New Algarve Health chief and a dead Romani child

Barlavento hospitalDoctor da Silva Moura dos Reis is the new Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Regional Health Administration of the Algarve appointed by the Ministry of Health.

The Algarve board retains the services of Miguel Madeira, the only one left from the previous management team. Martins dos Santos and Ana Costa resigned in July for disagreeing over the merger of the Algarve’s three hospitals top create the Center Hospital of the Algarve.

Collapsed Banco Privado Português bosses found guilty

Justice at lastThe Bank of Portugal is to impose fines amounting to €11 million in 11 bosses of Banco Privado Português (BPP) including the founder, João Rendeiro.

The defendants now have a period of 15 days to challenge the court decision after which we will know the names of those convicted and the sums each has to pay.

London dock back in business

Trade, in the old fashioned wayFor the first time in two generations, a commercial vessel will dock next week at a new deep-water port in London.

The container ship MOL Caledon will bring in fruit and wine from South Africa.

Looted art cache discovered

Art worth millions Valuable artwork, missing since it was looted by the Nazis, has been uncovered in Munich.

Paintings from such sought-after artists as Picasso, Matisse and Chagall are among the 1,500 pieces found.  They had been confiscated by the Nazis during the 1930s and 1940.

Chemical food protection promised

New bag to solve the problemAn innovation in plastic bags can reduce mould and prevent bacteria from spoiling the food contents.

Bread and cheese may be kept longer if stored in plastic bags treated with chemicals to halt the growth of bacteria and fungi.

Portugal's new car sales up 24 % in October

BMW selling wellRenault, Volkswagen, Peugeot, BMW and Mercedes are still the best selling brands as sales of new cars in Portugal maintains growth.

In October 11,041 vehicles were shifted from dealership forecourts, 24% more than in the same period last year and a welcome relief to the car trade which has seen sales figures so low that many dealers have simply ceased trading.

Portugal's 2014 Budget derided by opposition MPs

Portugal's assembly and the 2014 budgetThe deputy prime minister Paulo Portas compared the current Troika years to the period when Portugal was ruled by Spain from 1580 for 60 years and looks forward to when the country regains its financial sovereignty early next summer.

In parliament today the 2014 budget was discussed against a noisy backdrop of protestors outside the Assembly building in Lisbon. Trade union members and pensioners were protesting at the budget’s implication and called repeatedly for the resignation of the government and for a general election.

UK mortgage lenders clamp down on property rentals

Buy to let market under suspicionMortgage lenders in the UK are increasingly taking action against people who rent out their homes but fail to inform their bank.

Lenders are suspicious that there may be thousands of so-called “accidental landlords” who do not tell them about their rental arrangements out of fear of incurring a higher interest rate or being forced into a more expensive buy-to-let loan.