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Two dead as Typhoon Kalmaegi brings massive flooding in central Philippines

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Two dead as Typhoon Kalmaegi brings massive flooding in central Philippines

Residents seek refuge on rooftops, and cars float through flooded streets on the island of Cebu.

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Rain-soaked residents sought refuge on rooftops, and cars floated through flooded streets as Typhoon Kalmaegi battered central Philippines, killing at least two people, according to the national disaster agency and media reports.

Hundreds of thousands have been displaced by the powerful storm across the Visayas region as well as parts of southern Luzon and northern Mindanao, as Kalmaegi made landfall shortly before midnight.

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By noon local time (04:00 GMT) on Tuesday, Kalmaegi was moving westwards across the islands of Cebu, Negros and Panay with winds of 150km/h (93mph) and gusts of 185km/h, toppling trees and downing power lines.

A video published by DZRH radio’s Facebook page showed homes in Talisay City in Cebu completely submerged, with only rooftops visible.

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Similar scenes in other parts of Cebu City, where vehicles and streets were underwater, circulated on social media. In some of the videos, people were heard pleading to be rescued.

A road in the town of Tabuelan, also in Cebu province, was rendered impassable following a landslide.

On the island of Bohol, one person was reported killed after he was pinned down by a fallen tree, according to radio station DYMA.

An elderly person drowned after being trapped in his residence on the island of Leyte, according to radio station DZMM.

State weather agency PAGASA said the combination of Kalmaegi and a shear line had brought heavy rain and strong winds across the Visayas and nearby areas.

“Due to interaction with the terrain, Tino may slightly weaken while crossing Visayas. However, it is expected to remain at typhoon intensity throughout its passage over the country,” PAGASA said in a morning bulletin.

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More than 160 flights to and from affected areas have been cancelled, while those at sea were advised to head to the nearest safe harbour immediately and to stay in port.

PAGASA warned of a high risk of “life-threatening and damaging storm surges” that could reach more than 3-metre (10-foot) height along coastal and low-lying communities in the central Philippines, including parts of Mindanao.

On Monday, the country’s Office of Civil Defense reported that some 156,000 individuals had been preemptively evacuated.

Kalmaegi comes as the Philippines, which is hit by an average of 20 tropical storms each year, is recovering from a run of disasters, including earthquakes and severe weather events, in recent months.

In September, Super Typhoon Ragasa swept across northern Luzon, killing at least 10 people and forcing government work and classes to shut down as it brought fierce winds and torrential rain.

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State weather service specialist Charmagne Varilla told the AFP news agency that at least “three to five more” storms were expected by December’s end.

Scientists warn that storms are becoming more frequent and more powerful due to human-driven climate change.

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Venezuela releases all known American detainees after Maduro’s capture and government takeover

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Venezuela releases all known American detainees after Maduro’s capture and government takeover

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All known American citizens being held in Venezuela have been released, the U.S. Embassy said Friday evening. 

“We are pleased to confirm the release by the interim authorities of all known U.S. citizens held in Venezuela,” the embassy wrote on X. “Should you have information regarding any other U.S. citizens still detained, please contact American Citizen Services.”

No other details about the detainees were disclosed. Fox News Digital has reached out to the State Department. 

VENEZUELA’S DELCY RODRÍGUEZ SNAPS AT WASHINGTON, DECLARES ‘ENOUGH’ OF US INFLUENCE

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Venezuelans burn a U.S. flag after the announcement of the U.S. attacks and the capture of Venezuelan leader Nicolás Maduro.  The U.S. government on Friday said all known Americans being detained in the country had been released.  (Stringer/picture alliance via Getty Images)

Interim authorities have slowly released American detainees in the weeks since the U.S. capture of former Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro and his wife.

Both are being held in New York City on federal narco-terrorism charges. 

Earlier this month, Venezuela’s interim government reported that 116 prisoners had been released, although only about 70 have been verified by the non-governmental organization Justicia, Encuentro y Perdón, according to Bloomberg.

STATE DEPT CONFIRMS ‘LIMITED NUMBER’ OF PERSONNEL IN CARACAS WORKING TO RESUME VENEZUELA DIPLOMATIC RELATIONS

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Venezuela’s President Nicolás Maduro and first lady Cilia Flores parade in a military vehicle during celebrations for Independence Day in Caracas July 5, 2025.  (Juan Barreto/AFP via Getty Images)

Earlier this month, the U.S. government announced a travel alert advising against travel to the country. Americans in the country were advised to depart immediately. 

“The security situation in Venezuela remains fluid. The U.S. Embassy in Bogotá, Colombia, warns U.S. citizens not to travel to Venezuela, reiterating warnings against travel to Venezuela dating to 2019. As international flights have resumed, U.S. citizens in Venezuela should leave the country immediately.”

The country is being run by Venezuela’s acting President Delcy Rodriguez, Maduro’s former lieutenant. 

This week, Rodriguez signed a law overhauling the nation’s oil sector, opening it to privatization and reversing a core policy of the socialist government that has ruled Venezuela for more than two decades.

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The State Department told Fox News a “limited number” of people are working on the ground in Venezuela. (Reuters)

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On Jan. 10, President Donald Trump said American energy companies will invest $100 billion to rebuild Venezuela’s “rotting” oil infrastructure and push production to record levels.

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Israeli forces kill 12 Palestinians across Gaza, attacks reported in Rafah

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Israeli forces kill 12 Palestinians across Gaza, attacks reported in Rafah

Multiple attacks across the besieged enclave a day before Israel is expected to reopen the Rafah border crossing.

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At least 12 Palestinians, half of them children, have been killed in the Gaza Strip since dawn, a day before the Rafah crossing is due to reopen.

An Israeli air strike on Saturday on a tent sheltering displaced people in the al-Mawasi area to the northwest of Khan Younis city killed at least seven Palestinians, including three children, medical sources told Al Jazeera.

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Their bodies were taken to the Nasser Medical Complex in Khan Younis.

In Gaza City, emergency services reported that at least five Palestinians, including three children, were killed in an Israeli air strike on an apartment building in the Remal neighbourhood to the west of the city.

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Eight Palestinians were also injured in an Israeli bombing of an apartment building in the Daraj neighbourhood of Gaza City.

Gaza’s Government Media Office says at least 524 Palestinians have been killed by Israeli forces since a United States-brokered ceasefire in Gaza came into effect on October 10.

Rafah reopening

Residents in the border town of Rafah also reported several air attacks in areas under Israeli control. Israel is due to reopen the Rafah crossing, which links Gaza with Egypt, on Sunday for the first time since May 2024.

The opening of the key entry point is part of the ceasefire agreement with Hamas. It was meant to open during the first phase of the ceasefire, but Israel refused to do so until the body of its last remaining captive was found.

Israel on Saturday said it would only allow a “limited movement of people” who have received security clearance by Israel to enter and exit. No aid or humanitarian supplies will be allowed to enter.

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“Only those who fled during the past two years are allowed to come back,” Al Jazeera’s Hani Mahmoud explained. “Those who are born outside the Gaza Strip are not going to be allowed to come back.”

Hamas responded to the Rafah announcement by calling for Israel to allow movement in and out of Gaza “without restrictions”, and urged it to adhere to all aspects of the ceasefire agreement.

Israel’s genocidal war on Gaza has killed more than 71,600 Palestinians since October 7, 2023.

(Al Jazeera)
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Video: Canada’s Prime Minister Meets ‘Heated Rivalry’ Star on Red Carpet

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Video: Canada’s Prime Minister Meets ‘Heated Rivalry’ Star on Red Carpet

new video loaded: Canada’s Prime Minister Meets ‘Heated Rivalry’ Star on Red Carpet

The actor Hudson Williams gave Prime Minister Mark Carney a fictional Canada Olympic Team fleece jacket that his character wore on “Heated Rivalry,” which has become a global phenomenon.

By Axel Boada

January 30, 2026

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