Hurricane Melissa devastates Caribbean

Islands in the Caribbean were struggling to get back on their feet after Hurricane Melissa, one of the most powerful hurricanes on record, plowed through the region and struck Jamaica as a deadly Category 5 storm. Dozens of people were killed, communications were down, power was out, homes were in ruin and roads were blocked. Jamaica, Cuba and Haiti were hit hardest. The National Hurricane Center warned that parts of the region were still suffering catastrophic flash flooding and landslides, and the death toll was expected to rise even as Melissa weakened, crossed the Bahamas and made its way toward Bermuda.

Are UFOs spying on our nukes?

UFO speculation has crossed into the mainstream in recent years, and now scientists say they have evidence that suggests it’s possible aliens have been keeping an eye on humanity’s nuclear weapons. Researchers who studied historical photographs from the 1940s and 1950s observed flashes in the sky, or “transient star-like objects,” over U.S. nuclear test sites. The flashes could not be satellites − none existed yet − and they corresponded with reported UFO sightings at the time. The scientists did not specifically point to what is now referred to as unidentified anomalous phenomena, or UAPs, but they did say the flashes pose a “fascinating question that needs further investigation.”

Amazon, UPS cut back ahead of holidays

Two holiday shopping heavyweights are doing some serious belt-tightening. Amazon will eliminate 14,000 corporate jobs with the goal of “further reducing bureaucracy, removing layers, and shifting resources,” the company said. The note also cited the growth of artificial intelligence and said the technology is “enabling companies to innovate much faster than ever before.” Also slashing its workforce: UPS, which announced it had cut 48,000 jobs in 2025, most of them from its “operational workforce,” including drivers. About 14,000 of the reductions were among the management ranks. The delivery giant called it “the most significant strategic shift in our company’s history.”

Katy Perry’s love life is singing ‘O Canada’

The “are they or aren’t they?” speculation could be settled. Pop star Katy Perry and former Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau took in a cabaret show together in Paris on Oct. 25 − Perry’s 41st birthday − and left the theater holding hands as photographers snapped away. The two have not opened up about their relationship in public, but rumors have been swirling for weeks after they were seen dining together in July and Trudeau attended a Perry concert in Montreal. Perry and her longtime fiancé, actor Orlando Bloom, parted ways in July; Trudeau, 53, split from his wife, Sophie Grégoire, in 2023.

‘Sports equinox’ gifts us an MLB classic

Monday, Oct. 27, was a day of riches for sports fans− provided they had time on their hands, could stay up late and had a fast finger on the remote. All the major professional sports − the MLB, NFL, NBA and NHL − were in action that day, the only “sports equinox” this year. The cherry on top was an epic 18-inning World Series Game 3 thriller between the Toronto Blue Jays and the Los Angeles Dodgers; add to that Monday Night Football, 11 NBA games, two NHL matchups, and even a bonus two first-round MLS (that’s Major League Soccer) playoff games. − Compiled by Robert Abitbol

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Hurricane Melissa, nuke-hunting UFOs and an epic 'sports equinox': Week in review

Reporting by Robert Abitbol, USA TODAY / USA TODAY

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