Spain, Portugal hit by winter drought
In central Portugal, a sustained drought has revealed the ruins of a village that was totally submerged underwater when a large reservoir was created nearly 70 years ago. “I have…
In Portugal, trust in China is the art of the deal
Utility company EDP may balk at the meagre 5 percent premium offered for its shares by China Three Gorges (CTG) but the battle for Portugal's biggest business has largely played…
With no one at helm, Portugal faces instability and strife
In the Portuguese town of Almada, Communist activists are handing out leaflets that bear the hammer-and-sickle logo and triumphantly proclaim: "Government destroyed, victory for the workers' struggle". It seems like…
‘Cure’ for Chernobyl children: sun, sea, clean air in Portugal
Anya wasn't even born when Chernobyl exploded nearly 30 years ago, but even today its radioactive fallout stalks her and other Ukrainian youngsters growing up near the disused plant. The…
Political crisis grips Portugal as economic worries mount
Portuguese Prime Minister Pedro Passos Coelho on Friday appeared set to save his government from collapse, but concern mounted over the economic effects of the political crisis sparked by the…
Portugal seeks leniency from creditors as pressure grows
Pressure is mounting on the Portuguese government to drop its austerity policies just as experts from the European Union and the International Monetary Fund are in Lisbon to assess Portugal's…
Southern Europe braces for climate change-fuelled summer of drought
Southern Europe is bracing for a summer of ferocious drought, with some regions already suffering water shortages and farmers expecting their worst yields in decades. As climate change makes the…
Making good with the neighbour
Various circles in Pakistan have once again suggested normalization of relations between Pakistan and India. Some economists assert that Pakistan’s economy cannot be saved from a total disaster unless we…
The IMF is not fit for purpose
There is substantial evidence that an IMF bailout merely sets countries up for repeat bailouts. Some countries, like Rwanda and Liberia, have been under continuous IMF tutelage since their independence…
Kicking a cheap energy addiction: Part – I
Pakistan’s economy rests precariously balanced between populist politicians and the IMF along with sovereign lenders impatient with a country addicted to huge energy subsidies. With just weeks of foreign currency…
