More Met funding approved for McCann case

praiadaluzThe Metropolitan Police is to receive further funds to continue its investigatio into the disappearance of Madeleine McCann.
 
The UK government has funded Operation Grange to the tune of £11 million pounds (€12.5 million), latterly released in tranches every six months.

Portugal is the friendliest country in the world towards immigrants

portugalPortugal is the first in a list of 65 countries that are friendly to immigrants, beating Taiwan and Mexico to the number one spot.

An Inter Nations study, released by Forbes, shows that Portugal has shot up nine places in a year.

Post Office charges to go up 4.5% next week

cttvanPrices for postal services at Portugal’s privatise post office are to go up an inflation busting 4.5% from April 2nd.
 
last year's price rise of 2.4% was well above the inflation rate of 1.4% but, despite this boost, the privatised post office’s management has failed to stem an inexorable decline in income.

SEF announces strike from Tuesday

SEFThe Foreigners and Borders Service (SEF) has announced a strike from Tuesday, March 27, until Thursday, March 29, in protest against the "chaotic situation" that exists in the service.
 
The strike information was announced by Sinsef - the Union of Employees of the SEF - which accuses management of "absurd administrative policies."

Flying Doctors earning €2,400 per weekend in the Algarve

baby2012Such is the staffing chaos within the Algarve’s National Health Service, doctors are flying down from the north on Friday evenings, to work 24 or 48 hours in the Algarves’ maternity wards.

Attracted by pay of €50 per hour, pediatricians and obstetricians from other regions of the country have been covering for gaps in local staffing. 

Second airport for Lisbon remains a distant dream

airplaneDespite last year’s four critical trigger points being hit at Lisbon’s Humberto Delgado airport, creating conditions of urgency for added capacity and a new airport to serve the capital, only now has an order been published in Diário da República to start the process.
 
ANA deliberately has dithered, according to Ryanair’s combative boss, as it is earning so much from the fully depreciated infrastructure at Humberto Delgado airport, it is no hurry to spend money on converting the neraby Montijo military airbase into to a fully functioning civilian airport - by 2022.

Caixa Geral's €4 billion bailout pushes 2017 deficit to 3%

caixageral2The impact of the taxpayer bailout of State-owned bank, Caixa Geral de Depósitos, (CGD), has been revealed.
 
Without the recapitalisation of the ailing bank, last year’s deficit would have been an enviable 0.9% of Gross Domestic Product.

PM leads national forest clean-up operation

CostaFireWatchPortugal’s Prime Minster led a land clearance assault force of about two dozen members of his Government on Saturday.
 
Launching a major forest clean-up campaign, that covered districts from the north to south of the country, Costa chose the Algarve for his photo opportunity, pictured here with Loulé mayor, Vitor Aleixo.