The travel firm Villa Parade has gone into liquidation, owing customers more than £3 million.

The collapse of the up-market company is the largest in the travel industry since 2008.

New British passport applications are said to be taking at least double the advertised time to process.

Previously, we reported on delays experienced by applications by expats, but delay seems to pertain to all requests although Applications from Britons living overseas are understood to be among the most seriously affected by the delays.

Approval ratings for King Juan Carlos of Spain have increased after he announced his plan for abdication.

The 76-year-old king plans for his oldest son, Prince Felipe, to take his place.

Portugal’s Treasury is to place the first significant issue of long-term bonds since the departure of the 'Troika.'

Ten-year bonds will be on offer on Wednesday in order to raise a total of €750 million for the government to spend.

Two German tourists who went on a hike in Madeira’s mountains have been found dead at the bottom of a ravine.

A rescue team of firemen, volunteers and Public Security Policemen found the bodies on Sunday. The couple, in their 60s,  had been missing since Wednesday 4th June.

The Turkish-American Professor of economics, Daron Acemoglu, from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) that Portugal has identified two problems regarding Portugal’s economic prospects, one of which involves "aspects that are very archaic."

The renowned economist, he is in the world's top ten, said that the main problem is that Portugal is way behind in terms of its human capital because its workforce has not been sufficiently educated, but now it is catching up.

Expat life in a number of countries was said to have become a lot more expensive.

The annual Overseas Living Price index, brought out by the Overseas Guides Company, said that many European spots popular with expats had grown more pricey than ever.

The most popular car journey in Britain is the A470 which takes in Snowdonia National Park and the Brecon Beacons.

Roads traversing the Peak District were in second and third place, with the Snake Pass, which bypasses Whinstone Lee, and the Cat and Fiddle Road, worth it just for the names it would seem.