Housing crisis: Only 300 properties available for rent in Dublin
While supply is becoming virtually nonexistent, rents are increasing faster than anytime in the last 16 years
The government is trying to be as proactive as possible in order to avoid a new wave and a lockdown
Many European governments are already weary of the pandemic impacts so they’re not taking chances. Case in point: Portugal, one of the countries with the highest rates of vaccinations is also experiencing a mild surge in COVID infections, so the authorities have decided to reimpose some social rules. What’s important for visitors to the Iberian country is that airlines will now ask for a negative COVID test, even if the passenger had been vaccinated.
These will be valid from 1 December and will likely continue into January, when the government has already announced that the first week of the new year should be one of “containment”. For that purpose, remote working will be mandatory in that period, and the return of the students to schools will be delayed by a week.
Vaccination works and the proof is in the statistics. Portugal reported 3,773 new cases on Wednesday, 24 November - the highest daily figure in four months. Deaths, however, have remained far below the levels seen in January, when the country faced its uphill battle against COVID-19.
Nevertheless, the government is aware that the pandemic is once again sweeping across Europe with the arrival of the colder weather and this time around they are being proactive in taking precautionary measures.
The Portuguese PM Antonio Costa announced that airlines will have to require proof of COVID-19 test (PCR or antigen) otherwise they can face a fine of 20,000 euros per passenger. This is regardless of whether the travellers are vaccinated or not.
Masks are once again compulsory indoors, however, vaccinated people will also need to show a negative test result to enter bars, nightclubs, hospitals and care homes. The EU digital certificates will be required in order to stay in hotels, dine indoors or go to the gym. The only exception is dining outdoors where no certificate will be requested.
The country’s health authorities have already started their mission to get booster shots to as many people as possible. The projected goal is to have 25% of the population getting the additional jab by end of January.
The local Senate has introduced a package of measures, aiming to curb municipal energy consumption
This is a brand new step in the internationalization strategy of the Italian state railway company plans to expand
The plant will be located in Debrecen, Hungary’s second-largest city
Greece is the only country that registered an increase, compared to numbers from July 2022
The flying machines will disperse seed balls in order to try to save the thin and sensitive soil from erosion in the autumn
If the system proves successful, authorities will scale it up to the rest of Dublin
This summer, the Iberian Peninsula has turned into a veritable tinder source ready for disaster
Greece is the only country that registered an increase, compared to numbers from July 2022
The name of the tactic is ‘targeted grazing’ – it feeds the animals and starves the wildfires
The monument will be a creative and literally moving sculpture called ‘Standing Waves’
The famous Zundert Corso returns on 4-5 September 2022
The service is provided free of charge, but like most public offices it’s closed during the weekends, so you might still be in a bit of a pickle
These will be spread across 11 EU countries and will serve to support the EU Missions
The European Commission has accepted to develop the idea
An interview about AYR, one of the 2021 New European Bauhaus Prize winners
A conversation with the President of the European Committee of the Regions, about energy, climate change and the underrated importance of cohesion policy
Interview with Herald Ruijters, Director, Directorate-General for Mobility and Transport (DG MOVE), European Commission
A conversation with the Mayor of Matosinhos, Portugal’s first UN Resilience Hub