Santander Bank prepares new structure for next crisis

santander2Santander is dividing its banking empire into nine autonomous groups, with Portugal being one of them.

Preparing for the next crisis, the Spanish bank, run by Ana Botin, aims to create a more robust geographical structure should one of the new regional businesses suffer insolvency.

TAP's new aircraft choice on worldwide test flight before delivery

taplogoSmoother, economical and with a new seating design and layout, the new Airbus 330-900neo aircraft is being flown by TAP pilots on a round-the-world series of test flights, before the company starts to take delivery of the first of 53 aircraft on order.

A batch of 14 aircraft, ordered in 2016 from the Toulouse-based manufacturer, is heralded by an A330-900neo which was delivered to TAP in April, after test flights in France, in March.

Portugal's tropical weather brings thunder and rain to some parts

11459Portugal’s weather is verging on the tropical with the hot weather bringing showers and thunderstorms to some regions.

Almost every area of the mainland had a very high risk of exposure to ultraviolet radiation on Tuesday, according to the weather service which gives a reading of UV 9 for the Algarve, one point off maximum danger. High readings will continue.

Mercedes recalling thousands of vehicles in Portugal

mercedesMercedes owners in Portugal are to receive notification of a recall so mechanics can update pollution control software.

The operation is for Vito vans and two Class C models with thousands of vehicles due to be booked into to service workshops.

Spanish King’s brother-in-law starts 70 month prison sentence

SpanishKingBrotherInLawIñaki Urdangarin, the brother-in-law of Spain’s King Felipe VI, walked into a jail in Ávila today to start his five-year, 10-month sentence for embezzlement, influence peddling and tax crimes in the Nóos Institute case.

The husband of Princess Cristina de Borbón, the King’s sister, reported to Brieva penitentiary in Álava having flown in from Geneva the night before.

International media questions 'selfie' explanation for Ericeira double death

beachEriceiraAs international media awaits information from the Portuguese police, questions are being asked about the death of Australian, Michael Kearns and his British girlfriend, Louise Benson who plunged 30 metres to their death onto Praia dos Pescadores at the west coast town of Ericeira, 35  kilometres north-west of Lisbon.

Initial comments suggested that they had been taking a selfie and somehow fell over a low wall to their doom. But this was at 04:00 in the morning and there was light rain, hardly ideal conditions for a photo opportunity.

Portugal second only to Sweden in EU climate change ranking

chimneysSmokingPortugal’s climate change aspirations rank second only to Sweden’s in the European ‘Off target: Ranking of EU countries' report.

Portugal is way ahead of its European cousins in the ranking of ambitions and actual measures to comply with the Paris agreement on climate change.

Spanish drug trafficker pulled over on the Guadiana bridge

guadianaA known drugs trafficker was been pulled over by police on the Portuguese side of the Guadiana International Bridge.

The 36-year-old, travelling with a couple and two children, had 4.3 kilogrammes of hashish hidden in his vehicle.