promoearn: 'I'm seeing homes in the ocean'

Sunday, September 25

This September 24, 2022, image courtesy of Michael King, special advisor to Newfoundland and Labrador Premier Andrew Furey, and his family, shows damaged caused by post-tropical storm Fiona on the Burnt Islands, in the Newfoundland and Labrador Province of Canada. - Fiona knocked out power to more than 500,000 households as it lashed eastern Canada with strong winds and heavy rain on Saturday, electricity providers said. In the province of Novia Scotia alone, at least 400,000 households lost electricity after Fiona, downgraded from a hurricane to a post-tropical storm but still packing winds of 85 miles per hour, made landfall, Novia Scotia Power reported.

Here's the biggest news you missed this weekend

Fiona made a devastating landfall in Canada. And Tropical Storm Ian could hit Florida as a major hurricane. It's the weekend's biggest news.

Tropical Storm Ian could become a 'catastrophic' Category 4 hurricane

Tropical Storm Ian was forecast to rapidly gain strength Sunday while racing across the Caribbean toward Cuba and threatening a big hit to Florida's west coast later in the week. Ian was forecast to reach hurricane status Sunday, then roll across western Cuba Monday night and early Tuesday. As Ian approaches Florida, Accuweather said the storm could reach Category 4 status, which means sustained winds between 130 mph and 156 mph. "Significant" wind and storm surge damage is expected across a wide swath of the Atlantic Basin, and the Cuban government upgraded the hurricane watch to a warning. Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis urged residents to load up on food, water, medicine, batteries and fuel. He said it was too soon to determine when or even if Ian will make landfall, but that evacuations may be ordered in the coming days.

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This satellite image provided by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration shows Tropical Storm Ian over the central Caribbean on Saturday, Sept. 24, 2022.

Fiona makes devastating landfall in Canada

Fiona, now a post-tropical cyclone after a destructive run as a hurricane, washed away homes and has left thousands powerless in Canada after making landfall Saturday. Although Fiona is expected to weaken over the next few days – as tropical storms typically do when they reach cooler waters – the Canadian Hurricane Centre has noted how unprecedented the storm is for eastern Canada. "I'm seeing homes in the ocean," said René J. Roy, a resident of Channel-Port Aux Basques and chief editor at Wreckhouse Press. "I'm seeing rubble floating all over the place. It's complete and utter destruction." As the storm made landfall in Canada, winds were reaching over 100 mph – the equivalent of a Category 2 hurricane. The damage in Canada comes after Fiona devastated Puerto Rico earlier this week.

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Georgina Scott surveys the damage on her street in Halifax as post tropical storm Fiona continues to batter the area on Saturday, Sept. 24, 2022. Strong rains and winds lashed the Atlantic Canada region as Fiona closed in early Saturday as a big, powerful post-tropical cyclone, and Canadian forecasters warned it could be one of the most severe storms in the country's history.

Darren Calabrese, AP

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'Sham' annexation referendums held in Russian-occupied Ukraine

About 93% of those casting their ballots on the first day of the referendum on the Zaporizhzhia region joining the Russian Federation were in favor, according to a poll released Sunday by the Crimean Republican Institute for Political and Sociological Research, a Russian firm. Ukrainian and U.S. officials have dismissed the voting for "sham referendums," in which residents of the Russian-occupied region were surveyed starting Friday. Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said Sunday that Russia is pushing ahead with the referendums in parts of Ukraine it controls because President Vladimir Putin knows he is losing the war and must justify continuing to fight it. Zelenskyy said people who fail to support annexation wouldn't be able to "live a normal human life" and could face retribution – such as having their electricity cut off.

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Residents of Mariupol hold a rally against a Kremlin-orchestrated referendum in Kyiv, Ukraine, Saturday, Sept. 24, 2022. Banner reads: "Mariupol is Ukraine". Voting began Friday in four Moscow-held regions of Ukraine on referendums to become part of Russia.

Efrem Lukatsky, AP

Rihanna tapped to headline Super Bowl halftime show

Rihanna better get to "Work" because she has a Super Bowl halftime show to headline. After the star dropped a hint with a photo of a football posted to her Instagram, official Apple Music and NFL Twitter accounts confirmed her appearance at the Apple Music Halftime Show on Sunday afternoon. "It's on," read a tweet from Apple Music. "Rihanna is a once in a generation artist who has been a cultural force throughout her career," said Seth Dudowsky, NFL Head of Music. "We are thrilled to welcome Rihanna to the Apple Music Super Bowl Halftime Show stage." Super Bowl LVII is slated to take place at State Farm Stadium in Glendale, Arizona, on Feb. 12, 2023.

International icon, entrepreneur and philanthropist Rihanna will take center stage at the Super Bowl LVII halftime show.

Rich Fury, Getty Images for Fenty Beauty & Fenty Skin

Pujols reaches 700 home runs; Judge still chasing 61

One Major League Baseball home run milestone has been reached and another remains a swing of the bat away. St. Louis Cardinals slugger Albert Pujols on Friday night became just the fourth major leaguer to reach 700 career homers when he hit two at Dodger Stadium. Pujols – the oldest active MLB player at age 42 – joined Barry Bonds (762), Hank Aaron (755) and Babe Ruth (714) in one of baseball's most elite hitting clubs. Meanwhile, the Yankees' Aaron Judge remains one short of tying Roger Maris' American League record of 61 home runs in a season. Judge has gone homerless in four straight games, but gets his next chance Sunday night against the Red Sox (7:08 p.m. ET; ESPN).

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St. Louis Cardinals designated hitter Albert Pujols (5) celebrates after hitting a home run during the fourth inning of a baseball game against the Los Angeles Dodgers in Los Angeles, Friday, Sept. 23, 2022. Brendan Donovan and Tommy Edman also scored. It was Pujols' 700th career home run. (AP Photo/Ashley Landis)

St. Louis Cardinals designated hitter Albert Pujols (5) celebrates after hitting his 700th career home run, on Friday, Sept. 23, 2022, against the Los Angeles Dodgers in Los Angeles. Pujols is just the fourth player to join MLB's 700-homer club.

The Associated Press

Italian election could bring the far right to power

Italians voted Sunday in an election that could move the country's politics sharply toward the right . Giorgia Meloni and her Brothers of Italy party, with its neo-fascist roots, ranked as the most popular in recent opinion polls, suggesting Italians were poised to vote their first far-right government into power since World War II. Meloni is part of an alliance with anti-migrant League leader Matteo Salvini and Silvio Berlusconi, the three-time premier who heads the Forza Italia party. Italy's complex electoral law rewards campaign coalitions, meaning former Premier Enrico Letta and his center-left Democratic Party are disadvantaged since they failed to secure a similarly broad alliance with left-leaning populists and centrists. If Meloni becomes premier, she will be the first woman in Italy to hold the office. Projections based on partial results are expected early Monday morning.