Iceland, once keen on joining the European Union, now has officially cancelled its application.

The country applied for membership in 2009. At the time, the financial crisis had hit and the currency, the krona, lost nearly half of its value. The demise of US investment bank Lehman Brothers resulted in the collapse of three of Iceland’s largest banks.

People in Spain are being wooed by a new political party, Ciudadanos (Citizens), which is emerging as a political force in the country.

Led by charismatic Albert Rivera, 35, the movement is deemed centrist, against Catalan separatism, committed to the EU, and has not been shy in pointing out corruption in politics, particularly the ruling People’s party. Some have called it the ‘Podemos of the right’.

The 'Algarve without Tolls' movement leaders have delivered a petition to parliament with 6,500 signatures, 2,500 more than is needed to ensure the topic again is debated by MPs.

A delegation from the movement delivered its "Petition for an end to tolls on the Via do Infante" to Guilherme Silva, the vice president of the National Assembly, and believes that the number of signatures collected in a short time “is quite indicative of the fact that the Algarve population continues not to give up over the tremendous injustice they have suffered for three years."

Sérgio Monteiro, the Secretary of State for Transport said yesterday that only through the privatisation of Portugal’s national airline TAP could the company access the capital needed to make it modern and competitive and allow the company to remain as the national flag carrier.

In his speech at an exhibition at the Air Museum in Sintra, Monteiro said the airline is and will always be a Portuguese flagship company, and said his goal is to create conditions and guarantees for the future of TAP and its workers.

Cairo is to be abandoned as the capital as Egypt’s leaders announce that a new capital is to be created atop desert sands.

The ancient city, the largest in the Middle East, is one of the world’s most heavily populated with 16 million inhabitants in the greater area. The mega-city also suffers high congestion and pollution.

Loulé council is investigating alleged poor work at the municipal kennels which has been the subject of an online petition to have it closed down.

"There have been many complaints about the municipal veterinarian which have come to my attention and I considered that they were worthy of consideration," said the council president Victor Aleixo, adding that his action was based on complaints from animal protection associations.

Bullfighting, some zoos, carriage rides and swimming with dolphins are examples of bad practices related to animals that are highlighted on a new digital service to alert tourists.

The online map has been launched by an animal protection foundation in Spain called FAADA, and is designed to show tourists activities that involve animals which it considers are prejudical to animal welfare.

The European Court of Justice has ruled that it is “illegal” for France to levy social charges on non-French owners for profits from renting or selling property in France.

The ruling means that France is liable to reimburse non-resident owners who have rented out or sold their property in the last two to three years.