‘Plastic poisons our bodies and pollutes the environment.’ Plastic contaminates the entire planet from the summit of Mount Everest to the deepest oceans – where plastic litter from takeaway food and drink dominate – and microplastics have been found in people’s blood, organs, and breastmilk and have crossed the placenta. Plastic production has soared some […]
‘Look for the persons who benefit and you will know’ – Lenin The four biggest economies in the Eurozone – Germany, France, Italy, and Spain – together represent two-thirds of the European Gross Domestic Product (GDP), an important indicator of economic health. The Portuguese economy is relatively small – representing 1.5% of the European GDP […]
His works are considered ‘trash art’ ‘I’ am part of a very consumerist and materialistic generation. The education we receive is directed towards overconsumption, with excessive production of stuff, especially technology.’ Big Trash Animals (Grandes Animais do Lixo) is a series of artworks aimed to draw attention to waste production and pollution and its effect […]
Many people will be familiar with the Carnation Revolution in Portugal that on April 25, 1974, overthrew the authoritarian Estado Novo (New State) regime, established by fascist leader António de Oliveira Salazar.Last month its 49th anniversary – a national holiday coined as Dia de Liberdade (Freedom Day) – was celebrated all over the country. But […]
Cesareans prevail in the private sector The two largest maternity hospitals in Portugal are private. Most babies there are delivered by cesarean section. Last year a third of all births in the Greater Lisbon area took place in 3 big private hospitals (Lusíadas, Luz, and CUF), where over half of the babies were born by […]
In Lisbon’s metro, you can find art under your feet The construction of the Metropolitana de Lisboa started in August 1955. The initial line consisted of 6,5 kilometers and comprised 11 stations and two-carriage trains. Nowadays there are four Lines (Blue, Green, Yellow, and Red) with a total of 56 stations. It certainly isn’t a […]
Cancer is the main cause of premature death in Portugal Malignant tumors are the second cause of death in the country – after cardiovascular diseases (including strokes and heart attacks) – killing every year nearly 30,000 people.This number corresponds to one-third of the country’s annual births, at a time when the Portuguese population is shrinking. […]
‘Economy should serve people, not the opposite’ According to Eurostat minimum wages in the EU member states range from 399 euros per month in Bulgaria to 2,387 euros per month in Luxembourg. As of this year, the minimum wage in Portugal is 760 euros per month. In the case of salaries, the country also remains […]
The largest gathering of young Catholics worldwide According to the Census of 2021, 80% of Portuguese older than 15 years adhere to the Roman Catholic faith.World Youth Day (WYD) is a major, religious encounter between young Catholics from all over the world and the Pope taking place for the first time this year in Portugal. […]
Lisbon is more expensive than Barcelona, Madrid, or Milan Portugal’s property market is booming but the damage inflicted on the social fabric of the big cities is profound. Unaffordable rents and purchase prices are hitting not just those on subsistence prices and pensions, but ordinary workers and their families. The actual situation can be traced […]