In first public event of his Diamond Jubilee, Aga Khan is bestowed Portugal’s Grand Cross and an Honorary Doctorate

“I reiterate my profound appreciation for our own partnership, and for honouring me and by extension the Ismaili Imamat and the AKDN, especially as this honour comes during my Diamond Jubilee year, marking 60 years as the 49th Imam of the Shia Imami Ismaili Muslims worldwide. Our commitment to Portugal reflects our deep respect for this country and our deep affection for its people.” - His Highness the Aga Khan, Lisbon, July 20, 2017.

On 18 July 2017 the Polish Council of Ministers submitted a draft proposal to parliament allowing the President to unilaterally terminate the current agreement on the promotion and reciprocal protection of investments, signed between Poland and Portugal on 11 March 1993 (Poland-Portugal BIT).

The Poland-Portugal BIT establishes the terms and conditions for private investment by nationals and companies of Poland in Portugal and vice versa.

The BIT contains a Most Favoured Nation clause (i.e. foreign investors from one contracting state may not be treated less favourably than investors from other states) and protects foreign investors against unlawful expropriation (direct and indirect).

Groundforce Portugal, the passenger assistance, lane operations and air cargo company, has just announced its triumphant return to Faro Airport, where it will create 140 new jobs - but not all at once.

Groundforce Portugal will provide assistance to passengers on IAG Group flights - British Airways, Iberia, BA City Flyer, Vueling and Aer Lingus, at a time when the Algarve is experiencing a substantial increase in tourism and as the new Faro aiport is operational.

The Government today approved the creation of the Hospital and University Center of the Algarve management structure which will run the region’s hospitals, the Centre for Medicine and Rehabilitation of the South (CMRSul) and research link to the University of Algarve.

This ‘everything under one management’ system will "improve efficiency, create cost savings and use doctors and staff more efficiently while strengthening the connection to the University with medical courses offering health professionals a opportunity train and research." 

More than 600 workers are leaving the high street bank, BPI, the majority under a redundancy programme that started in April 2017.

The cost of the programme to date is €106 million which will bring an annual saving of €36 million.

The Portuguese co-founder of Altice has criticised Portugal’s government and has made the error of assuming that, because the French-owned group owns significant assets in the country, it is above the rules and regulations that govern domestic companies.

Altice’s Armando Pereira said today that the Portuguese government "often does not see the importance" of the French group's investment in Portugal and said that he senses that the government “does not like” the company that bought PT Portugal two years ago and currently is buying the company that owns Media Capital SA along with its significant Portuguese media assets.

Bans on certain activities that waste precious water have been imposed in fifteen council areas of the drought-struck Alentejo, especially in the Sado river basin.

Water consumption will have to be reduced immediately due to the drought across the country but is hitting the Alentejo hard and restrictions are now agreed.

Portugal’s verges are awash with glyphosate, 51,000 litres a year, according to environmentalist association, Zero.

With only slight progress being made with Portugal’s councils to limit the use of glyphosate organophosphates to kill weeds, Portugal’s national road and rail company is showing even less interest in banning the use of Roundup on the country's verges.