Lowering the VAT rate for Portugal’s restaurant sector on July 1st appears to have done wonders for employment levels as according to the Secretary of State for Tourism 45,000 new jobs were created in the tourism sector up to September, more than half of them in restaurants and bars.

This cheering jobs analysis was based on data from Social Security with restaurants accountable for the creation of 28,000 new jobs between January and September - which, for the Secretary of State for Tourism, is a sign that the drop in VAT from 23% to 13% is having a positive impact on job creation and business confidence.

The family-controlled Symington Group, which owns the Graham's, Cockburn's and Dow's port brands, among others, has acquired the 150 hectare Quinta do Carrascal estate in the Duoro valley.

Symington Family Estates announced the acquisition of the farm adjacent to the 101 hectare Quinta de Ataide already owned by the family.

An arrest that turned to violence was captured on a smart phone and posted on social media, to the embarrassment of the GNR where an internal investigation has been launched.

GNR Command confirms having knowledge of the video, and says it is "in the process of internal investigations in order to ascertain all the circumstances."

Spain achieved its bumper year for tourism with great help from the British.

While there is scarcely anything new about Brits holidaying under the Spanish sun, this year they did so in increasing numbers.

Scientists have warned that southern Spain and Portugal could have a climate like current day Morocco, if the climate continues to change at the current rate.

Guiot and Wolfgang Cramer, of the Mediterranean Institute for Biodiversity and Ecology, studied pollen cores from sediments found in lake mud to build a picture of vegetation and climate during the last 100 centuries.

The 1755 Lisbon earthquake, also known as the Great Lisbon earthquake, occurred on Saturday, 1 November, All Saints' Day, at around 09:40.

In combination with the subsequent fires and a tsunami, the event destroyed Lisbon almost totally and caused death and destruction up the west coast and across the Algarve.

Restrictions on cars entering Madrid are likely to be imposed in an effort to reduce the city’s high levels of air pollution.

The nitrogen dioxide in the atmosphere is above the permitted levels, often creating smog over the capital.

The Varandas do Guadiana urbanisation in Vila Real de Santo António was illegally authorised by the city council, according to a court ruling.

Demolition orders for several illegally authorised buldings are included a decision by the Tribunal Administrativo e Fiscal de Loulé and demolition orders are due to be issued, leaving owners to seek compensation from the council.