- The mayor of Chetaïbi, an Algerian coastal town, issued a decree banning men's Bermuda shorts on beaches, deeming them against the town's moral values.
- The small town, which thrives on seasonal tourism, “can no longer tolerate seeing foreigners wandering the streets in indecent clothing”, the mayor said.
- The ban sparked immediate backlash from officials, leading the mayor to reverse the decree within two days.
- He insisted the order was not driven by Islamist pressure but by a desire to preserve "peace and tranquility" for residents and guests.
- Experts warn that conservative groups are exploiting Algeria's economic troubles to expand their influence, potentially undermining the country's ambitions to grow its tourism sector.
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