Sales of Coca-Cola’s fizzy drinks in Europe fall dramatically for the first time in 15 years.

Although the global volume of carbonated drinks sold dropped by 1%, sales in Europe were down by 5%.

Loulé council intends to buy the iconic Café Calcinha down the road from the market to ensure that the historic property will not be altered.

Deputy mayor Hugo Nunes compared the Loulé establishment to the Majestic Café in Oporto, albeit on a rather smaller scale and noted the café is famous for its association with poet António Aleixo

The Lisbon Court today ordered the release of the Portuguese lawyer and former MP Duarte Lima, who had been under house arrest, on the grounds that the danger of him fleeing is reduced.

In March the Lisbon Criminal Court continued Lima’s period of house arrest as one of six defendants in a trial related to corrupt practices surrounding land acquisition in Oeiras using a loan from BPN. Duarte Lima also has been charged by Brazilian authorities with the 2009 murder of Rosalina Ribeiro in Rio de Janeiro.

Holding undeclared income outside of the UK will become harder for Britons.

The Treasury has revealed plans to make it a criminal offence for Britons to keep undeclared income abroad. Hefty fines and even prison sentences could result.

An investigation is underway in Spain over the suspected embezzlement of €1.8 billion of funds from the European Union.

Anti-corruption detectives in Andalusia believe they are investigating the country’s largest fraud ever uncovered.

A heated row has broken out in France over the presence of Roma gypsies in the country.

A leaked note from a police chief called for police to ‘systematically evict’ gypsies in the classy sixth arrondissement of Paris.

The director of the Portugal Open tennis competition today accused his creditors who have requested the insolvency of his company, João Lagos Sports, of wanting to destroy him - but they claim they only want their debts paid off.

According to the Ministry of Justice website ‘Citius’ where lawsuits and notices of insolvency are listed, at least two debtors officially have filed for the insolvency of João Lagos Sports - Events Management SA , the company that has battled to organise the Portugal Open this year.

Details of the contract between state controlled Parvalorem and Christie's covering the forthcoming auction in London of 85 Miró works have not been disclosed "because the auction house does not want any such details revealed. If the Government does reveal the deal then Christie’s may ask for compensation."

This is the official excuse from the Treasury Secretary, Isabel Castelo Branco, as she addressed circling opposition MPs in Parliament today who long have wanted a glimpse of the contract to check the taxpayer will be getting the maximum benefit from the controversial sale.