Download the January 2026 newsletter here in PDF format with a synopsis of the news published on our portal..

The death toll from storms in southeastern Brazil rises to 64

Aporrea, 02/27/2026

Synopsis: In addition, five people remain missing in the state of Minas Gerais, according to the regional Fire Department. Rescue teams suspended operations in the early hours of the morning due to heavy rains that resumed Thursday night and caused further flooding in both towns.

The majority of the victims were in Juiz de Fora, where authorities reported 58 deaths and three missing persons. The other six deaths and two missing persons are from Ubá, a municipality located about 100 kilometers away.

The cities of Juiz de Fora and Ubá are located in a mountainous region prone to heavy rainfall during the summer, in southern Minas Gerais, and have suffered landslides, flooding, and severe infrastructure damage since the downpours began.

According to authorities, at least 4,200 people whose homes are at risk or have been completely destroyed are in temporary shelters.

State of emergency declared in several districts across 14 Peruvian regions due to heavy rains

Aporrea, 02/26/2026

Synopsis: The Peruvian government declared a state of emergency in several districts across 14 regions of the country due to the imminent danger posed by heavy rains, in order to protect the population.

The declaration covers districts in the provinces of Chachapoyas, Bongará, Luya, and Rodríguez de Mendoza in the department of Amazonas; Huaraz, Bolognesi, Carlos Fermín Fitzcarrald, Huari, Huaylas, Pomabamba, and Santa in the department of Áncash; Arequipa, Caravelí, Castilla, Caylloma, Condesuyos, and La Unión in the department of Arequipa; as well as Cajamarca, Chota, Contumazá, Jaén, San Ignacio, San Miguel, San Pablo, and Santa Cruz in the department of Cajamarca.

In addition, the emergency declaration includes the towns of Ica, Chincha, Nasca, Palpa, and Pisco in the department of Ica; Chanchamayo in the department of Junín; and in La Libertad, the provinces of Trujillo, Ascope, Bolívar, Chepén, Julcán, Otuzco, Pacasmayo, Pataz, Sánchez Carrión, Santiago de Chuco, Gran Chimú, and Virú.

In Lambayeque, the measure covers the provinces of Chiclayo, Ferreñafe, and Lambayeque; in Lima, Barranca, Cajatambo, Canta, Cañete, Huaral, Huarochirí, Huaura, Oyón, and Yauyos; in Madre de Dios, Tambopata and Manu; and in Piura, Piura, Ayabaca, Paita, Sullana, Talara, and Sechura.

The provinces of the Puno department are added, such as Puno, Azángaro, Carabaya, El Collao, Lampa, San Román and Sandia; in San Martín, Moyobamba, Bellavista, El Dorado, Huallaga and San Martín; and in Tumbes, Contralmirante Villar and Zarumilla.

The tragic legacy of pesticides in Latin America

DW, 02/18/2026

Synopsis: Toxic products banned and produced in Europe continued to be sold in countries like Nicaragua during the 1960s, 1970s, and 1980s, where thousands of workers became ill or sterile.

In 2006, Nicaraguan courts ordered Shell, Dow Chemical, and Occidental Chemical, which sold the pesticide, to pay the victims approximately €640 million (in 2006 euros) in damages. All attempts to collect the compensation in the United States have failed.

Furthermore, a French court rejected on Tuesday, February 17, 2026, a lawsuit filed against US multinationals by Nicaraguan farmworkers who became ill or sterile due to the continuous use of the pesticide Nemagon on banana plantations.

Those affected worked or lived in the Chinandega region, where the toxic chemicals were used, and suffered infertility, chronic kidney failure, skin conditions, or cancer after prolonged exposure to Nemagon, a pesticide containing dibromochloropropane (DBCP).

Nemagon was banned in the United States in 1977 after it was discovered to cause male sterility, but it was exported abroad and used in Nicaragua and elsewhere well into the 1980s.

"Under EU export policy, banned pesticides can still be exported to Latin American countries," Frances Verkamp, a member of the NGO Friends of the Earth Europe, told DW. "Frankly, this is a disgusting form of neocolonialism, because it suggests that people in the Global South are less worthy of protection than Europeans." Chlorothalonil, which can contaminate groundwater and has been linked to various types of cancer, was banned in the EU in 2019, but only four years later in Costa Rica. Bromacil, another possible carcinogen, has been off the market in the EU since 2009, but was used in Costa Rica until 2017.

According to a recent report by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), global pesticide use has doubled since 1990. However, actual usage data may be higher due to underreporting.

Venezuela: Morrocoy touches the soul and inspires us to continue defending nature and respecting its biodiversity: Interim President Delcy Rodríguez

La iguana, 02/25/2026

Synopsis: The acting president of the Republic, Delcy Rodríguez, reaffirmed that the preservation of Mother Nature and "respect for her biodiversity" is one of the most important policies of the Bolivarian State, especially when it comes to a heritage site as significant and emblematic as Morrocoy National Park (Falcón).

Among this tourist and scenic gem that "inspires Venezuela in its progress" are the keys, mangroves, and crystal-clear waters.

"Morrocoy touches the soul; it is a truly spectacular, incredibly beautiful park that we must protect for everyone. We arrived here at the park after a Carnival where, amidst the healthy recreation, situations of imbalance (pollution) occurred that we must correct," instructed President Rodríguez.

Unprecedented shift in the energy industry: China has already created the first functional hydrogen battery

OKDiario, 02/19/2026

Synopsis: The journal Nature published a paper from the Dalian Institute of Chemical Physics on the first functional prototype of a hydrogen battery based on hydride ions, which aims to solve one of the main challenges for electric mobility and the integration of renewables into the grid.

Unlike lithium batteries, this technology uses H? ions as charge carriers. According to the researchers, the use of hydrogen theoretically prevents the formation of metallic dendrites, structures that can compromise the safety and lifespan of batteries.

The battery is capable of conducting hydride ions at room temperature and also behaves as an ionic superconductor above 60 degrees Celsius.

However, the prototype still faces significant challenges. Industrial scalability, production cost, long-term durability, and the need to connect multiple cells to achieve higher voltages are outstanding issues.

It could be said, then, that for the moment, this is not a battery ready for the market. However, the fact that the hydrogen battery has gone from a theoretical concept to an experimental demonstration opens a new front in the energy transition.

China is making progress in clean energy, while Trump is clinging to coal.

DW, 02/26/2026

Synopsis: During a speech to global elites at the World Economic Forum in Davos in January 2026, US President Donald Trump claimed that China was selling wind turbines to "stupid people who buy them," while simultaneously failing to utilize wind power within its own borders.

China has achieved record levels of both wind and solar power capacity by 2025. And, according to some estimates, it may have already reached its peak CO2 emissions, well ahead of schedule. Furthermore, the Asian giant provides most of the clean technology needed for the global energy transition: it manufactures over 80 percent of solar panels, 60 percent of wind turbines, and 75 percent of electric vehicles and batteries.

On the other hand, the Trump administration has withdrawn from and ceased funding 66 international organizations, deeming them contrary to national interests, security, economic prosperity, or sovereignty. "It has departed from the science that everyone accepts," David M. Hart, senior fellow for climate and energy at the Council on Foreign Relations, told DW. "It's a reckless decision and will harm the United States in the long run."

While China is expanding renewable energy, its strategy regarding coal is shifting. Instead of using coal-fired power plants as a constant source of supply, the country has moved to employing them flexibly. China's shift involves viewing climate action not as a burden, but as an economic opportunity.

Meanwhile, the United States has announced plans to expand its coal fleet. It is also pushing forward with new gas projects, such as the largest natural gas-fired power plant ever built in Ohio.

Death and disease: these are the most dangerous ultra-processed products for your health

RT, 02/27/2026

Synopsis: Three articles published in The Lancet analyzed how the rise of ultra-processed foods is driven by large corporations that employ sophisticated political tactics to market them. Therefore, appealing to education or individual changes is insufficient, because the deterioration of our diets now constitutes an urgent threat to public health. Coordinated policies and strong advocacy are required to reduce the consumption of ultra-processed foods.

Ultra-processed foods such as sugary drinks, sausages, frozen pizzas, gummy candies, and snacks have been displacing fresh foods, especially in children's diets, and their consumption is associated with obesity, diabetes, cancer, and other diseases, as well as causing attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) in children. Studies have shown that they are typically high in calories, sugar, unhealthy fats, and salt, and low in dietary fiber, protein, vitamins, and minerals. Furthermore, they cause high glycemic responses and alter the gut microbiota, favoring microbes associated with inflammatory diseases.

Ultra-processed foods are industrial formulations made from food-derived substances. Their manufacture begins with the breakdown of whole foods into components such as sugars, oils, fats, proteins, starches, and fiber. These substances are typically obtained from high-yield crops (corn, wheat, soy, sugarcane, or beets) and from the processing of animal products from intensive livestock farming.

Some of these components then undergo chemical modifications such as hydrolysis or hydrogenation. Subsequently, they are assembled with little or no whole food remaining, using techniques such as extrusion, molding, and frying. Colorings, flavorings, emulsifiers, and other additives are added to make them more palatable or visually appealing. The process concludes with packaging in synthetic materials, aiming to create highly profitable products: inexpensive inputs, long shelf life, and well-known brands. Their resistance to spoilage, their ready-to-eat format, irresistible flavor and their aggressive marketing give them a huge advantage in the market over minimally processed products.

Brazil's most populous state suffers from water shortages due to a water crisis

RT, 02/17/2026

Synopsis: In São Paulo, intense storms have caused power outages affecting more than 70,000 properties. At the same time, this state, the most populous in Brazil, is grappling with a severe water crisis, exacerbated by increased water demand, which has forced authorities to restrict consumption. Climate change is disrupting rainfall patterns, with torrential downpours at times and prolonged droughts at others, plunging São Paulo into one of the worst water crises in its history.

Venezuela: "Fish Your Plastic" Plan Deployed in Morrocoy National Park to Protect Mangroves and Ecosystems

La Iguana, 02/25/2026

Synopsis: The "Fish Out Your Plastic" plan was launched to protect areas of Morrocoy National Park in Falcón state, with the vital purpose of safeguarding marine life, reported the Minister of Fisheries and Aquaculture, Juan Carlos Loyo.

He explained that 380 fishing boats and tourism service providers participated in the event. "We realized that fishermen play an important role. The greatest impact is along the mangroves, areas where clean-up efforts rarely take place, and that's when the fishermen's boats arrive and collect all the plastic."

For his part, Governor Víctor Clark indicated that tourism should not focus solely on economic or recreational aspects, "but rather on being harmonious with our parks and nature."

Most Americans believe the government does not protect them from toxic chemicals.

CNN, 02/26/2026

Synopsis: More than 70% of American adults are very or somewhat concerned about exposure to toxic chemicals in their food and drinking water, with 5 out of 6 saying they want the federal government and industry to take more steps to protect them, according to a new Pew Charitable Trusts survey.

The survey results stand in stark contrast to recent actions by the Trump administration, said David Andrews, interim science director of the Environmental Working Group (EWG), a health advocacy organization that publishes an annual list of contaminated products called "The Dirty Dozen."

"While Americans across the political spectrum are demanding greater oversight and accountability for toxic chemicals, the administration is taking steps in the opposite direction," said David Andrews, acting science director of the Environmental Working Group (EWG). "Last week, President Trump, with the support of HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., issued an executive order aimed at increasing the production of glyphosate, a probable carcinogen."

In response, the press secretary for the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services said the administration was shifting toward "regenerative agriculture systems" and that until then, a sudden drop in pesticide use would "reduce crop yields, increase food prices, and accelerate farm closures." In addition, the survey revealed that more than 60% of U.S. adults are also very or somewhat concerned about the chemicals the industry uses in children's toys and baby products, food packaging, and personal care goods such as makeup, according to the Pew survey.

The survey also found that 83% of U.S. adults strongly or fairly strongly believe that "companies that make chemicals found in everyday products cannot be trusted to guarantee the safety of their offerings without government oversight."

Concern about the risks of flame retardants, heavy metals, pesticides, and endocrine-disrupting chemicals that mimic hormones in the body has been growing as more studies point to serious health consequences.

This is Milei's reaction after the approval of the Glaciers Law

RT, 02/27/2026

Synopsis: The Senate approval represented the third victory for the La Libertad Avanza (Freedom Advances) coalition in a single day, following the earlier approval of the Mercosur-European Union (EU) agreement and the appointment of the new ambassador to Belgium. President Javier Milei celebrated Thursday's legislative session with a football-inspired tone.

The Senate debate on the environmental initiative to amend the Glaciers Law resulted in 40 votes in favor, 31 against, and one abstention.

Meanwhile, the President's Office also highlighted the Senate vote with a message signed by Milei, emphasizing that the initiative "represents true environmental federalism."

A statement issued from the President's Office account reads: "The right to a healthy environment is guaranteed without relinquishing the rational use of natural resources." It also states that "the provinces are being given back the authority that corresponds to them as the legitimate owners of their original resources, allowing them to identify, protect, and manage their water reserves efficiently, technically, and realistically." Finally, it concludes, "The era of environmentalists waving a false, noble slogan and hindering the progress of Argentinians is coming to an end."

The initiative has generated controversy because it redefines the concept of protected areas to attract investment in the mining sector, which has been strongly criticized by environmental advocates who believe it jeopardizes biodiversity and access to water.

Lima in emergency: Senamhi activates red alert for historic heat wave

El Comercio.pe, 02/26/2026

Synopsis: Lima is experiencing a 14-day heat wave of extreme heat. The National Meteorology and Hydrology Service of Peru has declared a red alert in the capital, where some districts are already registering heat indices exceeding 36°C (97°F).

Experts explain that this phenomenon is primarily due to an unusual increase in the surface temperature of the Peruvian sea.

In addition to the heat, the alert warns that the lack of cloud cover at midday will facilitate the direct passage of ultraviolet radiation, increasing the risk of skin damage. Furthermore, the accumulation of cloud cover during the night and the lack of ventilation will raise the minimum temperature, prolonging the feeling of muggy conditions into the early morning hours.

MEDIA HEADLINE SUMMARY

Selected until February 15, 2025

Chile launches the Latam-GPT artificial intelligence model

DW, 10/02/2026

Synopsis: Chile launches Latam-GPT, a project designed to provide Latin America with its own artificial intelligence model, aiming to mitigate certain biases observed in current systems.

The project is spearheaded by Chile's National Center for Artificial Intelligence (Cenia), a private corporation with public funding, and has the support of universities, foundations, libraries, government entities, and civil society organizations in countries such as Chile, Uruguay, Brazil, Colombia, Mexico, Peru, Ecuador, and Argentina. It was created with just $550,000 in funding, primarily from the Development Bank of Latin America (CAF).

Latam-GPT seeks to break down "prejudices" and prevent Latin America's representation in the rest of the world from being "seen as a homogenous whole," Chilean Science Minister Aldo Valle told AFP.

"The region cannot be merely a passive user or recipient of artificial intelligence systems. That could result in the loss of a significant portion of our traditions," he added.

This tool is not a chat application for interaction. It is a free, large database trained on information from the region, which can be used to develop technological applications.

In addition to Latam-GPT, other alternatives have emerged, such as SEA-LION from Southeast Asia and UlizaLlama in Africa, which are more focused on their own cultures.

To train Latam-GPT, more than eight terabytes of information were gathered, equivalent to millions of books, and it is primarily in Spanish and Portuguese.

Its first version was developed in the Amazon Web Services cloud, but in the future it will be trained on a supercomputer that is to be installed at the University of Tarapacá in northern Chile and cost almost $5 million.

Study: The tropics could face a major climate threat

DW, 02/05/2026

Synopsis: According to a recent study, some tropical regions could warm more drastically than previously predicted as climate change progresses, according to research analyzing millions of years of Earth's past.

When CO2 levels were similar to today's, between 2.5 and 5 million years ago, during the Pliocene epoch, tropical lands warmed twice as much as the oceans. At that time, the planet was, on average, between 2.5 and 4 degrees Celsius warmer than it is today. Scientists warn that history could repeat itself.

To reach this conclusion, a 580-meter sediment core extracted from the Bogotá Basin, Colombia, and recovered in 1988 by a team of Dutch and Colombian scientists was studied.

Already in the Holocene epoch, the tropical Andean landmass was approximately 3.7 degrees Celsius warmer than it is today, according to the University of Colorado Boulder (USA), one of the authors of the study.

Modern El Niño events have already caused significant warming and droughts in the northern Andes, and the team warned that the region could experience further warming due to climate change.

There are many feedback mechanisms in nature, and exceeding certain thresholds "could trigger a series of cascading events that amplify the changes." "If we want to study climate change to help people, we need to pay more attention to regional changes so that those who live there know what to expect," explained Lina Pérez-Ángel, a member of the research team.

The waters surrounding Japan are transforming at an unexpected rate, altering marine ecosystems and jeopardizing fishing and local traditions.

El español.com, 02/04/2026

Synopsis: At the heart of this concern is the Kuroshio Current, one of the Pacific's major oceanic arteries, which transports warm waters and regulates the regional climate. However, in recent years it has shifted northward, raising sea levels in areas off the Japanese coast and altering water temperatures, with cascading effects on marine biodiversity.

According to Shusaku Sugimoto of Tohoku University, who led a study focused on analyzing ocean temperatures off the Japanese coast, the northern end of the Kuroshio Current has moved up to 480 kilometers toward latitudes closer to the pole, bringing unprecedented warm waters to regions where they had never been recorded, such as off the Sanriku region, where water temperatures rose by up to six degrees Celsius.

Fishermen from different parts of the country report how once-common species are disappearing, moving to colder waters or greater depths, while fish that were previously uncommon in these latitudes are beginning to appear.

The increase in water temperature is disrupting the reproductive cycles of fish, altering food availability, and breaking ecological balances built up over centuries. For example, kombu seaweed, essential to Japanese cuisine, is beginning to disappear.

Furthermore, the Japan Meteorological Agency has indicated that extreme ocean conditions contributed to the record heat recorded in the north of the country during the summer of 2023. For scientists, the message is clear: what happens beneath the ocean's surface is directly influencing life on land.

Who actually finances deep-sea mining?

DW, 01/31/2026

Synopsis: This industry, according to scientists, remains little known, but it is capable of causing irreversible damage to the oceans.

A DW investigation has found that some of the more than 20 financial institutions worldwide that have publicly pledged not to finance deep-sea mining have invested at least $684 million (€581 million) in companies linked to this industry.

The banks contacted apply for financing for specific projects, not for investments in companies, thus avoiding directly financing individual deep-sea mining operations, while continuing to invest in companies that do.

"It's greenwashing," emphasizes Mauricio Vargas, a former investment strategist. "The banks want to avoid negative publicity related to environmental controversies," he adds.

However, some banks, such as Storebrand, one of Norway's largest financial groups, divested millions of dollars from companies linked to deep-sea mining.

Goldman Sachs, which promotes itself as a leader in environmental, social, and governance (ESG) investing, holds €187 million in stakes in companies that facilitate deep-sea mining.

"It's much cheaper to paint yourself green than to actually be green," says Tariq Fancy, former head of investment for sustainable investing.

The investigation analyzed investment data compiled by a non-profit organization, the Anti-Corruption Data Collective (ACDC), revealing that taxpayer money from countries that officially support a preemptive pause on deep-sea mining was invested in companies linked to the industry.

Latin America in the sights of the great powers

DW, 02/15/2026

Synopsis: Latin America at a Crossroads. Rarely has the region been so intensely caught between great power rivalry, internal political tensions, and a profound economic reorientation as it is in 2026.

In the presentation "Latin America Between Political Tensions, Stability, and Security," organized by the Academy of Political Education in Tutzing, Germany, it was concluded that what was long considered a secondary geopolitical space is once again at the center of international politics.

It was noted that the United States has adopted a clearly firmer stance toward the region. Security issues dominate its agenda: migration, drug trafficking, border control, and the containment of authoritarian tendencies. Trade policy is increasingly used as a geopolitical instrument, and what is perceived as less a change of course than a return to historical continuity is a return to the past. Since the Monroe Doctrine of 1823, the United States has considered the Western Hemisphere a central security space. Interventions and political influence have been part of its foreign policy. What's new today isn't so much the interest itself, but the tone: more direct, less prescriptive, and more explicitly strategic.

In the background lies the systemic rivalry with China (and indirectly with Russia as well). Major powers rarely tolerate strategic competitors in their sphere of influence. This logic outweighs moral arguments in the current configuration of regional politics, as exemplified by the kidnapping of President Nicolás Maduro, which "may be considered illegal under international law, but is politically legitimate."

For many Latin American countries, Chinese capital is attractive because of its speed and the absence of strong political constraints. From Washington's perspective, this represents a risk that goes beyond trade. Thus, Latin America is becoming an arena of global competition that is not so much ideological as structural.

In several countries, the powers of the executive branch are expanding, political polarization is increasing, and democratic institutions are facing growing challenges. "In political science terms, the region is at a critical juncture: current decisions could define long-term political trajectories," warns Professor Günther Maihold of the Free University of Berlin.

"Neither Washington nor Beijing will single-handedly determine the region's future. It will be crucial for Latin American countries themselves to preserve their capacity for action," Maihold argues.

Why Trump is claiming victory with the biggest climate policy change ever seen in the US.

BBC, 02/13/2026

Synopsis: US President Donald Trump presented his drastic reduction of climate change measures as a political victory over the Democratic Party's "radical" environmental agenda, claiming he was revoking a 2009 Obama-era "declaration of danger" that held that pollution harms public health and the environment.

For nearly 17 years, the United States has used this scientific finding as the legal basis for policies aimed at reducing emissions from cars, power plants, and other sources of greenhouse gases that warm the planet.

Trump, who has called climate change a "hoax" and a "scam," dismissed the scientific basis underpinning the Obama-era policy, focusing instead on the economic repercussions of reversing the declaration of danger. He argued that promoting fossil fuels instead of clean energy would lower energy costs for American consumers.

He also claimed that abandoning the declaration of danger would eliminate the "mandate" for electric vehicles.

Lee Zeldin, administrator of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, stated that previous climate policies had "strangled entire sectors of the American economy." Trump has also withdrawn the United States from the Paris Climate Agreement, which set a limit on the temperature increase.

US inverted food pyramid faces heavy criticism

DW, 02/02/20262

Synopsis: US Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. unveiled the new dietary guidelines in January. They are visualized as an inverted pyramid, where meat, poultry, cheese, and dairy now occupy the broad base previously occupied by grains.

The recommended protein intake increased from 0.8 grams per kilogram of body weight per day to between 1.2 and 1.6 grams. This is nearly double the amount recommended by the World Health Organization (WHO) guidelines.

The new pyramid aims to combat widespread diseases such as obesity and diabetes, and imposes greater restrictions on sugar, soft drinks, and highly processed foods. Fruits and vegetables continue to be explicitly recommended.

Critics argue that rehabilitating red meat, butter, and full-fat cheese increases the risk of cardiovascular disease, certain types of cancer (especially colon cancer), metabolic disorders such as type 2 diabetes, and overall long-term mortality.

In American school cafeterias and other public institutions, the proportion of highly processed products is likely to officially decrease, which is, in general, a positive change.

N.R. Beyond any criticism, well-intentioned or ill-intentioned, we think it's excellent that protein is being given precedence over refined grains and that the weight of processed foods in the food pyramid is being reduced.

OPEC reaffirms projections: Global oil demand will maintain "healthy" growth until 2027

La iguana.tv, 02/11/2026

Synopsis: The Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) maintained its growth forecasts for the global energy market for the next two years.

In its most recent monthly report for February 2026, OPEC estimates a "healthy" increase in global oil demand, confirming the figures presented in January, which project an increase of 1.4 million barrels per day (bpd) for 2026.

Regarding the projection for 2027, an increase of 1.3 million bpd is anticipated.

Robust demand in the aviation sector and ground transportation (especially diesel-powered trucks and freight transport) will be the pillars of consumption, along with "healthy" activity in the construction, agriculture, and manufacturing industries.

A key factor in this analysis is the geographical disparity in growth. While OECD (Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development) countries will show a moderate increase of just 150,000 bpd in 2026, non-OECD nations will lead the expansion with an increase of close to 1.2 million bpd year-on-year.

Portugal deploys 1,641 military personnel in 41 municipalities affected by storms

Ultimas Noticias, 02/07/2026

Synopsis: The Portuguese Army stated in a press release that it is working in coordination with the relevant authorities to "guarantee a continuous, integrated response tailored to the needs identified on the ground."

The statement detailed that they have 135 light tactical vehicles and 130 heavy tactical vehicles, 24 engineering vehicles, 15 generators, and communications modules.

"The effort undertaken so far has resulted in the protection and recovery of homes. To date, soldiers have removed 451 tons of debris, cleared 169 kilometers of roads and highways, and provided 1,826 beds for the affected population; they have also carried out 762 patrols and provided support in 229 situations of social hardship."

Portugal remains on alert due to the passage of Storm Marta, after Storm Leonardo caused one death last Wednesday in Pias, near the border with Huelva (in Andalusia). This is in addition to the five other people who died last week from Tropical Storm Kristin.

Garbage is invading the mangroves of tropical countries

Universitat de Barcelona, 01/22/2026

Synopsis: Mangroves, typical of tropical and subtropical latitudes, have become veritable natural traps for trash from both land and sea. The roots of the trees, known as mangroves, have a remarkable capacity to trap trash-from both land and sea-which fragments over time until it becomes buried in the muddy bottom. An article in the journal Environmental Pollution warns that the accumulation of trash threatens the environmental balance and biodiversity of these ecosystems.

The study was conducted by researchers from the University of Barcelona, the Institute of Marine and Coastal Research of Colombia, the Smithsonian Institution, and the Catholic University of the North in Chile.

In Colombia alone, the problem affects a large portion of the 290,000 hectares covered by mangroves. Much of the trash reaches the mangroves through rivers, rainwater, and tidal currents. The largest amounts of trash-especially plastics-accumulate in marginal mangroves, a type of forest that grows along the edges of open bays and lagoons, where it is exposed to tidal action.

Over time, the trapped trash degrades and accumulates in the mangrove soil, disrupting the delicate ecological balance. Fish, crustaceans, and birds can become entangled in the trash or accidentally ingest fragments-such as microplastics-which can introduce toxins or pathogenic microorganisms into the food chain.

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