Two of Portugal's largest companies, Galp and REN, have bluntly refused to pay their outstanding ‘special contribution’ to the tax man as they argue that the tax is illegal and that they are taking court action to prove so.

Tax Authority inspectors have already paid a visit to Galp and REN’s head offices to 'have a chat' in an move triggered by the decision by the energy giants to keep the €60 million, for the time being.

Scotland Yard detectives investigating Madeleine McCann’s disappearance wish to interview Robert Murat, according to UK reports in the press which often has managed to merge fact and fiction with startling results. 

The British expat lived close to the Praia da Luz holiday apartments where the McCanns were holidaying at the time of Madeleine’s disappearance and was questioned formally as an ‘arguido’ in 2007. He was cleared of any involvement.

In 2012, there were 818,000 individuals who were given citizenship of an EU country. This was an increase of 4% over 2011.

The vast majority of these new citizens were from outside the EU (86.5% or 708,000 people) although 11.3% (92,000) already had citizenship of another EU country. The final 2.2% were people whose true origins were unknown, such as refugees whose papers had been lost.

Officers from Portugal’s GNR today seized 1,840 kilos of hashish from a boat in the Guadiana river near Castro Marim.

The operation culminated in two arrests and enough hashish to keep the Algarve stoned for weeks.

Sales of groceries in the UK have dropped for the first time since 1994.

The amount spent by consumers there in major grocery retailers fell by 0.2%, and while not a vast amount, it is the first decline since data began to be collected 20 years ago by specialist Kantar Worldpanel.

The Greenpeace vessel protesting against oil drilling has been taken into Spanish custody.

The Arctic Sunrise had been released only six months ago by the Russian government before it fell into the hands of the Spanish government.

The director general of the Aliens and Borders Service, the president of the Institute of Registries and Notaries and the former Secretary-General of the Ministry of Justice, three of the 11 detainees under investigation in 'Operation Labyrinth' investigating allegations of favoritism and corruption in the Golden Visa programme, are being held in prison.

The order from the Central Criminal Court came at the end of four days of interrogations conducted by the tireless judge, Carlos Alexandre.

easyJet sees increase in passenger numbers drive up profits

Low-cost carrier easyJet has revealed a 21.5% increase in annual pre-tax profits, as rising passenger numbers drive up figures.