Latest news with #LuisMontenegro
New Straits Times
a day ago
- Climate
- New Straits Times
Portugal battles to contain wildfires
LISBON: Almost 2,700 firefighters battled Tuesday to contain forest blazes across Portugal that have led to almost the whole country being put on high alert for fires. Seventeen major fires blazed with the most serious in the centre and north of the country. Some 750 firefighters sought to control a blaze in a eucalyptus forest in the Arouca municipality of central Portugal. "This is currently the fire on which we are concentrating all efforts and reinforcements," Mario Silvestre, head of the National Authority for Civil Protection, told a press conference. Hundreds more battled a blaze near the central town of Penamacor and one on a mountain at Ponte da Barca near the northern border with Spain. Four Spanish water carrying planes joined the effort on Monday. "We are experiencing a difficult moment," Prime Minister Luis Montenegro said after visiting the national emergency service headquarters. In all, 26 firefighting aircraft were in the air, civil protection officials said. Some 20 people, including 14 firefighters, were treated for minor injuries. The Ponte da Barca fire, which started on Saturday, forced the evacuation of some people to a local church and burnt nearly 2,000 hectares (5,000 acres) of land, according to preliminary estimates. Authorities said the fires could worsen in coming days because of the heat. "The only factor that we will be able to control in the coming days ... is human behaviour," said Silvestre. Like many countries, Portugal faces wildfires every summer. Experts say climate change is increasing the frequency and intensity of droughts and fires around the world.
France 24
a day ago
- Climate
- France 24
Portugal battles to contain wildfires
Seventeen major fires blazed with the most serious in the centre and north of the country. Some 750 firefighters sought to control a blaze in a eucalyptus forest in the Arouca municipality of central Portugal. "This is currently the fire on which we are concentrating all efforts and reinforcements," Mario Silvestre, head of the National Authority for Civil Protection, told a press conference. Hundreds more battled a blaze near the central town of Penamacor and one on a mountain at Ponte da Barca near the northern border with Spain. Four Spanish water carrying planes joined the effort on Monday. "We are experiencing a difficult moment," Prime Minister Luis Montenegro said after visiting the national emergency service headquarters. In all, 26 firefighting aircraft were in the air, civil protection officials said. Some 20 people, including 14 firefighters, were treated for minor injuries. The Ponte da Barca fire, which started on Saturday, forced the evacuation of some people to a local church and burnt nearly 2,000 hectares (5,000 acres) of land, according to preliminary estimates. Authorities said the fires could worsen in coming days because of the heat. Like many countries, Portugal faces wildfires every summer. Experts say climate change is increasing the frequency and intensity of droughts and fires around the world.
News.com.au
a day ago
- Climate
- News.com.au
Portugal battles to contain wildfires
Almost 2,700 firefighters battled Tuesday to contain forest blazes across Portugal that have led to almost the whole country being put on high alert for fires. Seventeen major fires blazed with the most serious in the centre and north of the country. Some 750 firefighters sought to control a blaze in a eucalyptus forest in the Arouca municipality of central Portugal. "This is currently the fire on which we are concentrating all efforts and reinforcements," Mario Silvestre, head of the National Authority for Civil Protection, told a press conference. Hundreds more battled a blaze near the central town of Penamacor and one on a mountain at Ponte da Barca near the northern border with Spain. Four Spanish water carrying planes joined the effort on Monday. "We are experiencing a difficult moment," Prime Minister Luis Montenegro said after visiting the national emergency service headquarters. In all, 26 firefighting aircraft were in the air, civil protection officials said. Some 20 people, including 14 firefighters, were treated for minor injuries. The Ponte da Barca fire, which started on Saturday, forced the evacuation of some people to a local church and burnt nearly 2,000 hectares (5,000 acres) of land, according to preliminary estimates. Authorities said the fires could worsen in coming days because of the heat. "The only factor that we will be able to control in the coming days ... is human behaviour," said Silvestre. Like many countries, Portugal faces wildfires every summer. Experts say climate change is increasing the frequency and intensity of droughts and fires around the world. lf-gv/jxb
Yahoo
2 days ago
- Climate
- Yahoo
Portugal battles to contain wildfires
Almost 2,700 firefighters battled Tuesday to contain forest blazes across Portugal that have led to almost the whole country being put on high alert for fires. Seventeen major fires blazed with the most serious in the centre and north of the country. Some 750 firefighters sought to control a blaze in a eucalyptus forest in the Arouca municipality of central Portugal. "This is currently the fire on which we are concentrating all efforts and reinforcements," Mario Silvestre, head of the National Authority for Civil Protection, told a press conference. Hundreds more battled a blaze near the central town of Penamacor and one on a mountain at Ponte da Barca near the northern border with Spain. Four Spanish water carrying planes joined the effort on Monday. "We are experiencing a difficult moment," Prime Minister Luis Montenegro said after visiting the national emergency service headquarters. In all, 26 firefighting aircraft were in the air, civil protection officials said. Some 20 people, including 14 firefighters, were treated for minor injuries. The Ponte da Barca fire, which started on Saturday, forced the evacuation of some people to a local church and burnt nearly 2,000 hectares (5,000 acres) of land, according to preliminary estimates. Authorities said the fires could worsen in coming days because of the heat. "The only factor that we will be able to control in the coming days ... is human behaviour," said Silvestre. Like many countries, Portugal faces wildfires every summer. Experts say climate change is increasing the frequency and intensity of droughts and fires around the world. lf-gv/jxb
Reuters
17-07-2025
- Business
- Reuters
Portugal to push ahead with promised corporate tax cuts, PM says
LISBON, July 17 (Reuters) - Portugal's minority government will present a bill that would gradually cut the corporate tax rate to 17% by 2028 from 20% now, aiming to improve business competitiveness and boost investment, Prime Minister Luis Montenegro said on Thursday. In keeping with the centre-right ruling coalition's electoral promise and following a one-percentage-point cut this year approved by the previous legislature, the bill would trim one percentage point off the tax rate in each year between 2026 and 2028. The cabinet should approve the bill on Friday, Montenegro said. "This opens a new cycle of tax attractiveness for Portugal ... to strengthen investment with incentives for our entrepreneurs," Montenegro told lawmakers, adding that it would also improve workers' conditions. Business owners have long complained about stifling corporate tax rates, which reach more than 30% when state and municipal taxes are added, representing the second-highest rate in the European Union, according to international think-tank Tax Foundation. The bill is likely to be approved by parliament later with support from the far-right Chega party, which has advocated a substantial tax cut for companies. Chega became the main opposition party after a parliamentary election in May that gave Montenegro's Democratic Alliance a new term.
