PM admits INEM services need drastic improvement
Following delays in answering calls which allegedly caused the death of seven people, Prime Minister LuĂs Montenegro today admitted a “serious situation” at the National Institute of Medical Emergencies (INEM).
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"First of all, let me tell you that we are not sure whether the deaths occurred due to INEM's lack of response capacity or the delay in answering calls, but the truth is that, at this moment, there is a situation that is a serious situation that requires strengthening INEM's response capacity", declared LuĂs Montenegro.
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The Prime Minister assured that his Executive is “committed to being able to, very quickly, avoid the ongoing strike with pre-hospital emergency technicians”.
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"There is even a meeting scheduled for a few hours from now, between the Minister of Health, Ana Paula Martins, and the union of pre-hospital emergency technicians. My hope is that, from this point of view, the situation can be stabilised", he stressed.
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“But we know that this is not enough because, when we started working seven months ago, INEM did not have the human resources needed to guarantee the regularity of its operations”, added LuĂs Montenegro.
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On Wednesday, INEM announced contingency measures, in the creation of an emergency triage for calls with a wait of three or more minutes, to optimize the operation of urgent patient guidance centers (CODU).
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Worldwide Operation: seven arrested in Portugal for human trafficking
The Judicial Poice have announced that seven people have been arrested in Portugal, as part of the “largest operation ever carried out” against human trafficking, coordinated worldwide by Interpol.
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In Portugal, the PJ coordinated the operation, which included “three house searches in the towns of Sacavém, Sines and Serpa.”
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The operation named “Liberterra II” took place between September 29 and October 4 in 116 countries and territories, with a total of 2,517 people being arrested, 850 of whom were for trafficking, 3,222 potential victims being rescued and 17,793 irregular immigrants being identified.
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“In Portugal, seven people were arrested (one for human trafficking, another for drug trafficking, three for using counterfeit documents and two for illegally staying in the country)”, as well as “4,203 citizens identified, 23 locations inspected and six inquiries opened”, the PJ said in a statement.
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"Human and migrant trafficking is increasingly linked to other forms of crime, often using the same criminal networks and routes,” the International Criminal Police Organization stressed, explaining that this is an overlap that “amplifies the profits and power of organized criminal groups.”
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Cacela Velha: elderly man dies due to delay in INEM assistance
After waiting more than an hour and a half for assistance from INEM, a 77 year old man died on Monday, in Cacela Velha.
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According to Portuguese newspaper , "JoĂŁo Martins was riding a bicycle and was found lying next to a road".
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Members of the public made several attempts to contact 112, but without success, until the Vila Real de Santo AntĂłnio Fire Department was contacted directly, "who provided initial assistance and activated INEM resources".
About two hours later, the victim, who was transported to the Basic Emergency Service in Vila Real de Santo AntĂłnio, went into cardiorespiratory arrest and died.
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Shock in Europe over US election
Most people in Portugal and almost all other European countries have been shocked and worried by the election of Donald Trump for a second term, as president of the United States.
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While European leaders were quick to congratulate Mr Trump on Wednesday morning, most were concerned about future US – EU trade relations, the president-elect’s unpredictable attitude towards global warming, and the war in Ukraine that is threatening to move westward, across the continent.
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While Trump’s second term in the White House starting January 21st, will be welcomed in Moscow, North Korea, and the right-wing government in Hungary, Kamala Harris’s defeat is very disturbing for leaders and citizens in European countries, north to south.
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A study by the Intercampus research company in Portugal showed that 70% of Portuguese citizens would have voted for Kamala Harris according to the survey, only 28% of respondents said they were convinced that Donald Trump would win.
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As for the impact of the election outcome, about 65% believed that the choice would influence the economy and social progress in Portugal, as well as the management of armed conflicts at a time of war in Ukraine and the Middle East.
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In Spain, a recent pre-election report by the Franklin Institute of the University of Alcalá revealed that 75% of Spaniards believed a Harris victory would be better for Spain, than the return of Trump.
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Six out of 10 Spaniards thought that that Harris was more likely to win. Spain’s socialist government openly announced its support for Harris.
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A recent poll conducted in Greece showed that 46% of Greek citizens favoured Kamala Harris, compared to 32% for Donald Trump
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As for Greek national interests, 30% of Greeks believed that Harris was closer to their priorities — and only 10% believed that Trump would be better for their country.
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An opinion poll in Germany showed that two-thirds of Germans preferred Harris to be the next US president, with only 12% wanting a Trump victory.
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In France, according to a survey by YouGov, a majority wanted a Harris win, with less than a quarter thinking Trump would be the better on foreign policy.
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The most recent YouGov Euro Track study showed that Harris was also the favourite in Britain with 61% of respondents. She was the favourite by far in Finland, Norway, Sweden and Denmark with more than 80% of Danes wanting Harris to win, compared with 16% for Trump.
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One of the few European countries with totally opposite views was Hungary. The right-wing Hungarian government turned the election into a domestic political issue. Viktor Orbán was one of the first foreign leaders to back Trump in 2016 and has stuck with him ever since. Polls in Hungary showed that 75% of his voters were behind him on Trump.
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The very tight, too-close-to- call battle between Harris and Trump in the months, weeks and days before the presidential election somewhat jeopardised Europe’s trade ties and defence relations - particularly as Trump has been so critical of America’s NATO allies, and much less so of President Putin's aggression.
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Europe will now be watching closely at the hoo-ha that may follow in the US and abroad.Â
 Written by Len PortÂ
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Body found floating near OlhĂŁo riverside area
The body of a 77 year old man was found floating by a member of the public, near the riverside area of ​​Olhão, on Saturday.
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The National Maritime Authority have said that the causes of the occurrence are as yet unknown, and that the case is being investigated by the Judicial Police.
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According to National Maritime Authority, the alert was given by a member of the public on Saturday, November 2, when he spotted the body in the river. Emergency teams from the OlhĂŁo Municipal Fire Department and the INEM Emergency and Resuscitation Medical Vehicle (VMER) arrived swiftly on the scene, and began resuscitation, but were unable to reverse the situation.
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Members of the local command of the Maritime Police of OlhĂŁo were also on scene, along with members of the Judicial Police, who began the investigation process.
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The death was declared at the scene by the VMER doctor and, after contact with the Public Prosecutor's Office and the Judicial Police carried out the necessary investigations, the body was transported to the National Institute of Legal Medicine and Forensic Sciences in Faro.
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The Maritime Police Psychology Office has been activated and is providing support to the victim's family.
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The local command of the Maritime Police of OlhĂŁo took charge of the incident.
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Effect of recent rains: water rises in two dams in the Algarve
According to data from the latest weekly reservoir bulletin from the Portuguese Environment Agency (APA), the recent rains have increased the storage levels of two dams located in the Sotavento region of the Algarve.
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During the period from October 31st to November 4th (Monday), the amount of water increased by around 2% in the Odeleite dam and 1% in the Beliche dam.
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Regarding the remaining reservoirs in the region, no changes were recorded in the last week.
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Data this Monday shows the Algarve dams had the following storage levels: Funcho was at 35% of its capacity; Odelouca at 32%; Odeleite at 30%; Beliche at 24%; Arade at 17%; and Bravura at 13%.
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Loulé Council will now charge tourist tax of €2 a day
As of November 1st, Loulé City Council is charging a tourist tax of €2 per day during the high season, which is expected to raise around 4.6 million euros annually.
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The amount of the fee charged to guests who stay overnight in a tourist unit or similar in the municipality, aged 16 or over, for up to a maximum of five nights, is two euros per day in high season (April to October) and one euro in low season (November to March), according to the regulation approved and published in the Official Gazette.
The millions raised annually by the new tax will be invested in “infrastructures, equipment and services that enhance and guarantee the sustainability of tourism activity”.
Loulé, the largest municipality in the Algarve which happens to encompass several nationally and internationally recognised tourist developments such as Quinta do Lago, Vale do Lobo and Vilamoura, joins a group of municipalities in the region already charging the tourist tax, namely: Albufeira, Portimão, Lagoa, Vila Real de Santo António, Faro and Olhão.
