Tuesday, 18 August 2026

The Italian government is conditioning the resumption of normal travel within the Schengen Area with Spain on the evolution of the migration crisis in Ceuta. Italian Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani described the situation at the border as very worrying, citing national security and terrorism prevention as primary concerns for maintaining current border controls.

Portugal has accumulated a deficit of 300,000 homes over the last four years, exacerbating a housing crisis driven by high construction costs, bureaucracy, and immigration-fueled population growth. Meanwhile, the automotive sector is also facing significant strain, with the Association of Manufacturers for the Automotive Industry (Associação de Fabricantes para a Indústria Automóvel or AFIA) warning that over 1,000 jobs are at risk due to production declines in key export markets like Spain and Germany.

The Ministry of Economy is developing new measures to combat the use of front shops and companies by criminal networks involved in illegal immigration and human trafficking. Authorities are currently evaluating potential solutions to address these illicit activities, which have been identified as a growing concern in commercial sectors.

The Order of Accountants (Ordem dos Contabilistas Certificados) has clarified that the reduced 6% value-added tax (Imposto sobre o Valor Acrescentado or IVA) for urban renovation works does not apply retroactively to periods before January 2022. This ruling settles the timeline for taxpayers seeking to benefit from the reduced rate on property improvements.

The National Road Safety Authority (Autoridade Nacional de Segurança Rodoviária or ANSR), alongside the Public Security Police (Polícia de Segurança Pública or PSP) and the National Republican Guard (Guarda Nacional Republicana or GNR), has launched a nationwide zero-tolerance campaign against drunk driving. Running until August 24, the initiative focuses on raising awareness and increasing enforcement operations to reduce risky driving behaviors.

The Order of Doctors (Ordem dos Médicos) has welcomed the government's decision to postpone the new National System for Access to Consultation and Surgery, citing concerns over missing features and a lack of instructional guidance. Meanwhile, the Portuguese Diabetes Society (Sociedade Portuguesa de Diabetologia or SPD) has warned that current updates to the National User Registry (Registo Nacional de Utente or RNU) could disrupt access to subsidized medication for patients.

The Portuguese state has purchased a 13.7% stake in Redes Energéticas Nacionais (REN) from Pontegadea Inversiones through the state holding company Parpública. Prime Minister Luís Montenegro defended the acquisition as a strategic investment for national energy security, though the Portuguese Communist Party (Partido Comunista Português or PCP) has questioned the move's impact on state influence in the sector.

The National Federation of Teachers (Federação Nacional dos Professores or Fenprof) stated that the 20,404 teachers recently placed for the upcoming school year do not meet the permanent needs of schools. The union noted that only 1,252 of these placements involve new contracts, with the remainder consisting of internal transfers, and warned that hundreds of teachers are expected to retire by September.

Traffic on the A2 motorway is restricted near Alcácer do Sal in the direction of Lisbon due to urgent repairs on an expansion joint. The motorway operator, Brisa, has limited vehicles to the left lane at kilometer 80 and advises drivers to exercise caution.

The government announced that it has delivered over 28,000 homes to families as part of the Building Portugal (Construir Portugal) program, aiming to reach 40,000 by the end of the year. In a separate incident, a family in the Boavista neighborhood of Lisbon barricaded themselves inside their home on Monday to resist an eviction order.

The results for the second phase of national secondary school exam re-evaluations will be released on September 14. The government delayed the publication from the original August 28 date to provide teachers with additional time for rest.

Firefighters are battling multiple active wildfires in Northern Portugal, with significant operations in Torre de Moncorvo, Carrazeda de Ansiães, and Boticas. High temperatures, strong winds, and low humidity are hampering containment efforts, though officials reported no injuries or homes at immediate risk as of Sunday evening.

User committees in Almada and Seixal reported that voluntary pregnancy terminations were discontinued this week at Garcia de Orta Hospital. The local health unit, Unidade Local de Saúde Almada-Seixal, confirmed the service interruption but described it as a temporary measure due to staffing shortages, noting that a protocol has been established with another facility to ensure patient care.

Researchers from the University of Trás-os-Montes and Alto Douro (UTAD) are using scientific methods to date hundreds of ancient olive trees throughout Portugal. Findings suggest that some of these trees are over 2,000 years old, with one specimen in Vidigueira potentially exceeding 3,700 years in age.