The Algarve houses the largest colony of Audouin’s gulls in the world The Audouin’s gull is declining around the world but flourishing in the Algarve, establishing there the largest colony in the world. Year on year this threatened species has increased since settling in the Ria Formosa a decade ago. More than seven thousand nests […]
‘Prime minister Luís Montenegro got himself into trouble’ Damaging soundbites in the media over business connections of the Prime Minister (PM) Luís Montenegro ( and other members of the executive) helped along by revelations in the renowned weekly newspaper Expresso that the PM’s family business Spinumviva receives a 4500 euros monthly retainer from the Solverde […]
The impact of teenage pregnancy is much greater in girls In the past eight years more than eight hundred cases of child marriages – early or forced – were identified in the country. Although most of the teenagers who got married are between 16 and 18 years old, there are 126 situations that involve children […]
Europe’s oldest ceramics factory The Sant’Anna factory – established in 1741 – is Europe’s oldest ceramics factory, renowned for producing traditional Portuguese hand-painted tiles (azulejos) and ceramics, using entirely handcrafted methods. Sant’Anna was born in the neighbourhood of Lapa and initially produced bricks. In 1755, after the apocalyptic earthquake (terramoto) – that completely whipped out […]
‘Literacy is earned through fun, provocation and stimulation’ About 40% of adults in Portugal can only understand simple texts and solve basic arithmetic problems, according to an Organisation of Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) study from 2023, comparing 160.000 people in 31 countries. Only Chileans turned out to have more difficulties in interpreting texts or […]
‘Porcelain is essentially made of kaolin, sand and the mineral feldspar’ Vista Alegre – the country’s most famous porcelain brand – celebrates its 200th anniversary. The factory in Ílhavo, founded in 1824 by José Ferreira Pinto Basto, has remained relevant for two centuries thanks to its quality, ability to reinvent itself and focus on the […]
‘Not just part of Portugal’s history but part of the world’s history’ The rare Garrano is an endangered breed of pony within the Iberian horse family from northern Portugal mainly used as a pack horse, and for light farm work. Members of this emblematic breed are usually dark chestnut in colour, with a straight facial […]
Patients of the oldest psychiatric hospital in Lisbon left an artistic footprint The former hospital Miguel Bombarda in de Rua Dr Almeida Amaral in Lisbon was the first psychiatric hospital in Portugal. The history of the building goes back to the beginning of the 18th century, when there was an estate called Rilhafoles, on which […]
‘World’s 1.5C climate target ‘deader than a doornail’ – the Guardian The internationally 2015 Paris agreement to keep the world’s temperature below 1.5C in 2050 will not be achieved – with 2024 being the year above this threshold – despite the current gathering of world’s decision-makers at the United Nations COP29 summit in Baku, Azerbajan. […]
Crime by immigrants hasn’t increased. Crime against them has. The idea that an increase in immigration brings more crime is a myth! This concludes the sociologist Catarina Reis Oliveira, who analyzed the data on crimes published by the police authorities and crossed them with the immigration figures. In an analysis made at the request of […]