Telejornal Madeira — 18 June 2026:

• Decorations on Madeira Autonomy Day — The Regional Government will honour 11 distinguished figures in diaspora, agriculture, tourism, culture and sport, including Carlos Pereira (former Marítimo president) and Maria Teresa Brazão (former regional director of Culture), on 1 July.

• Flu A outbreak at Marmeleiros Hospital — An outbreak affected 15 patients and healthcare staff, leading to visit restrictions in the Internal Medicine ward and reinforced prevention measures including isolation and mask use.

• Nurse shortage and healthcare overload — the Nurses' Order warns of extreme exhaustion, excessive overtime and a looming shortage, with 400 nurses nearing retirement; the Regional Government pledged to hire 200 more, but only half have been brought on.

• Third phase of Madeira Hospital — The Regional Government expects to launch the tender for the hospital's third construction phase next week, after the previous bid attracted no bids due to undervalued budgets.

• Public works in Caniçal and Ponta Delgada — Work has started on a stream channelling and road improvements in Caniçal (€1M investment), and the reconstruction of the Ribeiro dos Enxurros in Ponta Delgada (€1.5M), damaged in the 2020 storm, has been approved.

• Training for immigrants in tourism — Turismo de Portugal will qualify 1,000 immigrants in 2025, in a sector that employs around 40,000 foreign workers, focusing on integration and technical skills.

• Master's applications at the University of Madeira — UMa has opened 457 places across 22 master's programmes for 2026/27, with applications open until 30 June; Economics and Management are the most sought-after.

• Controversy in the National Portuguese Exam — A question in the 12th-grade exam was accused of plagiarism for being identical to an exercise in a prep textbook, raising concerns about equal opportunities.

• Geoblocking in Madeira — The Consumer Service proposes revising the EU Regulation to fight companies' refusal to ship orders to the region, which they justify citing high logistics costs.

• Software tender in Funchal — The municipality approved a €1.1M international public tender for software acquisition, while the opposition criticises the deterioration of the Lazareto Complex and lack of mobility solutions.

• Suspension of the Estudante Insular programme — The PS demands explanations from the Regional Government over the programme's suspension, which forces families to pay the full ticket cost upfront, worsening financial hardship.

• Elections at Associação Desportiva da Camacha — Elections scheduled for 18 July may not go ahead due to a lack of candidates, after incumbent president Ricardo Miranda stepped down citing lack of support from Santa Cruz municipality.

• Rally da Calheta 2026 — The rally, set for 3–4 July, will feature mainland teams and route changes for improved safety, including passages through Arco da Calheta and Ponta do Pargo.

• Low productivity in Portugal — Portugal has the fourth-lowest productivity in the EU despite working more hours, due to deficits in business organisation and public policy, according to Eurostat data.

• European heatwave not affecting Madeira — While mainland Portugal faces high temperatures, Madeira will keep highs around 26°C, with mild weather and above-average rainfall forecast for May.

Watch: RTP Play

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