Between 2009 and 2013 the UK deported about 50 Portuguese citizens each year, according to figures released by the Portuguese government in response to a question from Socialist MP Paulo Pisco.

The chief of staff of the Minister of Foreign Affairs acknowledged that "the Portuguese community in the UK, most notably in London, has many social problems, marked for over a decade by many cases of addiction and crime."

Dolphins trained in aquatic espionage are likely to stay in the Crimea, becoming a Russian pod rather than their former status as Ukrainian.

Sevastopol has had a marine mammal training programme since 1965. Dolphins have been trained to identify underwater obstacles, locate missing kit, and fight and even kill enemy frogmen.

The burst housing bubble and recession may not have imparted lessons for Andalusia as permission has been given to complete a mammoth 21-storey hotel.

The half-built structure lies on one of Spain’s last remaining unspoilt Mediterranean beaches in the nature reserve of Cabo de Gata, Almeria.

The Portuguese Nurses' Union warned today that nursing cover at the Algarve’s Lagos hospital is on the point of collapse.

The director of the Algarve Central Hospitals management has responded to pleas for more nurses saying he is committed to “resolving the situation,” and already has asked the Ministry of Health for permission to hire more staff.

A Chinese government crackdown on widespread corruption in the China Three Gorges Corporation, controlling shareholder in Portugal’s formerly state-owned power company EDP, has seen the removal from post of its president Cao Guangjing and colleague Chen Fei.

It is reported in the Chinese press that these two will be ‘assigned other jobs’ although where and when is not yet known.

The Administrative Court of Loulé has upheld an injunction filed last September by Isilda Gomes and others to prevent the "extinction of emergency surgical skills in Portimão Hospital and the transfer of such skills to Faro Hospital.”

This ruling means in practice that the actions taken so far by the Ministry of Health and the Board of Directors of the Algarve Hospitals Group, in particular relating to the transfer of staff and services from Portimão, are halted.

Perhaps there is hope yet for Italy as its new prime minister used eBay to auction off a fleet of executive cars.

Maseratis, Alfa Romeos, Lancias are among the Alfas, Jaguars, BMWs which had been assigned to various ministers and officials in departments, such as justice, interior and defence.

Cheese has caused consternation among Conservative ministers.

Plans to step up the existing “Change4Life” campaign aimed at advising people to reduce their consumption of saturated fats brought two government departments into conflict.