Mass testing to end
Peak this week?
Press agency Lusa reports that Madeira will end the mass weekly testing for Covid-19 when the daily number of cases drops to less than 1,000, according to the Regional President Miguel ............
Strong Seas begin to impact
Lido submerged and stopovers abandoned
JM reports that the swimming pools of the Complexo Balnear do Lido are now completely submerged due to the strong sea turmoil recorded since yesterday, mainly on the south coast of Madeira.
This same reason led management company FrenteMar Funchal to ............
Sea levels change in Portugal due to Tonga volcano
20cm change recorded in Funchal
Expresso, on the mainland, reports that Portugal recorded changes in sea level due to the eruption of the Tonga volcano.
The greatest changes were registered in the Azores, with the phenomenon also being observed in Madeira and in the Peniche area.
The tsunami triggered by the eruption of a volcano ............
Queen Mary doomed?
… whilst Queen Mary 2 goes missing
Jaime has been in touch to point out that Queen Mary 2 was due to call in Funchal this Tuesday, so after a couple of years of not visiting Funchal, she was about to call twice in just over a month – on a stopover en route Southampton to the Eastern Caribbean before a return crossing to the Canary ............
Madeira prepared for 4th vaccine
Soldiers moved from corvette to hotel
JM reports that 40% of the population has already received the third dose of the vaccine, a percentage that satisfies Regional Secretary of Health and Civil Protection, Pedro Ramos, but the secretary ............
Madeira approves minimum wage
Minimum monthly wage now €723
The Portugal News and press agency last week reported that the Council of the Government of Madeira has set the value of the minimum wage, or monthly salary, in the region at €723, an increase of €41 compared to 2001, when the value was €682, which itself was €31.12 more than in 2020.
This ............
Weather warnings issued
Strong winds predicted
Following on from yesterday’s post predicting a poor spell of weather over the coming days, the Captaincy of the Port of Funchal informs that it has received, from the Portuguese Weather Institute, IPMA, ............
Weather update
Change ahead?
In my absence, Jaime has kindly provided a weather update “live” from the Old Town in Funchal where he reports that the weather has been great for the last two days BUT it’s going to change as the sea is getting very rough here today (Saturday) and an unsettled week ahead is forecast.
Jaime ............
Outermost Regions join forces
Azores and Madeira identify agricultural crisis
JM reports that the Outermost Regions of Portugal have joined forces, with the Regional Government of the Azores, together with the Madeiran executive, sending a letter to the Minister of Agriculture, requesting “urgent and adequate responses to the increase in production costs in the agricultural ............
New landmark in Santo António
Statue of Mother Virgínia Brites takes prime position
JM reports that a statue of Mother Virgínia Brites has been placed in the roundabout of the parish of Santo António, in Funchal, noted as the birthplace of one Cristiano Ronaldo. The new roundabout has been gradually taking shape over the last few months at the end of the main road coming up into ............
Socialists close to an absolute majority
Poll looks promising for Costa
Press agency dpa-international report from mainland Portugal that Socialist Prime Minister Antonio Costa can hope to win an absolute majority of seats in parliament for the first time in the new elections on January 30.
According to a survey published on Thursday by the Catholic University in ............
Woke Word
PC alternatives suggested by software
Nothing to do with Madeira, but in a sign of the woke times that I for one abhor, Microsoft has introduced a political correctness tool to help users make their writing more “inclusive”.
The BBC reports that the new Word feature, which is also on some of Microsoft’s web-based applications, will ............
Covid: more than 2,000 daily cases
Positive cases move to new high
Madeira yesterday announced another record number of new positive cases of COVID-19 recorded in the previous 24 hours, with a total of 2,166 infected. 51 of these are imported with the balance of 2115 being attributed to local transmission. The epidemiological bulletin reports 1,544 recovered, so ............
Queen Elizabeth returns
50 years after fire sank predecessor
Resident nautical expert Jaime is another reader getting tired of never-ending Coronavirus stories, He noted that this Friday (14th) the present cruise ship Queen Elizabeth is due to make another visit to Funchal and he put ............
Grupo Sousa sells Luamar
Ferpinta buys landmark Porto Santo hotel
The Diario reports that the sale of Aparthotel Luamar, the four-star hotel located on the island of Porto Santo, and owned since June 1992 by ............
Covid lab leak theory silenced
Likely that Covid accidentally leaked from a laboratory
Lab leak likely: The Telegraph reports online last night that leading British and US scientists thought it was likely that Covid accidentally leaked from a laboratory but were concerned that further debate would harm science in China, emails show.
An email from Sir Jeremy Farrar, director ............
Booster integrated into vaccination certificate
EU certificate valid 9 months
The Diario reports that the vaccine booster dose has already been integrated into the vaccination certificates, which are now valid for nine months, according to the Directorate-General for Health (DGS). According to the ............
State worries Albuquerque
Regional President preoccupied with national matters
JM reports that in the antechamber of the Legislative Councils, the president of the PSD-M Miguel Albuquerque yesterday sent Rui Rio, president of the Social Democratic party a reminder from Madeira. Albuquerque is concerned about the ‘slowly ............
TAP world’s 5th safest airline
World’s safest airlines named
Thanks to Maurice for a link to the Express and an article entitled: “The world’s safest airline has been named – which came top?” TAP wasn’t top – but it still came in the top 5. The newspaper comments that travel may currently be more complicated than before due to the ............
Mass testing could end soon
… as cases stabilize
JM report that the Government of Madeira will assess this week the need to continue massively testing the population each week, after health authorities foresee a stabilization in the number of cases, said the sector secretary today.
“We will see if there is a need to continue with massive testing ............
Confusion over Madeira entry requirements
uk.gov website misleading
Confusion reigns after a copy blog incorrectly announced that negative tests are now an entry requirement for Madeira. This blog has received a number of requests for clarification. The requirement for a negative test is not the case, as the Autonomous Region has always set different entry requirements ............
562 people rescued by the Portuguese Navy
420 maritime search and rescue actions in 2021
Thanks to Jaime for a link to the Portugal News and the story that the Portuguese Navy coordinated during 2021, 420 maritime search and rescue actions and rescued a total of 562 people from the sea. As Jaime notes, at last, a story that is not Covid related!
According to a note published on the Navy’s ............
Drug addiction support reaches 500
Lourdes Castro passes away
JM leads with a report that the program to fight drug addiction now helps 500 people in Madeira. Over the years there have been a number of reports on this blog featuring the growing number of drug users on the island.
Some are housed in the hospital at Marmeleiros, whilst others take their dose of ............
TAP to operate 10 flights per day
TAP reverses planned cutbacks in the Region
JM report the good news that the national carrier TAP’s plans for this year have reversed the forecast of a drastic cut in air connections. TAP reveals to JM that it will ensure a daily flight to Porto Santo, two to Porto and seven to Lisbon. TAP will operate some trips with smaller ............