The ‘low price’ offered by Fernando Ulrich at Banco Português de Investimento (BPI) for Novo Banco, owned by the taxpayer, has been firmly rejected by the Bank of Portugal.

Under the offer terms, Ulrich can ask for ‘clarification’ of the decision anytime before the weekend but it is unlikely that he will forward a sweetened proposal or raise his price as BPI also is engaged in a complicated and distracting takeover bid from Spain’s Caixa Bank.

The eurozone’s economic strength in March experienced “its best growth momentum since 2011”.

The respected Markit index findings gave analysts reason for some optimism that the region’s pace of expansion could gather pace in the coming months.

Portugal is to be a major contributor to a new database bing launched to gather information on hazardous or potentially hazardous foods.

Suspected cases of foods contaminated by chemicals, additives and pesticide residues will be available on a web platform populated with information from several Portuguese bodies and can be accessed by concerned European associations.

Starbucks in the US is offering to pay university tuition fees for its staff.

Employees in the US can undertake a bachelor’s degree through online courses at Arizona State University.

A Dutch man has been sentenced to two-and-a-half years in prison for his role in the horsemeat scandal.

Willy Selten, 45, was arrested in May 2013 for selling 300 tonnes of horsemeat mixed with beef which had been falsely labelled as 100% beef. This followed an inspection in February by Dutch authorities which found horse DNA is 35 out of 167 samples tested.

A Bonelli's eagle (Aquila fasciata) has been shot in the Tavira area and later died of its wounds in the care of the Recovery Center in Olhão.

The eagle was found by member of the public who phoned the GNR unit responsible for the protection of nature and the environment.

A sub-group of Portugal's Medical Council said today that there are doctors convicted of paedophilia who continue to work with children.

Dra Heloísa dos Santos will be heard tomorrow by the Committee on Education, Science and Culture about the proposed new paedophile register and has already stated that if the new law goes ahead it still will not cater for those doctors who already have been convicted of paedophilia.

Scientists say they have invented a battery which could charge a smartphone in less than one minute.

The new iPhone 6 needs about two hours for its battery to be recharged, but the new rechargeable aluminium battery would do the work in some 60 seconds.