International News
Super Typhoon Man-yi Forces Mass Evacuations As It Ravages The Philippines
Super Typhoon Man-yi unleashed its fury on the Philippines over the weekend, forcing the evacuation of over 1.2 million people as it barreled through the archipelago, leaving widespread destruction in its wake.
Packing maximum sustained winds of 185 kilometers per hour (115 miles per hour), the storm made its first landfall late Saturday night on Catanduanes, an island in the Bicol region, before sweeping across the densely populated island of Luzon.
As the storm advanced, authorities issued urgent warnings of life-threatening flooding, landslides, and storm surges, with fears that coastal communities could be inundated by waves as high as three meters.
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Thousands fled to evacuation centers in several provinces, while others took refuge with relatives or moved to safer areas inland.
“The damage in Catanduanes is extensive,” said Ariel Nepomuceno, chief of the country’s civil defense agency. Local officials reported widespread destruction in the municipality of Panganiban, where fallen trees and debris blocked roads.
“Pepito was so strong, I have never experienced a typhoon this strong,” said Panganiban Mayor Cesar Robles, referring to the typhoon by its local name.
“It is still a bit unsafe, there are still bursts of wind and debris everywhere,” Robles added, as cleanup efforts began.
While the storm weakened as it moved over the mountainous regions of Luzon, officials continued to issue warnings for severe flooding and landslides, especially in provinces like Aurora.
Forecasters also cautioned that storm surges could reach over three meters, threatening vulnerable coastal communities, including those in and around Manila.
Marissa Cueva Alejandro, a mother of three from Catanduanes, said she had never witnessed a storm of this magnitude before.
“Before, we would only experience signal number three or four, but now typhoons are getting as strong as signal number five,” she said, referring to the government’s five-tiered wind warning system.
Man-yi is the sixth typhoon to strike the Philippines in just one month, following a series of storms that have already killed at least 163 people and caused widespread damage.
The Philippines is no stranger to powerful typhoons, with 20 major storms hitting the country annually.
However, the unusual frequency of such storms in a short period has raised concerns about the intensifying effects of climate change.
Geofry Parrocha, a communications officer in Dipaculao municipality, said some residents were reluctant to evacuate despite the warnings.
“Some of our countrymen are really hard-headed. They do not believe us until the typhoon arrives,” Parrocha said.
As the storm passed over Luzon, thousands of tourists evacuated coastal resorts in Aurora, where businesses worked quickly to secure their properties.
“Our facilities are deserted,” said Irene Padeo, a reservation officer at L’Sirene Boutique Resort in Baler, Aurora. “Our outdoor items have all been packed and taken indoors. We tied down all the rest.”
On its current trajectory, Man-yi is expected to move over the South China Sea by Monday. The storm’s late-season arrival is unusual, as typhoon season typically peaks between July and October.
Earlier this month, four storms simultaneously formed in the Pacific, marking the first such occurrence in November since records began in 1951.
Federal agents raided the Washington, D.C., home of Democratic Congresswoman Ilhan Omar early Monday morning as part of an ongoing federal criminal investigation, the United States Department of Justice (DOJ) has confirmed.
Homeland Security Investigations agents arrived at the Minnesota congresswoman’s residence at about 6:00 a.m. Eastern Time, according to a report by Fox News.
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The report said both the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and the DOJ are involved in the investigation.
A DOJ spokesperson confirmed the operation, stating: “Today in the Washington, D.C. area, Homeland Security Investigations executed a judicially authorized search warrant secured by the Department of Justice.”
The spokesperson added: “This enforcement action is part of an ongoing federal criminal investigation.”
Details later……….
Heavy rains have triggered severe flooding across parts of Bangkok, Thailand, forcing nearly 4,900 residents to evacuate to shelters as floodwaters swept through roads and residential areas.
The flooding has disrupted movement across parts of the Thai capital, with motorists and pedestrians forced to navigate submerged roads and seek alternative routes.
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According to the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration, about 52,000 households have been affected by the flooding, prompting authorities to declare a flood disaster and intensify emergency response efforts.
Emergency teams have been deployed to assist affected communities and move residents from vulnerable areas to safer locations as water levels rise.
Bangkok is accustomed to seasonal heavy rainfall, but intense downpours can overwhelm drainage systems, particularly in low-lying areas, resulting in widespread flooding and disruption.
Authorities are continuing to monitor affected locations while coordinating evacuations and other emergency measures.
For thousands of residents, the immediate priority remains securing safe shelter and protecting homes and livelihoods as authorities work to manage the situation and restore normal activities once the floodwaters recede.
US President Donald Trump has explained his decision to reject Iran’s latest proposal to reopen the Strait of Hormuz, saying Tehran was seeking an agreement because it was losing revenue.
Speaking to reporters at the White House, Trump said Iran wanted to immediately reopen the strategically important waterway but argued that the proposal was not acceptable to his administration.
“They want to make a deal, and I think that’s fine. I like making a deal, too, but that deal would not be acceptable,” Trump said.
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According to the US president, Iran’s push to reopen the strait was driven by the economic pressure it was facing.
“What they want to do is immediately open the Hormuz Strait. Do you know why? Because they are dying,” Trump said.
“You know why they’re dying? Because they have no money coming in, because they get their money from the Hormuz Strait.”
Trump also claimed that the US had established an unprecedented naval blockade against Iran, describing it as “a wall of steel.”
“So they outsmarted themselves. We put up the greatest blockade ever in military history. It’s a wall of steel,” he said.
“And guess what? They don’t have any money now because they wanted to close the strait.”
The Strait of Hormuz is a major global energy shipping route, and disruption to traffic through the waterway has significant implications for international oil markets and countries that depend on energy imports.
Trump’s remarks came amid continued tensions between Washington and Tehran over the reopening of the strategic waterway and negotiations involving Iran.
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