MADRID (AP) — Portugal 's parliament on Friday approved a bill banning face veils worn for “gender or religious” reasons in public, in a move seen as targeting the face coverings worn by some Muslim women.
The measure was proposed by the far-right Chega party and would prohibit coverings such as burqas — a full-body garment that covers a woman from head to foot — and niqabs — the full-face Islamic veil with space around the eyes — from being worn in most public places. Face veils would still be allowed in airplanes, diplomatic premises and places of worship.
The bill stipulates fines for those wearing face veils in public ranging between 200 euros and 4,000 euros ($234 and $4,669).
President Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa still has to approve the bill. He could veto it or send it to the Constitutional Court for review.
If signed into law, Portugal would join a number of European countries such as Austria, France, Belgium and the Netherlands who have full or partial bans on face and head coverings.
Not many women in Portugal wear such coverings, but the issue of Islamic veils has generated controversy similar to other European countries.
Chega cited France and other European Union countries' rationales for banning face coverings commonly worn by Muslim women. The far-right Portuguese party received support for the bill from center-right parties.
In its bill, Chega said that hiding the face subjects individuals — especially women — "to situations of exclusion and inferiority" and was incompatible with principles such as “liberty, equality and human dignity.”
Lawmakers from left-leaning parties disagreed.
“This initiative is used solely to target foreigners, those who have a different faith," said center-left Socialist Party lawmaker Pedro Delgado Alves whose party voted against the bill.
He said that while no woman should be forced to wear a veil, the far-right party's approach was wrong.
FILE - Members of opposition parties stand to vote against a government confidence motion at the Portuguese parliament in Lisbon, Tuesday, March 11, 2025. (AP Photo/Armando Franca, file)
HENDERSON, Nev. (AP) — New Las Vegas Raiders coach Klint Kubiak wasted little time in choosing his offensive and defensive coordinators since being hired less than a week ago.
Raiders defensive line coach and run game coordinator Rob Leonard was officially elevated to defensive coordinator on Sunday, and Seahawks quarterbacks coach Andrew Janocko will follow Kubiak from Seattle to be the offensive coordinator.
Kubiak did what the two previous Las Vegas coaches did in selecting a defensive coordinator — look within the staff. Leonard was the defensive line coach the past three seasons and added the title of run game coordinator in 2025 under then-coach Pete Carroll.
Carroll and his predecessor, Antonio Pierce, kept Patrick Graham in charge of the defense upon becoming the Raiders' coach. Graham now is the defensive coordinator with the Pittsburgh Steelers.
In retaining Leonard, Kubiak also could be looking for a way to mend ties with star pass rusher Maxx Crosby. Relations between Crosby and the Raiders became frayed when the organization placed him on injured reserve with a knee injury with two games left last season. Crosby left the team facility upon receiving the news.
Crosby, who underwent surgery last month, said during a recent appearance on “The Herd with Colin Cowherd" that reports he wanted to be traded came from other people and not him. But Crosby, wearing Raiders gear and speaking from the team facility, also did not deny such talk.
As for the 38-year-old Leonard, the Raiders allowed 3.9 yards per rush last season, tied for second in the NFL. They also were third in tackles for loss with 105.
The Raiders were in the middle of the pack in run defense in allowing 116.8 yards per game. But the defense often got worn down because Las Vegas was last in the field in average time of possession at 28:02.
The 37-year-old Janocko will receive a promotion in the move to the Raiders. He and Kubiak were on the Seahawks' staff, with Kubiak serving as the play caller for the Seahawks' Super Bowl-winning team.
Kubiak plans to still call plays, but made a point at his introductory news conference on Tuesday that it's not a one-man operation.
“I’ve never called the game by myself,” Kubiak said. “That’s something we do as a coaching staff together. We plan together. We communicate on game day together — quarterback coach, pass game coordinator, run game coordinator.”
Janocko worked directly with Seahawks quarterback Sam Darnold this past season.
Darnold completed 67.7% of his passes for 4,048 yards with 25 touchdowns and 14 interceptions. Drafted third overall by the New York Jets in 2018, Darnold was considered a bust until leading Minnesota to a 14-win season in 2024. Then came another 14-win season with the Seahawks that culminated with Darnold hoisting the Lombardi Trophy.
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FILE - Seattle Seahawks quarterbacks coach Andrew Janocko looks on from the sideline during the first half of an NFL football game against the Jacksonville Jaguars, Oct. 12, 2025, in Jacksonville, Fla. (AP Photo/Phelan M. Ebenhack, File)
Las Vegas Raiders new head coach Klint Kubiak speaks during an introductory news conference at the NFL football team's training facility Tuesday, Feb. 10, 2026, in Henderson, Nev. (AP Photo/Ian Maule)
FILE - Las Vegas Raiders defensive line coach Rob Leonard reviews a play on an NFL Copilot by Microsoft during the first half of an NFL football game against the Houston Texans, Dec. 21, 2025, in Houston. (AP Photo/Maria Lysaker, File)
