The booze cruise, which waned in popularity, is now making a strong come back.

British consumers are finding they can make great savings by crossing the Channel to France where the euro has weakened and the taxes are less.

A British stag party member has made the national headlines in Portugal for all the wrong reasons as he was found much the worse for wear, attached to a lamp post in the stag capital of the Algarve, Albufeira.

Wearing but a grin, the young man had been secured to the council's street lighting solution by clingfilm with a beer bottle firmly wedged between his buttocks.

The much feared Vampire Squid of legend, Goldman Sachs, is trying to ensure that claims by its Oak Finance investment vehicle in a Portuguese court remain on hold for the time being.

This is at least until a London court decides on whether the $835 million loan (€770 million) made to BES in 2014 is the responsibility of Novo Banco or of the ‘bad bank’ BES.

The Spanish authorities are working in overdrive to try to contain the thick fuel oil which is coming in on the waves to Gran Canaria.

So far, more than 120 kg has been scraped off several beaches on the tourist island, but the leak continues.

Britain’s popular and profitable sandwich chain, Pret a Manger, is planning to add eight to its existing 11 outlets in Paris and to open a further eight in the US as well as its first in Shanghai.

The company is on a roll, capitalising on a trend of eating ‘on the go’ which has lead to a 16% increase in sales to £594m, with profits around £76m.

Amazon has seen its sales increase in North America, its largest market.

Amazon's North American sales went up by 24% to $13.4bn (£8.9bn) in the first three months of this year, the company said.

Companies have been invited to submit tenders for the controversial air service between Bragança and Portimão.

The new route will serve Vila Real, Viseu and Cascais from bases in the north and in the Algarve at the municipal aerodrome at Portimão with a submission deadline of May 27th for a July 1st start, the June deadline having been scrapped.

Portugal's Supreme Court last night turned down yet another appeal of 'habeas corpus' to release the former Prime Minister José Sócrates.

The former Socialist leader has been held since November 2014 on charges of tax evasion and money laundering.