Europe Portugal Iconic Nazaré beach has been temporarily closed to swimmers after water quality tests detected unusually high levels of microbiological contamination; overall values indicate low levels of faecal contamination in water and on beaches across all Portugal
Europe Portugal Eclipse public viewing sessions have been organized across Portugal, that prepares to watch a total eclipse in the north, a 92-93% coverage in the Algarve; the last total solar eclipse took place in 1912, the next one of this kind is expected in 2144
Europe Portugal Teachers, parents and students held protests over Portugal national exam system; 50.000 teachers had been rallying in May asking for just pay and Minister's resignation, now students and parents joined to change the allegedly unfair examination system
Europe Portugal The International Monetary Fund would be allegedly urging Portugal to reduce the lowest pensions and widows/widower allowance, suggesting the former are “overly generous”, and the latter “too permissive by European standards”
Europe Portugal Electronic ‘ankle bracelets’ for perpetrators of crimes related to domestic violence have risen by 222% in 10 years: today almost 2.000 people wear the device
Europe Portugal 29 towns and cities have installed video surveillance cameras nationwide, with main tourist locations implementing the measure to enhance the safety of visitors
Europe Portugal The use of cork has been part of Portugal’s identity for centuries and the local industry, which produces half of the world's cork, is integrating AI to manual inspection to detect defects, improve quality, and reduce waste
Europe Portugal Snowfall in the higher areas of madeira brought to the closure of access roads to the mountains, while bad weather forced the cancellation of over 110 flights; meanwhile, Ryanair confirmed it will cease connections with the island
Europe Portugal Moderate Antonio Jose Seguro has been elected as Portugal's president beating far-right, anti-establishment rival Andre Ventura thank to backing from prominent conservatives after the first round; he is the first Socialist head of state in 20 years
Europe Portugal The Serra da Gardunha, bordering Spain east of Coimbra, has been classified as a Special Area of Conservation and will benefit from a special legal regime supporting the conservation of its habitats and wildlife
Europe Portugal Starting this year, anyone wishing to walk Madeira’s official hiking routes will need to book a specific trail and time slot online, local government has confirmed
Europe Portugal Hotels across Portugal’s Alentejo region are close to full for New Year celebrations, with occupancy rates expected to exceed 90%, according to the president of the Regional Tourism Authority, Turismo do Alentejo
Europe Portugal Local businessman reportedly diverted tens of millions of euros from ‘golden visa' investors, selling apartments that didn't exist and promising sky-high return; among those defrauded is a company owned by Howard Lutnik, US secretary of state for commerce