Madeira News Blog

(21st July). ‘Threat Of Italy Puts At Risk 30% Of The Companies In Madeira’s Business Centre’. This would be in the ‘Economy’, section, but there is no economy section today for some reason, and the Diário website seems to be having all sorts of problems and mix ups today. Will check again later, but this story continues from yesterday about the new law in Italy that considers Madeira to be a tax haven.

‘Armas With Capacity Sold Out In August – The 5 voyages anticipated for next month are already all sold’. The ferry will bring more than 5,000 tourists on the trips from Portimão in Portugal, to Madeira. The ferry owner Naviera Armas has even been considering putting on a second ferry, but no application has yet been made to the port authorities. 3,400 of the passengers will stop at Madeira, and another 2,000 will go on to the Canary Islands. 

In national news :

‘Electric Cars Give €5,000 – Sócrates announces financial incentives for electric cars’. The prime minister of Portugal announced yesterday that anyone who buys an electric car will receive €5,000 in incentives, or €6,500 if the person delivers their old car to be scrapped. Companies will also receive a 50% tax benefit. He also announced that he is preparing legislation that will compel new buildings to have recharging facilities for these cars in the garages.

(20th July). ‘Massages To Combat Aggression In Schools – Programme for children has come to Portugal’. Just 15 minutes of massage in the day to day routine of younger children, aged 4 to 12, but it could produce benefits for the rest of their lives. Massages given and received by children are part of a new international program to combat aggression in schools, that has now been initiated in Portugal. The programme was created by a Swedish woman and a French-Canadian woman, both professional masseurs, as well as mothers and educators. ‘Massage in Schools’ is being developed "with a huge success around the world" in schools and other places that care for children, to stimulate the capacity for learning, facilitate interpersonal relationships, and combat ‘bullying’ behaviour or threat of verbal or psychological aggression that occurs without apparent motivation. The massages are done clothed, and cover the head, back, arms and neck of the recipient. Adults will just teach the techniques but not actually deliver the massages. So have I got this right … some kid is getting a good kicking by another kid in the playground at school, and the victim, spitting blood, offers to give the bully a massage? Or does the victim in fact ask the bully  for a massage? Can anyone clarify?