The European Commission has claimed that there is no problem with Spain’s version of border control with Gibraltar and that it has no evidence that the Spanish authorities have violated European standards in controlling its border with Gibraltar, a British overseas territory.

In a statement the EC records that  it had "found no evidence" that Spain has breached EU laws during a time of diplomatic tension between Madrid and London. Britain and Gibraltarians claimed the excessive vehicle and document checks have led to hours of deliberate delays for tourists and commuters.

The Commission found "no evidence to conclude that the control of persons and goods by the Spanish authorities at the border post (between Spain and Gibraltar) had violated the provisions of EU law that are in place."

The national charity Caritas Portuguesa has recorded a 20% increase in requests for help from Portuguese families affected by the economic crisis in the last year.

The middle classes now are joining the queue at the soup kitchen door, as are  members of the upper middle class for the first time.

"We knew in Portugal that any problem of this type always reaches the lower classes first because they are the most vulnerable, but for the crisis to hit the upper middle class was once unthinkable," said the president of Caritas Portuguesa.

Former Finance Minister and stalwart right hand man to the Pedro Passos Coelho government, Vítor Gaspar has been given a new job by the Portuguese president of the EU Durão Barroso.

The former Minister of Finance will be an advisor to the EU on the Taxation of the Digital Economy - in fact he will chair this exciting new group using his trade mark, laugh-a-minute style.

Portugal will be represented in the 2014 Olympic Winter Games in Sochi, Russia.

This is a first for a country characterised by hot summers and mild winters, with snow only in the northern mountain ranges, and with no highly developed or renowned skiing industry.

However, the slalom skills of Artur Hanse and Camile Dias will be on show to a worldwide audience as they have just been accepted by the Federation of Winter Sports in Portugal (FDIP) to head to Russia.

When the crew of the ship ' Vatan L,' saili

Two male corpses, who authorities believe are from Togo, Africa, had died of hunger and thirst in a compartment that had been sealed for about two weeks on leaving Togo. Death may have been caused by a lack of oxygen combined with air pollution caused by the pesticides used in the seed production.

EasyJet has flown an aircraft through an artificial ash cloud in order to test flying conditions.

The artificial cloud hung over the Bay of Biscay and was between 600ft and 800ft deep and nearly 2 miles in diameter.

Although there was a slight drop in the value of the goods for export in the last quarter, they still amounted to £75.7bn. Since then, orders have picked up.

Some of the increase came in orders from parts of the EU, particularly of cars. Although it has not been an easy year, indications are that the major European markets are becoming more stable since the beginning of 2013 and activity seems to be picking in both the core of Europe and periphery economies.

But with all the problems in Europe since the crash in 2008, UK manufacturers have been focussing more on new export markets. Sales of goods to emerging economies in Asia and South America have increased as a result.

Paulo Sá questioned the new Minister of the Economy, António Pires de Lima, over the " abandonment " of the roadworks and redevelopment of the EN125, but got the same old answer, silence.

During detailed discussions on the 2014 State Budget the MP demanded to know the date of resumption of work on the EN125, how long work would take and whether the government intends to renegotiate the contract with Algarve Coastline for the work.