Algarve - Vila Joya 22nd best restaurant in the world

vilajoyaThe restaurant at the luxury Vila Joya hotel in Galé, Albufeira climbed 15 places in the Restaurant Magazine listings.

The magazine announced the final list of the world’s best restaurants on Monday night in London.

British household costs up by 25% since 2004

britishmoneyThe price of essential goods for UK households is reported to have risen by 25% in the last ten years.

At the same time, wages have been depressed and have grown by scant more than 2%, according to Halifax.

Black boxes urged for cars

ukhighstreetVehicle devices in the UK are beginning to cut down bogus insurance claims.

Three people who recently tried to claim £54,000 in damage and personal injuries following a minor accident saw their claim rejected after a telematics device proved the claim was implausible.

Portugal - tax cuts in 2015, maybe

piresdelimaIn the clearest application of government gloss, as international funders await Portugal’s re-entry into the grown-up world of self-sufficiency, the Economy Minister has heralded company tax rate cuts for 2015.

“There are great companies in Portugal and I very much believe in the ability of companies," said António Pires de Lima, adding that the Portuguese can be confident in the economic recovery of the country and that the descent of taxes should be one of the objectives of the Government from 2015.

Finanças web portal unable to cope with customers

financaslogoThe Secretary of State for Fiscal Affairs said today that the suspension of parts of the Finanças website is to help people file their tax returns online and on time before the April 30th deadline.

The Ministry of Finance has blocked a number of features of the Finanças web portal in order to speed up the rest of the creaking architecture and to ensure that the system remains operational, i.e. does not crash, according to Paulo Nuncio.

Property - the Brits are back

villa3The number of domestic properties sold in Portugal increased in the first quarter of 2014 with foreign buyers representing 14% of the total, according to the chairman of the Association of Professionals and Real Estate Companies of Portugal (APEMIP).

"One factor this quarter was the increase in foreign investment, for example in the Algarve which began to sell more property," Luis Lima said today.

Reprieve for Spanish property

spanishluxuryhomeAfter seven years of desperately falling property prices in Spain, confidence has returned to foreign investors who are finally buying some prime real estate.

Foreign purchases in 2013 exceeded €6bn for the first time since 2004, according to the Bank of Spain.

 UK unemployment benefits tightened

jobcentreBritain's long-term unemployed are now obliged to clock in at a Job Centre every day and undertake training or volunteer work in order to keep their benefits.

The new Help to Work programme has come into effect.