French police nab Romanian pickpocket family

eiffeltowerThieves masquerading as police officers duped an elderly French couple into showing them where they kept their valuables.

The Parisian pair was approached in the car park of their building in the wealthy 16th arrondissement by the criminals who, in the guise of police, informed them that their apartment had been broken into.

Police carry out raids in Kamov helicopter corruption scandal

firehelicopterThe Judicial Police raided the National Civil Protection Authority’s offices in Carnaxide, Oeiras, the aerodrome at Ponte de Sor, Portalegre, and the headquarters of the Everjets aviation company at Oporto airport late last month as the Kamov helicopter scandal increses in complexity.

Officers are looking into the Kamov fire-fighting helicopter deal where corruption, falsification and obstruction by those involved is building into another full-blown scandal involving public contracts and taxpayers' money.

Foul weather produces record green energy results

windfarmThe one good thing about foul weather is that the rain and wind help boost green energy production.

Last weekend and on Monday the rain and wind that swept large parts of Portugal enabled the National Energy Network (REN) to achieve new production records for the year to date.

Eurogroup says there are "serious concerns" with Portugal

euThe President of the Eurogroup said today in Brussels that there are "serious concerns" with Portugal and called on countries to follow and to encourage public support for the eurozone’s budgetary rules.

National governments in eurozone countries still hold “the real responsibility” for budgets, social measures and other economic policies, said Jeroen Dijsselbloem today, adding that “The main problems in the eurozone have been caused by bad national policies” and not the euro area’s stability and growth pact.

Minister to announce new Algarve hospitals chief

barlaventohospitalThe Minister of Health already has chosen the new boss of the Algarve’s Central Hospital management team to replace Pedro Nunes.

Nunes’ long-awaited replacement should be in post later this month or early in March to the relief of much of the Algarve’s medical professionals who never took to Nunes’ somewhat autocratic management style.

 

GNR raid and close old people's home after 'ill-treatment' complaint

gnrlogoAn illegally operated old people’s home in Cruz da Assumada, Loulé has been raided and closed down by the GNR.

Eleven men and two women aged between 69 and 78 were said by the GNR to be living in appalling and dangerous conditions.

Illegal feldspa exploration in Monchique finally halted by police

monchique"What the Government's intentions regarding the mining of feldspar in the Monchique mountains?" This question, put to the government in mid-January by an Algarve MP, now has been answered.

No licenses have been issued, according to the Secretary of State for Parliamentary Affairs but the destruction of a unique Monchique hillside and habitat has continued, until today.

Seven people in Spain detained each day for fraud

spanishflagCorruption remains so rampant in Spain that seven people on average are arrested for it every day.

A report released by the country’s interior ministry on Thursday revealed that the overall number of people arrested on corruption charges fell from 2,743 in 2014 to 2,442 last year.