Madeira News Blog

International, Portugal & Madeira News from Paul Abbiati:

Events in Madeira this weekend include: Festa dos Compadres in Santana on Saturday and Sunday

link: http://www.dnoticias.pt/actualidade/madeira/305677-festa-dos-compadres-com-fim-de-semana-em-cheio

and Prazeres Gallery in Prazeres, Calheta: New exhibition inauguration Friday 7pm

Euro Windsurfing Championships in Madeira start 23 February 2012!

http://www.clubenavaldofunchal.com/files/Filer/RSx/Banner.jpg

link to official site: http://www.clubenavaldofunchal.com/Default.aspx?ID=401

More flights from Paris to Madeira Summer 2012

more details:

link to article: http://www.dnoticias.pt/impressa/diario/305572/economia/305688-transavia-anuncia-mais-voos-directos-de-paris

Madeira advertised on Paris Metro system

link:

http://www.anam.pt/files/billeder/ANAM/Imagens%20Newsletter%20Aviao/campanha%20paris.bmp

Casa das Mudas Architect wins another international award

Funchal based architect Paulo David wins another international architecture award. Paulo David’s works includes the award-winning international art centre in Calheta, Madeira, images above.

link to Diario article: http://www.dnoticias.pt/actualidade/madeira/305707-paulo-david-conquista-medalha-internacional

images of Casa das Mudas from arch daily.com

Dia Nacional do Vigilante da Natureza: 3 February, 2012

PM: there are reasons to believe that Portugal will not need a new bailout

From Portugal Daily View:

Interview with weekly newspaper ‘Sol’

“The Portuguese prime minister repeated that the country will not need to tap international lenders for more money as it plans to comply with the bailout demands – even if the situation in Europe is sharply deteriorating..”

Austerity measures implemented by the government were not responsible for the empoverishment of the country

“The prime minister also stated that he considered that the austerity measures implemented by the government were not responsible for the empoverishment of the country. “We were already poor. The truth is there were people who had not yet realised this and continued to live as if they were no longer poor”, he told Sol. “They lived, not from what they had, but from the credit they were given“, the Portuguese prime minister stated…”

link: http://www.portugaldailyview.com/

European Commissioner for Economic Affairs Olli Rehn said Thursday 2 February Portugal was making “good progress” in implementing the external bailout package, particularly in terms of budgetary sustainability and competitiveness.

“Despite recent high costs of borrowing, Portugal is progressing well”, Rehn said.

Investors keener on lending to Portugal

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TRwNUcafkSw&feature=player_embedded

Portugal’s government sells 40 percent stake in REN-Redes Energeticas Nacionais SA (RENE) for 592 million euros ($779 million) to State Grid International of China and Oman Oil Co

From Bloomberg:

Portugal’s government agreed to sell a 40 percent stake in REN-Redes Energeticas Nacionais SA (RENE) for 592 million euros ($779 million) to State Grid International of China and Oman Oil Co. to meet the terms of a bailout accord.

The price values REN, Portugal’s power and gas grid operator, at about 150 million euros above its market value, Secretary of State for Treasury and Finance Maria Luis Albuquerque said today. REN shares rose 0.7 percent to close at 2.091 euros in Lisbon, giving it a value of 1.12 billion euros.

http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2012-02-02/portugal-agrees-to-sell-ren-stake-for-592-million-euros-1-.html

Armas article in Portugal News:

http://www.theportugalnews.com/cgi-bin/article.pl?id=1150-7

Investors keener on lending to Portugal

All images from Diario Newspaper unless otherwise stated

International, Portugal & Madeira News from Paul Abbiati:

Contributions to the blog

Thanks to Peter and Admin for contributions in the comments section recently. Besides comments. all readers can contribute relevant International, National, local Madeira News in the comments section whether its an event on the island or on the mainland with a Madeira connection or a business story.

Calheta region: attractions

Students of The Universidade da Madeira (UMa) have been making films on the course Multimedia Animation Class. Here is one that has been posted on Youtube.

Film notes:

“This video briefly show how we can enjoy this beautiful place…”

“Calheta offers a great variety of attractions. These include monuments and museums to visit, beautiful and quiet places to relax or make a picnic, awesome places and conditions to do various sports, and viewpoint’s with wonderful landscapes…”

TRANSAVIA BOOSTS FREQUENCY IN PORTUGAL

From routes online.com

Dutch carrier Transavia is to boost frequencies on its domestic Portuguese route between Porto and Funchal in Madeira to meet additional peak summer demand.

The airline launched the route last summer 2011 on a four times weekly basis supported by the Fund for Investment in Tourism Promotion and co-funded by ANAM, the Regional Secretariat of Tourism and Transport and other private sector partners in the Autonomous Region of Madeira.

6 flights per week from April 2012

It increased its frequency to six flights per week from April this year. However, it now plans to introduce a seventh rotation between July 2 and August 27, with an additional Saturday flight. The route is also operated by TAP Portugal on an up to three times daily basis, but Transavia still carried more than 35,000 passengers during 2010, according to ANAM statistics, securing a 16 per cent share of the market. ANAM says Transavia is a key “strategic partner” for Madeira Airport.

Porto-Madeira route

“We welcome the introduction of an additional frequency on the route Porto-Madeira and we expect to increase the network of destinations with Transavia very soon,” it confirmed to The HUB.

source: http://www.routesonline.com/news/36/the-hub/112274/news-from-around-the-eurozone/

Tile game: Avenida Arriaga, Funchal

Portugal comfortably raised euro 1.5 billion ($1.97 billion) in a short-term debt auction Wednesday despite recent market jitters about its fiscal soundness

From CBS News: February 1st

link to full article: http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-505245_162-57369425/portugal-easily-raises-$2-billion-in-new-debt/

Lunch suggestion:Espetada pau de louro

from official Facebook Pages of Madeira Tourism

Fado Galas start 24th February at discoteca Molhe, na Pontinha, Funchal

First of 5 galas start 24th February at discoteca Molhe, na Pontinha with ‘Mil euros para o vencedor’ 1000 euro prize for the winner. Official poster below.

All sources and images from Diario Newspaper unless otherwise stated

International, Portugal & Madeira News from Paul Abbiati:

MTV Portugal casting in Madeira

MTV Portugal casting in Madeira with VJs including Diogo Dias, o primeiro VJ da MTV Portugal.

From dia 13 de Fevereiro, the ‘caça ao talento’ –the nationwide hunt for
talent will begin.

Madeira MTV castings: Fórum Madeira : 15 – 20 de Maio

The hunt will include Madeira with castings at Fórum Madeira.

Concert Tuesday evening 9pm Funchal salão nobre of City Hall

titled: ‘Cinco Ventos’ by The Madeira Wind Quintet of the OCM

Festa da Flor: 20 e 21 de Abril, Funchal, Madeira

Russian Ballet returning for Festa da Flor

Professional Russian ballet dancers of the The Mariinsky Ballet will return to Madeira in April 2012 to make 2 performances during the Festa da Flor after the success of their performances in Madeira over Xmas 2011 and New Year 2012

link to Diario article: http://www.dnoticias.pt/impressa/diario/304938/5-sentidos/304983-ballet-russo-regressa-para-a-festa-da-flor

Volunteer work in Madeira; Young people to help pensioners; ‘GICO’ – Geração Imaculado em Companhia;

Inspired by the European Year of Intergenerational Dialogue a group of youths aged between 15 and 31 from different backgrounds all resident in the freguesia Imaculado Coração de Maria want to demonstrate that Volunteer work is one of the best ways to remedy problems caused by the financial crisis and reduce the loneliness and isolation of the third generation. In the freguesia 21,3% of the population are more than 65

‘GICO’ – Geração Imaculado em Companhia

The group which will be known as ‘GICO’ – Geração Imaculado em Companhia are planning to start in the Spring and add to other volunteer projects already existing that help remedy social problems caused by the financial crisis

link to article in the Diario: http://www.dnoticias.pt/impressa/diario/304938/madeira/304964-vinte-jovens-vao-combater-a-solidao-da-terceira-idade

St Valentines Coral beer

Portugal’s plight needs to be addressed within weeks rather than months

FT Tuesday article title:

Portuguese debt looms over Europe

Portugal’s plight needs to be addressed within weeks rather than months

“If it cannot return to bond markets next year, it will need a second infusion of emergency EU-IMF help.

António Saraiva, president of the CIP, the nation’s business confederation, estimates that Portugal will need an additional €30bn. But the big question is whether even this extra aid would avert a debt write-off.

The euro’s future may depend on the answer…”

http://www.ft.com/intl/cms/s/0/d2ab9c9a-4bfd-11e1-98dd-00144feabdc0.html#axzz1l2o6a1Hx

Mystery shopper

Dog surveillance

Recent ‘Flagrante’ sections of the Diario newspaper

All sources and images from Diario Newspaper unless otherwise stated