Celtejo accused of covert dumping of effluent into the Tagus

TejoFoamTwo PSD opposition MPs claim there is evidence of two incidents at an industrial plant in Vila Velha de Ródão, which forced a company to pump waste directly into the Tagus river on January 16th and 22nd.

MPs Duarte Marques and Nuno Serra, visited the river on Monday, accompanied by local leaders and party officials to assess the pollution that has created a blanked of pollution over stretches of the river’s surface.

Frantic search for 79-year-old British man missing from Silves home since Friday morning

MissingBainbridgeWith bitterly cold temperatures biting since yesterday afternoon, the search for missing 79-year-old British man John Bainbridge is now getting frantic.

Wife Anita, 74, is “incredibly worried” about him, particularly as he left the couple’s house in Odelouca, Silves, in the early hours of Friday morning without any real protection against the elements.

Portugal's Summer fires - 112th victim confirmed

fireBombeirosSmallThe number of victims of last year's fires in Portugal has risen to 112.

The Institute of Legal Medicine compared DNA samples given by the family of a missing man and has just confirmed that bones discovered in December belonged to Rui Costa.

Benfica free tickets affair - PM backs his Finance Minister without reservation

BenficaLogoThe Prime Minister, António Costa, said this afternoon that he maintains and will continue to maintain all confidence in his Minister of Finance, Mário Centeno, even if he does end up being accused in the Benfica football tickets affair.

"I have every confidence in the minister of finance and in no circumstance will he leave the Government," said the prime minister - a phrase that usually is the kiss of death to politicians in trouble.

Dog owners the target of Operation Odeta

dogLeapingThe Public Security Police will be checking dogs and their owners, in an operation lasting until Saturday, February 4th, to verify that the new ‘dangerous dog’ laws are being followed, as well as current laws for all owners of companion canines.

The checks are focused on city areas and this ‘preventative action’ aims to boost awareness among dog owners that their pets must be on a lead when in public, they must be registered at the local Freguesia and their vaccination history must be up-to-date.

Algarve chosen for new New International Yacht Training centre

yachtThe Algarve has been chosen by the International Yacht Training course provider for a training centre between Faro and Olhão.

The provider aims to offer sailing and motor yacht courses that are approved by the Maritime Coastguard Agency UK to the RYA International Certificate of Competence level that allows sailors to navigate in any ocean.

Manuel Champalimaud says Portugal’s Post Office must, "either change or disappear"

cttcounterThe founder of Gestmin and largest shareholder in the privatised Post Office, CTT, commented in an interview with Expresso published this weekend, that his investment is "strategic" but that the business must be "unrecognisable" five years from now in order to survive.

Manuel Champalimaud claims his investment in the Post Office is not short-term, on the contrary, it is a long-term investment and that "we are in CTT to stay forever."

Public Prosecutor, Celso Leal, approves of the chemical castration of sex offenders

pedophileThere are conditions attached to Celso Leal’s opinion, chemical castration should be applied only with the consent of the convicted man and must be reversible.

"It could never be imposed, because that would be unconstitutional," said the prosecutor in an interview with Público, currently the treatment is not provided for in Portuguese legislation.