The Madeira archipelago has been severely impacted by Depression Emilia, bringing strong winds, heavy rain, and high seas. The adverse weather led to over 300 incidents, including fallen trees and power lines, and caused the cancellation of more than 180 flights at Madeira Airport, affecting thousands of passengers and disrupting maritime connections.
Portuguese authorities have arrested eight individuals, including officials from the Vinho Verde wine commission and wine producers, in a large-scale fraud probe dubbed 'Operation Puro Verde'. The investigation centers on alleged corruption, document falsification, and abuse of power compromising the integrity of the region's wines.
Portugal has updated its cybercrime law, introducing exemptions for security researchers and ethical hackers. Published on December 4, the amendment creates a legal safe harbor for good-faith vulnerability discovery under strict conditions, aiming to bolster national cybersecurity.
The extensive modernization of Terminal 2 at Lisbon's Humberto Delgado Airport is finished, with official government inauguration scheduled for January. The project, led by ANA - Aeroportos de Portugal, aims to significantly enhance passenger experience and operational capacity, doubling its pre-pandemic throughput to 8 million passengers annually.
The Portuguese government has approved a new regime for the return of illegal immigrants, significantly increasing detention periods to up to 540 days and extending re-entry bans for forcibly removed individuals to 20 years. The measure aims to curb irregular migration and prevent the use of Portugal as a gateway to Europe.
Portugal is at risk of violating new European Union expenditure control rules, with projections indicating net expenditure growth exceeding recommended limits for 2025 and 2026. This could trigger an 'Excessive Deficit Procedure' by the European Commission, despite the country's overall budget balance being close to EU recommendations.
The Police Professionals Trade Union Association (ASPP/PSP) has strongly criticized 'political pressure' and 'inexplicable interference' regarding persistent delays at Lisbon Airport. The union refutes blame for long waiting times, attributing them instead to inadequate infrastructure, new technology, and commercial priorities over border security, while airport management denies the accusations.
Portugal is preparing for a nationwide general strike on December 11, 2025, called by the CGTP and UGT unions to protest proposed labor law reforms. The Minister of Labour, Maria do Rosário Palma Ramalho, expects minimum services to be guaranteed across vital sectors, acknowledging potential widespread disruption, particularly in aviation.
The Portuguese municipalities of Portimão and Lagoa have been officially selected to host the 4th Mediterranean Beach Games in 2027, scheduled from September 11 to 18. The decision, made by the International Committee of Mediterranean Games, highlights the Algarve region's capacity to deliver a premier international sporting event.
His Highness the Aga Khan commenced an official visit to Portugal from December 1 to 4, 2025, at the invitation of President Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa. The visit underscores the robust, long-standing partnership between the Ismaili Imamat and Portugal, focusing on continued collaboration and engagement with the Ismaili community.
Portugal's largest police union, ASPP/PSP, has ceased pay negotiations with the government, citing 'insufficient' proposals regarding salary scales, supplements, and evaluation regulations. The union's president, Paulo Santos, announced plans for protest actions after the government's offer of a minimal increase of €3-€7 per month was rejected. This follows a previous agreement from July 2024 that unions claim has not been fully honored.
The Portuguese cities of Porto and Faro are actively campaigning for direct air links from Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, aiming to attract high-spending Saudi tourists. This initiative seeks to overcome current connectivity challenges and aligns with Portugal's tourism growth strategy and Saudi Arabia's Vision 2030 goals.
Eleven law enforcement officers, including ten from the National Republican Guard (GNR) and one from the Public Security Police (PSP), have been arrested in Portugal. They face charges including human trafficking, aiding illegal immigration, forgery, tax fraud, and money laundering, stemming from an alleged scheme exploiting immigrant agricultural workers.
Portuguese authorities, in a multi-national operation dubbed 'Renascer,' have intercepted two fishing vessels carrying nearly eight tons of cocaine on the high seas between Madeira and the Azores. Ten foreign nationals were arrested in what is described as the largest ever cocaine apprehension by Portuguese forces. The operation involved extensive naval and air assets.
Portugal has pledged EUR 50,000 to the United Nations World Food Programme (WFP) to enhance child nutrition and promote sustainable agriculture in Lesotho. This funding will support school meals, local food production, and agricultural training for nearly 1,000 children in the Berea district and 72 schools.
Portugal's largest airport union, SITAVA, is considering strikes at major airports in late December. The action stems from uncertainty over workers' futures following a ground handling license tender won by a Spanish consortium, displacing Menzies Aviation, and ongoing disputes over wages and working conditions.
Portugal's Court of Auditors has identified irregularities in more than 20 contracts under the Recovery and Resilience Plan (PRR), forwarding these cases for financial responsibility assessment. The detected issues were not 'ex post' correctable, prompting further investigation by the Public Prosecutor. The Court's president, Filipa Calvão, emphasized that the institution's oversight is not responsible for PRR execution delays.
Storm Claudia has brought torrential rain, strong winds, and rough seas to Portugal since Wednesday, November 12th, 2025. The severe weather has resulted in two fatalities, five displaced persons, over 900 incidents including widespread flooding and fallen trees, and power outages affecting thousands of households in districts like Lisbon and Setúbal.
Lisbon's Web Summit 2025, drawing over 70,000 attendees, is addressing the significant shift in the global technology landscape. Speakers, including founder Paddy Cosgrave, emphasized the fading dominance of Western tech, with Asian innovators, particularly China in AI and robotics, and other emerging regions taking a leading role.
A moderate earthquake, initially reported at magnitude 4.1 and later revised to 3.9, struck near Angra do Heroismo, Azores, on Thursday, November 6, 2025. The shallow quake was widely felt across Terceira Island but caused no significant damage.
