Canada bans Marmite

marmiteThe owner of a British food shop in Canada has been prohibited from selling Marmite, Ovaltine and Irn-Bru.

Tony Badger, who owns Brit Foods, says he has stocked and sold the items since 1997.

Irn-Bru, Scotland’s most popular soft drink, contains the food colouring Ponceau 4R. It is not permitted in foods for sale in Canada, according to the Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA).

Algarve further humiliated by central government

cruiseshipThe Socialist Party in the Algarve has issued a statement condemning "the transfer of the management of the commercial ports of Faro and Portimão to the Directors of the Port of Sines” a decision taken by the Government but which the socialists believe "further devalues the Algarve.”

The government argues that the merger will create “the conditions for investment which the Ports of Faro and Portimão have needed for decades to increase their capacity both in terms of cruises ships and in handling cargo." The Algarve has heard it all before.

Miró collection may yet stay in Portugal

miroThe works of Spanish artist Miró, valued at up to €37 million, were set to be offered for sale in three auctions, along with other twentieth century works of art, between 4 and 5 February in London.

The Miró collection has been in state hands ever since the corruption-riddled Banco Portugues de Negocios was hastily nationalised in 2008 at the start of the economic crisis.

Portuguese gang used cloned foreign credit cards 3,800 times

4775Cloned cards had been used to rack up spending of €1.1 million in more than 3,800 fraudulent transactions. The group had been impeded by the arrest of two of its members but the capture and arrest of the remaining five suspects should bring the record spending spree to a halt.

Portugal’s National Anti-Corruption Unit of the Judicial Police detained the final four men and one woman all of which are accused of cloning and credit card fraud, passing counterfeit currency, computer fraud and the falsification of documents.

New water management incentives for the Algarve's famers

irrigationorangesThe Minister of Agriculture, Assunçao Cristas, said in Tavira today that the next Rural Development Programme will provide incentives for farmers to save water in order to encourage good irrigation management.

"These measures are aimed at giving bonuses to those who manage water sensibly because we are aware that irrigation is extremely important, and should be done in a sustainable and environmentally friendly manner," she told reporters during her visit to an exhibition in Tavira on the Mediterranean Diet.

Loule council, surely an example to all...

louleLoulé council has dragged itself, kicking and screaming into the modern age of customer service and has decided to open its variuos departments over the lunch period so that its customers can ask questions at a convenient time.

Don’t all rush at once though, as this delicate new procedure will take three months to be fully operational.

Storms give UK a different coastline

britishcoastParts of Britain may be sacrificed to the sea after December’s tidal surge and continued heavy flooding.

The surge was the worst in 60 years and prompted the evacuation of tens of thousands of people from their homes.

Forth Bridge considered for World Heritage

forthbridgeScotland’s Forth Bridge has been put forward to World Heritage status consideration.

The railway bridge linking Edinburgh and Fife, now 124 years old, was the first major British construction to be built out of steel. It carries trains for more than a mile and a half across the Forth.