As Portugal's PRR programme reaches its final phase, many of the 1.º Direito homes remain untransferred and several architects involved in public procurement are publicly questioning the projects' costs, delivery timescales and construction quality. Concerns focus on cost inflation, contractual timelines slipping, inconsistent build standards and weaknesses in procurement oversight, raising risks for occupants and the housing market; architects urge tighter quality assurance, clearer accountability and revised procurement practices to protect beneficiaries and public investment.

After Lisbon and Porto urban lines were opened to the possibility of sub‑concession, the mayor of Cascais has proposed that Cascais — together with Oeiras and Lisbon — take over management of the Cascais suburban line and make train journeys within the municipality free for residents, workers and students. The proposal reframes the sub‑concession debate as an opportunity for local control but raises practical questions about funding the revenue shortfall, coordinating services across municipalities, the legal and contractual steps required, and the potential impacts on ridership, local traffic and equity.

On the eve of the second-round campaign launch, André Ventura hardened his rhetoric, positioning himself as the 'people's candidate against the elites' and accusing the establishment of trying to silence his movement. He said Cavaco Silva’s support for António José Seguro was predictable but expressed surprise at Paulo Portas’s choice, insisting the popular vote will be enough to defeat Seguro. Having failed to unite the right and lost backing from leading figures, Ventura is pursuing a populist 'people against the elites' strategy while critics say he must draw clearer lines from political extremes.

Matosinhos City Council has announced it will submit an unfavourable opinion to the Portuguese Environment Agency (APA) on the proposed North Container Terminal at the Port of Leixões. The council argues the northward expansion would cause visual intrusion in the coastal landscape and require relocating Leixões Marina adjacent to the Cruise Terminal, effectively prioritising port growth over the city’s urban and coastal interests. Officials warn the project would force the municipality to adapt and progressively contract to accommodate the port’s expansion.

A new study warns that, by 2050, extreme heat could expose almost half of the world’s population to dangerous conditions — and that global preparedness is inadequate. The analysis projects marked increases in heatwave frequency and intensity, with disproportionate impacts on urban populations, workers, older people and lower-income communities, creating risks for health, wellbeing, labour productivity, displacement and sustainability. Authors call for urgent mitigation (deep emissions cuts) alongside targeted adaptation: heat-resilient infrastructure, equitable access to cooling and water, early-warning systems and planning to reduce inequitable risks.

Spain’s MareNostrum 5 supercomputer in Barcelona will receive a €129 million upgrade to expand storage and add AI-optimised capabilities, announced with Portuguese participation. The investment aims to strengthen European high-performance computing infrastructure, boost AI research and industrial applications, and provide Portuguese researchers and companies improved access to state-of-the-art resources. The move underscores cross-border collaboration to enhance competitiveness in AI and large-scale data research.

This article explains what clinicians and expectant mothers mean when they say paracetamol is “safe in pregnancy”. It clarifies that safety is relative: paracetamol is generally recommended as the first-line option for fever and mild-to-moderate pain because evidence from trials and guideline reviews shows a favorable risk–benefit profile compared with alternatives, but observational studies have suggested possible small associations with neurodevelopmental outcomes (eg, ADHD, ASD) that remain uncertain and may reflect confounding. Practical guidance is summarised: use the lowest effective dose for the shortest necessary time, avoid routine long-term or high-dose use, seek personalised advice from a healthcare professional (especially for repeated or high-dose use), and consider non-drug measures where appropriate. The piece emphasises evidence limitations, the importance of shared decision-making, and following national maternity-care guidance for expat and local patients alike.

By 20:00 mainland Portugal had recorded 713 incidents linked to severe weather, concentrated in the North region and Lisbon and the Tagus Valley. A landslide in Porto Salvo put a home at risk and prompted authorities to rehouse one family in Oeiras; emergency services managed widespread calls and localised interventions. The figures underline pressure on local emergency capacity and highlight continued public-safety and accommodation challenges as adverse conditions persist.

Lisbon firefighters' union says the Regimento de Sapadores Bombeiros de Lisboa (RSBL) is in 'utter disarray', citing delays in promotions, organisational failures and that more than 10% of operational personnel lack proper uniforms. Staff are considering issuing a pre-strike notice as a warning that industrial action could follow if complaints over safety, logistics and career progression are not resolved. The union warns these problems undermine emergency response and public safety and is calling for urgent management and municipal intervention.

José Manuel Pureza, national coordinator of the Bloco, criticised the Government's proposed labour law package, accusing the labour minister of intransigence and asserting that her refusal to compromise reflects the Government's broader stance. Pureza urged firm commitments from Seguro and argued that a President sworn to uphold the Constitution should repudiate measures he says the package represents. The intervention heightens the political tension around the reform and raises questions about forthcoming presidential and parliamentary responses.