The parliamentary group of the Communist Party has submitted a request urgently to hear from the Parliamentary Health Committee,  the bosses of the Algarve’s regional health administration (ARS), and from the Algarve hospitals group (CHA), and also from the doctors working in the Algarve’s hospitals.

At issue is the now-famous petition signed by 182 medics from the 230 that work at Faro and Portimão hospitals.

According to the Communist Party, the situations and shortages outlined in the letter released last week, “are extremely serious and can not be ignored."

The driver of a white Renault car that ran into and killed an elderly bicyclist on the EN 120 near Aljezur has been identified. The driver did not stop, triggering a police investigation that successfully has located the man.

The GNR said in a statement that the car involved in the accident was found in a Portimão workshop being repaired and that the 47-year old driver has been arrested and accused of failing to stop after an accident. He has to inform police of any changes of address, but may remain free until his trial.

A manuscript from the 16th century could indicate that Portuguese explorers were in Australia before the first recorded European landing in 1606.

The document contains the drawing of what appears to be a small kangaroo or a wallaby placed into the letter “D”.

The V formation adopted by flocks of birds has been finally understood.

Researchers have discovered that the purpose is to save energy. Every bird other than the leader is able to gain lift from the bird in front by remaining close to its wingtip.

Study showed that the birds time their wing beats perfectly to match the good air coming from the bird in front. Additionally, their heart rates went down when flying in a V.

The increasing gap between rich and poor is perceived to be the biggest risk to global security, according to the World Economic Forum.

Its annual report warned the worsening levels of income disparity could lead to greater social unrest in the coming decade leading to the dissolution of the fabric of society.

A man accused of aiding illegal immigration was convicted by the Judicial Court of Faro to one year and nine months in prison, suspended for the same period, according to Portugal’s Foreigners & Borders Service (SEF).

The non-Portuguese man was involved in "illegal acts to ease the passage over the Portuguese border to foreign nationals whose final destination was the UK," according to the court report.

The Institute for the Conservation of Nature and Forests (ICNF) today announced the release into nature of one of the lynx born at the special breeding unit in Silves. This brings the total number of lynx bred in captivity and released in Spain to 37.

The ICNF said the latest lynx to be released, named Junípero, was released in the Guadalmellato area in Cordoba, southern Spain.

Of the 37 animals released to date, 12 were born in the Silves breeding unit with six of the going to the Guadalmellato zone and the remaining six in the Guarrizas area in Jaén, also in Andalucia.

Staff in some of the Algarve’s luxury hotels are complaining of wage arrears despite high occupancy rates across the region in 2013.
 
Employees and the Union of Hotels in the Algarve have complained that "there are people living very desperate situations."