A UK exit from the EU would immediately hit confidence and raise uncertainty which would result in GDP being 3% lower by 2020, which equates to GBP 2200 per household. An OECD report released this morning states that such costs are already piling up.

The projected hit to living standards would amount in effect to a permanent ‘Brexit tax’ on households, the OECD says.

Presenting the analysis in a speech at the London School of Economics, OECD Secretary-General Angel Gurría said, “Leaving Europe would impose a Brexit tax on generations to come. Instead of funding public services, this tax would be a pure deadweight loss, with no economic benefit.”

The victim, identified only as Maria D., was 43-years-old and had lived in Germany for “a few years” but without a permanent home.

The authorities say the murder is a crime of extreme violence as Maria D. had been dismembered.

British expats are set to vote overwhelmingly in favour of staying in the EU with nearly three quarters in support of the ‘Stay’ campaign, according to new research. Just 20 per cent of British expats are currently in favour of leaving the EU. Only 7 per cent were unsure how they would vote.

The research, conducted by Angloinfo, the world’s leading global expat network, asked more than 2,800 of its users how they intended to vote in the forthcoming EU referendum.

Barclays Bank’s profits have slumped 25% to a mere £793 million mainly due to a drop in revenue from its investment banking business.

But never fear, Santander’s profits are roaring ahead, mainly due to the deal it did when buying Banif for less than the value of the bank’s tax credits.

With sweat pouring from their brows, MEPs have managed to push through the legislation that bans mobile phone roaming charges for those travelling within the EU's 28 member countries, but this will not become law until June 15, 2017 so from that date onwards, consumers won't pay extra to make calls, send texts or use the internet in any of the EU member states.

The first step towards mobile freedom has been taken with new maximum charges being introduced on April 30th, 2016 for calls, texts and data while travelling within the EU before roaming charges are scrapped completely in June 2017.

The rate at which Golden Visa applications are being processed, approved or rejected is back up to its pre-Operation Labyrinth level with 1,600 going through thus far this year, if figures from the minister in charge are to be believed.

Non-EU citizens buying property for €500,000 or more can apply for the attractive Golden Visa package which offers unrestricted Schengen Area travel and zero tax on income earned outside Portugal.

Portugal is well on the way to achieving its goal of seeing that its citizens attain higher education, including undergraduate and postgraduate study as well as training for specific vocations.

By 2015, 40% of its female students and 23% of males had successfully completed tertiary education. This was against a goal of 40% for both sexes to be achieved by 2020.

King Felipe VI has put in motion a process to dissolve parliament and to have another general election in Spain.

The move comes after four months of jockeying about with no resolution. Coalition talks have failed repeatedly to find sufficient agreement for a ruling majority.