Latest news with #Expresso
LeMonde
16-05-2025
- Politics
- LeMonde
Portugal's far right leads among youth ahead of legislative elections
On the eve of the legislative elections, taking place on Sunday, May 18, in Portugal, the far right is leading among young people aged 18 to 24. According to a poll by the weekly Expresso, published on May 11, the party Chega ("enough") would gather 23% of the voting intentions in this age group, equal to the ruling center-right coalition led by the outgoing prime minister, Luis Montenegro (Partido Social Democrata, PSD, center-right). "The rise in votes for the far-right party Chega is a sign of the end of the anti-authoritarian political culture that has prevailed in Portugal since the end [in 1974] of the regime of [Antonio de Oliveira] Salazar. After 50 years of democracy, young people have lost the memory of the dictatorship," observed historian and political scientist Antonio Costa Pinto, a professor at the Institute of Social Sciences at the University of Lisbon. The snap elections, organized after the failure of the confidence motion presented by Montenegro, who has been surrounded by suspicions of conflicts of interest, could thus allow the far right to replicate the record result it achieved in the last elections and solidify its position as the third party. In March 2024, Chega obtained 18% of the votes and 50 of the 230 seats in the Portuguese parliament − 11 points more than in 2022 and 17 more than in 2019, when it burst onto the Portuguese political scene.
The Citizen
13-05-2025
- Entertainment
- The Citizen
‘Bursting times three': Amber Heard announces birth of her twins
Amber is now a proud mother of three. After months of Instagram hiatus, American actress Amber Heard has returned with a surprise announcement. The actress revealed that she has welcomed twins — a baby boy named Ocean and a baby girl named Agnes. Sharing the exciting news, Heard posted a photo of her newborns and reflected on her journey to motherhood. 'Today, I officially share the news that I welcomed twins into the Heard gang. My daughter Agnes and my son Ocean are keeping my hands (and my heart) full,' she wrote. ALSO READ: 'I love that we don't have to share': Former 'Expresso' host Zoë Brown and husband welcome twins Amber Heard on overcoming fertility challenges She added that becoming a mother despite fertility challenges has been one of the most humbling experiences of her life. 'I thought I couldn't possibly burst with more joy. Well, now I am bursting times three! Becoming a mother by myself and on my own terms, despite my own fertility challenges, has been the most humbling experience of my life.' In 2021, Heard became a mother for the first time, welcoming her daughter Oonagh. She said the arrival of the twins has completed the family she has been trying to build for years. 'I am eternally grateful that I was able to choose this responsibly and thoughtfully. To all the mums, wherever you are today and however you got here, my dream family and I are celebrating with you. Love always,' Heard added. NOW READ: 'I will continue to pursue legal recourse': Minnie Dlamini breaks silence after MacG's apology
The National
29-04-2025
- Business
- The National
Pictures show chaotic power cut aftermath in Spain, Portugal and France
The outage hit Madrid, Barcelona, Valencia, and Seville in Spain, as well as Lisbon in Portugal, knocking out subway networks, phone lines, traffic lights and ATM machines. Spanish generator Red Electrica said the incident had affected the Iberian peninsula and is being assessed. Such a widespread outage is rare. The Portuguese Cabinet convened an emergency meeting at the prime minister's residence, and Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez visited Red Electrica to follow efforts to restore power to the grid. The countries have a combined population of more 50 million people, but it was not immediately clear how many were affected. Spain's public broadcaster, RTVE, said a major power outage hit several regions of the country just after midday local time, leaving its newsroom, Spain's parliament in Madrid and subway stations across the country in the dark. This is what a power outage in Europe looks like: subways and airports are down, and the streets are in chaos. According to the latest information, the power outage affected not only Spain and Portugal, but also parts of France, the Netherlands, and Belgium. What exactly… — Jürgen Nauditt 🇩🇪🇺🇦 (@jurgen_nauditt) April 28, 2025 A graph on Spain's electricity network website showing demand across the country indicated a steep drop at around 12.15pm from 27,500MW to near 15,000MW. A couple of hours later, Spain's electricity network operator said it was recovering power in the north and south of the peninsula, which would help to progressively restore the electricity supply nationwide. In Portugal, a country of some 10.6 million people, the outage hit the capital, Lisbon, and surrounding areas, as well as northern and southern parts of the country. Portugal's government said the incident appeared to stem from problems outside the country, an official told national news agency Lusa. 'It looks like it was a problem with the distribution network, apparently in Spain. It's still being ascertained,' Cabinet Minister Leitao Amaro was quoted as saying. The empty center court is seen during a general power blackout during Day Seven of the Mutua Madrid Open at La Caja Magica Portuguese distributor E-Redes said the outage was due to 'a problem with the European electricity system', according to Portuguese newspaper Expresso. The company said it was compelled to cut power in specific areas to stabilise the network, according to Expresso. E-Redes said parts of France also were affected. Several Lisbon subway cars were evacuated, reports said. Also in Portugal, courts stopped work and ATMs and electronic payment systems were affected. Traffic lights in Lisbon stopped working. It was not possible to make calls on mobile phone networks, though some apps were working.
Los Angeles Times
28-04-2025
- Politics
- Los Angeles Times
Major power outage in Spain and Portugal knocks out subway networks, traffic lights, ATMs
BARCELONA, Spain — A blackout brought much of Spain and Portugal to a standstill Monday, halting subway and railway trains, cutting phone service and shutting down traffic lights and ATMs for millions of people across the Iberian Peninsula. Spanish power distributor Red Eléctrica said that restoring power fully to the country and neighboring Portugal could take six to 10 hours. By mid-afternoon, voltage was progressively being restored in the north, south and west of the peninsula, the company said. The company declined to speculate on the causes of the huge blackout. The Portuguese National Cybersecurity Center issued a statement saying there was no sign the outage was due to a cyberattack. Eduardo Prieto, head of operations at Red Eléctrica, told journalists it was unprecedented, calling the event 'exceptional and extraordinary.' The outage hit across Spain and Portugal, including their capitals, Madrid and Lisbon. Offices closed and traffic was snarled as traffic lights stopped working. It was not possible to make calls on some mobile phone networks, though some apps were working. In Barcelona, residents walked into stores searching for battery-powered radios and civilians directed traffic at junctions along the Gran Via avenue that cuts through the city. The countries have a combined population of about 60 million people. It was not immediately clear how many were affected. It is rare to have such a widespread outage across the Iberian Peninsula. Spain's Canary Islands, Balearic Islands and the territories of Ceuta and Melilla, located across the Mediterranean in Africa, were not affected by the outage. Authorities said the cause was not immediately known, though one Portuguese official said the problem appeared to be with the electricity distribution network in Spain. Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez convened an extraordinary meeting of Spain's National Security Council and visited Red Eléctrica to follow efforts at restoring grid operations. Portuguese Prime Minister Luis Montenegro said he has spoken several times to Sanchez and expected power to be restored by the end of the day The Portuguese Cabinet convened an emergency meeting at the prime minister's residence. Portugal's government said the outage appeared to stem from problems outside the country, an official told national news agency Lusa. 'It looks like it was a problem with the distribution network, apparently in Spain. It's still being ascertained,' Cabinet Minister Leitão Amaro was quoted as saying. Portuguese distributor E-Redes said the outage was due to 'a problem with the European electricity system,' according to Portuguese newspaper Expresso. The company said it was compelled to cut power in specific areas to stabilize the network, according to Expresso. The blackout is the second serious European power outage in less than six weeks after a March 20 fire shut down Heathrow Airport in the U.K. and comes as authorities across Europe gird against sabotage backed by Russia. While the causes of the Iberian blackout were still being investigated, Teresa Ribera, European Commission executive vice president in charge of promoting clean energy, told Spanish journalists in Brussels there were no indications of a cyberattack in Monday's power outage. which she described as 'one of the most serious episodes recorded in Europe in recent times.' Spain's public broadcaster RTVE said a major power outage hit several regions of the country just after midday local time, leaving its newsroom, Spain's parliament in Madrid and subway stations across the country without power. A graph on Spain's electricity network website showing demand across the country indicated a steep drop around 12:15 p.m. from 27,500 megawatts to near 15,000 megawatts. Spanish airports were operating on backup electrical systems and some flights were delayed, according to Aena, the company that runs 56 airports in Spain including Madrid and Barcelona. In Lisbon, terminals closed and throngs of tourists sat outside in the sun and the shade waiting for news about their flights. 'We haven't seen any plane arriving or departing in the 50 minutes we've been waiting here,' Dutch tourist Marc Brandsma told the Associated Press. Train services in both countries ground to a halt. Video aired on Spanish television showed people evacuating metro stations in Madrid and empty stations with trains stopped in Barcelona. Spanish Transportation Minister Oscar Puente posted on X that it wouldn't be possible to restart trains later Monday, even if the power returned The Spanish Parliament in Madrid closed, and play at the Madrid Open tennis tournament was suspended. Three matches were underway when power went down. Spain's traffic department asked citizens to avoid using their cars as much as possible due to the power outage, which has affected traffic lights and electrical road signage. Barcelona's streets filled with throngs of people on sidewalks, milling about in front of darkened stores and offices and exchanging information on what had happened. Immediate concerns were which phone companies still had at least some spotty coverage, or where internet access might be found. Another concern was how to get home with the subway shut and public buses packed. Some took advantage of the lack of connectivity and transportation to enjoy the sunshine on restaurant terraces. In Terrassa, an industrial town 30 miles from Barcelona, stores selling generators were out of stock after people lined up to buy them. In Portugal, a country of some 10.6 million people, the outage hit Lisbon and surrounding areas, as well as northern and southern parts. Portuguese police placed more officers on duty to direct traffic and cope with increased requests for help, including from people trapped in elevators. Hospitals and other emergency services in both Spain and Portugal switched to generators. Gas stations stopped working. Portugal's National Authority for Emergencies and Civil Protection said backup power systems were operating. Several Lisbon subway cars were evacuated, reports said. Also in Portugal, courts stopped work and ATMs and electronic payment systems were affected. Brito and Hatton write for the Associated Press. Hatton reported from Lisbon. Joe Wilson in Barcelona and Emma Burrows in London contributed to this report.
Yahoo
28-04-2025
- Yahoo
Everything currently broken in Spain and Portugal's mass power outage
Spain and Portugal have been hit by a nationwide power outage affecting almost all areas in the neighbouring European nations. Cities including Madrid, Barcelona, Lisbon and more have been left without internet and electricity since around 12:30pm BST, prompting widespread disruption as millions are affected. Spanish electricity grid operator Red Electrica has confirmed that it is aware of the power outages and says it is working to 'gradually' resolve the issue, although reports indicate it is working to a timeframe of six to ten hours. Spanish prime minister Pedro Sánchez has visited the operator's headquarters to assess the situation, government sources have said. Data from the Red Electrica website shows demand across the country plummeted at around 12.15pm from 27,500MW to near 15,000MW. The operator has not yet confirmed why the drop has occurred. Mr Sanchez's office commented: 'The government is working to identify the origin of this incident and dedicating all possible resources to resolve it as quickly as possible.'Portuguese distributor E-Redes, meanwhile, says the outage was due to "a problem with the European electricity system," according to national newspaper Expresso, saying: 'this is a wider European problem.' Across the two countries, public transport, roads and buildings have all been hit as events region-wide have been disrupted or cancelled. Here are all the impacts still being felt as Portugal and Spain grapple with the power outage: Critical issues with signalling systems due to the power outage has meant trains and metro systems across Portugal and Spain have had to suspend operations. People in cities and towns are unable to set out on their planned travels, while many found their journeys disrupted mid-route. In Barcelona, emergency teams were deployed to evacuate passengers from seven metro trains that were trapped inside tunnels for at least two hours, Spanish newspaper Cadena Ser reports. Footage shared by a metro user in the southern Spanish city Malaga showed passengers inside a metro tunnel walking to safety after being forced to disembark the service. Authorities in Spain are also grappling with the confusion caused on roads by a mass failure of integral signalling devices like traffic lights. Spain's Directorate-General for Traffic (DGT) has asked citizens to avoid travel where possibly, and urging extreme caution for those who still need to travel. Writing on social media the body said: 'Due to the power outage, we ask that you avoid driving as much as possible. The power outage prevents traffic lights and road signs from working. Avoid moving as much as possible and be very careful on the road.' Reports also indicate that charging stations for electric vehicles and petrol fuel pumps are both out of service across both nations. Spanish airports are operating on backup electrical systems and some flights are delayed, according to Aena, the company that runs 56 airports in Spain including Madrid and Barcelona. In the UK, dozens of flights have been cancelled to Spanish and Portuguese destinations, with fears that thousands of passengers could be affected if power is not restored soon. The power outage has also left people in Spain and Portugal stuck without internet and services which require online access to run, like ATM machines and card payments. Phone signal has also reportedly been lost in some parts of the two countries, leaving people with no methods of communication as they try to navigate the ongoing situation. Local media has described panic amongst parents who have struggled to get in touch with their children's schools due to the issue. Security concerns have prompted authorities to evacuate public buildings en masse across the two nations, in scenes likely unprecedented to most citizens. Essential utilities like elevators, lights, and air conditioning have stopped working in many buildings, causing health and safety concerns. Government and business buildings in Madrid have also been evacuated. A heavy police presence reported around key buildings like the Spanish capital's Cuatro Torres business area, the location of a tower which houses the British Embassy. Most hospitals are currently operating on back-up generator power, reports indicate, meaning essential health services requiring electricity have been able to continue. The Madrid Open was forced to suspend play shortly after the power outage as the major tennis tournament was unable to record scores or ensure spectator and player safety. An ongoing match between Grigor Dimitrov and his British opponent Jacob Fearnley was forced to stop as scoreboards went dark and overhead cameras lost power. A spidercam was also left hanging too close to the court. The ATP said in a statement: 'Two singles matches and one doubles match at the ATP Masters 1000 event were underway when power was lost at 12:34 pm local time.'
