Portal:Portugal/Portugal news archive

September 2006

• September 5: A 36-year-old Portuguese woman, working in environmental investigations in Amazonia, is murdered in Sena Madureira, Acre, Brazil. A suspect has been arrested.
• September 5: Portuguese cyclist Sérgio Paulinho (pictured) wins the 10th stage of the Vuelta a España.
• September 5: Minister for Education Maria de Lurdes Rodrigues reaffirms that the socialist government will implement the polemic new rules in education, like the possibility of parental evaluation of teachers.
• September 4: Executive director of the Portuguese League for Professional Football resigns due to the installed caos in the Portuguese Liga caused by the Mateus Affairm, regarding the relegation of Gil Vicente F.C. to the Liga de Honra.

August 2006

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July 2006

• July 18:During the Bissau summit of CPLP (logo pictured), Portugal reached several group and bilateral agreements with its former colonies. Lisbon will hold the 2008 summit.
• July 18:GDP is on the rise says the Bank of Portugal, as it now expects 1.2% growth in 2006.
• July 13: Portugal with tropical nights until Sunday says the Instituto de Metereologia. Temperatures won't drop below the 18 degrees Celsius and will keep up at a minimum of 24 in many areas. Day temperatures reached 42.5 in Amareleja with the rest of the country close-by. Health General Direction advices children, ill and older people to take the usual summer precautions during this week.
• July 11: Banking sector profits rose 30% in 2005.
• July 10: The government reached an agreement in order to change the laws of Social Security, however, the biggest Portuguese trade union confederation, the CGTP, refused to take part in the deal.
• July 10: The Portuguese GDP only grew 0.1 to 0.4 in the second quarter of 2006, although this weak growth is not expected to influence the 1% growth that is likely for 2006.
• July 9: Six firemen, five Chilean and one Portuguese died this afternoon while fighting a wildfire near Guarda.
• July 9: The Faculty of Medicine of the University of Porto will reduce its number of students by 20%.
• July 9: The Portuguese national football team arrived this morning in Lisbon.
• July 8: The Portuguese national football team was defeated by Germany, finishing in the fourth place of the 2006 World Cup.
• July 8: Two wildfires in Alenquer and Guarda are now extinct, one more is still ravaging in Baião.
• July 8: The consumption of electricity in Portugal rose by 0.2% in June.
• July 8: The Portuguese athlete Naide Gomes set a new national record in long jump, after jumping 6.82 meters, in a meeting held in the German city of Bad Langensalza.
• July 7: The tomb of king Afonso I (pictured), the first king of Portugal who ruled between 1128-1185, is due to be opened at 17:00 in Coimbra, one of the objectives is to know the king's biological profile, if possible to know his real face, which is unknown, and it would also help to solve if some events were history or legend.
• July 5: The Portuguese national football team is defeated in the 2006 FIFA World Cup semi-finals by France, and will know play against hosts Germany in the third place play-off.
• July 4: The new project and implementation date for the Porto-Vigo TGV line will be unveiled in November says the minister of Transports, Mário Lino after a meeting with the president of the autonomous government of Galicia, Emilio Pérez Touriño, during the president's visit to Portugal.
• July 4: The mayor of Lisbon, Carmona Rodrigues, wants to improve the candidacy of the city's downtown to World Heritage Site.
• July 4: The Portuguese national football team plays tomorrow with France, in the semi-finals of the 2006 FIFA World Cup.
• July 4: Four women and a doctor were condemned by the court of Aveiro for the practice of abortion.
• July 3: An opinion poll indicates that the majority of the Portuguese have little hope in economic recovery.
• July 3: Two Portuguese emigrants that celebrated the Portuguese victory over England in the 2006 World Cup were shot in the south of France.
• July 3: A strike stopped the boat transport between Barreiro and Lisbon.
• July 1: The Portuguese national football team defeated England by 3-1 in the penalty shootout. Portugal advances to the semi-final of the 2006 World Cup.

June 2006

• June 30: The Minister of Foreign Affairs, Freitas do Amaral was replaced by the Defense Minister Luís Amado due to alleged health problems. The new Defense Minister is Nuno Severiano Teixeira.
• June 30: A Portuguese ship with 30 fishermen was arrested by the Norwegian authorities being accused of fishing in Norwegian waters.
• June 30: The municipality of Porto announced that it will only subsidize the institutions that do not criticize the municipal administration. Some jurists consider the measure illegal.
• June 30: The captain of the Portuguese national football team, Luís Figo, declared that the team is prepared to beat England in the quarter finals of the 2006 World Cup.
• June 27: The government announced that a second referendum to the legalization of abortion will be held on January, eight years after the first referendum, won by the "No".
• June 26: Demonstrators are gathered in front of the Barcelos hospital, protesting against the closure of the birth bloc.
• June 26: The Common Front of labour unions of the public sector presented a complaint in the International Labour Organization regarding violations of the collective bargaining agreements by the government.
• June 26: The government announced the creation of a credit line to aid the fishermen, worth 30 million euros.
• June 25: The Portuguese national football team defeated the Netherlands by 1-0 in the second round of the 2006 World Cup in Germany.
• June 25: The fisherman's unions demand financial help from the government due to the increasing prices of diesel.
• June 25: The Portuguese Communist Party accused the government of reducing the budget of the municipalities with the new law of Local Finances.
• June 25: Divers are still searching the Mondego River for the missing body of the third girl allegedly killed by a retired GNR officer.
• June 23: The Socialist Party considered the proposal made by the People's Party of ending the religious holidays a "bad joke".
• June 23: A retired officer of the Guarda Nacional Republicana is suspected of killing three girls in Santa Comba Dão.
• June 23: The city of Porto prepares itself for its longest night, the Saint John's festivals, with street carnivals, feasts in the neighbourhoods and plazas, and fireworks from both banks of Douro River.
• June 23: GM will have to return to the Portuguese state 30 million euros if the industrial unit of Azambuja closes before 2009. The crisis is due to be discussed in the European Parliament, due to concerns over "the perceptible long term strategy" by GM to transfer factories from the European Union to Russia and Southeast Asia.
• June 20: The President of Futebol Clube do Porto, Jorge Nuno Pinto da Costa, assured that Lucho González and Ricardo Quaresma will not leave the team.
• June 20: An estimated 257,000 people are in the surgery queue of the National Health Service.
• June 19: The workers of the General Motors manufacturing plant of Zaragoza, rejected the production of the Opel Combo model if that implies the dismantlement of the Portuguese factory in Azambuja.
• June 19: A fire desroyed a cork factory in Santa Maria da Feira.
• June 18: Between Wednesday and Saturday, 10 people died in the Portuguese roads and a total of 1038 car accidents were reported by the traffic brigade of the Republican National Guard
• June 18: The Council of Ministers of the Community of Portuguese Language Countries announced that it will send a mission to East Timor in order to analyze the political situation in the country.
• June 18: The rink hockey team of Futebol Clube do Porto won the Portuguese Cup after beating Juventude de Viana by 7-5.
• June 17: The former Member of the European Parliament, vice-president of the European United Left–Nordic Green Left and member of the Portuguese Communist Party, Joaquim Miranda, died in Portalegre.
• June 15: The Party of European Socialists announced that it will hold its next Congress in Porto.
• June 15: Eurostat announced that the Portuguese GDP per capita is the eighth lowest among the 25 members of the European Union.
• June 14: Four Portuguese emigrants died after a fire in a community centre, in Fall River, Massachusetts.
• June 14: About 7,000 teachers demonstrated in Lisbon, demanding a new policy for the sector and the resignation of the minister Maria de Lurdes Rodrigues.
• June 12: Following a decision by the government, the birth block of the Elvas hospital is closed today. Part of the population of Elvas has been protesting for this block not to be closed.
• June 12: The minister of labour recognized that the number of job offers in Portugal is far from being satisfactory.
• June 12: The teachers of a basic school in Lumiar, Lisbon, closed the school, after the aggression of one teacher by a student.
• June 11: The Portuguese national football team defeated Angola by 1-0, in its debut in the 2006 World Cup.
• June 10: In the celebrations of the National holiday of Portugal, President Cavaco Silva awarded 26 personalities.
• June 10: The Portugal national football team makes its debut in the 2006 World Cup tomorrow, against Angola.
• June 9: The Portuguese GDP increased by 1% in the first quarter of 2006.
• June 9: Three in each four Portuguese teachers feel dissatisfaction about the government's policies for education.
• June 7: The Council of Europe reported evidence that Portugal collaborated with CIA with the clandestine abduction, detention and transfer of prisoners.
• June 7: Several wildfires are active in Portugal, mainly due to the severe heat.
• June 7: The government announced that the number of new places for students in public universities will remain unchanged this year.
• June 7: Thousands of police officers participate in a demonstration in Lisbon, demanding better working conditions.
• June 4: One hundred and fifty firefighters are deployed near Águeda, fighting a major wildfire.
• June 4: The Portugal national football team was received in Germany, where it will participate in the 2006 FIFA World Cup, by thousands of Portuguese immigrants.
• June 4: Portuguese troops are cheerfully received in Baucau, East Timor.
• June 3: 8,000 farmers from all the country gathered in Lisbon, in protest against the government agricultural policies.

May 2006

• May 27: The Portuguese national football team defeated Cape Verde by 4-1.
• May 27: Several wildfires started in the Center of Portugal, mobilizing hundreds of firefighters.
• May 27: The teacher's unions stated their opposition to the government's proposal of teacher's evaluation by the students' parents.
• May 26: Portuguese troops arrive next Wednesday in Timor-Leste.
• May 19: Carlos Queiroz denies a SIC Notícias report that he had signed a 2-year contract with SL Benfica for the next season.
• May 19: The Camões Prize is attributed to Angolan writer Luandino Vieira, the third African to receive the prize.
• May 17: Portuguese-Brazilian football player Deco wins the UEFA Champions League for the second time in his career, this time with FC Barcelona.
• May 14: Futebol Clube do Porto won the Portuguese Football Cup after defeating Vitória Futebol Clube by 1-0.
• May 12: A record number of pilgrims are expected in the Sanctuary of Fátima for the 13 May celebrations.
• May 12: The world's first Wave farm is being implemented in the coast of Póvoa de Varzim, it will start generating electricity for consumers in August. It will have 10 to 20% more efficiency than wind farms.
• May 10: The Bank of Portugal has changed its outlook on Portugal's GDP for 2006 growth from 0.8 to 1%
• May 10: East Timorese Minister of Foreign Affairs José Ramos-Horta is developing diplomatic diligencies for the United Nations to send a Guarda Nacional Republicana-styled force to Timor Leste, following para-military unrest.
• May 10: Minister of Health admits he will be closing the birth block of Lamego until June 30.
• May 7: After FC Porto finished in the top of the SuperLiga, SL Benfica and Sporting Lisbon play today for the second place, which grants direct access to the Champions League.
• May 7: The Portuguese Minister of Health stated that, despite the protests, several maternity hospitals will be closed.
• May 3: The milk producers of mainland Portugal have exceeded the production quotas imposed by the European Union.
• May 3: The gothic metal band Moonspell is the new leader of the Portuguese music charts, replacing Melanie C.
• May 3: The Prime-Minister José Sócrates stated that he wants an agreement about major changes in the social security system in the current year.
• May 1: 30.000 workers participated in the celebrations of Labour Day, organized by the General Confederation of the Portuguese Workers, in Lisbon.
• May 1: A bull run in Samora Correia killed a man and injured several other persons.

April 2006

• Apr 27: The minister Mário Lino announced a change of opinion about the TGV connection between Porto and Vigo.
• Apr 27: A fire in a factory in Tomar severely injured two workers.
• Apr 25: The 32nd anniversary of the Carnation Revolution was celebrated in the Parliament, the President's speech was marked by concerns about social welfare and political transparency.
• Apr 22: Futebol Clube do Porto assured the conquest of its 21st Portuguese Football Championship after defeating FC Penafiel by 1-0.
• Apr 21: The second placed in the Portuguese presidential election of 2006, Manuel Alegre, stated that criticizing members of the Assembly of the Republic would be a bad start for the recently elected President Cavaco Silva.
• Apr 21: The Ecologist Party "The Greens" criticized the Prime Minister José Sócrates for his appeal to a debate over the use of nuclear energy in Portugal.
• Apr 14: Portuguese newspaper Diário Económico says that the Sócrates administration is to strengthen the Polícia Judiciária (Judiciary Police) budget with €8.9 million, a result of payments of the so-called "justice taxes", judiciary costs and profits from public notaries.
• Apr 8: FC Porto defeated Sporting Lisbon by 1-0 in the 30th round of the Portuguese SuperLiga.
• Apr 6: The Portuguese immigration services arrested 4 people accused of aiding illegal immigration.
• Apr 5: FC Barcelona defeated SL Benfica in the quarter-finals of the Champions League by an aggregate of 2-0.
• Apr 5: The Prime-Minister José Sócrates is in Luanda to meet the Angolan President José Eduardo dos Santos.
• Apr 4: The Portuguese Phonographic Associations started the first 28 judicial processes against illegal downloaders of music files.

March 2006

• Mar 31: The Minister of Culture Isabel Pires de Lima announced that Joe Berardo's private collection of contemporary art will remain in Lisbon, in the Cultural Centre of Belém.
• Mar 31: Former president Jorge Sampaio states he is worried with the situation of the Portuguese people emigrants that received an order of expulsion from Canada.
• Mar 31: The Public Ministry asked for the ultimate penalty (26 years) for Brazilian Marcus Fernandes, accused of killing two Polícia de Segurança Pública agents and trying to kill a third one, in the neighbourhood of Cova da Moura, Amadora, in the suburbs of Lisbon
• Mar 28: In an action called by the General Confederation of the Portuguese Workers, several hundreds of young workers gathered in Lisbon to protest against the government's youth policies.
• Mar 27: Prime Minister José Sócrates said today that governmental measures against bureaucracy are directed to foment economic growth, improve the quality of life of Portuguese citizens and raise the prestige of the Public Administration.
• Mar 27: A study by the Portuguese Consumer's Defence concludes that the majority of the Portuguese pharmaceutical laboratories are not transparent.
• Mar 24: Several elements of the Portuguese police are among the 29 people arrested after being involved in a gunrunning net.
• Mar 23: After postponing the change of the abortion law during the last year, the Socialist Party announced now that will struggle for its decriminalization.
• Mar 22: Futebol Clube do Porto beat Sporting Lisbon by 5-4 in the penalty shoot-out in the semi-finals of the Portuguese cup.
• Mar 22: The Legislative Assembly of the Autonomous Region of Madeira, controlled by a Social Democratic majority, announces that, this year, the institution will skip the commemorations of the Carnation Revolution of April 25, 1974, considering it inopportune.
• Mar 20: The municipal chambers of the southern region of Algarve announced that the price of water may experience massive raises due to the shortages during the summer.
• Mar 19: The last part of the red line of Porto Metro, between Pedras Rubras and Póvoa de Varzim was opened.
• Mar 19: The 28th Congress of the Social Democratic Party approved several changes to the party's statutes, including a new method of electing the party's president.
• Mar 15: The Ministry of Agriculture announced that American firefighters will collaborate with Portugal in the combat against wildfires.
• Mar 13: Millennium bcp bank makes an acquisition offer over BPI bank. The takeover would create the biggest Portuguese bank. This comes after another acquisition offer made by SONAE targeting Portugal Telecom, Portugal's telecommunication giant.
• Mar 12: Portuguese athlete Naide Gomes achieved a bronze medal and a national record in long jump at the 2006 IAAF World Indoor Championships.
• Mar 11: The government announced the creation of 15.000 new jobs and 45,700 new posts in nursery schools and other social institutions.
• Mar 10: OECD's advanced index of January states that there's an improving tendency in the economy of Portugal, in line with other Eurozone countries.
• Mar 9: A níbal Cavaco Silva took office as the new President of Portugal.
• Mar 7: The General-Direction of Veterinary announces the obligation for domestic birds to be registered, in a measure against the possibility of a bird flu epidemic.
• Mar 6: After stating he was impressed with the "educational system" of Finland, Prime Minister José Sócrates announces that Finnish technological agencies will collaborate in the Portuguese technological plan.
• Mar 5: RC Deportivo La Coruña and Portugal football player Jorge Andrade is submitted to surgery to his right leg, in Barcelona, and will probably miss the World Cup in Germany.
• Mar 4: President-elect Aníbal Cavaco Silva states that it is now impossible to "resurrect" the European Constitution.
• Mar 4: Frostbitten, of Anders Banke, wins the Great Prize in the Fantasporto festival.
• Mar 2: The Police of Public Security (PSP) and the Republican National Guard (GNR) schedule a strike for March 14.
• Mar 2: President Jorge Sampaio says that the Portuguese Armed Forces need "additional efforts" to modernize.
• The Portuguese national football team beats Saudi Arabia by 0-3 in a friendly match played in Düsseldorf, Germany.
• The Portuguese unemployment rate reaches 7,7% according to the Eurostat.
• Xanana Gusmão, Felipe, Prince of Asturias and George H. W. Bush will represent East Timor (Timor-Leste), Spain and the United States, respectively, when Aníbal Cavaco Silva is sworn as the 20th President of Portugal.