Auditors, appointed by Anacom to keep a check on the accounts issued by Portugal's privatised post office, concluded that CTT has been fiddling the books by apportioning costs to the postal service that in fact were incurred while setting up in-store branches of Banco CTT.

The regulator says the cost-sharing methodology used by CTT, between the various parts of the business, is inadequate and has allowed part of Banco CTT’s costs to be attributed to the universal postal service which allowed management to push for an increase in postal charges while making the bank's figures look better than in reality.

The government and Galp-ENI are really playing games with the court and with the people, writes ASMAA - the Algarve Surf and Marine Activities Association.

A simple question that requires just a 'yes or no' answer has been asked over and over since the president of Galp announced in the last quarter of 2018 that the company was stopping all drilling in Portugal.

I have searched the books and net, to come up with more comprehensive information on them. I must thank the various holiday companies for helping with some of the technical information, writes Jan Cobley.

I know of dogs who have lost their tongues to these beasts and it is not a pretty sight and so distressing. There seems to be little local information about them, there are companies in the Algarve which will spray the pine trees where they live.

Paul Singer from the Elliott fund has announced an alternative plan to the EDP takeover bid from China Three Gorges.

Elliott believes that EDP is undervalued by the market and that the takeover bid is not in the best interest of shareholders. He argues that the price offered by the Chinese state-owned company of €3.26 per share is "unacceptable" and that the Chinese are not committed to resolving regulatory concerns.

Monchique fire fighters rushed to help their neighbouring colleagues in Odemira as a fire tore through an area of eucalyptus.

Four firefighters from the Odemira bombeiros suffered minor injuries on Thursday, after one of vehicles overturned.

The Portuguese economy, bailed out by the European Union eight years ago, is booming, writes Reuters, adding that Portugal “is enjoying its highest economic growth in nearly two decades, fuelled by record tourism, an upswing in the housing market, a growing tech sector and strong exports. Private investment has returned to 2009 levels, helped by foreign investors including Chinese companies.”

The Algarve has 34 pharmacies "at risk of closure," warns the National Association of Pharmacies, which on Monday, 18th February will organise the collection of signatures to deliver to parliament.

Currently, 16 pharmacies in the region are facing insolvency proceedings and 18 have attachments to their goods and property, just under 30%, according to the Association.

Faro Council has at least been making an effort to rid its streets of abandoned vehicles with 175 towed away since late 2016.

A street-to-street survey identified 458 vehicles that had been abandoned but Council staff have been  hampered in taking them all, as those that have been seized in lieu of debt gain a special status preventing their legal removal.