Government plans to shake up the Foreigners and Borders Service’s immigration process

immigration shakeupThe government has announced plans to revamp Portugal’s Foreigners and Borders Service (SEF) in an effort to cut back on the hellish bureaucracy that haunts the process, as well as improving conditions for immigrants to the country. This also includes possible changes to the “golden visa” scheme.

Demolition of one of the oldest houses in Praia da Rocha causes outrage

demolition outrageThe building was said to be one last vestiges of the golden days of Praia da Rocha. But no longer, because since Monday, November 4th, it has been undergoing demolition. The house is known as the House of the Count of Covilhã, and is a historical testimony of the early decades of the twentieth century.

EVA to take over a majority of the Algarve’s bus network

bus networkAMAL, the previous main bus service operator, is set to pass on the Public Passenger Road Transport Service to EVA, aiming to “strengthen and improve mobility in 98 of the southern lines of the country”. This means that most of the Algarve’s bus network will be operated by the regional bus company starting in August 2020.

Volunteer Architects help to rebuild homes affected by Monchique wildfire

volunteer architectsA group of volunteer architects have pledged to help rebuild houses affected by the 2018 summer wildfires, following the signing of a document earlier this afternoon in Monchique, between the Southern Regional Section of the Order of Architects, and the Council.

PSD MPs call for fee exemption for harvesters banned from catching shellfish

shellfish exemptionAlgarve-elected PSD MPs want the Government to suspend the charging of expensive license fees to Algarvian shellfish-catchers who are affected by periods of total or partial bans of shellfish harvesting, which are enacted by the IPMA.

Algarvean fishermen outraged over premature anchovy fishing ban

fishing banAnchovy fishing will be shut down from next Wednesday, November 6th onwards, at a time when it usually occurs most on the southern coast of the country. This is due to the country’s yearly anchovy fishing quota being hit earlier than expected.

British filmmakers shoot scenes for “Miss Willoughby” in Loulé

miss willoughbyMiss Willoughby is the name of the British production by director Mick Davis, which was last week shooting in Loulé.

Whistleblower Edward Snowden speaks live in Lisbon about online privacy

snowden lisbon“Data isn’t harmless, it is not abstract when it comes to people. And it's not the data being exploited, it's the people," said Edward Snowden, in Lisbon today, denouncing the large-scale surveillance scheme developed by the CIA and NSA.