The parish church in the centre of Armação de Pêra was broken in to and burgled in the early hours of this morning.

The thief, or more likely thieves, appear to ahve taken whatever they could get their hands on, stealing money and other valuables. 

Sir Cliff Richard has maintained a low profile in Portugal this week while preparing for a return to Britain to face police questioning about his alleged sexual assault on a young boy. 

Many thought it almost inevitable that Sir Cliffwould one day be investigated for alleged child abuse and yet when the news broke it came as a shock.

Albufeira alone has 24 beaches with cliffs at risk of collapse but holidaymakers appear not to be taking the warnings seriously.

According to the Portuguese Environment Agency, and just five years after the horrific accident Maria Luisa beach (pictured) in Albufeira in which five people died and three were injured, the dangers are still lurking with 24 high risk areas identified.

Portugal´s national debt again has risen, reaching 134% of GDP at the end of June, an increase of 1.6% in the quarter from March.  

According to data from the Bank of Portugal´s Statistical Bulletin, public debt in March was 132.4%, which in real money is €220 billion. At the end of the first half to the end of June this had risen to €223 billion.

Banco Novo´s new management has commissioned an advertising campaign for its new corporate image - starting next Friday.

The branch image will change from the old BES livery to Novo Banco´s over  a short period of time as Vitor Bento is keen the shed the burdens of the past with a new look.  

The government has approved and signed off an amendment to Portugal´s Private Copying law which aims to increase the tax revenue from the sale of mobile phones, tablets, sticks and hard drives and pass them on the artists.

The amendments follow the signing of the original law passed last January.

Sir Cliff Richard decided against accepting the Keys to the City of Albufeira at a public ceremony held this week due to the current suspicion circulated by British police that he was involved in a sexual assault in 1985.

The pop star and long-term Algarve home owner was to have received the honour in a ceremony this Wednesday which went ahead to award other recipients with the city´s highest accolade.

The chairman of Montepio, Tomás Correia, has accused a member of the General Council of Montepio, Eugénio Rosa, of lying to customers and associates in the statements he published on his personal website, which accuses the current administration of mismanagement.

Montepio claims that its exposure to the collapsed Espirito Santio Group is "properly provisioned."