Lisbon's city council on Monday revealed details of a deal granting Madonna rights to park a fleet of cars in the packed Portuguese capital after being accused of special treatment for the US pop diva.
The weekly Expresso broke the story of a contract between the Material Girl singer and the city to rent a lot that can accommodate up to 15 vehicles next to the "palace" she occupies on the banks of the Tagus river.
The news provoked indignation across the political spectrum in a capital that suffers a lack of parking and bad traffic jams.
The Left Bloc, a coalition partner in the Socialist-led government, called for the parking problem to be dealt with "responsibly" given the difficulties residents face.
The main centrist opposition party PSD said it wanted to know "the reason why the mayor granted such an exception".
The other centrist party CDS attacked Lisbon's mayor Fernando Medina and accused him of "using heritage assets for his advantage". "The city of Lisbon does not belong to Fernando Medina," CDS said.
City hall decided on Monday to reveal the contents of the contract with Madonna, saying it was drawn up "to avoid traffic snarl-ups along a narrow but very busy road".
Signed in January, the deal gives Madonna access to the land for 720 euros a month. It rules out access to the neighbouring "palace" building which is under negotiation to become the new East Timor embassy.
Madonna's contract will cease if East Timor takes the building for its embassy.
The pop star set up in Lisbon last summer following in the footsteps of Hollywood actors Monica Bellucci, Michael Fassbender and John Malkovich drawn to Portugal's capital which regularly ranks among Europe's coolest.
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Key recommendations
- Fewer criminals put behind bars and more to serve sentences in the community, with short sentences scrapped and many inmates released earlier
- Greater use of curfews and exclusion zones to deliver tougher supervision than ever on criminals.
- Explore wider powers for judges to punish offenders by blocking them from attending football matches, banning them from driving or travelling abroad through an expansion of ‘ancillary orders’.
- More Intensive Supervision Courts to tackle the root causes of crime such as alcohol and drug abuse – forcing repeat offenders to take part in tough treatment programmes or face prison.
The specs
Engine: 3.0-litre six-cylinder turbo
Power: 398hp from 5,250rpm
Torque: 580Nm at 1,900-4,800rpm
Transmission: Eight-speed auto
Fuel economy, combined: 6.5L/100km
On sale: December
Price: From Dh330,000 (estimate)
The Settlers
Director: Louis Theroux
Starring: Daniella Weiss, Ari Abramowitz
Rating: 5/5
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COMPANY PROFILE
Name: Kumulus Water
Started: 2021
Founders: Iheb Triki and Mohamed Ali Abid
Based: Tunisia
Sector: Water technology
Number of staff: 22
Investment raised: $4 million
The years Ramadan fell in May
Barbie
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COMPANY%20PROFILE
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Killing of Qassem Suleimani
Mohammed bin Zayed Majlis
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
The specs
Engine: 4.0-litre V8
Power: 503hp at 6,000rpm
Torque: 685Nm at 2,000rpm
Transmission: 8-speed auto
Price: from Dh850,000
On sale: now
Key facilities
- Olympic-size swimming pool with a split bulkhead for multi-use configurations, including water polo and 50m/25m training lanes
- Premier League-standard football pitch
- 400m Olympic running track
- NBA-spec basketball court with auditorium
- 600-seat auditorium
- Spaces for historical and cultural exploration
- An elevated football field that doubles as a helipad
- Specialist robotics and science laboratories
- AR and VR-enabled learning centres
- Disruption Lab and Research Centre for developing entrepreneurial skills
THE SIXTH SENSE
Starring: Bruce Willis, Toni Collette, Hayley Joel Osment
Director: M. Night Shyamalan
Rating: 5/5
ONCE UPON A TIME IN GAZA
Starring: Nader Abd Alhay, Majd Eid, Ramzi Maqdisi
Directors: Tarzan and Arab Nasser
Rating: 4.5/5
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The National's picks
4.35pm: Tilal Al Khalediah
5.10pm: Continous
5.45pm: Raging Torrent
6.20pm: West Acre
7pm: Flood Zone
7.40pm: Straight No Chaser
8.15pm: Romantic Warrior
8.50pm: Calandogan
9.30pm: Forever Young
Voy!%20Voy!%20Voy!
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Zayed Sustainability Prize
How to wear a kandura
Dos
- Wear the right fabric for the right season and occasion
- Always ask for the dress code if you don’t know
- Wear a white kandura, white ghutra / shemagh (headwear) and black shoes for work
- Wear 100 per cent cotton under the kandura as most fabrics are polyester
Don’ts
- Wear hamdania for work, always wear a ghutra and agal
- Buy a kandura only based on how it feels; ask questions about the fabric and understand what you are buying
The years Ramadan fell in May
LILO & STITCH
Starring: Sydney Elizebeth Agudong, Maia Kealoha, Chris Sanders
Director: Dean Fleischer Camp
Rating: 4.5/5
