Spending by British households is on the increase, indicating people are feeling less squeezed under an improving economy.
Last year, people spent more money than they did the year before, according to new figures from the Office for National Statistics.
Portugal’s controversial 'Golden Visa’ scheme has seen numbers decline further in November as just 72 permits were issued, representing an investment of €45.4 million, according to the Foreigners and Borders Service whose staff still face a huge backlog of forms to process.
All but six of the successful November permits were issued due to the purchase by the applicant of a property in Portugal for €500,000 or more.
A devilish new software programme soon will enable the Public Ministry, banks and insurers to investigate suspicious operations that may or may not be linked to ‘money laundering.’
Starting next year, Portugal’s prosecution service will have access in real time to bank accounts of those suspected of concealing or transferring funds for nefarious purposes.
A Dutch internet auction site is expanding its operation to entice more bidders in Britain.
Catawiki is to launch in the UK, letting bids be made in sterling, as part of its efforts to access the world’s largest market for collectibles.
Portugal’s traffic police have been as busy as ever catching drunk drivers and those who think it acceptable to zoom around while using their mobile phones.
This year so far, GNR officers have stopped more than 27,000 drivers for using mobiles, 2,000 were caught in the Algarve region.
With an official crackdown on corruption in place, Chinese gamblers have been turning away from Macau in favour of a small casino in Vietnam.
The casino on the beachfront in Danang is privately owned and its offer of discretion is attracting some of China’s wealthiest gamblers who can place bets worth at least HK$1 million (C119,000).
Overall, November was pretty balmy in Portugal, some areas even registered a heat wave and the overall lack of rainfall made the Algarve the best place in Europe to spend holiday time.
The Portuguese weather service reported that November "was characterised as a very dry month and hot, with a mean daily maximum air temperature of 18.58 degrees Celsius, much higher than normal. This was the fifth highest since 1931 and the highest in the last 34 years."
To the cheery delight of many doctors and nurses working in the Algarve’s public health service, the director of the Hospitals of the Algarve is to be replaced; Dr Pedo Nunes' four years are up and the likelihood of working happily under a Socialist administration were neglibile.
Dr Pedro Nunes, a former chairman of the Medical Association who ran the Hospitals of the Algarve group from Faro hospital, has long been criticised for his brusque management style and his ability to upset and enrage many of those working under him at Faro, Lagos and Portimão hospitals and associated clinics.
