Momentous decision: Portugal votes on legalising euthanasia

Cardinal Reinhard Marx's decision to waive one of Germany's highest honors is a sign that "church aristocracy" is finally glancing at past harm done, say sexual abuse victims.

After a six-month state of emergency due to a wave of Covid-19 infections that caused 300 deaths a day, Portugal has begun the fourth and last stage of its deconfinement plan with a test concert attended by 400 spectators in the northwestern city of Braga. People attending the socially-distanced open-air concert underwent rapid antigen tests upon arrival and were asked to wear masks.

Portugal opens the longest suspended pedestrian bridge in the world in Arouca. The bridge hangs on heavy steel cables strung between V-shaped concrete towers and runs 516 metres (1700 feet) across a canyon, at a height of 175 metres.

Well over 100 Catholic priests in Germany have offered blessings to same sex couples this week. It's a sensation, and a natural decision for many, though it goes against the Vatican and the German Church's rules.

A few weeks ago, at the Vatican, the powerful Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith published an official document reiterating that Catholic priests cannot give blessings to same-sex unions. The document was supposed to draw a definitive line under the issue, but instead it sparked controversy and further debate. Indeed, some priests reject the interpretation, judging it "hurtful" to gay couples and calling for more openness. Our correspondents report from northern Italy.

The Catholic Church is dragging its feet over apologizing and releasing key records on residential schools for Indigenous children, according to Canada's Prime Minister Justin Trudeau.

"Everything will be fine," says a confident Cristiano Ronaldo ahead of Portugal's first match against Hungary as Italy coach Mancini also oozes self-assurance: "I was confident three years ago, I'm even more confident now," on the eve of the opening match of Euro 2020 against Turkey.

Belgium fans celebrate their side's last-16 win against Portugal, knocking them out of Euro 2020.

Bitter Portugal fans in Coimbra can't hide their disappointment after being knocked out of Euro 2020 by Belgium. "Portugal could have played better, but it's too late now," says one supporter, while another adds, "it's like we were scared... even though it's our team that everyone should fear."

56,000 Germans planned vacations in Algarve for this July. That was before the warning. Now, no one knows how many of those holidaymakers will even show up.

Residents of the southern Portuguese city of Evora seek shade and other ways to cool down as temperatures hit 40 degrees.

In Portugal's Agueda valley, south of Porto, the bike manufacturing industry is flourishing, particularly for electric bicycles. No other EU country makes more bikes than Portugal. The nation of 10 million inhabitants, or just over 2 percent of the EU population, produces a quarter of the bloc's bicycles. This reindustrialisation success story is the consequence of a growing passion for cycling in Europe. Our regional correspondents report.