Italy OK's "Muslim Beach" for Females

After numerous requests from Arab sheiks, the Adriatic beach resort town of Riccione has granted female Muslim tourists, (most coming from the petrodollar-soaked Gulf) their own beach so that they can remove their veils.

As expected, Italian hotel operators have come under fire in a country that fiercely safeguards its culture. A recent online survey by Il Corriere della Sera, Italy's largest daily, showed 83% of Italians being against Riccione's decision.

The hotel operators, however, responded promptly by pointing out that the Italian hospitality industry has always gone to great lengths to make their guests feel at ease, with one operator stating, "when the Germans started coming to the Adriatic, didn't we learn their language and fill up our newstands with German-language publications?". Another Riccione-based business owner said, "these are women that will spend 700,000 euro on the latest watch without even batting an eyelid."

I soldi parlano -- Money talks.