Ten people who are believed to be responsible for smuggling migrants into Europe have been arrested in Italy and in Germany.
One of them is believed to be the ringleader behind some 20 treacherous voyages on unsafe boats across the Mediterranean, including the crossing in which some 244 people perished off the coast of Libya last June.
On December 11, Portimão will mark its 90th anniversary as a city and a programme of cheery activities has been planned by the council to run between December 6 and 15.
Literature, theatre, music and sport will be used to ‘evoke the past, celebrate the present and, above all to project the future,’ according to the bankrupt city hall which is suffering from the financial mismanagement of previous regimes, an inability to fix the serious problems this has brought about, and the current anger from locals at the latest tax move to relieve them of even more of their money.
The retail sector in Portugal remains subdued, with sales falling 1.6% in October compared to the month before.
September had seen an even greater decline of 2.5%. This followed the better months of July and August when retail sales had increased.
Last year, a record 842 million people travelled by air in Europe.
This was an increase of 1.7% over 2012.
The demolition of 800 alleged ‘second homes’ in the Ria Formosa began on Wednesday and was described as the beginning of a process that is ‘20 years late’ by the Environment Minister who added that these demolitions are just the start of a wider operation.
"This process is in its infancy. It is a process that is 20 years late, but today is the start," the minister told reporters during the launching of operations on Ramalhete in the Ria Formosa.
The Luxembourg Court of Appeal has rejected a petition from Rioforte Investments, one of the Espírito Santo Group of companies, that aimed to allow its directors to wind up the company in a controlled management process.
Rioforte now will have its parts disposed of by a court appointed administrator and is bankrupt.
Out of Britain’s 10,910 “ultra high net wealth” residents, the majority (75%) have been found to be entirely self-made, with only 13% having inherited their wealth.
The UK now has a greater proportion of self-made ultra rich individuals than any other country in Europe, although numerically Germany has more (17,820) – making it the second largest ultra rich population in the world after the US.
British surfer Andrew Cotton took on the waves of Praia do Norte in Nazaré last weekend and was wiped out by an 18 metre monster.
Cotton was in a group of seven hopefuls each wishing to beat the world record set by American Garrett McNamara, but was overtaken by the wave and forced under the water several times as rescuers desperately searched for him.
