POPE’S VISITS TO IBERIA

                     Rotalty and children welcome the pontiff to Madrid

Pope Leo, who is currently visiting Spain is planning to be in Portugal in July next year to celebrate the 110th anniversary of the apparitions at the Sanctuary of Fátima.

 

President António José Seguro has extended an official invitation for the Portugal visit. Vatican discussions for the apostolic journey are already underway.

 

In a speech soon after arriving in Spain un Saturday Pope Leo urged against division and said the world is crying out for peace.

“Our age, seemingly shaken by terrible imbalances and conflicts, cries out from its depths for peace,” the pontiff said, in an address in front of King Felipe VI at the Royal Palace in Madrid.

 

The message of peace, he said, “at present unfortunately strikes some as naïve and others as confrontational.” It is, however, welcomed by those “who do not shut themselves off in preconceived ideologies, but are rather open to the truth.”

Later in the speech, he added: “For the love of truth, I invite everyone to set aside the divisive and polarizing narratives of your societal reality and history, so as to overcome sterile simplifications through the fruitful appreciation of complexity.”

 

 

DISGRACED FORMER VISITOR

The front of  the holiday home, 

which has a sea view and a swimming pool at the back

Peter Murrell, the convicted former chief executive of the Scottish National Party, regularly visited the Algarve with his now estranged wife, the former SNP First Minister Nichola Sturgeon.

Murrell has pleaded guilty in the UK to embezzling more than £400,000 from the SNP party over 12 years.

 

Before they parted, the couple regularly spent summer holidays together in a luxury villa in the Algarve near their favourite town, Albufeira. Murrell maintained a partial ownership of the villa for some years. He and Nichola frequented cafes and restaurants popular with the local community.

 

These holidays continued throughout Nichola’s tenure as Scotland's first minister, typically serving as a quiet retreat from the relentless demands of Scottish politics.

 

The visits were mostly private, spent reading and relaxing when not dining out or exploring parts of the Algarve’s beautiful coastline.

 In a lengthy interview with the BBC on Sunday, Nichola Sturgeon denied covering up problems in the party's finances or having any knowledge or Murrell's wrongdoing.

Sturgeon told the BBC: “I'm serving a sentence for crime I didn't commit.” She added: "I will not apologise for the crimes of my former husband".

It remains to be seen if Miss Sturgeon retirns for summer holidays in the Algarve,  Murrell will certainly not.

LATEST FROM THE LUSA AGENCY

 

Portugal's national statistics institute (INE) confirmed on Friday that the country's economy grew 2.3% in the first quarter of 2026 compared to the same period in 2025 and recorded zero growth compared to the final quarter of that year.

 Portuguese Competition Authority (AdC) has given the green light to the purchase of aviation catering group, Catering Por, by the Swiss group Gate Gourmet.

The Portuguese government is set to launch an auction for 750 megavolt-amperes (MVA) of battery capacity and draw up contracts for difference (CfDs) to stabilise energy prices and boost investment in the sector, the minister for the environment and energy announced on Friday.

The Portuguese govern ment will put the National Energy Storage Strategy out for public consultation on 29 June, as part of its policy to strengthen the energy transition, the environment and energy minister announced on Friday.

The Social Democratic Party (PSD) will re-elect Luis Montenegro as party president on Saturday as he stands as the sole candidate for a new two-year mandate, facing no upcoming elections but navigating international uncertainty and the domestic "shadow" of former PM, Pedro Passos Coelho.

Prime Minister, Luís Montenegro has called for cooperation from the public in preventing rural fires, advocating a joint effort between the state, local authorities, landowners and citizens to reduce risks.

GOODBYE BELOVED SALLY G!

 

A remarkably big crowd turned out on Thursday to pay tribute to Sally Goodchild who died recently of cancer.

 

The gathering on the beachside by Club Nau in Ferragudo was organised by Sally’s husband Sean, and attended among many, many others by Sean’s elderly mother Colleen, Sally; s brother and sister Peter and Julie, and her daughters Emily and Sarah.

 

Warm speeches focused on praising Sally’s deep commitment to caring and helping in so many ways.  She was a truly wonderful person who will be very sadly missed.

 

Dearest Sally, rest in peace.   

FRENCH ABANDONED CHILDREN

The mother

The father of the two French children recently abandoned in Portugal by their 41-year-old mother and her 55-year-old partner has broken his silence and revealed that he is awaiting official authorisation to be reunited with the young boys..

Euro News is reporting that the father, who lives in France, has thought about his two boys "every second" since learning of their disappearance.

A court in Setubal has ruled that the mother and her partner will remain in custody after allegedly abandoning her boys aged four and five on a roadside in the south of Portugal.

The boys were found in the evening crying beside a road near Alcacer do Sal, about 100km (60 miles) south of Lisbon. The woman and her partner, identified by authorities as Marine R and Marc B, were later arrested in Fatima.

As they were led into court the man shouted "I love you" in French and the boys' mother sang.

A judge ordered they be placed in pre-trial detention, French and Portuguese media report. They are both accused of child endangerment and abandonment, while the man faces an additional charge of aggravated assault.

Meanwhile, Euronews has reported that he children, have been with a French foster family in Lisbon before returning   to France.

Authorities told the Setubal courthouse that the two boys had been living with their 41-year-old mother in the eastern French city of Colmar, while their father had limited and supervised visitation rights, local media report.

SALLY GOODCHILD’s PASSING

The life of the greatly loved Sally Goodchild will be celebrated next Thursday (28^th May) in a gathering of family and friends at the Club Nau next to the beach at Praia Grande, Ferragudo.

It is being organised by her husband, Sean, who closely cared for Sally until she finally passed away a few days ago having just reached the age of 64. 

Sally’s daughters Emily and Sarah, her brother Peter and sister Julie, attended a cremation service.

Thursday’s gathering will start at 3 pm and continue into the evening. Everyone who knew Sally will be welcome at Club Nau.

Words of admiration will be spoken publicly at 5 pm by some of those who knew Sally best.

Sally’s favourite colour was blue and so those attending on Thursday are invited to wear something blue or clothing of other bright colours.

Any photos of Sally - or just a single flower, - would be appreciated.

Len  Port

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