By noon in Portugal just 12.14% of voters had filed into the polling stations, slightly more than at the same time five years ago. By 2.00pm in Italy the turnout has been 16.7% and in Germany 25.6% of voters had ticked the box. In France by 5.00pm 35.07% has chosen their parties.

By 2pm in Spain 23.83% of those eligible to vote had turned up at the polling booths, about the same percentage as in 2009. On Culatra island the percentage was zero and it is expected that by the end of the day not one vote will have been cast.

The Court of Auditors has refused Portimão council’s rescue package application for €94 million, leaving the municipality in acute danger of insolvency.

The council plans to 'work around the problem' with the government.

The Association of Hotels and Resorts in the Algarve (AHETA) has welcomed the announcement of the resumption of roadworks on the EN 125 but objects to the ill-chosen start date and demands that tolls be removed from the Via do Infante motorway from the Spanish border to at least Faro.

Estradas de Portugal has at last organised the recommencement of road repairs and upgrade work along the EN 125 but only the section from Olhão west to Vila do Bispoare to be attended to.

Portugal "is today a world reference for financial education," according to the president of the Coordinating Committee of the National Plan for Financial Education

Portugal has won the prestigious 2014 financial literacy prize for Europe issued by the Child and Youth Finance International.

The parties in the Miró sale process continue to fail, making no headway with the decree by the Portuguese Prime Minister to dispose of the art collection.

Christie’s auction house in London has postponed the auction again as it waits for the resolution of legal and commercial issues brought about by Portugal’s inability to prepare the legal groundwork that would have enabled the sale to take place without being subject to a petition, injunctions and widespread complaints within the country's arts community.

The final of the Champions League taking place in Lisbon this Saturday 24th May between Madrid teams Real and Atlético has filled Lisbon airport landing slots for aircraft bringing fans to the capital, many of whom do not have tickets to the game.

So far over 280 private and 50 charter flights are scheduled to land in Lisbon representing 75% more landings than on a normal Saturday.

Estradas de Portugal is to carry out an inspection of the Algarve’s bridges over the EN 125 to create a calendar of work depending on which one is likely to collapse first.

The work already is underway and that "if all goes normally, within two to three weeks it will be completed," said a spokesman, adding that some bridges will require further study.

A treat is in store for Rollingt Stones fans of a certain age as the rock legend Mick Taylor, former guitarist with the Stones, will join the band on stage at the Rock in Rio gig next week.

The British band is already in a studio in Oslo, Norway, rehearsing for the concert at the start of a tour that kicks off on Monday in Oslo, followed by Lisbon next Thursday, May 29th.