Observador reports two people were shot in the Casal da Boba area of Amadora; details on motive and injuries are limited in initial coverage. Police activity and investigations are expected as authorities piece together the incident; residents in the area should expect an increased security presence and follow local updates. Those living nearby should avoid the scene and monitor local media for official information.

Porto's Clérigos Tower (Torre dos Clérigos) was partially evacuated on Friday after a short circuit in a battery caused a small fire on an upper floor; emergency services say the alert was raised around 12:41 and the situation was resolved with no reported injuries. City sources told Lusa the incident was contained quickly and the monument has since reopened or been secured. Visitors and residents near the monument should follow local directions if emergency crews are present.

Fifteen mainland Portugal districts are under a yellow warning for snow and sea swell until 18:00. Authorities and emergency services are monitoring conditions and advising the public to take precautions against disruption to transport and coastal hazards.

Multiple outlets warn of persistent rain and rough seas with waves up to 5.5 metres and orange-level alerts in several coastal districts; authorities advise following local safety guidance and expect disruption to coastal travel and maritime activities. The alerts emphasise flood and coastal-surge risk in exposed areas and recommend avoiding unnecessary travel near the shore. Residents should be aware of local civil-protection instructions and avoid coastal promenades and small-boat activity while warnings are in force.

Reporting examines cases where the National Institute for Medical Emergency (Instituto Nacional de Emergência Médica) — INEM — failed to arrive in time, adding to concerns about pre-hospital response amid broader pressure on emergency services. The piece links ambulance and response delays to current strains across the system rather than isolated incidents. Those relying on urgent medical care should note potential delays and ensure they understand local emergency procedures and alternative routes to care.

Three representative firefighters' associations have requested an urgent audience with the Prime Minister and parliamentary groups to present proposals for the sector, rejecting responsibility for current pre-hospital emergency problems and urging structural changes. Associations call for a single command structure and say the Framework Law on Civil Protection (Lei-Quadro da Proteção Civil) should be approved before the Framework Law on Health. Those relying on emergency response should note the sector is pressing for legal and organisational changes that could affect response arrangements and local coordination.

Reportage says the new Civil Protection law has been finalised and is expected to enter into force this year, marking a legislative update to how disasters and civil emergencies are managed. Outlets note the law's timing is politically sensitive given calls from firefighters for prioritisation and structural changes in emergency command. Residents in areas prone to wildfires or floods should watch for new local procedures and official guidance once the law is published.

Civil Protection director José Manuel Moura has ruled out any illegality in the ad-hoc reinforcement of eight ambulances organised by the Portuguese Firefighters' League over the weekend. After meetings with INEM and the Firefighters' League, Moura attributed the dispute to a communication failure by the League and said the situation created a misunderstanding that must not recur. He insisted that ANEPC (Civil Protection) should be formally involved in future emergency operations to ensure coordination and public safety.

A fire at the Torre Sénior care home in Santo Tirso forced the evacuation of about 40 residents overnight; firefighters extinguished the blaze and authorities reported no injuries. Residents were triaged by teams from the Portuguese National Institute of Medical Emergency (Instituto Nacional de Emergência Médica or INEM) and temporarily housed in a municipal pavilion while the cause is investigated. Those with relatives in care homes should contact the facility for status updates and next steps; local councils handle temporary placements for evacuated residents.

Civil Protection says the premises are being evacuated.

Emergency departments and hospitals are experiencing significant difficulty admitting patients presenting with respiratory problems, creating bottlenecks in patient flow and raising concerns about care delays and safety. The situation appears driven by high demand for acute respiratory care combined with constrained inpatient capacity, staffing pressures and infection-control requirements that limit bed availability. This strain on emergency and hospital services risks longer waits, compromised care coordination and wider impacts on public health and system resilience unless capacity or operational responses are implemented.

The PSP union has written to the Inspectorate-General of Internal Administration (Inspeção-Geral da Administração Interna or IGAI), copying the Ministry of Internal Administration and the PSP National Directorate, warning of staff shortages and an ageing, exhausted, demotivated police force and requesting an urgent meeting. The union framed the problem as deteriorating human-resources management that risks operational capacity. Expats should be aware staffing pressures could affect routine police responsiveness in some areas and may prompt recruitment or deployment changes in coming weeks.

The Portuguese Institute for the Sea and Atmosphere (Instituto Português do Mar e da Atmosfera or IPMA) has placed eleven mainland districts under a yellow weather warning for occasionally heavy rain and strong winds until the early hours of Tuesday, with wind gusts reported up to 90 km/h and rough seas warned for Madeira and the Azores. Districts named include Viana do Castelo, Braga, Porto, Lisbon, Setúbal, Leiria, Aveiro and others; warnings run until about 09:00 in some reports. Expats should expect travel and local disruption, check public-transport updates and secure outdoor items; coastal and island travel may be more affected.

Rising influenza activity is increasing admissions to intensive care and placing growing pressure on emergency departments. Health authorities warn the epidemic has not yet peaked, and the country is experiencing higher-than-expected mortality for the season, raising concerns about healthcare capacity and the potential need for surge planning and resource prioritisation.

The Portuguese Firefighters' League (LBP) has established a weekend task force of four additional ambulances to bolster pre-hospital emergency response and ease pressure on hospitals. The emergency vehicles — drawn from the Ajuda, Cabo Ruivo, Camarate and Cascais brigades — will be based at the LBP headquarters, while a commander will be on permanent duty at CAASO (Centre for Operational Monitoring and Support) to coordinate operations. The deployment is a targeted, short-term capacity boost intended to improve response times during busy periods and provide centralised operational oversight.

Beja Hospital’s obstetrics and gynaecology emergency service will be closed overnight due to a shortage of doctors, operating from 20:00 on Saturday until 08:00 on Sunday and again from 20:00 on Sunday until 08:00 on Monday. The closures are attributed to an inability to complete the rota, raising concerns about patient access to urgent maternity and gynaecological care and potential pressure on neighbouring services. An accompanying opinion notes systemic failings in emergency logistics — exemplified by ambulances held up by missing stretchers — as symptomatic of wider incompetence in healthcare operations.

PSD MP Miguel Guimarães welcomed the announcement to purchase 245 ambulances, saying it will allow INEM to increase its response capacity across multiple locations, notably Greater Lisbon and Setúbal. Analytically, the investment should improve coverage and potentially reduce response times in high-demand areas, but its effectiveness will depend on deployment strategy, crew availability and integration with existing emergency services. Close monitoring of allocation and operational metrics will be required to ensure the intended gains in emergency healthcare delivery are realised.

The prime minister announced what was described as “the largest investment in ambulances in over a decade” — 275 new vehicles — less than 36 hours after three citizens were reported to have died while waiting for care. Critics have called the timing “strange” and labelled the move demagoguery, arguing it risks masking systemic negligence in emergency services rather than addressing deeper policy and resourcing failures in healthcare and public safety. The episode has intensified calls for transparent planning, independent oversight and comprehensive reforms to emergency medical services rather than one-off equipment purchases.

Carlos Enes of CNN Portugal examines recurring, serious failings in Portugal’s emergency response system, arguing that political and union attacks on INEM distract from patient safety. He urges giving INEM operational authority, requiring ULS hospitals to free trolleys and beds, and restoring clinical judgement as the primary guide for urgent care, while calling for systemic changes to protect public health.

Almost a year after the minister warned of unacceptable A&E waiting times, there has been no meaningful improvement. Persistent delays point to systemic strain on emergency services, heighten risks to patient safety and wellbeing, and indicate a need for urgent policy and resource interventions rather than repeated warnings.

El Nacional reports that Donald Trump pressed Venezuela’s interim government for total control of the country’s oil resources — a demand with clear geopolitical and economic consequences that raises questions about sovereignty, access to revenues and the role of external actors in a fragile political transition. Separately, Jornal Público’s analysis shows that between 2019 and 2024 some 75 per cent of drivers who died with alcohol in their system had blood-alcohol levels meeting the threshold for a criminal offence, spotlighting enforcement gaps, road-safety policy failures and the need for improved prevention and data collection. Taken together, the items illustrate linked governance challenges: contested control over strategic resources on one hand, and systemic public‑safety and criminal‑justice issues on the other.

Road fatalities and related casualties cost an estimated €1.5 billion in 2025, while overall road casualty levels have effectively returned to 2016 figures. The year saw more collisions and a rise in injuries, maintaining pressure on emergency services and the healthcare system and undermining public safety. Economically, the persistent casualty rate represents a significant indirect and direct cost that acts as a negative indicator for public finances and productivity. The pattern suggests a need for renewed, targeted prevention measures, enhanced enforcement and investment in safer infrastructure to reverse the trend and reduce both human and fiscal costs.

A man has been remanded in custody after a 9-year-old boy died and a 14-year-old was injured when a shotgun allegedly discharged accidentally in the Bela Vista neighbourhood. Authorities say the weapon belonged to a family member; investigators remain on the scene and the case is being examined for possible criminal negligence and safety lapses, prompting questions about firearm storage and emergency response protocols.

Marques Mendes urged the President and the Government not to stall a bill establishing regional obstetric emergency departments, saying he hopes they decide before he assumes the Presidency on 9 March to avoid it becoming one of his first decisions in office.

The PSP (Public Security Police) have identified around 30 people after shots were fired with prohibited weapons in Lisbon. A targeted operation — involving Rapid Intervention Teams and Traffic Division units — ran from 22:00 Friday to 02:00 Saturday; no incidents were recorded and no arrests were made. Enquiries and investigations remain ongoing as police follow up on those linked to the discharges.

On Saturday the obstetrics and gynaecology emergency departments at the hospitals in Abrantes, Setúbal and Portimão, and the obstetrics emergency department in Vila Franca de Xira, will be closed. The Setúbal emergency department reopens on Sunday.

Jornal de Notícias reports that at least 108 people were intentionally murdered in 2025, marking the highest number of homicides since 2018. Separately, the President of the Republic returned three decree-laws to the Government that sought to implement reforms in the health sector, a move with legal and political implications for emergency services, public safety and ongoing healthcare policy changes. These developments highlight rising concerns about violent crime alongside contested attempts to reshape healthcare governance.

A low-pressure system named Francis is forecast to affect Madeira at around 03:00, prompting an orange weather warning for the early hours. Emergency services have issued alerts advising the public to take precautions against heavy rain, strong winds and possible flooding, with authorities monitoring conditions and readiness for response.

The Portuguese Institute of the Sea and Atmosphere (IPMA) warns that the low-pressure system 'Francis' will begin affecting the Portuguese mainland from Thursday. Stronger winds are expected from Thursday afternoon, with light rain forecast for New Year’s Day mainly on the west coast spreading inland; no rain is expected on New Year’s Eve.

Four gynaecology and obstetrics emergency departments have been closed. In Amadora‑Sintra only the gynaecology emergency department is shut; meanwhile the general emergency at Hospital Fernando Fonseca (Amadora‑Sintra) reported a three‑hour wait for patients classed as very urgent as of 20:00, according to the SNS Portal. Santa Maria recorded a two‑and‑a‑half‑hour wait for very urgent cases, and Hospital de Loures topped the waiting‑time list with around three‑hour waits for urgent patients.