Algarve Chefs' Week this year is scheduled to run between the 6th and the 15th of May. The initiative has been organised by the region’s 5 star hotels with each of their tops chefs challenged to devise an original food concept.

Throughout April, food enthusiasts will have the opportunity to chat with the chefs and join workshops and attend the launch in Loulé’s market where six ‘Ceviche’ creations and a cataplana dish will be presented.

The Algarve’s Alisuper supermarket chain entered insolvency proceedings in March this year following failed negotiations with creditors.

Alisuper’s new owner was faced with a €17 million debt of which €14 million was owed to banks. A disposal programme was started that now includes the Dutch Spar group which has snapped up 12 Alisuper stores for just €750,000.

A law that prevents homes being sold off to clear tax debts has been passed by the Portuguese parliament.

Approved by Socialist, Bloquista and Communist party MPs the decree law now has to be approved by the President of the Republic, Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa.

The French government is to devote about €500 million in initiatives designed to quell unrest among students and young people.

The "Nuit Debout"(Up All Night) movement has seen thousands of young voters gather at the Place de la Republique to show their frustration against various policies of President Francois Hollande's socialist government.

An online petition has been launched in Portugal to halt the use of secret offshore tax havens

A petition called 'More taxation, less tax secrecy' has been launched by the Tax Workers Union whose members want to see an end to the use of tax havens, corruption and tax evasion, as well as promoting social justice.

Two-thirds of people in Europe are in favour of prohibiting the chemical herbicide glyphosate, the most widely used agricultural chemical in the world’s history.

More than 9 million tonnes of glyphosate have been used on crops since 1974, but the product is capable of killing all plants, algae, beneficial bacteria and fungi in the vicinity of the crop, affecting biodiversity.

Portugal can accommodate another 5,000 refugees, in addition to the 4,000 already allocated by the European Union and can take 1,250 right away.

The guarantee was made by Portugal’s Prime Minister on a visit to a refugee camp in Greece.

The Algarve’s IKEA shopping center has been given a name -  'MAR Shopping Algarve' is announced.

Stage one of the enormous development will open next spring with an Ikea store as the main offering. Designer Outlet Algarve is scheduled to open in the summer of 2017 with other retail space to be added in later stages.