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Germans use music and manuals to thwart spies

violinAs David Cameron shakes up his Cabinet, the German government is growing increasingly wary of being spied upon by the Americans.

Parliamentarians on the country’s spying committee have taken to playing classical music during meetings in order to foil anyone seeking to overhear their discussions.

Faro bikers' festival is back

ironmaidenEurope’s premier bikers’ event revs up for a Thursday start as Faro prepares for the 33rd International Motorcycle Festival, expecting to welcome at least 20,000 revellers to the Vale das Almas venue.

The 24-hour bar service should be well used if the scheduled hot weather continues as the crowds are entertained by street and performance artists. 

Lord Hill nominated for European Commission

europeanparliamentIn the great Cabinet reshuffle, Prime Minister Cameron has nominated Lord Hill as the British candidate for the next European Commission, as announced by the British Embassy in Lisbon.

Lord Hill, 54, had been the Leader of the House of Lords and a member of the Cabinet since January 2013 as well as having worked for John Major in the ‘90s, including political secretary during the Maastricht Treaty negotiations.

GNR uproot Marmalete drugs plantation

cannabisAfter an unspecified period of surveillance, GNR officers have arrested two men and uprooted 11 cannabis plants as evidence of criminal activities.

The men were charged for drug offences in an operation carried out by GNR officers from the Centre for Criminal Investigation in Portimão.

Quercus lodges injunction to halt gold mining

corkoakSome 17,000 tons of explosives will be detonated in the next five years as Aurmont Resources extracts an estimated six tons of gold from underneath a protected area of cork oak, this was the plan.

However, environmental association Quercus announced today that it has filed an injunction that challenges the Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) for the Boa-Fé mining project 15 kilometres from the historic city of Evora in the Alentejo.

Minister to go ahead with loss-making air service from Portimão

portimaoaerodromeThe Secretary of State for Transport said today that the new route with regular flights to Viseu Tires and Portimão will start operating early next year.

"This is the re-starting of a service that existed a few years ago. I hope that early next year we can have regular flights," said Sérgio Monteiro during the opening ceremony of redevelopment works at the Municipal Aerodrome in Viseu.

Portugal's 'Green Taxation' review contains innovative surprises

trainThe Hospitality Association of Portugal has challenging the creation of a municipal tourist tax, just one of the measures presented by the Commission on the Reform of Green Taxation.

The Hospitality Association’s  Luis Veiga, said any such fee “will not foster entrepreneurship or job creation, nor will help to encourage behavior that promotes good environmental practices.”

New NHS charges for visitors

stethascopeCharges are to be imposed on people from outside the EU who use Britain’s NHS.

Now any coming from non-EU countries will be charged 150% of the cost of NHS treatment. A procedure costing £1000 could be billed at £1500.