The UK’s Daily Mail has followed the example set by the Sun newspaper by issuing a grovelling apology to Robert Murat (pictured) after both publications accused Murat of knowing Clement Freud and sharing drinks with the TV personality in Praia da Luz.

The Daily Mail was up to its usual standard when this summer it printed an article with the headline ‘Clement Freud drank with Maddie suspect Robert Murat in Praia da Luz bar – and his local pub was dubbed the Plough and Paedo,’ a story long since removed from the newspaper’s website.

Depositors at Banco Espírito Santo, whose money was switched into high-risk commercial paper made worthless when the bank collapsed in August 2014, are close to a deal that would see some of them receiving 75% of their money back.

Nuno Vieira, the lawyer working on behalf of a group of those affected, commented, “The solution involves creating a fund that will lump together everyone’s rights and will try and recover all the money through the courts over the coming years. This fund will pay part of the amounts owed to all the groups of non-qualified investors in this commercial paper.”

Overall business income generated in the Algarve showed the highest increase across the country in 2015, driven by booming tourism receipts.

According to the government’s statistics institute, the real increase in trade in the Algarve, North and Central regions "contributed decisively" to the a general increase in the country's Gross Value Added (GVA) from trade, transport, accommodation and catering.

Dozens of people from Afghanistan were expelled from several EU countries this week in the first wave of deportations brought about by a controversial migration deal between the EU and Afghanistan.

On Thursday 34 Afghans were flown to Kabul from Germany.  They join another 13 who had been forcibly removed earlier in the week from Sweden and nine from Norway.

Portugal’s Secretary of State for the Environment sayid that current water charges do not cover the costs of services and that low prices benefits those who need help alongside those that do not.

The Government is preparing the country’s water users for across-the-board price rises “to cover costs,” in particular the cost of fixing the nation’s leaky network.

Consumer watchdog, DECO, has criticised Ryanair, claiming that after more than 10 years operating in Portugal, the company continues to ignore complaints from Portuguese customers as these have to be submitted in English.

DECO says there has been a rise in complaints against Ryanair, which now runs domestic flight within Portugal, and that customers complaints in languages other than English, remain unanswered.

Following a referendum on Switzerland concerning immigration, the authorities there have been struggling for three years to find a way to implement their mandate.

The Swiss president had been in negotiations with the EU for some time without reaching agreement until more talks were stalled by the sudden change in expectations that came with the Brexit vote.

Spain’s “impressive” economic recovery has been recognised by a report from the International Monetary Fund which also pointed to strong challenges in the future.

It suggested Spain should increase its revenues with “growth and job-friendly” future measures, which could include fewer VAT exemptions or increasing excise and environmental taxes instead of spending cuts.