Ryanair pilots based in Portugal and Germany are planning to join colleagues from Dublin and Italy in a Christmas strike to win union recognition and better working conditions.
The airline does not recognise unions, with a spokesman stating last week that staff rarely follow calls to strike and that management will ignore industrial action planned for December 20th, at the height of the busy Christmas period.
Investigative journalists at TVI24 have lifted the lid on yet another potential scandal to rock the political establishment. This time it centres on allegations of abusive management at IPSS “social solidarity institute” Raríssimas - set up to help people suffering from rare diseases and which benefits from over a million euros in annual government subsidies.
The report led by Ana Leal shows the president of the association Paula Brito e Costa paying herself an exorbitant (and illegal) salary of over €6000 per month, using Raríssimas funds for a trip to Brazil, a luxury spa holiday, fancy gowns and top-of-the-range wheels.
Following strike ballots taken by pilots in Italy and Portugal last week, the likelihood of a new ‘flightmare for Christmas’ is increasing.
Says Público today, pilots in Ireland have set December 20 for their strike, while colleagues based in Italy have pencilled in December 15 for theirs.
Public ministry investigators have named the first official suspect in the inquiry into the fire of Pedrógão Grande in June, where 65 people lost their lives (and one more has since died in hospital).
Mário Cerol is the second in command at Leiria district emergency command and was the third in command on that terrible day in June when a wildfire went horrifically out of control.
A 43-year-old woman is in court this week, after allegedly ‘kidnapping’ her former husband’s lover, pulling off her trousers and, with the help of a male friend, pouring “a large quantity of piri-piri sauce” into the restrained woman’s vagina.
Paula Serafim is charged with kidnapping, theft and aggravated duress.
Storm Ana started hitting Portugal’s mainland yesterday, with devastating consequences.
Despite the authorities being ‘braced’ for the worst, they could not prevent tragedy
Just after 5pm in the afternoon, a 42-year-old woman was killed when a tree “of large dimensions” collapsed on top of her as she was purportedly calling emergency services.
For the first time in the history of the “Tourism Oscars” World Travel Awards, Portugal has won the title of leading destination.
Following on from Best European Destination glory clinched in October (click here), the country has literally hit the glass ceiling.
As well as taking World’s Leading Destination 2017, Portugal has been distinguished for having the best tourist board (Turismo de Portugal) with the best official tourism site (visitportugal.com), reports RTP following the awards ceremony over the weekend in Phu Quoc, Vietnam.
Cristiano Ronaldo - Portugal’s most famous ambassador - has been celebrating the win of his 5th Ballon d’Or in Paris, saying he’s actually aiming for a 6th and a 7th.
Joking that he also wants another baby for Christmas - having just welcomed little arrival number 3 for this event-packed year - the footballing sensation who began his career in Madeira said he actually hopes to end up with seven children, too.
