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[1/3] People demonstrate for the right to affordable housing in Lisbon, Portugal, April 1, 2023. "There is a huge housing crisis today," Rita Silva, from the Habita housing group, said at the Lisbon protest. Portugal is one of Western Europe's poorest countries, with government data showing more than 50% of workers earned less than 1,000 euros ($1,084) per month last year. The average rent for a one-bedroom flat in Lisbon is around 1,350 euros, a study by housing portal Imovirtual showed. At the protest, which was organised by the movement "Home to Live" and other groups, 35-year-old illustrator Diogo Guerra said he hears stories about people struggling to access housing every day.

☆ Two people killed in knife attack in Lisbon's Ismaili centre
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-28 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: 1 min

LISBON, March 28 (Reuters) - At least two people died in an attack in the Ismaili Centre in Lisbon on Tuesday, Portuguese police said, without giving further details. CNN Portugal said the alleged author of the attack, an Afghan national who wielded a large knife, had been shot and detained. Reporting by Catarina Demony, writing by Andrei KhalipOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

☆ Cocaine use has risen across Europe, study shows
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-22 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

LISBON, March 22 (Reuters) - Cocaine use has increased across Europe, an EU-wide wastewater study showed on Wednesday, with the highest levels of residues found in Belgium, Spain, Portugal and the Netherlands. The study, the largest to date by the Lisbon-based European drugs monitoring agency EMCDDA, analysed daily wastewater in the catchment areas of treatment plants serving some 54 million people in 104 European cities. More than half of the 66 European cities with data for 2021 and 2022 recorded increases in cocaine residues. Ketamine was included for the first time in the 2022 analysis due to "signs of increased availability of ketamine in Europe". The highest amount of residues were found in wastewater in cities in Denmark, Italy, Portugal and Spain.

Since then, critics say those schemes have come back to bite the economy by ramping up competition for scarce housing - fuelling inflation and piling pressure particularly onto young, local, entry-level workers. Rents in Lisbon have jumped 65% since 2015 and sale prices have sky-rocketed 137%, figures from Confidencial Imobiliario, which collects data on housing, show. Locals struggled to keep up in a country where public housing only represents 2% of the property market, according to government data. The average rent for a one-bedroom flat in Lisbon is around 1,350 euros, a study by housing portal Imovirtual showed. "If housing stays this expensive or gets worse, (foreign) people ... will start moving back to their own countries."

☆ Tesla could begin producing autos in Mexico next year -Mexican official
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-06 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

Companies Tesla Inc FollowMEXICO CITY, March 6 (Reuters) - Tesla Inc (TSLA.O) could begin producing its first cars in Mexico next year, with the electric vehicle maker close to receiving its final permits allowing factory construction to begin in Nuevo Leon near the U.S.-Mexico border, the state's governor said on Monday. Tesla Chief Executive Elon Musk announced the investment last week, saying the Austin, Texas-based company had selected Mexico for its next "gigafactory" with plans to produce a "next gen vehicle." Mexican officials have said the factory will be the world's biggest to produce electric vehicles, with investment worth $5 billion. "The president, by authorizing and backing Tesla, sent a message to the world that they should come to Mexico." Reporting by Daina Beth Solomon in Mexico City Editing by Matthew LewisOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

☆ Site of Tesla Mexico factory near double size of Texas plant, local official says
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-03 | by ( Daina Beth Solomon | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

Jesus Nava, the mayor of Santa Catarina in the state of Nuevo Leon, said in an interview that Tesla is purchasing the site from private owners. He said the land spans nearly 4,200 acres in an industrial zone, more than double the size of Mexico City's international airport. Tesla's factory in Austin, Texas - one of three existing Tesla vehicle plants - sits on 2,500 acres, according to Tesla's website. Nava said Tesla will reveal what vehicles it will produce at the Nuevo Leon factory when it breaks ground, which it plans to do in three months. Tesla uses recycled water, and such companies typically use minimal liters of water per second, he added.

☆ The road to Tesla's first Mexico factory
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-28 | by ( Brendan O'Boyle | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

2022June 13: News outlet Electrek reports that Tesla Chief Executive Elon Musk told workers the company is considering sites in Canada and Mexico for a new factory. Feb. 8: Lopez Obrador says Nuevo Leon and Hidalgo states could be home to a new Tesla plant. Feb. 17: Ebrard says Tesla will soon confirm it has chosen Mexico as a location for a new plant. Feb. 24 and 27: Musk and Lopez Obrador speak in calls as Mexico and Tesla near investment deal. Reporting by Mexico City Newsroom; Writing by Brendan O'Boyle; Editing by Richard ChangOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

REUTERS/Miguel VidalA CORUNA, Spain/LONDON, Feb 28 (Reuters) - In Spain's A Coruna, two contrasting fashion business models collide - pitching the growing demands for the clothing industry to become more sustainable against the constant need to drive sales. This rainy, windswept, city on the rugged Atlantic coast is the unlikely headquarters of Zara-owner Inditex (ITX.MC) - the world's biggest fast fashion retailer. It also hosts small boutiques offering high quality, durable products that consider themselves an alternative to the fast and affordable fashion propelling Inditex's annual sales of 28 billion euros ($30 billion). "If you release tonnes and tonnes of clothes, textiles, shoes into the market, you will have to collect it," he said. But Circ and its competitors are only capable of producing 1% of the textiles needed to make the 109 million tonnes of clothes per year that the global fashion industry churns out.

[1/3] People shout slogans during a demonstration against the mounting costs of living, in Lisbon, Portugal, February 25, 2023. Portugal is one of Western Europe's poorest countries, with government data showing more than 50% of workers earned less than 1,000 euros ($1,054.60) per month last year. House prices in Portugal rose 18.7% in 2022, the biggest increase in three decades, and rents have also increased significantly in part due to a speculative property bubble. Low wages and high rents make Lisbon the world's third-least viable city to live in, according to a study by insurance brokers CIA Landlords. ($1 = 0.9482 euro)Reporting by Catarina Demony, Miguel Pereira and Pedro Nunes; Editing by Jonathan OatisOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

☆ How small-business owners can use LinkedIn as free advertising to attract customers
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-24 | by ( Erin Greenawald | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +6 min

The consultants Catarina Rivera and Tania Bhattacharyya use LinkedIn to market their services. Tania Bhattacharyya, the founder of the thought-leadership and brand-messaging consultancy Lumos Marketing, said she'd accessed other valuable marketing leads through LinkedIn, including public-relations and speaking opportunities. The good news is if you want to give LinkedIn a go, it doesn't have to be all that hard. This is true even for business owners who don't plan to engage much on LinkedIn, Bhattacharyya added, given how highly Google ranks LinkedIn profiles on search. "Your first six or seven words are really important for when you show up in search results or when someone sees your comments on someone else's post," Rivera said.

SAO SEBASTIAO, Brazil, Feb 20 (Reuters) - The death toll from devastating rainfall in southeastern Brazil rose to 40 on Monday, official figures showed, as President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva visited the region and said homes should no longer be built in areas at risk of landslides and major floods. Lula flew over the coastal town of Sao Sebastiao alongside Cabinet ministers and pledged to help rebuild the town of some 91,000 people by constructing new houses in safer places. "Sometimes nature takes us by surprise, but sometimes we also tempt nature," Lula said in a speech after meeting with Sao Paulo Governor Tarcisio de Freitas and Sao Sebastiao Mayor Felipe Augusto to coordinate their response to the disaster. "I express my solidarity with the people of Sao Sebastiao and I hope this never happens again." [1/4] Landslides are seen after severe rainfall in Sao Sebastiao, Brazil, February 20, 2023.

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.

☆ Bird flu spreads to new countries, threatens non-stop 'war' on poultry
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-15 | by ( Tom Polansek | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +8 min

Argentina found the virus in wild birds, while dead swans in Uruguay tested positive. The United States, Britain, France and Japan are among countries that have suffered record losses of poultry over the past year, leaving some farmers feeling helpless. Poultry in the Northern Hemisphere were previously considered to be most at risk when wild birds are active during spring migration. Some experts suspect climate change may be contributing to the global spread by altering wild birds' habitats and migratory paths. Farmers are trying unusual tactics to protect poultry, with some using machines that make loud noises to scare off wild birds, experts said.

☆ Bird flu spreads to new countries, threatens non-stop "war" on poultry
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-15 | by ( Tom Polansek | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +7 min

The United States, Britain, France and Japan are among countries that have suffered record losses of poultry over the past year, leaving some farmers feeling helpless. Poultry in the Northern Hemisphere were previously considered to be most at risk when wild birds are active during spring migration. Some experts suspect climate change may be contributing to the global spread by altering wild birds' habitats and migratory paths. Farmers are trying unusual tactics to protect poultry, with some using machines that make loud noises to scare off wild birds, experts said. Berkowitz said he is bracing for March and April when migration season will pose an even greater risk to poultry.

☆ More than 100 priests suspected of abuse remain active in Portugal's Catholic Church
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-14 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

[1/2] People walk by a church on the day Portugal's commission investigating allegations of historical child sexual abuse by members of the Portuguese Catholic church will unveil its report, in Lisbon, Portugal, February 13, 2023. REUTERS/Pedro Nunes/File PhotoLISBON, Feb 14 (Reuters) - More than 100 priests suspected of child sexual abuse remain active in church roles in Portugal, according to the head of a commission investigating the issue. "There is an approximate (number of accused priests) and it will clearly be more than 100," child psychiatrist Pedro Strecht, who headed the commission, told SIC television. The commission said it was preparing a list of accused priests still working to send to the Church and to the public prosecutors' office. Strecht said the Church had the "moral and ethical duty to collaborate with judicial authorities" on the matter.

[1/5] A cross at the top of a church is seen on the day Portugal's commission investigating allegations of historical child sexual abuse by members of the Portuguese Catholic church will unveil its report, in Lisbon, Portugal, February 13, 2023. Strecht said the 4,815 cases were the "absolute minimum" number of victims of sexual abuse by clergy members in Portugal since 1950. The Portuguese Catholic Church was rocked last year by cases of alleged cover-up of sexual abuse including by bishops who remain active in church roles. The Portuguese commission started its work in January 2022 after a report in France revealed around 3,000 priests and religious officials sexually abused over 200,000 children. The commission, which says it is independent, was financed by the Catholic Church.

[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.

☆ Analysis: Shock of war hits a world economy at the crossroads
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-10 | by ( Mark John | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +6 min

But its deeper impact will be felt in how the conflict plays into shifts that were already reshaping the global economy before Russia's tanks rolled in. Economic sanctions on Moscow came as hurdles to world trade were mounting after an era of rapid globalisation. Reuters GraphicsReuters GraphicsReuters GraphicsNO ENDGAME IN SIGHTSome might conclude that means the world economy has taken the conflict in its stride. That would take the outlook for both the global economy and wider peace into uncharted territory. For the economy, the risk is that energy prices - and hence inflation - will be squeezed higher if shortfalls are not met.

[1/3] The dog, Bobi, that broke the record for oldest dog ever at 30 years-old, is pictured at Conqueiros, in Leiria, Portugal, February 4, 2023. REUTERS/Catarina DemonyCONQUEIROS, Portugal, Feb 4 (Reuters) - When his dog was born three decades ago in a tiny village in central Portugal, Leonel Costa was only eight years old. Little did he know that his beloved Bobi would one day be recorded as the world's oldest dog. Costa got in touch with the Guinness World of Records, submitted all the paperwork and a year later Bobi was officially named the oldest dog on record. Costa hopes Bobi has many more years of life and is thankful the dog has put the remote village of Conqueiros on the map.

☆ 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.

☆ Brazilian justice confirms senator told him about election conspiracy meeting with Bolsonaro
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-03 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

LISBON/SAO PAULO, Feb 3 (Reuters) - Brazil's Supreme Court Justice Alexandre de Moraes confirmed on Friday that Senator Marcos do Val told him about an election conspiracy meeting he allegedly attended with former President Jair Bolsonaro and former lawmaker Daniel Silveira last year. Moraes said during an event held in Lisbon that Do Val approached him to talk about the meeting. The justice said he then asked the senator to testify formalizing the allegations, but Do Val declined to do so. Do Val told reporters on Thursday that Bolsonaro, narrowly defeated by President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva in an October vote, "sat in silence" while Silveira laid out the plot against Moraes at the meeting. Silveira was arrested by police on Thursday on a warrant issued by Moraes, who accused him of disobeying court rulings.

LISBON, Feb 1 (Reuters) - Europe was entering an "inevitable" post-pandemic period of airline consolidation as legacy flag-carriers struggle to navigate through a competitive landscape, the chief executive of low-cost carrier Ryanair (RYA.I) said on Wednesday. "We are definitely, post-COVID, entering a four or five-year period of consolidation," Ryanair's Michael O'Leary told Reuters on the sidelines of a news briefing in Portugal's capital Lisbon. Many of Europe's legacy airlines are finding it tough to effectively compete with budget carriers, hampered by weak balance sheets that could be made more robust by merging with rivals, analysts have said. Lufthansa, Air France-KLM and British Airways owner IAG are potential buyers, according to analysts. O'Leary said he believed the sector in Europe would move towards having four large airlines: Lufthansa, Air France-KLM (AIRF.PA), IAG and and Ryanair.

Almeida, who has five rescue dogs, travelled nearly 250 kms (155 miles) from the northern Portuguese city of Aveiro for the demonstration, which was organised by the Animal Intervention and Rescue (IRA) group. Portugal's public prosecutors had on Wednesday asked the constitutional court to declare unconstitutional a law that criminalises with a fine or jail time those who mistreat their pets. According to public prosecutors, the court has already made decisions that pointed to the alleged unconstitutionality of the legislation. On one occasion, a dog owner who threw his puppies into a rubbish bin was initially convicted but later acquitted. Holding a banner, Filipe Vicente, a 45-year-old dog and cat owner, described the current situation as a "notorious setback".

Lufthansa has offered to buy an initial minority stake in ITA, Italy's state-owned successor to Alitalia, it said on Wednesday. "This may be the next step in European airline consolidation," said Bernstein analyst Alex Irving, citing Portugal's national airline, TAP, as a prime target. Lufthansa, Air-France KLM (AIRF.PA) and British Airways owner IAG (ICAG.L) are potential buyers, analysts said. "At the same time, however, we closely monitor consolidation in the European airline market." Michael O'Leary, the outspoken CEO of fellow low-cost airline Ryanair (RYA.I), also weighed in with his predictions this week.

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.

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