Portugal: Cats on rat patrol

Twenty years ago, Portugal was plagued with heroin addiction and HIV infections. The country decided to take a new approach to the problem, becoming the first in the world to decriminalise drug taking. Since then, drug users are no longer treated as criminals to be locked up in jail, but as people who need medical care and supervision. The gamble has paid off, as our team found out.

Magawa, the landmine-detecting "hero rat" has died aged eight, the NGO that trained him said in a news release on Tuesday.

Portuguese officials confirmed five cases of the monkeypox disease. The viral infection, rarely found in Europe, has also been reported in Spain and Britain.

Richarlison scores stunner in Brazil's win over Serbia as Portugal edge thriller against Ghana. Richarlison scored a stunning brace to help Brazil defeat a stubborn Serbia 2-0 after Portugal and Switzerland secured wins earlier.

Two more teams qualify for the World Cup last 16, meaning that there are still 13 squads looking to book their place. If you thought the matches were exciting so far, they're bound to get even tougher over the coming days. Portugal make it through with a double from Bruno Fernandes, as do Brazil despite Neymar’s absence. Plus, Cameroon come from behind in a 3-3 thriller against Serbia, while Ghana beat South Korea 3-2.

The majority of Portugal fans believe that Cristiano Ronaldo should not start for the national team at the World Cup. In a recent survey conducted by the Portuguese sports newspaper A Bola, 70% of fans said he should be dropped. Ronaldo has struggled to make his mark in Qatar, and has looked off the pace and out of shape.

The beaches of Portugal, known worldwide in the surfing scene, are becoming increasingly popular surfing spots among people with a disability.

While many European countries are struggling to tackle a rise in drug trafficking and drug use, some are looking to Portugal for inspiration on how to successfully reform their judicial and medical response. In July 2001, Portugal decriminalised the personal use and possession of all illegal drugs.

In September of 2022, Spain announced that it would no longer fully honour the Albufeira Convention, a treaty on water transfers to neighbouring Portugal. Extreme drought has left Spanish reservoirs at a third of their average capacity this year, a situation not seen since 1995. Portuguese farmers are finding the decision difficult to accept, while environmentalists say it creates a major ecological risk.

Japan's Kazuyoshi Miura continues his playing career in Portugal a month shy of his 56th birthday.

Northern Portugal is believed to contain the largest lithium reserves in Europe. These resources have attracted the attention of some of the world's largest mining companies. London-based firm Savannah Resources wants to open the continent's biggest open-cast lithium mine in the village of Covas do Barroso by 2026.

Youth unemployment in China hit nearly 20% last year as lockdowns took their toll. Many young people are rejecting a return to the daily grind, while those seeking security in the public sector have hit a dead end.