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☆ If you were thinking about moving to Portugal, it just got a whole lot more expensive
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-12 | by ( Jordan Pandy | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +5 min

Portugal is ending a hefty tax break for foreigners in 2024 that incentivized many to move there. But come 2024, it will be significantly more expensive to live there if you're coming from another country. Now those moving to Portugal in 2024 and beyond will have to pay the same amount of income tax as everyone else, Le Monde reported. Americans already living in Portugal, like Dan Bagby and his wife, Michelle, who moved to Lisbon from Texas in 2021 , won't be immediately affected. But with the cost of living going up and reaching levels of parity with other countries, foreigners may not move to Portugal at all.

Persons: reconsidering, —, Alex Ingrim, Chase Buchanan, António Costa, Le Monde, Ingrim, Jose Manuel Ribeiro, it's, Dan Bagby, Michelle, Dan, Michelle Bagby, Bagby, We've, I'm Organizations: Service, Reuters, The New York Times, Citizen Solutions, Eurostat, Associated Press Locations: Portugal, Lisbon, stoke, Texas, Austin , Texas, France, Italy, Spain

[1/5] Cookies with Pope Francis images are seen in a bakery ahead of his apostolic journey to Portugal on the occasion of the XXXVII World Youth Day, in Lisbon, Portugal, July 26, 2023. REUTERS/Pedro NunesLISBON, July 31 (Reuters) - Hundreds of thousands of young people from around the world have descended on Portugal to welcome Pope Francis when he arrives on Wednesday to close a jamboree dubbed "the Catholic Woodstock". World Youth Day, an event devised by the late Pope John Paul to form young Catholics in their teens or early 20s, is held every two or three years in a different city. PROBABLE MEETING WITH ABUSE VICTIMSThe group is planning to put up big outdoor signs to raise awareness about clergy sexual abuse. Prime Minister Antonio Costa on Monday called it "the biggest international event" Portugal has ever hosted.

Persons: Pope Francis, Pedro Nunes LISBON, Pope John Paul, Francis, Lisbon's Martim Moniz, Manuel Clemente, Matteo Bruni, Antonio Costa, Madonna, Philip Pullella, Angus MacSwan Organizations: REUTERS, Woodstock, Vatican, Lisbon's Parque Tejo, Thomson Locations: Portugal, Lisbon, Lisbon's, Fatima, Rome

☆ This couple bought a rundown farmhouse in Portugal. Here’s what happened next
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-20 | by ( Tamara Hardingham-Gill | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +13 min

Adventurous projectAlan Andrew and Vincent Proost purchased a rundown Portuguese farmhouse in 2019. have a completely new life in Portugal, and say they couldn't be happier. Although they describe Casa Baio as a “modern farmhouse,” they say they’ve tried to incorporate as many traditional local materials, including handmade terracotta tiles, along with floor tiles made from local marble, as possible. Andrew and Proost say they try to use regenerative organic practices on the farm, which is certified organic. Andrew and Proost say they’ve definitely noticed an increase in the amount of people from the US relocating to Portugal, particularly in Alentejo.

Persons: CNN —, Alan Andrew, Vincent Proost, ” Andrew, ”, Andrew, Figueira e Barros, “, “ It’s, Casa, Duarte Bivar, they’ve, Proost, who’s, It’s, ” They’re, – Andrew, who’ve, Antonio Costa, they’re, he’s, “ We’re, I’m, I’ve, … Organizations: CNN, CNN Travel, Baio, London International Olive Oil, Portugal –, Casa Baio, –, “, EU Locations: Pennsylvania, Belgian, Portugal, Alentejo, London, Europe, Italy, Lisbon, Savanna, Tuscany, ”, Figueira, Belgium, That’s, Estremoz, “, California, Porto

☆ Portugal to swap $153 million Cape Verde debt for nature investments
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-20 | by ( Sergio Goncalves | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

LISBON, June 20 (Reuters) - Portugal plans to swap the entire 140 million euro ($152.91 million) debt it is owed by Cape Verde for investments in the archipelago's environmental and climate fund, Prime Minister Antonio Costa said on Tuesday. The two countries had already agreed in January to swap 12 million euros of debt repayments scheduled until 2025 and then assess the effectiveness of this mechanism in concrete projects. "We are sure the assessment we will make in 2025 will be positive and that we will be able to extend this mechanism to all 140 million euros of debt throughout its maturity," Costa said. Cape Verde's Silva said the investments will increase the country's resilience and achieve sustainable development goals. Cape Verde is 80% dependent on imported fossil fuel energy, which has risen sharply in price following Russia's invasion of Ukraine in 2022.

Persons: Antonio Costa, Costa, Ulisses Correia e Silva, Cape Verde's Silva, Sergio Goncalves, Inti Landauro, Susan Fenton Organizations: Cape Verde's, Thomson Locations: LISBON, Portugal, Cape Verde, Lisbon, Cape, Africa, Portuguese, Ukraine

☆ Portugal's president to address the nation after rift with PM
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-04 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

LISBON, May 4 (Reuters) - Portuguese President Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa will address the nation at 8 p.m. (1900 GMT) on Thursday, a spokesperson for the presidency said, after his rift with Prime Minister Antonio Costa increased the risk of a political crisis. The conservative president had made clear he wanted Galamba out and said he disagreed with Costa's decision after previously having warned that he could disband parliament if the government lost credibility. Costa's Socialists won an outright parliamentary majority in January 2022, but his third government in a row has been plagued by instability, although analysts see it surviving - for now at least. More than 10 ministers and secretaries of state have left their posts in the past year, at least two of them linked to scandals at airline TAP. Reporting by Sergio Goncalves; editing by Andrei KhalipOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

LISBON, May 2 (Reuters) - Portugal's infrastructure minister submitted his resignation on Tuesday as a scandal around state-owned airline TAP widened, just four months after his predecessor resigned over the same issue, but the prime minister said he would keep him in the job. Galamba's predecessor, Pedro Nuno Santos, resigned in December in the wake of a scandal involving an irregular severance payment to a former executive board member of TAP. Ourmières-Widener has since been fired after an official inspection found that the severance was illegal. On Sunday, Costa said that neither he nor any member of the government had given orders to SIS to recover the laptop. ($1 = 0.9089 euros)Reporting by Sergio Goncalves and Catarina Demony; Editing by Andrei KhalipOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

☆ Portugal's government in hot water as TAP airline scandal deepens
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-21 | by ( Sergio Goncalves | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

LISBON, April 21 (Reuters) - Portugal's government fired the chief executive of flag carrier TAP last month without a legal assessment of the move, Finance Minister Fernando Medina has acknowledged, deepening a high-profile scandal around the state-owned airline. His remarks in parliament late on Thursday contradicted claims by two fellow ministers a day earlier that the government had obtained a legal opinion backing the decision. This heightens chances of the state losing a potential lawsuit by the sacked executives worth millions of euros. After Ourmières-Widener called her sacking "illegal", the main opposition Social Democrats warned that unless the decision had proper legal backing, the state could lose an eventual court dispute. In a tweet, Liberal Initiative party leader Rui Rocha called the situation a "festival of incoherence and total disrespect for parliament".

The remarks brought a strong retort from Washington, where a White House spokesman accused Lula of "parroting Russian and Chinese propaganda." Lula is a pragmatic politician," one of the diplomats told Reuters, requesting anonymity to discuss the sensitive matter. Lula has suggested Ukraine needs to make concessions to end the war and Russia could return recently invaded territory but keep Crimea. The European Union has also rejected Lula's suggestion that both Ukraine and Russia are to blame for the war. Earlier this year, Lula turned down a reported German request to supply artillery ammunition to Ukraine.

☆ Portugal's Delta Cafes founder Rui Nabeiro dies at 91
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-19 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

LISBON, March 19 (Reuters) - Rui Nabeiro, the founder of Portugal's largest roasted coffee retailer Delta Cafes and one of the country's top entrepreneurs, has died at the age of 91, the company said on Sunday. Nabeiro, who died in a hospital in Lisbon "due to breathing problems", founded Delta Cafes in his home town of Campo Maior, Alentejo, in 1961, starting with a small warehouse that roasted only 30 kilos of coffee per day. He always reinvested the profits in innovation to grow his family business and the Delta Cafe now roasts 100 tonnes daily. The company's sales, through both retail and foodservice channels, rose 12% to 460 million euros in 2022, with more than 25% exported to around 40 countries. Reporting by Sergio Goncalves; editing by Barbara LewisOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

☆ Portugal bans new Airbnbs over fears of popular cities becoming 'some sort of Disneyland'
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-22 | by ( Dan Latu | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

Portugal has unveiled sweeping reforms to make buying and renting homes more affordable for locals. Part of the crackdown is not granting new licenses for new Airbnbs or other short-term rentals. The prime minister said he's seeking to "balance" local housing needs and economy-boosting tourism. The country's prime minister Antonio Costa said he worries about Portugal's cities turning into "some sort of Disneyland." The new measures would freeze the nearly 110,000 officially registered "tourist homes" in Portugal, according to Spanish newspaper El Pais.

☆ Wealthy Americans are racing to get the EU's last remaining 'golden passport' before it's gone
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-17 | by ( Hannah Towey | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +6 min

For the first time, Americans are applying for "golden passports" more than any other nationality. For the first time, Americans are applying for golden passports and visas more than any other nationality, according to Henley & Partners' 2023 USA Wealth Report, released Thursday. Henley & Partners' Head of North America Mehdi Kadiri said Malta's golden passport scheme was the second-most sought-after program among Americans, in part because Malta's program is accessible through real estate investment. Former Google CEO Eric Schmidt reportedly applied for European citizenship in 2020 through Cyprus' now-defunct golden passport program. Following Russia's invasion of Ukraine, golden passports and visas faced global scrutiny for allowing sanctioned oligarchs access to the UK.

More than 50% of workers earned less than 1,000 euros per month last year while rents and house prices have skyrocketed. Prime Minister Antonio Costa told a news conference the crisis was now affecting all families, not just the most vulnerable. It is not clear when the measures, worth at least 900 million euros ($962.19 million), will come into effect. To address the housing shortage, Costa said the state would rent vacant houses direct from landlords for a period of five years and put them on the rental market. At a small housing protest in Lisbon, 23-year-old activist Andreia Galvao accused the government of failing to live up to promises it made to address the housing crisis in the past.

[1/5] School teachers demonstrate for better salaries and working conditions in Lisbon, Portugal, February 11, 2023. REUTERS/Pedro NunesLISBON, Feb 11 (Reuters) - Tens of thousands of teachers took to Lisbon's streets on Saturday in one of the biggest protests in Portugal in recent years as the Socialist government faces a wave of discontent over the cost of living crisis. It was the third time in less than a month that teachers and school workers have held mass demonstrations in Portugal. Teachers on the lowest pay scale make around 1,100 euros ($1,174.25) per month but even teachers in higher bands typically earn less than 2,000 euros. House prices in Portugal rose 18.7% in 2022, the biggest increase in three decades, and rents have also increased significantly.

☆ Portugal to send Leopard tanks to Ukraine, PM says
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-04 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

LISBON, Feb 4 (Reuters) - Portugal will send Leopard 2 tanks to Ukraine, Prime Minister Antonio Costa said on Saturday, without specifying how many will be shipped. Costa added that Portugal is in talks with Germany to obtain parts needed for the repair of a number of inoperable Leopard tanks in Portugal's inventory of the weapon. "We are currently working to be able to dispense some of our tanks," Costa told Lusa news agency during a trip to the Central African Republic. "I know how many tanks will be (sent to Ukraine) but that will be announced at the appropriate time." Portugal is working with Germany to get the parts needed to repair the tanks that are not operational, Costa said, adding he hoped to deliver them to Ukraine by the end of March.

☆ Russia's war on Ukraine: The latest news
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-30 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +4 min

[1/7] A Ukrainian serviceman looks on, amid Russia's attack on Ukraine, in Bakhmut, Donetsk region, Ukraine January 27, 2023. * The EU's next package of sanctions against Russia will hit the trade and technology that support Moscow's war against Ukraine, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said on Friday. ARMS* Portugal will send Leopard 2 tanks to Ukraine, Prime Minister Antonio Costa said, without specifying how many. * Former Russian President Dmitry Medvedev has said the supply of more advanced U.S. weaponry to Ukraine will only trigger more retaliatory strikes from Russia, up to the extent of Russia's nuclear doctrine. CONFLICT* Ukraine and Russia traded almost 200 prisoners of war in a swap announced separately by both sides on Saturday, with the bodies of two British volunteers also being sent back to Ukraine.

[1/4] People carry a banner reading " We are also teaching fighting" as school workers demonstrate for better salaries and working conditions, in Lisbon, Portugal January 28, 2023. REUTERS/Rodrigo AntunesLISBON, Jan 28 (Reuters) - Tens of thousands of public school teachers and other staff marched in Lisbon on Saturday to demand higher wages and better working conditions, putting further pressure on the Portuguese government as it grapples with a cost of living crisis. The Union of All Education Professionals (STOP) is demanding that the government increases the wages of teachers and school workers by at least 120 euros ($130) a month and speeds up career progression. Teachers on the lowest pay scale are paid around 1,100 euros per month and even those in the top band typically earn less than 2,000 euros monthly. We need better conditions in terms of salary, it's unacceptable that we don't have progression in our careers," said Isabel Pessoa, 47, a science and biology teacher.

☆ THG appoints Damian Sanders as chief financial officer
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-24 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: 1 min

Portugal agrees to swap Cape Verde's debt for environmental investment, article with galleryEnvironment category · January 23, 2023Portugal has signed an agreement to swap Cape Verde's debt for investments in an environmental and climate fund that is being established by the archipelago nation off West Africa's coast, Portuguese Prime Minister Antonio Costa said on Monday.

☆ Portugal agrees to swap Cape Verde's debt for environmental investment
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-23 | by ( Sergio Goncalves | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

LISBON, Jan 23 (Reuters) - Portugal has signed an agreement to swap Cape Verde's debt for investments in an environmental and climate fund that is being established by the archipelago nation off West Africa's coast, Portuguese Prime Minister Antonio Costa said on Monday. The former Portuguese colony, which is already suffering from rising sea levels and significant biodiversity loss due to increasing ocean acidity, owes around 140 million euros ($152 million) to the Portuguese state and over 400 million to its banks and other entities. Climate change is a challenge that takes place on a global scale and no country will be (environmentally) sustainable if all countries are not sustainable," Costa said during a state visit to Cape Verde in remarks broadcast by RTP television. Cape Verde Prime Minister Ulisses Correia e Silva said his country needed to urgently enable mechanisms and financing instruments to support such solutions and deal with natural emergencies. ($1 = 0.9206 euros)Reporting by Sergio Goncalves; editing by Andrei Khalip and Grant McCoolOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

LISBON, Jan 14 (Reuters) - In a fresh blow to Portugal's government, tens of thousands of Portuguese teachers and school staff poured into the streets of the capital Lisbon to demand higher wages and better working conditions in one of the biggest protests of recent years. During the peaceful demonstration, organised by the Union of All Education Professionals (STOP), protesters held banners and shouted slogans as they urged Education Minister Joao Costa to step down. Teachers on the lowest pay scale make around 1,100 euros ($1,191.08) per month and even teachers in the top band typically earn less than 2,000 euros monthly. Protesters say current wages are too low, particularly given the cost of living crisis. The education minister said on Friday he might force some teachers back to work by decreeing minimum services.

☆ Portuguese climate activists must pay fine over protest, says court
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-16 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

LISBON, Dec 16 (Reuters) - A Portuguese court ordered four climate activists to pay a fine on Friday for occupying a university building to protest what they perceived as political inaction around climate change. According to the judge's decision, each activist must pay a fine of 295 euros ($312.61). If they are not able to pay it in one go they can either pay in instalments or do community service. "We think it's not fair that we are being criminalised for fighting for the environment," one of the sentenced students, Ana, told RTP broadcaster outside the court. The Faculty of Humanities was one of several universities and high schools in the city that young people angry about the climate crisis occupied last month.

☆ Investors eye Portuguese golden visas as authorities ponder programme's end
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-11 | by ( Catarina Demony | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

LISBON (Reuters) - Investments through Portugal’s “golden visa”, which gives wealthy foreigners residence rights, jumped nearly 50% last month, data showed on Sunday, as the government considers whether to scrap the controversial scheme. REUTERS/Rafael MarchanteThe golden visa has been heavily criticised at home for sending house prices and rents up, and the European Commission has called for the end of such national programmes. Murat Coskun, Get Golden Visa CEO, said Costa’s comments had had a “significant impact on the appetite” for the measure, with his company seeing a five-fold increase in inquiries. Data from border agency SEF on Sunday showed investment through golden visas increased 48% in November from October to 65 million euros, and was up 41% from a year earlier. Portugal suspended golden visas for Russians, but 431 had already benefited from the scheme since the time of its launch, according to SEF.

[1/2] Soccer Football - FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 - Fans in Lisbon watch Morocco v Portugal - Lisbon, Portugal - December 10, 2022 Portugal fan reacts as he watches the match REUTERS/Rodrigo AntunesLISBON, Dec 10 (Reuters) - Portugal fans were overcome with sadness and frustration on Saturday after their fancied team crashed out of the World Cup to Morocco, a lower-ranked side that had already ousted Spain. Portugal, fresh from their knockout demolition of Switzerland, were beaten by Morocco 1-0. The country's all-time top scorer Cristiano Ronaldo was again out of the starting line-up after being benched for the last-16 tie against Switzerland. The country's football federation had earlier had to publicly deny reports that the skipper had threatened to leave during the tournament. "We are happy on behalf of the whole of Africa, because Morocco was representing Africa," said Moroccan tourist Amin Abdul, in Lisbon.

REUTERS/Violeta Santos MouraCompanies Enagas SA FollowBARCELONA/LISBON, Dec 9 (Reuters) - An underwater pipeline to carry green hydrogen between Barcelona and Marseille will cost around 2 billion euros ($2.1 billion), according to preliminary estimates of the project agreed between Spain, Portugal and France, two sources told Reuters. Spain and Portugal aim to become clean hydrogen hubs and net energy exporters, causing tensions with France which plans to produce its own hydrogen using nuclear energy. The pipeline will only carry hydrogen in order to meet EU funding criteria, though "improvements" could be made in future to allow for some gas, a Spanish government source said. As a result, the industry source said, they have pushed their four grid operators to "speed up technical studies, potential pipeline layouts and cost assessments". "If you already have an overland pipeline why build an undersea pipeline?"

☆ Hydrogen pipeline from Spain to France to cost 2.5 bln euros, Spanish PM Sanchez says
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-09 | by ( Belén Carreño | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

ALICANTE, Spain, Dec 9 (Reuters) - An underwater pipeline to carry green hydrogen between Spain and France will cost about 2.5 billion euros ($2.64 billion), Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez said on Friday, adding that he hoped the European Union would partly fund the project. An additional pipeline connecting Spain and Portugal will cost 300 million euros, a Spanish source said. The undersea section will be known as BarMar, while the entire hydrogen corridor connecting Spain and Portugal to France will be called H2MED, Sanchez confirmed. Sanchez said that France, Spain and Portugal would apply for EU funds to pay for up to 50% of H2MED's cost. "If you already have an overland pipeline why build an undersea pipeline?"

LISBON, Dec 8 (Reuters) - Portugal wants to speed up investments in green hydrogen projects, which are essential to decarbonize the economy, and will end mandatory environmental assessments for them in March 2023, Prime Minister Antonio Costa said. Portugal expects to become a major producer and exporter of green hydrogen with 70 private investors or groups planning to spend 10 billion euros ($10.51 billion). Environmentalists have criticized the so-called Simplex package as it may have impacts on nature and the well-being of populations. Portugal's largest utility EDP (EDP.LS) and oil and gas company Galp Energia (GALP.LS) are both planning to build green hydrogen plants in the industrial hub of Sines. The three main glass producers and two biggest cement makers, together accounting for 10% of the country's industrial carbon emissions, also joined a new consortium to launch a green hydrogen plant.

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