The European Parliament agreed, on 18 April, by a huge majority, with the European Council’s proposal not to convene a convention for the addition of a protocol to the treaties on the concerns of the Irish people on the Lisbon Treaty seeing as the issue is deemed already politically settled. The plenary thus backed the advice of rapporteur Paulo Rangel (EPP, Portugal). Following the 2008 ‘no’ vote at the referendum on the Lisbon Treaty in Ireland, EU leaders agreed, at the June 2009 European Council, to take a decision in order to provide reassurance and to respond to the concerns of the Irish people in relation to the right to life, family and education, taxation and security and defence. They also declared that, at the time of the conclusion of the next accession treaty and in accordance with their respective constitutional requirements, they would set out the provisions of the decision in a protocol to be attached to the treaties. The ball is now in the European Council’s court to do so.

Police and demonstrators protesting the Portuguese government’s austerity measures and labour reforms clashed on the sidelines of a Lisbon rally, and two news photographers were caught in the fray.

The two photojournalists working for new agencies were attacked Thursday night by security officers, news reports said.

A total of 60 current and retired Lisbon town hall drivers have joined together to claim the payment of overtime totalling €2.3 million, which they say is owed to them.

Having spent their careers driving mayors and councillors to and from events as well as waiting for hours for meetings to end to drive their charges back again, Lisbon town hall’s drivers, both past and present, say they are fed up of working overtime without being paid.

Sporting Lisbon defender Xandao scored with an audacious back-heeled shot in a 1-0 win over Manchester City on Thursday in the first leg of the last 16 of the Europa League. Xandao pounced in the 51st minute in a goalmouth scramble after ‘keeper Joe Hart had failed to hold Matias Fernandez’s dipping free kick or palm it safely out.

Sporting, lying fourth in its domestic championship and playing under its second manager this season, proved to be a tough adversary and had Man City on the ropes for long spells.

The town board approved several changes to the site plan review law following a brief public hearing Wednesday. All of the changes had been discussed at length in previous meetings, and no one from the public commented during the public session.

The changes were based on recommendations from former code enforcement officer and Planning Board Chairman Glen Harris. The majority of changes were intended to remove ambiguity from definitions of items like mobile homes and agricultural structures. Maximum fees associated with violations were also raised from $50 to $250.

The Portuguese government was sent a fresh reminder on Monday that painful austerity and tough economic reforms were insufficient to win back investor confidence, as bond yields hit record highs. More >

Lisbon police said two people were injured in a head-on crash at King Road and Route 9 at about 4:22 p.m. Thursday. Police said one vehicle was headed north and crossed into the path of a vehicle that was headed south.

According to police, the driver of the vehicle that crossed the lanes, a 20-year-old man, was taken to Central Maine Medical Center, where he underwent surgery. Police said he is now in stable condition.