In a widespread police operation involving 131 search warrants, over €4 million in ill-gotten gains has been traced to bank accounts operated by dodgy dealers from 'Gold Shops' in Portugal.

In two weeks, three gangs have been pounced on, each involved in a swindle that would have cost the state upwards of €60 million in lost VAT.

On Tuesday nine people in two gangs were arrested in various parts of the country in an operation involving more than 300 investigators, policemen and tax inspectors.

‘Flor de sal de Tavira’ is now a product with a protected origin according to the latest list from Brussels.

The production of salt and ‘flor de sal’ is limited to three parishes in Tavira which now have Protected Designation of Origin (PDO) status after a request submitted to the European Commission in 2011 has now been granted.

Portugal 'lost' 55,000 inhabitants last year as more deaths and fewer births shrunk the numbers.

Portugal has the second lowest birth rate after Germany, which combined with a ageing population and rising death rate, means the country’s population is continuing to shrink.

Portugal’s Youth Hostels that have shown low occupancy rates will again close over the winter period, as happened for the first time in 2012, according to the Secretary of State for Sport and Yoof.

Emidio Guerreiro said the option taken last year with units with occupancy rates of less than 20% “improved the accounts” of Movijovem, the public entity that manages Portugal’s network of hostels.

One month after the new Mayor of São Brás, Vitor Guerreiro, started work he has signed the contract to carry on with the 2003 contract to finish off the road to the north of the town, which represents a spend of €700,000.

This project aims at "improving connections to the main roads of the town center and of the entire network of roads in the town."

Águas do Algarve assured the public today that "there is no asbestos in their infrastructure" and denied that there were any risks to public health after the Left Bloc raised the possible existence of asbestos panels in a treatment plant in Tavira.

The Left Bloc announced that it had "asked the Ministry of the Environment about the possible presence of asbestos in the panels of the settling tanks at the Tavira water treatment plant” a situation that would, if confirmed , "be a clear threat to public health."

The Food Bank Against Hunger in the Algarve continues to find innovative ways to feed the poor. The programme has seen its collection of paper converted into cash that has enabled 85 additional tons of food to be distributed through the 'Paper for Food ' campaign since it started in January.

"The campaign is still continuing and the Algarve Food Bank is in second place nationally, just behind Lisbon," said the President of the charitable organisation, Nuno Alves who said that in the Lisbon area there are around 2 million people, while in the Algarve there are only between 400-450 thousand.

Algarve MP Paulo Sá has questioned the government about its unfulfilled promises of dredging the river Guadiana to enhance navigability and develop tourism, at least as far as Alcoutim.

The dredging was scheduled to be finished this year, but as the year is nearly over and there are no signs of any dredgers, he rightly has concluded that this is yet another promise made to the Algarve in the heat of passion, a region that is left again waiting at the altar.