announced her signing on Instagram with a selection of pictures of Sondergaard wearing the club shirt. And fans were left besotted by her dazzling beauty as they flooded the comment section. One posted: "It's official, the most beautiful footballer alive." Alisha Lehmann poses with an ALIEN in bizarre NASA-themed adidas shoot alongside Juventus star boyfriend Douglas Luiz A second wrote: "Always been a Genoa fan." A third commented: "Beautiful and talented." A fourth said: "All of a sudden I am a Genoa fan." Another added: "She is beautiful damn." Sondergaard already boasts 58.8k followers on Instagram, where she regularly posts action snaps and updates from outside of football. 12 12 When not on the pitch, she can be found wearing stunning outfits and enjoying the weather. She has also played for both Sampdoria and Hellas Verona during her time in Italy. Her first club was BK Hacken FF in her homeland of Sweden. Sondergaard and Geona will start their journey in Serie A against AC Milan. She will not have to wait long to face Lehmann on the pitch as Genoa will take on Juventus on November 11 in their sixth game of the season. 12 12
