The sound of chickens coming home to roost already can be heard at the Socialist Party’s headquarters as the flock of unions representing over 70% of TAP’s diverse workforce are insisting that the new socialist government holds to its promise that the airline should not end up in private hands.

The election promise of new Prime Minister in waiting, António Costa, was that the state should always hold at least 51% of TAP’s shares.

The Algarve’s Ria Formosa islanders today are celebrating the exit of Environmental Minister Jorge Moreia da Silva, a man so reviled by the inhabitants that his name already has entered the history books as the protagonist of a ground zero policy of property destruction all in the name of nature.

The new environment minister, João Pedro Matos Fernandes now is part of António Costa’s new Socialist Party government and the fervent hope is that the policy covering the Ria Formosa area can exclude removing the very people that care for and work in and around the islands.

Portugal's president today named the leader of the Socialist Party, António Costa, as the next prime minister.

Costa’s appointment ends weeks of political impasse and creates a socialist government in a fragile collaboration with the country’s left wing parties, including the hard-line communists.

Silves councillors have voted to increase the 2016 budget by taking out a bank loan for €4.6 million.

The Budget and Major Planning Options for 2016 proposal was approved by the council at the municipal assembly held on 19th November.

There are only 700 police to deal with the control of Portugal’s airports, sea ports and trans-border roads.

When the end of the Schengen agreement is discussed in Europe, to stem the free flow of refugees and economic migrants through member countries, Portugal is shown to be unprepared and unable to enforce strict border controls.

A Citroen prototype has crossed part of Spain without a driver.

The C4 Picasso set out on Monday from the Citroen factory in Vigo, in north-western Galicia and tackled 600 kilometres before reaching the factory in Madrid.

The expansion plan agreed by Conforama's management includes the opening of 12 new stores to boost turnover to €200 million by 2017.

One of the strategies is to take over the stores that were occupied by Moviflor, the furniture retailer which went bust due to crippling debts.

Britain has become the third most popular country for international shoppers buying online.

In the last 12 months, 86.4 million consumers bought goods through British websites, making the UK the third largest online exporter in the world after the US and China.