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Water Resources Law amendments passed in Parliament

praiagrandelagoaThe panic experienced by many waterside property owners is over as sensible amendments to the 2005 Water Resources Law have been approved in parliament.

The coalition majority agreed to tweak the 2005 law which itself was based on a Royal Charter of 1864 which threatened, in its original form, to deprive owners of their property and land if it lay within a 50 metre boundary from the water’s edge, or 30 metres if alongside a river.

Scolari and Figo in massive bung probe

scolariThe Scolari tax evasion story is growing as Portugal’s press today started to lay bare the facts, including revelations in court of a series of ‘massive bungs’ to the ex-manager of Portugal, and footballer turned businessman Luis Figo.

Figo too is implicated in dark fiscal deeds involving offshore accounts and covert cash payments and he and Scolari may have been rumbled as the investigations into failed bank BPN continue to unearth tax evasion tactics used by the bank's rich and famous clients, many of them politicians.

New wave finger technology for cash machines

atmA cash machine already in trial allows customers to withdraw money by waving their finger.

Technology has been developed to read the pattern of veins in the finger which will identify the customer.

Deutsche Bank out of patience with vulgar behaviour

deutschebankDeutsche Bank has tried to curtail the behaviour of its traders in an attempt to clean up its tarnished image.

Germany’s biggest lender has warned its trading and investment bank staff to desist from Wolf of Wall Street type behaviour.

Octopuses avoid getting themselves into knots

octopus2Hundreds of suckers on an octopus’ tentacles can stick to most surfaces but not to its own skin.

Scientists studying the cephalopod now believe it emits a specific chemical signal from its skin which prevents it from sticking to itself. Without this, scientists believe, the long tentacles could well become entangled or attached to another octopus.

Condé Nast picks the Algarve's Martinhal Resort

martinhalThe Spanish edition of the magazine Condé Nast Traveler has highlighted Martinhal Beach Resort & Hotel in Sagres as one of the best in the world to stay at for a family vacation.

The attractions for children were especially welcomed by the reviewers including safe playgrounds, places to climb, a heated swimming pools and a trampoline among other child-friendly entertainments

Algarve fisherman dragged under the sea by a cable

helicopter2Co-workers saw a fisherman get his leg tangled in a gear cable which dragged him over the side of the boat and under the water.

The captain of the fishing boat alerted the authorities and ordered the winding gear to be put in reverse to rescue the man but to no avail, the chances now of finding him alive are zero.

Faro to Tangier ferry link proposed

tangiersCan the almost forgotten dream of a sea link between Faro and Tangier be revived?

There were discussions 20 years ago but the project was shelved as the parties involved could not agree on the time of day, let alone to cooperate on such an important international trade and tourism project.