Portugal and Spain work on rail link projects

tgvAt a meeting in Madrid on Tuesday, Portugal and Spain have decided to strengthen technical coordination in the modernisation of a series of rail links that are of "enormous importance."

"Our first decision was that we will hold working meetings between our technical teams," said the Portuguese minister for Planning and Infrastructures, Pedro Marques, at a press conference alongside the Spanish Minister of Development, Ínigo de la Serna.

Italians pardon CIA officer due for deportation from Portugal

handcuffThe former CIA officer due to be extradited from Portugal to Italy for her alleged role in the 'extraordinary rendition' of a suspected terrorist has received a partial pardon from Italy’s President, Sergio Mattarella.

By reducing Sabrina de Sousa’s sentence from four years to three, she now will not have to serve time in jail and will be allowed to undertake some sort of community service.

The CIA operative was convicted by an Italian court for being involved in the 2003 abduction of a suspected terrorist living in Milan.

Almargem's opinion on new solar mega-plant in Alcoutim 'completely ignored'

pvThe launch of Solara4 took place this Wednesday in Alcoutim:

"This will be the largest solar park in Europe without a subsidised tariff and without placing a burden on consumers, in line with the new guidelines of the national energy policy," said the Secretary of State for Energy, Jorge Seguro Sanches.

The €200 million photovoltaic power station will provide up to 200 megawatts (MW), according to projections in the environmental impact study.

Ryanair announces plans for German routes

ryanair12Ryanair is revving up the competition by laying on 20 new routes from Germany’s leading airport, Frankfurt.

Currently, the carrier uses Frankfurt-Hahn airport which is some 120 kilometres from the city of Frankfurt.

Sir Philip Green chips in £363 million to BHS pension fund and keeps his Knighthood.

bhsSir Philip Green may at last have done the right thing by deciding to chip in a not insignificant £363 million to the BHS pension fund.

The retail magnate, vilified for having the audacity to own a yacht and for displaying his wealth in a most un-British way, Sir Philip Green took over the role of the ‘unacceptable face of capitalism’ (previous held by Tiny Rowlands) and has been tabloid and broadsheet fodder over his 2015 sale of BHS to the fantasist Dominic Chappell, under whose brief tenure the business was bled dry and closed down.

30% of workers in Portugal earn less than €600 a month

FactoryShoeThe proportion of workers in Portugal earning the national minimum wage of €530 a month rose from around 12% in January 2010 to 19.6% in April 2016.

Currently, 30% of Portuguese workers earn less than €600 a month, according to the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development’s report on the Portuguese economy published on Monday.

Obama urged to run for president of France

eiffeltowerWags in France are calling for the election Barack Obama as the next president of France.

When four friends were disheartened by their electoral choices for the French elections, they jokingly launched a campaign to see the former US president run in the French presidential election.

Ferris wheel to spin near Pisa’s famed Leaning Tower

pisaTowerLeaningThe historic Leaning Tower of Pisa is soon to be accompanied by a large ferris wheel in an attempt by city authorities to attract more tourists.

The plan was announced on Sunday by Pisa’s culture commissioner, Andrea Ferrante, according to Associated Press reports.