Portuguese telco Ar Telecom has acquired land in Lisbon As announced by the company on LinkedIn and in ECO this week the Aire Networks-owned company has acquired land in the Alfragide area of the city The project is now in the design and licensing phase “We've already chosen the location for our new data center,” the company posted on social media it's going to be 1,400 sqm (15,000 sq ft) and we're counting on it by the end of the year.” Aire first announced plans for a Lisbon facility in late 2021 the facility is reportedly expandable to 4,200 sqm (45,200 sq ft) the company said it was set to invest around €10 million ($11.3m) in the project Ar parent Aire last year opened a new data center in Malaga, Spain, and is developing a facility in the Toledo region of Spain Data Centre Dynamics Ltd (DCD), 32-38 Saffron Hill, London, EC1N 8FH Email. [email protected]DCD is a subsidiary of InfraXmedia Inicio > Social Action > International Social Projects > Portugal > The Associação Academia do Johnson Semedo supports education for vulnerable children in Portugal The direct beneficiaries of this project are 207 children between the ages of 6 and 18 from families living in poverty and social exclusion in the town of Alfragide The main problems faced by the city’s inhabitants are precarious employment limited academic and professional qualifications a lack of discipline and underperformance are common among children which in many cases leads to them dropping out of school only 77% of students complete the 1st cycle in 4 years (Portugal’s national average is 88%) these vulnerable youngsters have difficulty accessing medical care The project uses education as a tool for transforming the lives of these children. To achieve this, the Associação Academia do Johnson Semedo works in five main areas: educational support; extracurricular activities; psychological support; a tutoring program; and parental involvement and empowerment.  The purpose of these actions is to improve the children’s school performance promote the development of positive values and behavior See all Projects in Portugal You will be the first person to know all our news we can multiply the scope of our initiatives Exhibitions Exhibitions in Madrid Exhibitions in Barcelona Social Action Art and Culture Education and Outreach Awards and Aids ESF+ Contact 50th anniversary of social commitment Learn more about us Publications Documentation Center ‘La fundación’ magazine MAPFRE Group Corporate Cookies Policy Configure cookies Copyright Fundación MAPFRE Read today's Portuguese stories delivered to your email OBRAMAT has just opened its first store in Portugal.  The new unit located in the commercial area of ​​Alfragide represents an investment of 18 million euros and marks the company's debut in the national market after consolidating its presence in Spain with 37 stores The construction and renovation materials company will soon launch a professional academy to train new talent and encourage careers in the construction sector as explained in the statement sent to newsrooms This initiative aims to meet the growing need for qualified labour and stimulate entrepreneurship in the area “OBRAMAT Alfragide is positioned as the company's largest warehouse and will provide more than 20 thousand references from the best brands structured into nine large sections: construction materials “OBRAMAT is arriving in Portugal at a key moment when the construction and renovation sector is booming We want to meet this demand appropriately and offer professionals in the sector a place that brings together everything they need We appreciate that not everyone can afford to pay for our services but if you are able to we ask you to support The Portugal News by making a contribution – no matter how small You can change how much you give or cancel your contributions at any time Send us your comments or opinion on this article Reaching over 400,000 people a week with news about Portugal accused of storming a police station.  But since that case was overturned last year Paulo Veiga and Bruno Lopes have been testifying not as the accused but as victims in an unprecedented trial that has put 17 officers of the PSP - Portugal’s public police force - in the dock rejects the version of events previously offered by the police officers inhumane treatment and inciting racially-motivated discrimination falsifying witness testimonies and falsifying documentation.  The case dates back to February 2015 and is being accompanied by Amnesty International and SOS Racism said he was made to lie face down on the floor where police officers walked and wiped their feet on him “We’ve never seen so many police officers on trial facing the same charges,” says Goncalo Gaspar a lawyer from the team representing six of the alleged victims “no police officers have ever been sentenced for anything like this in Portugal - and the very fact that there has been an accusation at all is something of a victory for us.” Lisbon’s Cova da Moura neighbourhood But the relationship between the residents and police has been tense with several outbursts of serious violence in recent years including the killing of 17-year-old Angelo Semedo at the hands of police in 2001 and the death of a police officer there in 2005.  “The kind of policing that these mostly black neighbourhoods are subjected to is exceptional,” says Fernandes “And I know because I grew up in one They often turn up in armoured trucks and wearing masks … People are very scared of them.”   Gaspar says: “It’s a very problematic neighbourhood where there’s quite a lot of crime and social problems In this case … a certain amount of force was necessary.” The officers maintain that the Alfragide police station was “stormed” following an operation in streets of Cova da Moura earlier that same day a different account has emerged according to the victims.  Various witnesses give evidence that they were dragged into the police station or taken forcefully into custody and held for two days without being charged during which time they were racially abused and physically assaulted Several demonstrations have taken place in Lisbon with protesters rallying against racism and police brutality.The contradictions begin with a police operation in the streets of Cova da Moura during which police say a stone was thrown at them were shot with rubber bullets - none of them apparently intended targets.  told the judges that he was approached by the police in a nearby cafe by officers who asked before hitting him with a truncheon in the face dragging him bleeding into the police van that took him to the station a well known community organiser and activist says he was singled out by the police having gone to the station to find out about Bruno Lopes he thinks he’s so clever,’,” he testified.  Almada says he was racially and physically abused by various officers.  “They said ‘trash belongs on the floor’ then they threw me down on the floor and carried on kicking me,” he said I was bleeding a lot and one of my teeth broke They were kicking and punching me … They seemed to enjoy it.”  Photographs taken immediately after the release of the alleged victims and submitted to the court show the plaintiffs bloody and bruised says police officers 'seemed to enjoy' physically assaulting him but while giving his evidence Almada broke down in tears “It was like being in hell,” he told the judges 26-year-old Rui Moniz told judges he was approached by police officers after leaving a shop where he was inquiring about a cable TV service for his mother close to the Alfragide police station.  Moniz walks with a limp and has a splint on his arm.  After officers asked if he had been filming them Moniz says they knocked his phone out of his hand and punched him in the face before dragging him into the police station.  “One of them asked for my ID,” Moniz told the court this one’s actually Portuguese’ he’s Pretoguese’” - preto meaning the colour black Moniz went on to describe being made to lie face down on the floor where police officers walked and wiped their feet on him.  “A woman came in to clean up the blood on the floor it’s up to my colleagues’,” he told to the court.  the police officers have denied all of the charges facing them.  they feel they have been victimised,” says the defence lawyer “and they’ve suffered both personally and professionally.”  At least 15 more cases have been opened against police officers in Amadora.Some of the defendants told the judges that the case had taken a toll on their psychological well-being although most remain on active duty in different locations since the judge denied a petition from the prosecution for all of the agents to be suspended from work for the duration of the trial.  The officers also have backing and legal support from the police trade unions In Cova da Moura there are mixed feelings about the trial and how it might end.  “the general public look at this case from the top down - but the community here is looking at it from the bottom up they’re going to bear the brunt.”  Semedo feels the case is of “huge importance - not only because it sends a strong signal that the police cannot do whatever they want with complete impunity but also because the attitude here has always been that ‘nothing will ever come of this kind of thing’ But now people have started to realise that something could come of it Since it became public, at least 15 more cases have been opened against police officers in the same municipality of Amadora The three judges will hear from more than 100 witnesses and the trial is expected to run at least until the end of the year.  I didn’t want to go through all this - of course I didn’t.” “But we have to break the cycle of silence.” stands outside the court with lawyers Lúcia Gomes Originally published in AL JAZEERA NEWS 27 Oct 2018 Published under a Creative Commons License Roll-out over five yearsAce Hardware launches “Elevate3 Ace” store conceptAce Hardware will roll-out its new store concept “Elevate3 Ace” to new and existing stores over the next five years Roll-out over five yearsAce Hardware launches “Elevate3 Ace” store conceptAce Hardware will roll-out its new store concept “Elevate3 Ace” to new and existing stores over the… EgloFrom decorative to functional lightingWe spoke to Andreas Kuhrt Managing Director of Eglo Leuchten Handels GmbH Spain and PortugalCompo appoints Eloy Latorre as new sales managerCompo provider of plant care and garden solutions announces the appointment of Eloy Latorre as i… DIY sets up in South AfricaThe Malaysian retail chain is preparing its market entry on the African continent All FieldsNow a Benelux playerBelgian service provider All Fields works for manufacturers and retailers in the DIY sector  IPM EssenPlant Power at IPM ExpressThis year IPM Essen will be offering new formats on the subject of plants Brico in BelgiumBrand times fiveThe Belgian DIY market leader Brico uses five size concepts from city stores to DIY project stores… high regulatory density: the Belgian market is considered …