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Storm Leonardo slams Spain and Portugal, leaving 1 dead and a girl missing

MADRID (AP) — A man died from rising floodwaters in Portugal, while a girl remained missing after she was swept away by a swollen river in Spain as Storm Leonardo brought more heavy rain and winds Thursday to the Iberian Peninsula.

In Spain’s southern Andalusia region, close to 4,000 people evacuated their homes due to the ongoing storm, and dozens of roads remained closed due to flooding and landslides.

Spain’s weather agency lifted the highest alert level in southern Spain, but added that another storm system was expected over the weekend. Leonardo is the latest in a series of storms that have pummeled Spain and Portugal in recent weeks.

On Wednesday night, a man died in southern Portugal after his car was engulfed by floodwaters, local media said.

The southern Portuguese city of Alcacer do Sal, about 90 kilometers (about 56 miles) from Lisbon, was battling rising waters from the river Sado, with downtown areas flooded and water levels measuring two meters (roughly 7 feet) high in some places.

Heavy rains were expected to lash several regions in Portugal in the coming days. A previous storm in late January left a trail of destruction in the country and killed several people, according to Portuguese authorities.

In southern Spain’s Malaga province, authorities were still searching for a girl who fell into the Turvilla river Wednesday while trying to save her dog.

Australian watchdog files legal action against Telegram, saying it failed to remove violent content

MELBOURNE, Australia (AP) — Australia’s online safety watchdog has filed legal action against messaging app Telegram, saying the platform failed to remove extremist content including videos of white supremacist mass shootings in Buffalo, New York, and the New Zealand city of Christchurch as well as Islamic State group beheadings. The United Arab Emirates-based app, which reports having 1 billion users worldwide, faces a fine of up to 54.6 million Australian dollars ($38 million) if convicted in the Australian Federal Court for “alleged failure to detect and remove pro-terror material,” eSafety Commissioner Julie Inman Grant said Thursday. The civil action is a test of Australia's 2021 law requiring tech platforms to work to keep illegal and pro-terrorism material off their networks. Telegram denied the claims. “We reject these allegations and will contest them in court,” a spokesperson said in a written statement sent on Telegram.
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