Portugal Colonial - The latest news from Lisbon, Portugal and Europe, in six languages, around the clock every day

Rafael Nadal improved his perfect 2022 record to 18-0 on Wednesday, battling past American Reilly Opelka 7-6 (7/3),

Brazil's central bank raised its key interest rate for the ninth straight time Wednesday, as Latin America's biggest economy continues to reel from surging inflation, now exacerbated by the Ukraine war.

Citigroup plans to provide travel benefits to workers who live in states that have passed laws to restrict abortion rights, such as Texas.

Dan Lawrence's last-over impetuousness cost him a maiden Test hundred but Joe Root's composed, unbeaten century guided England to a comfortable 244 for three at the close of the first day of the second Test against the West Indies in Barbados on Wednesday.

Manchester United midfielder Paul Pogba has revealed his house was burgled during his club's Champions League defeat against Atletico Madrid while his children were asleep in their bedroom.

Villarreal reached the quarter-finals of the Champions League on Wednesday after inflicting a humiliating 3-0 defeat on Juventus in Turin to go through 4-1 on aggregate.

US President Joe Biden branded Vladimir Putin a "war criminal" Wednesday as the Russian leader's onslaught in Ukraine claimed more civilian lives, and a theatre where "hundreds" were sheltering was destroyed by bombing.

Liverpool moved within one point of Premier League leaders Manchester City as Diogo Jota and Roberto Firmino inspired a crucial 2-0 win against Arsenal on Wednesday.

Villarreal reached the quarter-finals of the Champions League on Wednesday after humiliating Juventus 3-0 in Turin to go through 4-1 on aggregate.

Everton's Premier League clash with Newcastle on Thursday has been labelled the struggling club's "biggest game for 20 years" as they stare down the barrel of a financially ruinous relegation.

Chelsea put their off-field troubles to one side to seal a place in the Champions League quarter-finals on Wednesday as a Cesar Azpilicueta goal clinched a 2-1 win at Lille in the second leg of their last-16 tie, and a 4-1 aggregate victory.

Global stocks rallied Wednesday, bolstered by China's pledge to help stabilize markets and another pullback in oil prices as the US Federal Reserve announced its first interest rate hike since 2018.

Playing partners Collin Morikawa and Viktor Hovland, the world's number two and three players, will be chasing the summit of the global rankings at the US PGA Valspar Championship starting Thursday.

Washington said Wednesday it was "close" to a deal with Iran on reviving a 2015 pact that saw Western powers provide sanctions relief in exchange for curbs on Tehran's nuclear programme, the latest sign of advancement following prolonged deadlock.

Authorities lifted a tsunami advisory and electricity was restored after a powerful 7.4-magnitude quake jolted northeastern Japan on Wednesday night in waters near the site of the Fukushima nuclear disaster.

Serbia's 61st-ranked Miomir Kecmanovic shocked sixth-seeded Matteo Berrettini 6-3, 6-7 (5/7), 6-4 on Wednesday to book a quarter-final clash with Taylor Fritz at the ATP Indian Wells Masters.

Ukraine's leader Volodymyr Zelensky made a desperate appeal for help against Russia to the US Congress on Wednesday, and within hours of the speech, President Joe Biden responded by promising $1 billion in new weapons to fight "war criminal" Vladimir Putin's invading army.

Chicago Cubs owners the Ricketts family have confirmed they are leading a consortium that will bid to buy English Premier League club Chelsea, as British athletics great Sebastian Coe announced his involvement in a rival effort to purchase the Blues.

Retired Ukraine tennis player Alexandr Dolgopolov has returned home to take up arms and defend his native city Kyiv from the Russian invasion.

Australia's Nick Kyrgios became the first man into the Indian Wells ATP Masters quarter-finals on Wednesday when scheduled opponent Jan Sinner withdrew due to illness.

Japanese outfielder Seiya Suzuki, who helped his country win Olympic gold last year, has agreed to a Major League Baseball deal with the Chicago Cubs, according to multiple reports Wednesday.

Trainer Willie Mullins finally added a glaring omission to his trophy cabinet landing the Queen Mother Champion Chase on Wednesday with Energumene whilst another Irish racing legend Tiger Roll bowed out with honour at the Cheltenham Festival.

Axel Witsel fired in a late winner Wednesday as Borussia Dortmund ground out a 1-0 victory at Mainz to trim Bayern Munich's lead at the top of the Bundesliga to four points.

A long-discussed rival for the US PGA Tour unveiled details for a 2022 season on Wednesday, with a June start in London and four US events, according to multiple media reports.

Reigning men's Olympic and world champion Nathan Chen of the United States on Wednesday withdrew from next week's world figure skating championships in France.

West Indies missed another opportunity to remove Joe Root and the England captain took advantage of the second reprieve in guiding his team to 136 for two at tea on the opening day of the second Test at Kensington Oval in Barbados on Wednesday.

Ukraine's Volodymyr Zelensky invoked September 11 and Pearl Harbor in an impassioned address to the US Congress on Wednesday pleading for weapons to fight Russia -- and earning a promise from President Joe Biden just hours later for $1 billion in new arms.

"We didn't even have time to get our things," says Ukrainian refugee Ludmila Nikiforova, one of hundreds fleeing the brutal conflict to Sweden on ferries from Poland every day.

The Federal Reserve escalated its battle against the wave of prices increases battering the US economy on Wednesday by raising the benchmark interest even as it acknowledged the risk posed by the war in Ukraine.

Ukraine's leader on Wednesday made an emotive appeal to US lawmakers for greater Western intervention against Russia, which insisted its invasion was going "successfully" despite the West rallying to Kyiv's aid with arms and sanctions.

A powerful 7.3-magnitude quake jolted eastern Japan on Wednesday night, rattling the capital Tokyo and prompting a tsunami advisory for parts of the northeast coast.

Condemnation by Madonna, a Russian tour cancelled by Iggy Pop, Pink Floyd pulling out of streaming platforms -- Western music stars have rallied to the Ukrainian cause.