WEDNESDAY BRIEFING

Behind this week’s headlines

Portugal and Iceland
Portugal’s prime minister has been on an official visit to Iceland this week. It was clear from statements by the prime ministers of both countries after their meeting in Reykjavik on Monday that they are focused on common challenges, especially in the fields of combating climate change and protecting the oceans.  These are clearly top priorities.

 Friendly China visit

A delegation representing Portugal Communist Party (PCP), lead by its secretary general, is now on a visit to China. It is at the official invitation of the Chinese Communist Party (CCP). It is said to be simply in the context of the “friendly relations between the two parties.”

Football tax inspection

It has just been confirmed that the officers of FC Porto, one of Portugal’s top three football clubs, is being searched by tax inspectors. This follows similar searches in the Lisbon officers of FC Porto’s two biggest rivals, Benfica and Sporting.  

Save Alagoas Brancas

Environmentalists, particularly those opposed to the plan to destroy the Alagoas Brancas wetland next to the city of Lasgoa, have been invited to attend a demonstration outside the CCDR offices in Faro next Tuesday starting at 4pm. 

Protesting scientists

More demonstrations over employment conditions have been taking place in Lisbon, this time by scientists. Hundreds of them gathered at Lisbon University yesterday to protest against job insecurity. A much smaller group of scientists protested outside the ministry of environment in Lisbon last week about the inaction of various governments on climate change.

Vatican stamp criticised

One of Portugal’s top bishops said yesterday that the image on the World Youth Day commemorative stamp launched by the Vatican was “in very bad taste.” World Youth Day is to be celebrated in Lisbon from 1 to 6 August. The stamp depicts the pope and a group of children standing on Lisbon’s discovery monument, which harks back to colonialism.

Water quality risks

Concerns are being expressed that groundwater levels in the Algarve have become so low that there is an increasing risk of salt water seeping into the soil. A warning on this has just been issued by the region’s director of agriculture.

Alentejo wine fair

It was announced on Monday that wine-lovers will be able to view if not taste more than 450 wines at a ‘Wines from the Alentejo’ event in Lisbon’ to be held on the 2nd and 3rd June.