Daily News 19

Category: Around the World

International news, world events, society, travel, and stories beyond the other editorial categories.

  • Tommy McMillen, Marwan Rahiki Separated After Heated Exchange at Fighter Hotel Ahead of Noche UFC

    Tommy McMillen, Marwan Rahiki Separated After Heated Exchange at Fighter Hotel Ahead of Noche UFC

    An anticipated featherweight clash at Noche UFC nearly boiled over days before fight night when undefeated prospects Tommy McMillen and Marwan Rahiki engaged in a physical altercation at the fighter hotel in Glendale, Arizona.

    Hotel Altercation Caught on Camera

    Tensions between the two Saturday headliners escalated quickly during a chance encounter at the host hotel. Video footage captured by JTMedia on Instagram shows both men landing shoves before a group of onlookers and UFC security personnel separated them. The incident underscores the bad blood built up through pre-fight interviews.

    McMillen’s Rapid Ascent

    The 28-year-old McMillen has made an immediate impact since joining the roster, securing two stoppage victories and earning two performance bonuses. His breakout moment came at UFC Oklahoma City in July, where he delivered a record-breaking striking output en route to a finish over Alberto Montes.

    Rahiki’s Unbeaten Run

    Rahiki enters the bout with similar momentum, having finished both of his UFC opponents to date. The matchup represents a significant step up in competition for both fighters, with the winner positioned to climb the featherweight rankings.

    The featured bout headlines Saturday’s fight card in Glendale, where the rivalry will finally be settled inside the Octagon.

  • Rams Week 1 Injury Report vs. 49ers: Aaron Donald Ruled Out; Myles Garrett Listed Without Designation

    Rams Week 1 Injury Report vs. 49ers: Aaron Donald Ruled Out; Myles Garrett Listed Without Designation

    Defensive end Aaron Donald stands as the sole player on the Los Angeles Rams’ Week 1 injury report ruled out for the 2026 regular season opener against the San Francisco 49ers at Melbourne Cricket Ground. The remainder of the Rams’ listed players were estimated as full participants during Thursday’s practice and carry no injury designations for the contest, which kicks off at 5:35 p.m. Pacific Time Thursday (10:35 a.m. Australian Eastern Standard Time Friday) on Netflix.

    Rams Injury Report: Donald Out, Garrett Cleared

    Donald’s absence comes as no surprise. Head coach Sean McVay had already ruled out the perennial All-Pro before the team departed Los Angeles for Melbourne. Meanwhile, outside linebacker Myles Garrett received a clean bill of health, with McVay stating he would be “ready to go” for the season opener.

    Every other Rams player listed on the injury report practiced fully on Thursday and holds no designation, signaling full availability for the historic international matchup.

    49ers Injury Report: Bosa and Kittle Cleared, Collins Out

    San Francisco enters the game with its key stars available. Defensive end Nick Bosa (knee) and tight end George Kittle (Achilles) carry no injury designations, indicating both are good to go.

    However, the 49ers will be without defensive tackle Alfred Collins, who has been ruled out with a knee injury. Defensive tackle James Thompson (hamstring) is listed as questionable, leaving his status uncertain for Friday’s kickoff in Melbourne.

    Final Injury Designations

    Los Angeles Rams

    • Out: Aaron Donald (DE)
    • No Designation (Full Participant*): Myles Garrett (OLB) and all other listed players

    San Francisco 49ers

    • Out: Alfred Collins (DT, knee)
    • Questionable: James Thompson (DT, hamstring)
    • No Designation: Nick Bosa (DE, knee), George Kittle (TE, Achilles)

    NIR = Not Injury Related; * = practice report is an estimation.

  • Stock Market Today: Live Updates on Market Moves

    Stock Market Today: Live Updates on Market Moves

    Traders worked the floor of the New York Stock Exchange on Aug. 25, 2026, as U.S. equities slid Thursday after domestic oil prices surged past $100 a barrel. The selloff reflected mounting anxiety that a prolonged conflict in the Middle East would fuel higher inflation and keep interest rates elevated for longer.

    Major Indexes Finish Lower

    The Dow Jones Industrial Average fell 195 points, or 0.4%. The S&P 500 declined 0.6%, while the Nasdaq Composite dropped 0.9%. The three major averages extended a losing streak to three sessions.

    Oil Prices Jump on Geopolitical Tensions

    Crude prices continued to weigh on market sentiment as the war between the U.S. and Iran entered its seventh month. U.S. West Texas Intermediate futures for October delivery climbed above $100 per barrel, while the international benchmark Brent crude for November spiked above $105 a barrel.

    Treasury Yields Hit Multi-Month Highs

    The rally in energy pushed the benchmark 10-year Treasury yield above 4.9%, its highest level since November 2023. Rising yields pressured rate-sensitive growth sectors, particularly high-beta semiconductor stocks that have led the bull market.

    Chip Stocks Lead Sector Declines

    Intel shares fell 3%, and Micron Technology declined 2%, as investors worried that higher borrowing costs and energy expenses could slow economic growth and dampen demand for semiconductors.

    Wholesale Inflation Data Fails to Soothe Nerves

    A relatively tame producer price index report did little to calm fears. The PPI rose a seasonally adjusted 0.4% in August, matching the Dow Jones consensus. On an annual basis, wholesale inflation stood at 5.4%, well above the Federal Reserve’s 2% target.

    The data arrives ahead of Friday’s closely watched consumer price index. Both gauges feed into the Fed’s preferred inflation metric, the personal consumption expenditures price index, which will not be released until after the central bank’s rate decision on Sept. 16.

    Analyst Perspective: PPI Inconclusive, Oil and Yields Raise Stakes

    “The PPI release itself was inconclusive, in that doesn’t really help to settle the question of ‘hike or no hike’ from the Fed next week, but WTI oil prices surging back above $100 and Treasury yields hitting new highs is certainly raising the stakes for investors ahead of tomorrow’s crucial CPI report,” wrote Stephen Coltman, head of macro at 21shares.

    Fed Hike Probability Climbs to 74%

    Fed funds futures were last pricing in a 74% likelihood of a quarter-point rate increase following next week’s policy meeting, according to the CME FedWatch Tool.

    Treasury Buyback Announcement Adds to Pressure

    The market’s three-day slide accelerated after the Treasury Department said it would buy back up to $6 billion in longer-term debt — triple the usual amount. Less than a month earlier, the Treasury had announced it would more than double the size of its $2 billion government debt repurchase operations.

    — CNBC’s Jeff Cox and Spencer Kimball contributed to this report.

  • Lil Wayne Fortnite Collaboration Coming Soon

    Lil Wayne Fortnite Collaboration Coming Soon

    Lil Wayne is teasing a possible collaboration with Fortnite, sending fans and leakers into speculation mode. The rapper shared a video to his Instagram Story showing shattered glass, captioned “COMING SOON.” As of now, Epic Games has not confirmed anything on its end.

    Earlier Teaser Sparks Rumors

    This follows an earlier teaser from September 8th, when Wayne posted the phrase “Where we dropping?” on his story. That line is a direct nod to Fortnite‘s iconic battle bus callout and immediately got the rumor mill going.

    Leakers Flag Potential Crossover

    Fortnite leakers picked up on the post almost immediately. Accounts like HYPEX and ShiinaBR flagged it as a likely sign of an upcoming crossover. HYPEX later posted “LIL WAYNE x FORTNITE COMING SOON” while noting some uncertainty around timing.

    Existing Musical Connection

    There is already a small musical connection in place. Wayne appears on Tyler, The Creator’s “Sticky,” a track that is part of Fortnite‘s existing music ecosystem alongside GloRilla and Sexyy Red.

    Fits the Icon Series Pattern

    Fortnite‘s Icon Series has grown its hip hop presence over the past few years. Adding a rapper as established as Lil Wayne would fit right into that pattern, and his extensive catalog gives Epic plenty of material to build around.

    Timing Remains Unclear

    There is some confusion tied to the timing. There is no word yet from Fortnite or Wayne himself about when this collaboration will actually materialize. Overall, nothing is locked in beyond Wayne’s own teasers. Given how quickly these things tend to move once official confirmation drops, fans likely won’t be waiting long for more details.

  • ‘Oddity’ Review: Casey Affleck’s Plodding Sophomore Directorial Effort

    ‘Oddity’ Review: Casey Affleck’s Plodding Sophomore Directorial Effort

    Casey Affleck’s ‘Company’ Premieres at Venice: A Puzzling Period Vampire Tale With Diminishing Returns

    Casey Affleck’s second feature as writer-director, Company, debuted in competition at the Venice Film Festival to a muted reception, presenting distributors with a unique marketing challenge: how to sell a film whose central hook is also its most closely guarded secret. The period drama, which Affleck co-wrote with Ron Hansen, unfolds across three nested timelines before revealing its true genre identity well past the one-hour mark—a structural choice that critics argue yields steadily diminishing returns.

    A Recursive Narrative Structure Across Three Eras

    The film opens in 1975, as Evelyn (Emily Alyn Lind) arrives at a suburban Christmas party during a downpour, accompanied by Bob Dylan’s “Shelter From the Storm.” Invited inside by the unsuspecting host, she begins telling a story set in 1953, in which elderly widower Tom (Nick Nolte) takes in a mysterious young woman, Alice (Caylee Cowan). Alice, in turn, recounts a tale from 1903 about a Colorado farming couple, Rebecca (Adelaide Clemens) and Emmett (Scoot McNairy), who rescue an unconscious drifter named Caleb (Atticus Affleck) from the snow.

    This “tedious roundelay of story introductions,” as described in early reviews, eventually settles on the 1903 narrative as the primary focus. Rebecca hires Caleb as a farmhand over Emmett’s objections, while rumors of brutal murders in the area heighten tension. The film’s recursive framing device—stories within stories—delays the genre reveal that recontextualizes the entire premise.

    The Vampire Twist and Its Mythological Departures

    Without spoiling the carefully concealed pivot: Company ultimately reveals itself as a period heartland vampire movie, drawing inevitable comparisons to recent genre entries like Sinners. However, Affleck and Hansen introduce “wildly divergent vampire lore,” positioning their bloodthirsty raconteurs as capable of grace and mercy when treated with kindness—a novel mythos within the tradition, though one early reviews describe as “not a terribly exciting one.”

    The film attempts to use vampire conventions to explore the American spirit of community, or the lack thereof, but the thematic payoff is reported as “distinctly muted” relative to the elaborate narrative scaffolding.

    Performances and Production Puzzles

    Atticus Affleck, in a demanding lead role as Caleb, brings a “willowy insolence” and “still, pale-eyed, tacitly judgmental presence” that generates much of the film’s tension. His extended verbal confrontation with neighboring farmer Kleinschmidt (Ben Mendelsohn) allows the screenplay’s “dourly lyrical dialogue” to finally “crackle with something like foreboding.” Mendelsohn’s performance is singled out as the ensemble’s standout.

    Perhaps the most perplexing production detail is the credit list for directors of photography: eight in total, including Masanobu Takayanagi (Springsteen: Deliver Me From Nowhere), Adam Arkapaw (Macbeth), Marcell Rév (White God), and Affleck himself. Early analysis suggests that if the intention was to give each nested narrative a distinct visual identity, the result is an “earthy visual consistency” that obscures that strategy. The final film, reviewers note, “doesn’t seem entirely worth the trouble.”

    A Step Back From ‘Light of My Life’

    Affleck’s 2019 debut, Light of My Life, was a somberly effective post-apocalyptic drama. By comparison, Company feels “less assured,” trading the earlier film’s emotional clarity for a “protracted shaggy-dog tease with no sense of humor, and an inflated sense of its own poetry.” While Affleck demonstrates continuing promise in atmosphere and visual craft—the film is “handsome in an appropriately ascetic, chambray-textured way”—the narrative convolution and delayed genre reveal undermine the overall impact.

    As one review concludes: “Many hands don’t make light work of Company; many tellers don’t make one good story.”

  • Raiders TE Brock Bowers Undergoes Knee Procedure, Expected to Miss One to Two Games

    Raiders TE Brock Bowers Undergoes Knee Procedure, Expected to Miss One to Two Games

    Las Vegas Raiders tight end Brock Bowers is expected to miss at least one or two games after undergoing a meniscus trim procedure this week, according to reports from NFL Network Insider Ian Rapoport and ESPN’s Adam Schefter on Wednesday.

    The surgery follows an injury Bowers sustained during training camp, which was diagnosed last week, Rapoport noted.

    Impact on Raiders’ Season Opener

    Las Vegas is scheduled to host the Miami Dolphins at 4:25 p.m. ET on Sunday in their regular-season opener. Bowers’ absence would leave a significant gap in the Raiders’ offensive attack, particularly in the passing game where the rookie first-round pick had been expected to play a major role.

    Further updates on Bowers’ recovery timeline and official game status are anticipated ahead of Sunday’s matchup.

  • Tarik Skubal Confirms Embarrassing Tigers Secret Involving Max Muncy

    Tarik Skubal Confirms Embarrassing Tigers Secret Involving Max Muncy

    The Los Angeles Dodgers continue to solidify their status as premier World Series contenders as the 2026 MLB regular season enters its final stretch. Entering Wednesday night’s matchup against the Cincinnati Reds, Los Angeles holds an 88-57 record and is chasing a seventh consecutive victory.

    Dodgers Close Gap on National League’s Best Record

    The club sits just 1.5 games behind the Milwaukee Brewers for the top record in the National League. A major factor in their late-season surge has been the seamless integration of one of baseball’s most significant midseason acquisitions. The Dodgers acquired reigning back-to-back American League Cy Young Award winner Tarik Skubal from the Detroit Tigers ahead of the trade deadline, and the left-hander has quickly become a cornerstone of their pursuit of a third straight championship.

    Skubal Dominates in Dodgers Debut Stretch

    Since arriving in Los Angeles, Skubal has made seven starts and posted a 2.93 ERA with 48 strikeouts over 43 innings. While his on-field performance has been stellar, a recent off-field revelation highlighted the stark organizational differences between his former and current clubs.

    Travel Logistics Expose Franchise Disparities

    Teammate Max Muncy appeared on the show “Foul Territory” and revealed that Skubal confirmed the Tigers’ old team plane was unable to fly across the country without stopping to refuel. While Detroit has since acquired a new aircraft capable of cross-country flights, the detail underscores the operational gaps for a franchise enduring a disappointing 66-79 season, leaving them well outside the American League playoff picture.

    Dodgers Set Standard with Two-Plane Operation

    For Skubal, the transition has been night and day. Moving from a middle-of-the-pack payroll team to the famously deep-pocketed Dodgers has granted him access to luxuries reserved for the sport’s elite organizations. Notably, Los Angeles is the only team in baseball this season to utilize two separate planes for road trips — one dedicated to players and another for staff. The organization views the arrangement as a competitive advantage, providing players with enhanced comfort, rest, and recovery for what they consider their most valuable assets.

    The differences between Detroit and Los Angeles extend far beyond air travel, but Skubal’s experience offers a vivid illustration of how drastically organizational resources and philosophies can vary across Major League Baseball.

  • Raphinha Leads the Line and Sets Example as Barca Enjoys Hot Start

    Raphinha Leads the Line and Sets Example as Barca Enjoys Hot Start

    Barcelona’s Spotify Camp Nou pitch resembled a slip and slide early on Wednesday as Feyenoord defenders Jeremiah St. Juste and Charles Vanhoutte went sliding across the area just three minutes into the UEFA Champions League fixture. Torrential rain poured down as Barça forward Raphinha feigned to shoot on his right foot before cutting inside on his left. With St. Juste and Vanhoutte exiting the picture, Raphinha slotted home.

    The night did not improve for the Dutch side. The rain soon stopped, but the goals kept coming. Raphinha added a second, while Karim Adeyemi, Lamine Yamal, and Gabriel Jesus — scoring for the first time since his summer move from Arsenal — all found the net. Sem Steijn managed a consolation for Feyenoord, but Barcelona ran out convincing 5-1 winners.

    Historic Start Fuels European Ambitions

    It is already the fourth time this season Barcelona have netted five goals in a match, having played just five games. Though it is early days, there are reasons for the Spanish champions to believe this represents their best chance in a while to end a 12-year wait for a Champions League title by the time June’s final arrives in Madrid.

    After back-to-back LaLiga titles under coach Hansi Flick, winning a sixth European Cup has become an increasing obsession in Catalonia. Leading the charge in more ways than one is the man who sent St. Juste and Vanhoutte flying: Raphinha.

    Raphinha’s Evolution: Captain and Striker

    The Brazil international now leads the team as newly appointed club captain — “Raphinha capitán” chants rang around the stadium when he was substituted late on — and he unexpectedly leads the line as the side’s striker.

    Sporting director Deco had hoped to bring in Julián Álvarez to replace the outgoing Robert Lewandowski and Ferran Torres this summer. After Atlético Madrid refused to negotiate for the Argentina forward, Barcelona turned to Jesus as a low-cost squad option. Meanwhile, Raphinha, signed as a right winger from Leeds United in 2022 and converted to a left winger, has excelled as a No. 9. Perhaps benefiting from the break provided by Brazil’s early exit from the FIFA World Cup, he has scored eight goals this season, netting in each of Barcelona’s five games to date — a feat not achieved since 1950, when César Rodríguez managed it, according to Pedro Martin.

    In Europe he is particularly effective. Raphinha now has 28 goal contributions in the past three Champions League seasons; only Bayern Munich’s Harry Kane (29) has been directly involved in more goals in that span.

    Work Rate Sets the Standard

    But it’s not just his numbers. It’s his work rate. Raphinha hunts down every defender, relentlessly tracks back, and leads by example. He sets the standards for the other forwards, and they — including Yamal, who in different circumstances or other teams may be afforded some luxuries — follow.

    “If you don’t run, you don’t win,” Yamal said before the Feyenoord game.

    That attitude strangled Feyenoord in the early stages on Wednesday. Flick showcased Barcelona’s depth by making five changes — Jules Koundé, Andreas Christensen, João Cancelo, Dani Olmo, and Adeyemi replaced Eric García, Gerard Martín, Xavi Espart, Fermín López, and Anthony Gordon — and just three minutes were on the clock when Raphinha, set up by Yamal, opened the scoring. The pressing did not let up; the Eredivisie side was not allowed to breathe.

    Clinical Finishing and Record-Chasing Yamal

    Adeyemi added a stunning second from outside the box — his second for the club since his summer move from Borussia Dortmund — and Raphinha, whose center-forward run was superbly picked out by Pedri, made it three before the hour mark.

    Nacho Ferri had a goal ruled out for offside shortly after for the visitors, but the scoring was not done. Barcelona remained hungry.

    Yamal added the fourth via a slightly fortunate free kick. It was his 12th goal in the Champions League, moving him one shy of Kylian Mbappé’s record of 13 in the competition as a teenager — a record that will soon likely fall into Yamal’s hands.

    After scoring, he peeled away to celebrate with Raphinha, who had just been taken off, by the dugout.

    “I know how Lamine can dip out of a game when things aren’t going well,” Raphinha said of the celebration. “I had tried to encourage him. I told him he was going to score to make sure he wouldn’t lose his focus.

    “In the end, he got his goal. I was really happy for him. He needed that goal. That’s how you build a winning team — when you’re happy for one another.”

    Steijn pulled one back for Feyenoord, but Barcelona went again. Yamal turned provider this time, delivering a pinpoint cross for Jesus to glance home. It was Yamal’s 101st goal contribution for Barcelona — he’s still 19 — and Barcelona’s 22nd goal of the season already. Not since 1950-51 (23) have they scored more at this point in a campaign.

    Defensive Questions Remain Amid Attacking Brilliance

    The argument will be that bigger tests await. Rodri, signed from Manchester City, has improved how they control games, but how much can he improve them defensively after no new defender arrived this summer other than attacking full back Cancelo?

    Those questions are for another day, perhaps. It’s easy to see why Barcelona might get carried away with the way Flick has his side purring in attack.

    “In a season as long as this, there are many ups and downs,” Raphinha added. “Starting the season like this obviously gives us a lot of confidence. Now we have to continue like this. We have to hope the downs are as small as possible.”

    Curiously, Raphinha was one of the big absentees when the 30-player shortlist was announced for the Ballon d’Or on Monday. Carry on like this and he won’t be missing next year.

    “I’m not talking about the Ballon d’Or,” he said. “I’m only talking about Barcelona. We’re having a spectacular season.”

  • Vikings Set QB Depth Chart: McCarthy No. 3, Wentz No. 2 for Week 1

    Vikings Set QB Depth Chart: McCarthy No. 3, Wentz No. 2 for Week 1

    Minnesota Vikings head coach Kevin O’Connell confirmed Wednesday that rookie quarterback J.J. McCarthy will begin the 2026 regular season as the team’s third-string quarterback behind starter Kyler Murray and backup Carson Wentz. The decision, while notable for the No. 10 overall pick in the 2024 NFL Draft, was not unexpected following a turbulent training camp and preseason for the former Michigan star.

    Murray Wins Starting Job, Wentz Secures Backup Role

    The Vikings signed Murray to a one-year free agent contract in March after McCarthy struggled during his first full season as the presumed starter in 2025. McCarthy ranked 36th out of 40 qualified quarterbacks in Total QBR last year, prompting the front office to bring in veteran competition. O’Connell named Murray the Week 1 starter on Aug. 11, stating at the time that McCarthy held the No. 2 spot on the depth chart.

    However, McCarthy’s preseason performance accelerated the shift. He completed just 9 of 17 passes across two appearances and missed multiple open receivers in the end zone during an Aug. 22 game against the Baltimore Ravens. He left that contest early with an ankle injury, and a source indicated he told staff members he did not feel comfortable playing in the final preseason game at Denver on Aug. 28.

    By that point, Wentz — who started five games for Minnesota in 2025 while McCarthy recovered from a high ankle sprain — had clearly moved ahead on the depth chart. The Vikings initially kept fourth quarterback Max Brosmer on the 53-man roster before moving him to the practice squad, fueling speculation that McCarthy could be cut entirely. General manager Nolan Teasley said last week he expected McCarthy to remain with the team when the season opened.

    O’Connell Explains Decision, Emphasizes Long-Term View

    Addressing the depth chart decision, O’Connell highlighted Wentz’s experience as a critical factor for the backup role behind a new starter.

    “Carson has got almost a hundred career starts,” O’Connell said. “What he was able to do last year from a standpoint of very limited repetition, but being able to apply a career’s worth of experience, that’s kind of what you need to do as a backup quarterback, especially early on when so much of the emphasis is going to be on getting Kyler as comfortable as we can possibly get.”

    The coach also stressed that the Week 1 depth chart does not define McCarthy’s future with the organization. O’Connell said he has had multiple positive conversations with the second-year quarterback.

    “There’s always a big picture,” O’Connell said, “that’s probably a larger scale and a larger mentality than the Week 1 depth chart. But at the same time, I thought he’s been incredibly professional, the conversations that him and I have had both pre, during and post that. He’s excited to continue to grow and get better. He’s still a young quarterback in the NFL with 10 starts and a bunch of talent and a bunch of things that make him a guy that we want to pour into every single day. And the best part is he’s going to work as hard as anybody, and that’s where it’s at.”

    McCarthy’s Path Forward

    McCarthy missed his entire rookie season in 2024 due to a torn meniscus in his right knee. The Vikings moved on from starter Sam Darnold after that season and were unable to re-sign veteran Daniel Jones, leaving McCarthy as the default starter entering 2025. His struggles opened the door for Murray’s arrival and, ultimately, a demotion to the third spot on the depth chart to begin 2026.

    O’Connell said the quarterback depth chart will be revisited weekly. The Vikings open the season Sunday against the Green Bay Packers at Lambeau Field.

  • Sporting CP vs Galatasaray: UEFA Champions League Stats and Head-to-Head Record

    Sporting CP vs Galatasaray: UEFA Champions League Stats and Head-to-Head Record

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