Scientists believe that more than half the nations in Europe do not have enough honeybees to pollinate crops.

Instead, pollination is being done by so called ‘wild pollinators’ such as bumblebees, solitary bees and hoverflies.

Honey bees are said by researchers to be responsible for pollinating around one-third of the world's crop production.

Thankfully, the number of deaths reduced by half last year but there were more accidents on the Algarve’s choked road system.

This is the second year running that the number of deaths on the Algarve roads fell, according to data from the National Road Safety Authority which reported 20 fatalities, 23 less than the previous year.

The accident rate was marginally up in 2013 with 8,365 accidents reported, 48 more than in 2012.  

The multinational Repsol-Partex oil and gas consortium says it will commence “clean and safe” exploratory drilling off the south coast of Portugal late this year or early next, but it may be another four or five years before it can accurately gauge if hydrocarbon deposits are sufficient to make it worthwhile to proceed to commercial extraction.

The consortium has already carried out seismic surveys and other preparatory studies since acquiring the offshore concession for blocks 13 and 14 in Algarve waters in October 2011. As the exploration is still in the preliminary stages, no firm date can yet be set for the start of drilling.

The lights at the recently developed Colina do Revelim leisure are in Castro Marim have been vandalised as thieves stole the copper wiring.

Over 40 street lights were damaged beyond repair affecting the presentation of the military structure built by D. João IV which is the main attraction for tourist visiting the town. The council reckons the damage will cost thousands to repair.

For the first time in the Tivoli Hotels’ history the number of British guests has exceeded that of any other nationality.

Tivoli Hotels Portugal traditionally has been the preferred choice of Portuguese visitors but these now have been knocked into second place by the British, according to Alexandre Solleiro, the president of Tivoli Hotels & Resorts.

Swings in the pound and local price changes makes Bali the cheapest destination with the Algarve best value in Europe as a strengthening pound helps budgets stretch further in most resorts and cities.

Holiday costs for Britons were down in 70% of the 44 destinations surveyed in the Post Office Travel Money report, with prices falling by up to 30%.

Online shopping in the UK over the Christmas period was more pronounced than expected, taking retailers by surprise.

Data from the British Retail Consortium shows that non-food online retail sales grew by a massive 19.2% in December, the fastest pace since March 2010.

The structural shift in shopping behaviour from shops to online took place at a time when retail sales grew by just 1.8%.

Security guards at a Spanish supermarket are reported by have assaulted a French couple.

The wife was repeatedly punched and the husband gripped by the throat as their children watched.

The incident took place at a Carrefour hypermarket in the Costa Blanca town of Torrevieja.