A violent explosion has killed two men at a villa in Vale d'El Rei near Lagoa. Firefighters, police and local medical services were soon on site with the blame at first attributed to an exploding gas bottle.

The early morning blast destroyed most of the detached property, damaged a nearby house and was followed by a fire.

Emergency services were alerted at 7.45 a.m. by a passing council worker and on their arrival the first fatality immediately was discovered. The second was found later under rubble.  

‘Portugal at the Gallows’ was the name given to the intriguing work by its Algarvean creator, Élsio Menau. Sadly for him the installation piece included Portugal’s national flag.

The artist’s course work was on display for two days on vacant land at the edge of Faro and its alleged insulting nature caused him to be charged with the archaic crime of ‘outrage to the national flag.’

King Felipe VI of Spain and his Queen Letizia are to visit Portugal on July 7th 2014 having first dropped in on the Pope.

The letter of congratulation sent by Portuguese President Anibal Cavaco Silva on the change of Spain's monarch sees to have done the trick as Silva was keen to extend a warm welcome should the new Spanish monarchs wish ever to call in.

The Spanish Government has announced bold tax reductions in a reform package designed to ease the burden on its workers and to win votes for the Rajoy government in election year

"It is time to lower taxes for everyone," according to welcome comments from the Spanish finance minister, Cristóbal Montoro, who announced a tax reform that will lower income tax rates in time for the next election.

The suspension of waste disposal charges at the dump near Fatacil in Lagoa is to start on June 2nd and will last until the end of the year in a last ditch attempt to stop the proliferation of the illegal dumping of waste.

The council says this is "a first but important step in reducing the visual, environmental and public health impact in the council area."

Business deals worth about $5bn (£2.9bn) have been signed by China and Greece.

China showed interest in shipbuilding, acquiring railways and building an airport in Crete. The country would like a majority stake in the port at Piraeus where it already runs two piers.

British students are failing to learn foreign languages, according to the CBI which has blamed the UK’s education system.

Foreign language ability is prized by a growing number of British businesses and likely to continue to grow in importance as companies look to break into new, fast-growing markets.

The Minister of Finance, Maria Luís Albuquerque, finally has relieved the tension of many a city-watcher by setting a date for the submission of alternative measures to compensate for the lack of cash from the last set of cost cutting measures, rejected by the Constitutional Court.

"The date of presentation of the (new) budget is the 15th of October. I sincerely hope that we can decide on the measures before that. The sooner the better, clearly," said the fragrant one at the end of a gritty Eurogroup meeting.