https://music.youtube.com/watch?v=rmmjVIbBBhs&si=sxLB0Im8E3ZgkUTM

Olá bom dia alegria! If I had a newspaper reporting the news in Portugal, in English, I'd call it 'The Cockerel', for obvious reasons (I think). Hoping this finds you well this morning ... a few fun items ... starting with 'Dating in Portugal' – apps or real life? I had a fun and honest chat with Natasha Donn and Paul Rees recently, during our most recent weekly news review for The Resident, looking at how people actually meet and build relationships in Portugal. We are clearly 'old school' in our views that included the tactics of utilising the magic of daily life, our community, cafés, and “Bom Dia!” conversations to reel in that special fish. Unlike a growing and apparently unhappy bunch of Portuguese singles who have been complaining about apps like Tinder, Bumble, Cougarly and Plenty of Fish - https://www.portugalresident.com/dating-app-complaints-portugal-fake-profiles-scams/ 😍 What’s your experience of dating in Portugal? Apps or IRL? Drop your thoughts in the comments! More at 👉 www.youtube.com/@PortugalResident_newspaper where we're pushing hard to get over 1,000 subscribers. Next... Fancy a massive water fight? Thanks to @António Ferreira for the (wet) heads-up on this funtastic event happening in Lisbon this weekend where they're bracing for a summer soaking as Watergun Royale return with their "Luta Épica de Pistolas de Água" (Epic Water Gun Fight). The appropriately cooling and fluid-based fun will take place at Fonte Luminosa on Alameda Dom Afonso Henriques on Saturday, 4 July 2026. Running from 3pm to 5pm, the two-hour event invites participants of all ages to bring their own water guns and join what organisers are billing as the most epic splash-fight of the summer - a playful, family-friendly way to beat the July heat in one of the city's more scenic fountain settings.

From the Lisbon Letter: "Emergency telecommunications operators at Portugal's Civil Protection authority (Autoridade Nacional de Emergência e Proteção Civil) walked off the job yesterday, beginning a week-long strike. These are the people who coordinate the response when you call 112: dispatching fire crews, ambulances, search and rescue, and wildfire containment teams... The operators are demanding the creation of a dedicated professional career path ... The timing is hard to ignore. Portugal is in the middle of its fire season. The heatwave earlier this month pushed temperatures past 40°C in the interior. The Guarda Nacional Republicana (GNR) deployed 28 drones for wildfire detection. GALP invested €2.7 million in 25 fire stations. And now the people responsible for coordinating the initial emergency response are on strike, demanding basic career recognition." Read more and subscribe

From Paul Rees on Facebook: The government released this week the map of the Renewable Energy Acceleration Zones (ZAER). This document is a passport to the ill-designated green energy industry, occupying 7% of the national territory. This project is particularly injurious to the district of Castelo Branco where an area of approximately 100 thousand hectares is planned to be occupied. Three councils of the Pinhal zone (Sertã, Proença-Nova and Oleiros) are the most affected since the plan provides for the occupation of their territories by more than 35%. The impact of all this is terrifying, visually we are going to have a painted landscape of black and environmentally it is a catastrophe since the destruction of around 100 thousand hectares of vegetation (only in the Casetlo Branco district) implies the death of a huge number of birds and animals wilds contributing in this way to accelerate climate change. According to experts, the destruction of such a natural area will cause an increase in temperature, the rapid runoff of rainwater causing increased floods and not allowing underground aquifers to supply, decrease in oxygen percentage and consequently air quality, sterilisation of water soles for long years and a huge accumulation of scrap caused by the end of the life of the equipment used. Coming to fruition, this is one of the darkest plans Portugal has ever had, and before this the questions arise: is it necessary? Portugal really needs this? The answer is: No. According to it was released in September last year by Goldenergy citing data from Eurostat, Portugal already produces by the renewable system more than 86% of the energy it consumes, however, energy consumption in Portugal and the developed world is increasing alarmingly because of Data centers, Artificial Intelligence, etc. and our country is being targeted by the great multinationals of the energy sector to be sacrificed for the gross profits this industry will generate.

Hey! How are you doing? Is it HOT where you are? It's a beautiful day here in Sao Martinho do Porto (see pic), where a cool drink in the shade awaits you on our Marginal 😎 The Good Morning Portugal sabbatical continues as I develop both Portugal Talk Radio and the Portugal Foreigners' Forum, both of which are shaping up nicely. Have you been following Portugal's progress in the World Cup and has it been a useful way to connect with your local community? (See article) Herewith a selection of recent activity to inspire your best life here in Portugal, including: - @Bob Wenger's lovely insights on life in Portugal and 'Portuguese-ness' (more of these to follow) 👇 - Me, Natasha Donn & Paul Rees taking a look at recent news headlines 👇 - "I can help!" Lidia on NISS Numbers, integration & IEFP Portuguese language courses 👇 - Feeling thirsty and sun-kissed after a day on the beach? Here's @Johnny Cocktail's recipe for the perfect Porto Tónico 👇 Have a great weekend and thanks as ever for your continued support and interest. Please share revelations, milestones and any Portugal-related challenges that we can help with...