Just hours before joining hundreds of thousands of pilgrims celebrating the centenary of divine visions at Fátima last weekend, Pope Francis whole-heartedly welcomed scientists attending a Vatican conference designed to bring science and religion closer together.

The Vatican had invited leading astrophysicists and cosmologists to its astronomical observatory near Rome to discuss “black holes, gravitational waves and space-time singularities”.

I’ve written earlier that the presidential elections in France would end up in a mess. I told friends that Le Pen would not win, but would get most of the votes of unhappy citizens. I was wrong. A new group almost won the elections, the NABO (Null, Abstention, Blank, Other), with 37% of electors. Macron got only 41.5%, far from the majority.

Worst results for the current so called “democracy” in France is the abstention among youngsters (30%) and young professionals up to 34y, (28%). We all know they are the ones who get onto the streets to fight for their democratic rights, those who arrange and guarantee strikes and who may, desperate, start violent protests.

Democrats Abroad Portugal (DAP) elected an accomplished and energetic new leadership team during their Annual General Meeting, April 1, in Lisbon. DAP is part of Democrats Abroad, a legal entity of the United States’ Democratic National Committee for Americans living overseas. The team is enthusiastic to increase and engage members across the country, register voters, and inform and encourage voting in critical 2017 special and 2018 elections. 

I’ve written several times that the reconstruction of the EN125 in the Algarve is totally outdated, using roundabouts recommended 35 years ago, writes Jack Soifer.

The latest technique is to use mini-radars to measure incoming traffic nearing a junction with the lights switching to green when there is a high volume from one direction.

This current EN125 reconstruction, characterised by months of inactivity, is causing more accidents than ever.

I love to read results scientific research on many subjects such as sustainability, innovation and econometrics - sometimes on the real reasons behind behaviour so, having read some reliable papers, I wrote on Trump and LePen: http://canalc.pt/index.php/2017/02/23/le-pen-vencera-como-trump-venceu/

In summary: On 01/03/10 I said on RTP-TV that Portugal was already in a depression, i.e. a long recession. Fatima Campos asked if it would be three years, I said "eight to ten."

A database of channels for reliable information is being assembled and will be kept up-to-date over the coming months and years by a specialist team at Cambridge University to help British expatriates cope with concerns about how Britain leaving the European Union may impact on their personal lives.

The researchers behind the project say one of their main aims is to insure that good information and advice “to prevent rash Brexit-induced decisions” by British students, families and retirees living on the continent reaches as many UK citizens abroad as possible.

Portugal PM Antonio Costa is in India for a week on a State visit.  Ahead of his arrival, the Prime Minister spoke to the Hindustan Times on a wide range of issues, including the rise of populist forces in Europe and the need to boost economic ties between India and Portugal.

At a time when most of Europe is seeing the emergence of populist right leaders, how do you explain your rise as a socialist leader? Is Europe moving more to the right?

Portugal is a country open to the world, with a cosmopolitan and welcoming society. It is not a coincidence that I am the first Person of Indian Origin to lead a European country.

A large multidisciplinary group from several countries makes annual predictions for 3 or 4 years ahead, almost always with a high success rate.

Let’s have a go up to January 2018 but unlike previous year-end summaries, this year’s has a high level of uncertainty.