A study from Portugal’s estate agents association shows that the UK, France, Italy and Spain are more expensive locations in which to buy property, which makes Portugal “more attractive to investors.”

In europe, it will come as no surpise to discover that Monaco has the highest prices, followed by the UK and France. Portugal’s property prices have been rising in the last three years but are still way off its nearest neighbours and 30th out of the europe’s 38 countries.

There will be few complaints from sun-worshippers across the Algarve as the temperature readings on Monday soared past 40°C with thermometers on the eastern Algarve's coastline registering 44°C in the afternoon.

The coast was cooler than the inland parts of the Algarve so those enjoying the summer in the countryside added two or three degrees as record-breaking averages are close to being exceeded.

The lifeguard service overseeing Praia de Faro rescued two bathers in distress in two separate incidents this past Sunday, one of whom had suffered a stroke.

The first incident involved a 72-year-old man swimming about 20 metres from the shore when he felt ill and asked for help. Fellow bathers signalled the lifeguards who swam out and brought him back to shore.

The OECD’s secretary general has said Portugal's 2015 deficit numbers are just numbers and that the country deserves some sort of flexibility when assessing its performance against target.

Brussels should review the rules and make the figures a bit more fluid, these are not ‘magic numbers’, said José Ángel Gurría from the OECD in an interview with Jornal de Negócios, arguing that no one should be punished with fines and sanctions.

Congratulations for the Portuguese national football team have poured in from across the globe as the nation celebrates victory over France in the Euro 2016 final last night in Paris.

A message with a difference has been posted on a Twitter page from a NASA astronaut who previously had posted a night-time picture of Portugal, Spain and France.

The population of European Union nations was estimated to be slightly more than 510 million on 1 January 2016.

This was a rise of nearly 2 million people from the last estimate of 508 million the previous year.

The Russian mafia is stepping up its activities in Germany, according to the country’s criminal police chief.

The head of Germany’s Federal Criminal Police Office (BKA) said the “Russian-Eurasian” organised criminals now have a major foothold with the “potential to cause enormous damage”.

The manager, Fernando Santos, and each member of Portugal’s winning football team is to be awarded the Commander of the Order of Merit.

A delighted president, Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa, said, simply, "We are the best!'