Farewell, Portugal
The week's news at a glance.
Lisbon, Portugal
Portuguese novelist José Saramago has outraged his compatriots by proposing that Portugal unite with Spain to form the country of Iberia. “Portugal will be another province of Spain,” he told the Lisbon Diario de Noticias. “We would continue to speak Portuguese, and write, think, and feel in our own language. We wouldn’t become Spaniards.” The comments stirred a flurry of denunciations from politicians, artists, and writers. Several pointed out that Portugal had been a major world empire more than a century before Spain even became a united country. Saramago, Portugal’s only Nobel laureate, moved to Spain after Portugal banned his 1991 novel, The Gospel According to Jesus Christ.
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.

Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
-
Why bosses are hiring etiquette coaches for Gen Z staff
Under The Radar Employers claim young workers are disengaged at interviews and don't know how to behave in the office
-
How will Trump's megabill affect you?
Today's Big Question Republicans have passed the 'big, beautiful bill' through Congress
-
Scientists are the latest 'refugees'
In the spotlight Brain drain to brain gain