Portuguese authorities have rejected a television program's claims that one of the country's most cherished historic monuments was damaged during the shooting of a film by director and former Monty Python star Terry Gilliam.
The General-Directorate for Heritage says an investigation has found that the 12th-century Convent of Christ suffered only "insignificant" damage during a recent location shoot for "The Man Who Killed Don Quixote." The report published Monday said a program by public broadcaster RTP alleging wider damage "lacked rigor and revealed a lack of scientific knowledge."
Gilliam has previously called the allegations "ignorant nonsense."
The convent was a stronghold of the Knights Templar, a Christian military order founded in 1119, and is classified as a World Heritage site by UNESCO.
Canada orders TikTok’s Canadian business to be dissolved but won’t block app
Canada announced Wednesday it won't block access to the popular video-sharing app TikTok but is ordering the dissolution of its Canadian business after a national security review of the Chinese company behind it.
Industry Minister François-Philippe Champagne said it is meant to address risks related to ByteDance Ltd.'s establishment of TikTok Technology Canada Inc.
"The government is not blocking Canadians' access to the TikTok application or their ability to create content. The decision to use a social media application or platform is a personal choice," Champagne said.
Champagne said it is important for Canadians to adopt good cybersecurity practices, including protecting their personal information.
He said the dissolution order was made in accordance with the Investment Canada Act, which allows for the review of foreign investments that may harm Canada's national security. He said the decision was based on information and evidence collected over the course of the review and on the advice of Canada's security and intelligence community and other government partners.
A TikTok spokesperson said in a statement that the shutdown of its Canadian offices will mean the loss of hundreds of local jobs.
"We will challenge this order in court," the spokesperson said. "The TikTok platform will remain available for creators to find an audience, explore new interests and for businesses to thrive."
TikTok is wildly popular with young people, but its Chinese ownership has raised fears that Beijing could use it to collect data on Western users or push pro-China narratives and misinformation. TikTok is owned by ByteDance, a Chinese company that moved its headquarters to Singapore in 2020.
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