The December 2013 increase in hotel occupancy in the Algarve, compared to 2012, was not reflected in a 'proportional increase in the volume of business generated,' according to the prophet of doom from the Association of Hotels and Resorts in the Algarve (AHETA), Elidérico Viegas.

“The average occupancy rate per room in December 2013 was 26.1% representing an increase of 4% compared to 2012 but cash turnover increased by only 2.2% - a common trend in recent years,” said Elidérico Viegas.

The Rotary Club Estoi Palace International is to deliver a spanking new ambulance to the volunteer firefighters of São Brás.

The ambulance was considered somewhat of a necessity for the São Brás Bombeiros service which covers many small villages and isolated homes, many accessible only by dirt tracks usually in a very poor condition.

Waves have damaged Portimão Marina, Carvoeiro, Ferragudo and Armaçao de Pêra as the combination of a heavy southerly swell and high tides has destroyed the pool, a café, and beach facilities at the Marina de Portimao and many businesses located on or near beaches across the Algarve.

In  Praia do Carvoeiro waves caused damage to various restaurants as water and rocks swept in by the sea destroyed windows and equipment.

Owners of Portuguese property that is located close to rivers or the sea, and  who want to sell, transfer now have until July 2014 to prove the property was in private hands in 1864.

The July deadline extension is the only good news as owners of buildings located in coastal and riverside areas will continue to be required to provide proof of their ownership in court, and that the properties in question were already privately owned before 1864, otherwise they risk losing their rights.

The failure of the inducement by Finanças in rebating a small percentage of VAT paid by consumers buying meals, accommodation, haircuts and car repairs has now been laid bare.

Last year just 6.6% of the 614.3 million invoices in the sectors covered by the scheme were issued with tax identification numbers added, the tax department therefore seems right to change the scheme for 2014 by adding the lottery incentive. As before, 15% of the VAT rate of purchases at restaurants, car garages and hair salons can go towards reducing a taxpayer's income tax if the receipt is registered online.

The natioon soon will have a lottery style car give away, but will the overall registration of receipts increase or are consumers on the side of the retailer and against the government’s increasing incursion into the nation’s business activities?

Inflation in the eurozone dropped to 0.8% in December, down from 0.9% in November.

The flash estimate from Eurostat was too early to provide a breakdown by country.

EasyJet announced that it transported more than 61.3 million passengers in 2013, an increase of 3.6% over the previous year.

Much of the increase in traffic came in December when 4.5 million people flew with the carrier.

Cartons of cocaine have been delivered to an Aldi supermarket in Germany.

Boxes of bananas also containing 140kg of the drug were sent to five different Aldi shops in the Berlin area in what police say was a “logistical error” made by smugglers.