Storm Leonardo battered Portugal on February 5th, causing widespread flooding that claimed one life and forced hundreds to evacuate their homes, while German Chancellor Friedrich Merz addressed rising regional tensions during a visit to Qatar. Meanwhile, health experts in Italy urged the swift return of three children to their Anglo-Australian parents amid a child custody dispute, and Amazon Web Services (AWS) reported strong financial growth. Geologists also revealed that two massive structures deep within the Earth have shaped the planet's magnetic field for millions of years.
In Portugal, the storm caused significant damage, leaving Alcácer do Sal underwater after the Sado River overflowed, according to Euronews. Civil Protection confirmed that a man in his 60s died near Serpa when his car was swept away by floodwater. Emergency teams handled over 3,300 incidents since Sunday, ranging from floods to fallen trees and landslides. Forecasters warned that another storm was on the way.
German Chancellor Friedrich Merz visited Qatar on Thursday as part of a broader tour of the Gulf, where he discussed rising regional tensions with leaders. According to Euronews, Merz stated that fears of a wider regional escalation linked to Iran had shaped his talks. He called on Tehran to halt what he described as aggressive behavior and to enter talks aimed at easing tensions.
In Italy, health experts recommended the return of three children to their Anglo-Australian parents, according to Euronews. The ongoing dispute between social services and the family had drawn international attention. A report by psychiatrists from the Lanciano-Vasto-Chieti Local Health Authority said it was essential to restore stable family ties for the children.
Amazon Web Services (AWS) ended 2025 with its strongest quarterly growth rate in over three years, as reported by TechCrunch. The company recorded $35.6 billion in revenue in the fourth quarter of 2025, a 24% year-on-year increase. Amazon CEO Andy Jassy noted the significance of this growth, stating, "Its very different having 24 year-over-year growth on 142 billion annualized run rate than to have a higher percentage growth on a meaningfully smaller base, which is the case with our competitors."
Finally, a team of geologists discovered evidence of two ancient, continent-sized structures hidden deep within the Earth, according to Wired. These structures, known as large low-shear-velocity provinces (LLSVPs), have shaped the planet's magnetic field for the past 265 million years. Each LLSVP is comparable in size to the African continent and is buried at a depth of 2,900 kilometers.
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