Spanish voters claim Gibraltar

This rock is BritishA poll on the future of Gibraltar, run by the Daily Telegraph, received thousands of votes from the ministry of defence in Spain.

The question was posed “Is Gibraltar British or Spanish?”  After circulating on social media sites in Spain and reaching the country's defence ministry, the vast majority of nearly one million responses were in favour of Spain.

Rabies alert in France

RabiesAuthorities in France have warned of a possible rabies threat after a kitten died from the disease.

The country had been thought to be rabies-free since 2001.

Portugal's 'Green is Good' minister's defining speech in Brussels

Water power in Odelouca"We have, in this area, conditions for generating employment and economic outcomes in the short term," said Portugal’s Environment Minister, Moreira da Silva, speaking in Brussels of his green objectives for Portugal's economy.

The minister said the green economy must be a priority for Portugal, at a time when it is nearing the end of the assistance programme, as this is an area of ​​rapid economic growth in Europe.

The Vila Real de Santo António 'drug family’ is at last busted

VRSA drug family busted at lastThe arrest of seven people and the seizure of cocaine, heroin and cannabis in industrial quantities, plus firearms was the result of a well planned operation by the Polícia de Segurança Pública (PSP) on Thursday.

A delighted PSP spokesman reported that all detainees, "mother, sons, daughter and neighbours," were suspected of drug trafficking and that, except for the mother, none of them appear to have a legitimate occupation.

'Algarve Encanta' roadshow returns to base

Desiderio SilvaThe ‘Algarve Encanta’ roadshow has ended after three intense days of gastronomic excess in Spain, with 380 Spansh travel agents and tour operators feasting courtesy of the Algarve’s regional tourist board.

The promotional campaign ended well with a "quite positive mood," the forecast of new business opportunities and with many new contacts being made, according to the board’s president, Desiderio Silva.

Portugal's wind power record

Wind power recordIn the first ten months of this year consumption of electricity has fallen slightly in Portugal but the proportion supplied by renewable energy sources including wind and water has reached an impressive 57% of the country’s total.

Electricity consumption dropped worryingly at the start of the year but now has seen its fourth consecutive monthly rise.

Algarve's small famers forced to give up

Farmers forced to stop farmingThe leader of the National Confederation of Agriculture, João Dinis, fears that many of the Algarve’s farmers will join farmers across the country and simply stop farming due to new legislation with compliance insisted on by Finanças and the Social Security department.

Dinis demands a specific tax status for those cases where farm income is low. The cost and complexity of regulation means otherwise that farmers will give up and production will cease.

Capital gains tax for foreigners in the UK

CGT a possibility for non-residentsA new tax is being considered in the UK on foreign property owners there.

Chancellor George Osborne is believed to be giving thought to a capital gains tax levied on property owned by foreigners as one way to address fears of a price bubble in London and the South East.