A weakened but still dangerous Irma - downgraded to a tropical storm over Florida but still packing winds near hurricane force - has pushed inland as winds and floodwaters created hazards for rescuers.

Hurricane Irma has pummelled Florida, packing winds up to 130mph, swamping homes and boats, knocking out power to millions and toppling massive construction cranes over the Miami skyline.

A sinkhole that continues to grow in the US has now swallowed a boat, destroyed two homes and prompted the evacuation of residents from 10 others.

Pittsburgh Steelers Chairman and former US Ambassador to Ireland, Dan Rooney died last week aged 84.

Donald Trump has vowed to spend some of the final hours of the presidential campaign in Democratic strongholds in a bid to pull off a shock in states that have not voted for a Republican in decades.

More than 200 million gallons of contaminated waste water from a fertiliser plant leaked into one of Florida's main underground sources of drinking water after a massive sinkhole opened up beneath a storage pond.

Hillary Clinton introduced running mate Tim Kaine as "a progressive who likes to get things done", joining him in the crucial battleground state of Florida to help kick off next week's Democratic National Convention.

It would take almost 14 days of eyes glued to the television to watch all the feel-good Hillary Clinton ads that have aired since the general election campaign began last month.

As Over The Top wrestling gains traction, women are getting in the ring – and the fans love it, writes Caomhan Keane

Residents on Florida’s Gulf coast filled sandbags, schools planned to close early, and governor Rick Scott declared a state of emergency as Tropical Storm Colin gained speed and churned towards the state, threatening serious flooding.

Padraig Harrington couldn’t be more different from the traditional Irish male. At the first sign of illness he visits a doctor, says Clodagh Finn.

Rory McIlroy won’t be pushing any panic buttons following his missed cut in the Honda Classic.

USA:

Channing Tatum has gone from being a stripper in Florida to one of Hollywood’s top earners. What does that do to a person? As he returns to the screen in Magic Mike XXL, Rob Haskell investigates.

A 13-year-old boy shot dead his six-year-old brother, wounded his 16-year-old sibling, then fatally turned the gun on himself after an argument over food, police in Florida have said.

Tommy Barker says imagination is the key when it comes to doing something magical with this derelict chalet/house near Crosshaven.

ENGLAND: One in five UK adults wish they could spend Valentine’s Day with their dream gadget instead of their loved one, according to research by the Gadget Show Live.

USA:

Talk about nine lives eh?

* Warning this article contains graphic pictures and video of the cat’s injuries.

A toddler has died after finding his father’s .380-calibre handgun in the family’s car and shooting himself, officials in Florida said.

A veteran Florida police officer was shot and killed while on duty early yesterday by a man described as transient, according to law enforcement officials, who gave no motive for the suspect now charged with murder.

A suspected gunman was killed by police after a shooting at a US university that wounded three people today.

The Florida woman who claims to have surgically implanted a third breast is a self-proclaimed hoaxer, it has been alleged.

Police say a man with an extensive criminal record — he spent time in prison a decade ago for the shooting death of his young son — killed six of his grandchildren, his adult daughter, and himself in a rampage at a home in a small Florida town outside of Gainesville.

When world leaders, including the Taoiseach, meet at the UN Climate Summit, they have a chance to make a real difference. Right now, it’s as if we are falling from a skyscraper muttering ‘so far so good’, writes Éamonn Meehan, executive director of Trócaire

An embattled NFL, reeling from off-field brutality issues, received more bad news with numerous injuries to key players in the second week of an already tumultuous campaign.

The Palestinian-American teenager said to have been savagely beaten by Israeli authorities has returned home to Florida, saying he will never think of freedom in the same way again.

THE way I remember it, in secondary school our first class on civics and citizenship became our last class on civics and citizenship very quickly.

USA: US special operations forces may be a few years away from donning a similar suit to the film character Iron Man, one that can monitor the user’s vital signs, give them real-time battlefield information and be bulletproof from head to toe-

Detectives are not looking for any suspects over the deaths of four people in a fire at a mansion owned by US tennis star James Blake.

A family of four have been killed in a fire at a mansion owned by US tennis star James Blake.

Schadenfreude, folks.

The viral video of an aggressive driver on the road in Tampa has been viewed on YouTube over 3 million times.

Utd's horrorshow rolls on, it's all about the result for Gunners and Blues seeing red over ref Foy.

This week’s Valspar Championship is being promoted as ‘The most colourful event on the PGA Tour.’

Despite a mid-round mishap Darren Clarke has put his new slimmed-down frame into contention to end a more than two-year winless drought at the Valspar Championship in Tampa, Florida.

Rory McIlroy raised question marks over the redesigned Blue Monster — and his own resolve when facing taxing courses — when he suggested he might skip Trump National Doral were it not a World Golf Championship venue.

Sinkholes have been appearing in Ireland and the UK with increasing regularity in recent months. What’s causing them, asks John Hearne