Prime Minister António Costa said today that Portugal can face next year with "confidence and without fear," after Brussels decided not to submit a proposal for the suspension of EU funds and gave the 2017 Budget a green light.

Costa was speaking to journalists in Casablanca, having heard the European Commission had decided that due to the "effective action" carried out by Portugal’s government, the excessive deficit procedure should be suspended and the country should hit the budget deficit target of under 3% this year.

A marked increased has been demonstrated in the number of people from eastern Europe working in the UK since the Brexit referendum.

At the same time, there was a drop in numbers from France, Germany and other western European countries, according to the Office for National Statistics data released on Wednesday.

A new inquiry is to open into the 1986 assassination of the Swedish prime minister.

The shooting of Olof Palme remains unsolved despite responsibility having been claimed by 134 people and numerous leads.

Europe has seen a surge in recent years of support for populist and nationalist movements: from Spain to the UK to Turkey.

The reasons are manifold and complex, but are driven to a large degree by the belief that traditional democratic institutions - governments, political parties - are failing to deliver on promises of prosperity and equal opportunity and that they cannot be trusted.

The announcement by Portugal’s Prime Minister at the COP22 conference in Marrakesh* has gained the full support of the environment group ZERO which calls for his commitment to translate into actions to be defined and implemented right now, including a parliamentary pact on climate policy.

ZERO believes that today, the Prime Minister of Portugal, in his afternoon speech at the COP22 in Marrakesh, has made the most important announcement so far on climate change.

The government denies that Coca-Cola is trying to use blackmail by the company withdrawing a €40 million expansion plan at its plant in Palmela.

The economy minister said today that he is not "aware of any blackmail" after the US company suspended its investment at the Refrige plant over its annoyance at Portugal’s new 'sugar tax' on soft drinks that will hit Coca-Cola as Portugal's biggest supplier.

The owner of Jet2.com and Jet2holidays is increasing the number of flights to Faro next year, a decision based on the recognition that the Algarve is an increasingly popular destination with British holidaymakers.

Dart Group PLC, based in West Yorkshire, owns Jet2.com and Jet2holidays and announced its confidence in the Algarve market for 2017 and is to provide 900,000 seats to and from Faro next year, a 50% increase on this year’s figure.

Faro council has got in early with its announcement that the shopping area of Baixa Faro will be the place to go this Christmas with a series of events starting the day after the lights go on, on November 25th.

Faro council is paying the €200,000 promotional bill and has partners in the Association of Baixa de Faro Businesses, the Association of Trade and Services of the Algarve Region (ACRAL) and of the Association of Hoteliers of the Algarve (AIHSA), as well as municipal companies FAGAR and Ambifaro.