News Porto.

Critical TechWorks company, a joint venture by BMW and Portuguese company Critical Software, is hiring. Over 400 job opportunities, especially C++ engineers. Less than three years ago, trend setter and world class automobile engineering, aka BMW has chosen Porto to reach its next milestone: building the car of the future, jointly with Critical Software, by developing and producing a pioneer software that will be used in the BMW automobile fleet.

Circa 100 artists responded to the open call launched by WOMEX, regarding the inauguration evening. There are now 50 proposals for WOMEX 2021 opening line-up. The World Music Expo is scheduled to happen from 27th to 31st October, in Porto.

The first Porto City Hall budget revision for 2021 is now concluded. The Municipal Assembly agreed to enter another 51.7 million euros to support the assistance measures that mitigate the harm caused by Covid-19, during the Special Session of the Municipal Assembly. The solution, Rui Moreira advances, would be in the review of the Law of Local Finance, which would enable access by the Municipality to other income, like the revenue resulting from VAT.

The University of Porto and the remaining partner universities at the European University Alliance for Global Health (EUGLOH) have started, last January, the EUGLOHRIA project, which has been financed with 2 million euros in the framework of the SwafS – Science with and for Society, under the H2020 programme.

Porto City Hall is preparing a cooperation agreement with both taxi shuttles in town to transport the elderly to the vaccination centres, namely the Health Centres in the Western and Eastern part of the city. Rui Moreira announced the news on 22nd February, during the Municipal Executive meeting.

Porto was shortlisted among the 13 European cities to produce unicorns, in the coming years, according to the findings of the Startup Cities Alliance (SCALE) report. The Invicta is pinpointed By the SCALE report as one of the cities in Europe where unicorns are building up; that is, a privately held startup company valued at over $1 billion.

Porto City Hall has extended the time limit exemption for city clubs and associations to use municipal sports equipment until July. This measure had been issued early November last year and it was in place until the end of February, this year. This measure is renovated until the end of the sports season 2020/21, and its financial impact extends beyond 225 thousand euros. It includes 25 clubs in the city and a total of 11 sports categories, in 12 equipment within the municipal sports network.

The "Queima das Fitas", an event that marks the end of an academic year, was cancelled by the Academic Federation of Porto – FAP, just like last year. FAP’s President, Ana Gabriela Cabilhas stated that “respecting the legacy of the Queima das Fitas do Porto is to identify priorities in an unprecedented context, to protect students and their families”. These preventive measures are taken for the greater good of public health and to fight the new coronavirus. The Queima das Fitas is back in 2022.

The Municipal Library Almeida Garrett (BMAG) offers reading sessions of children’s stories every Friday afternoon, starting on 26th February, at 4 pm. This initiative is designed for children over the age of three.

Amazing and delightful music by Mário Moniz Pereira, who coached Carlos Lopes, Olympic Gold Medal in the Marathon at the 1984 Summer Olympics in Los Angeles. For a true relaxing time, try Fonoteca Municipal do Porto, for a special podcast to remember the best Fado ever.