Two PSD opposition MPs claim there is evidence of two incidents at an industrial plant in Vila Velha de Ródão, which forced a company to pump waste directly into the Tagus river on January 16th and 22nd.

MPs Duarte Marques and Nuno Serra, visited the river on Monday, accompanied by local leaders and party officials to assess the pollution that has created a blanked of pollution over stretches of the river’s surface.

With bitterly cold temperatures biting since yesterday afternoon, the search for missing 79-year-old British man John Bainbridge is now getting frantic.

Wife Anita, 74, is “incredibly worried” about him, particularly as he left the couple’s house in Odelouca, Silves, in the early hours of Friday morning without any real protection against the elements.

The number of victims of last year's fires in Portugal has risen to 112.

The Institute of Legal Medicine compared DNA samples given by the family of a missing man and has just confirmed that bones discovered in December belonged to Rui Costa.

The Prime Minister, António Costa, said this afternoon that he maintains and will continue to maintain all confidence in his Minister of Finance, Mário Centeno, even if he does end up being accused in the Benfica football tickets affair.

"I have every confidence in the minister of finance and in no circumstance will he leave the Government," said the prime minister - a phrase that usually is the kiss of death to politicians in trouble.

The Public Security Police will be checking dogs and their owners, in an operation lasting until Saturday, February 4^th, to verify that the new ‘dangerous dog’ laws are being followed, as well as current laws for all owners of companion canines.

The checks are focused on city areas and this ‘preventative action’ aims to boost awareness among dog owners that their pets must be on a lead when in public, they must be registered at the local Freguesia and their vaccination history must be up-to-date.