Daily News 19

Category: Around the World

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

  • Star Trek: Strange New Worlds Fantasy Episode Sequel Previewed in 6 New Photos From “Once La’an a Time” [Updated with Trailer]

    Star Trek: Strange New Worlds Fantasy Episode Sequel Previewed in 6 New Photos From “Once La’an a Time” [Updated with Trailer]

    Star Trek: Strange New Worlds Season 4 Episode 9 “Once La’an a Time” Details Revealed

    The penultimate episode of Star Trek: Strange New Worlds Season 4 arrives this week. Episode 9, titled “Once La’an a Time,” marks a return to one of the series’ earlier genre swings, serving as a follow-up to the Season 1 fantasy adventure “The Elysian Kingdom.” The episode streams Thursday, September 17 on Paramount+.

    Showrunner Confirms Direct Sequel to Season 1 Fantasy Episode

    Showrunner Henry Alonso Myers described the upcoming installment to TrekMovie as “a sequel of sorts to an episode we did in one of our previous seasons.” The synopsis confirms the connection: “We return to the Elysian Kingdom, but this time on a REAL fantasy planet.”

    Episode 9 Production Credits

    • Title: “Once La’an a Time”
    • Writer: Onitra Johnson
    • Director: Sydney Freeland
    • Episode: 9 of 10 (Season 4)
    • Release Date: Thursday, September 17, 2026
    • Platform: Paramount+

    The episode title plays on the classic fairy tale opening “Once upon a time,” signaling another genre-bending outing for the Enterprise crew.

    New Promotional Images Released

    Paramount+ has released a batch of new photos from the episode, credited to photographer Jan Thijs. The images feature key cast members in what appears to be the fantasy setting:

    • Rebecca Romijn as Una Chin-Riley (Number One)
    • Melissa Navia as Lt. Erica Ortegas
    • Anson Mount as Captain Christopher Pike
    • Ethan Peck as Spock

    Several photos show the bridge crew together in the fantasy environment, suggesting the entire senior staff may be involved in this return to the Elysian Kingdom concept first introduced in Season 1’s “The Elysian Kingdom,” where a nebula transformed the ship and crew into characters from a children’s book.

    Season 4 Nears Conclusion

    With Episode 9 serving as the penultimate chapter, Season 4 of Strange New Worlds approaches its finale. The series has continued its pattern of genre experimentation this season, blending traditional Star Trek storytelling with horror, musical, and now fantasy elements.

    A trailer for the episode is also available for viewers wanting a preview of the fantasy-themed adventure.

  • “I Am So Embarrassed:” Gabby Thomas Apologizes After Not Recognizing Usain Bolt in Interview

    “I Am So Embarrassed:” Gabby Thomas Apologizes After Not Recognizing Usain Bolt in Interview

    Gabby Thomas Apologizes for Failing to Recognize Usain Bolt in Childhood Photo

    Olympic gold medalist Gabby Thomas has issued a public apology after facing intense online criticism for not recognizing Usain Bolt in a baby photograph during a recent social media challenge. The American sprinter, who grew up watching Bolt dominate the sport, addressed the backlash on X (formerly Twitter) on September 14.

    The Viral Moment That Sparked Controversy

    The incident occurred in an Olympics social-media video titled “Can Gabby Thomas recognise these athletics icons when they were younger? ????” The segment featured Thomas attempting to identify legendary athletes from childhood photos while promoting the upcoming Dakar 2026 Youth Olympic Games.

    When presented with a baby picture of the eight-time Olympic gold medalist, Thomas was unable to identify him. “I have no idea who this person is. Can I get a hint? What country?” she said while laughing. Even after receiving clues, she could not name the Jamaican sprint icon. Upon learning the photo was Bolt, she laughed again and described the image as “adorable.”

    Social Media Reaction and Criticism

    The moment quickly drew sharp reactions from viewers. Many found it surprising that a professional track athlete would not recognize the sport’s most famous figure from childhood. One fan commented: “I’m not even an athlete but I recognised Bolt immediately he came on maybe she colour blind.” Another wrote: “Bolt is the easiest, that was intentional.”

    The criticism intensified as the video continued. Thomas easily identified other stars including Keely Hodgkinson, Mondo Duplantis, and Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone. However, she also failed to recognize Noah Lyles when shown a childhood photo with his mother, appearing genuinely surprised when told his identity.

    Thomas Issues Public Apology

    Addressing the flood of negative comments and direct messages, Thomas posted a detailed apology on X:

    “I want to genuinely apologize to everyone I upset for not recognizing Usain Bolt in his baby photo the other day on the Olympics social media video. I shouldn’t have laughed about it either. I am so embarrassed. I promise to unpack this and will do better,” Thomas wrote.

    Explaining the Context Behind the Moment

    Thomas later returned to social media to provide further context about her relationship with Bolt and the sport:

    “I grew up watching Usain Bolt among many other Black track athletes. They inspired me and showed my generation of athletes what Black excellence looks like (on and off the track).”

    She explained that the childhood photographs simply caught her off guard:

    “I know what he and Noah look like, their baby photos just stumped me. But they shouldn’t have. I would choose to be black in every lifetime,” she added.

    Why She Chose to Respond Publicly

    Thomas revealed the volume of feedback compelled her to address the situation directly rather than ignore it:

    “I normally wouldn’t respond, but my comments and DMs are being flooded on every social platform. I fear I really upset my community,” Thomas wrote.

    Moving Forward From an Awkward Moment

    For an athlete who cites Bolt as a foundational inspiration, the incident represents a notable misstep. Thomas has acknowledged the embarrassment and expressed a commitment to learning from the experience. As a three-time Olympic gold medalist herself, she remains a prominent figure in track and field, and this episode highlights the intense scrutiny athletes face in the social media era.

  • 2026 NFL Power Rankings: All 32 Teams Ranked for Week 2

    2026 NFL Power Rankings: All 32 Teams Ranked for Week 2

    NFL Week 1 Takeaways: Top Non-Quarterback Newcomer Debuts for All 32 Teams

    The opening week of the 2026 NFL season concluded with the Kansas City Chiefs’ 31-10 victory over the Denver Broncos on Monday Night Football. Week 1 delivered historic scoring, averaging 49.4 points per game to tie the 2012 record for the most in an opening week since the 1970 AFL/NFL merger, according to ESPN Research. Despite the offensive explosion, several games featured dramatic finishes, including the Detroit Lions’ overtime win over the New Orleans Saints and the Buffalo Bills’ five-point survival against the Houston Texans.

    ESPN’s NFL Nation panel of over a dozen analysts has evaluated all 32 teams to establish updated power rankings heading into Week 2. In addition to the 1-32 ranking, each team’s beat reporter identified a standout non-quarterback newcomer—defined as a rookie, offseason acquisition, or coaching hire—who impressed in their regular-season debut. Below is a team-by-team breakdown of Week 1 results, preseason rankings, and the top newcomer performances.

    Arizona Cardinals

    Week 1 Result: Beat the Los Angeles Chargers 26-14
    Preseason Ranking: 30
    Top Newcomer: WR Kendrick Bourne

    The Cardinals’ third wide receiver option and fourth overall receiving threat produced the second-best performance on the team behind tight end Trey McBride. Bourne, who signed a two-year deal in March to reunite with offensive coordinator Mike LaFleur from their San Francisco days, caught all eight of his targets for 75 yards. I’m pretty sure none of y’all had him on y’all fantasy [teams] to play how he played, but just was in the right spot at the right time, a lot of plays, quarterback Jacoby Brissett said. And we put him there because we trust him there.

    Atlanta Falcons

    Week 1 Result: Lost to the Pittsburgh Steelers 20-13
    Preseason Ranking: 26
    Top Newcomer: Edge Za’Darius Smith

    The Falcons signed Smith less than a month before the season after losing Jalon Walker (torn ACL) for the year and James Pearce Jr. (suspension) for eight games. The 34-year-old 2020 All-Pro second-team selection, who retired mid-last season due to his mother’s illness, recorded two sacks of quarterback Aaron Rodgers and helped bottle up the Steelers’ offense.

    Baltimore Ravens

    Week 1 Result: Beat the Indianapolis Colts 41-23
    Preseason Ranking: 8
    Top Newcomer: Offensive Coordinator Declan Doyle

    In his play-calling debut, Doyle kept the Colts off balance by utilizing quarterback Lamar Jackson under center and heavy play-action. The Ravens achieved a franchise first: a 300-yard passer (Jackson), 150-yard receiver (Zay Flowers), and 100-yard rusher (Derrick Henry) in the same game. Man, first NFL game, [he] came out of the gates on fire, head coach Jesse Minter said of Doyle. Baltimore’s schedule favors the offense: five of their next seven opponents allowed 27-plus points in Week 1.

    Buffalo Bills

    Week 1 Result: Beat the Houston Texans 36-31
    Preseason Ranking: 3
    Top Newcomer: WR DJ Moore

    Acquired via trade in March, Moore delivered five catches for 100 yards. His 43-yard touchdown benefited from a missed interception attempt by safety Reed Blankenship, but Moore’s impact extended beyond the box score: he drew a 46-yard pass interference penalty, an illegal contact flag, and broke up a likely interception by safety Calen Bullock.

    Carolina Panthers

    Week 1 Result: Lost to the Chicago Bears 59-37
    Preseason Ranking: 23
    Top Newcomer: OT Monroe Freeling

    The No. 19 overall pick surrendered a first-quarter sack to Montez Sweat but settled in at right tackle. Per NFL Next Gen Stats, Freeling allowed three total pressures on 41 pass-block snaps (7.3% rate) despite blocking individually on 70.7% of pass plays. The former Georgia left tackle adapted well to the right side in a high-scoring shootout.

    Chicago Bears

    Week 1 Result: Beat the Carolina Panthers 59-37
    Preseason Ranking: 12
    Top Newcomer: WR Kalif Raymond

    The veteran signed a one-year deal in March and led the Bears with eight catches on nine targets for 84 yards. Five receptions came on third down, showcasing quick trust with quarterback Caleb Williams. Raymond also delivered a key block on Kyle Monangai’s 61-yard touchdown run, embodying coach Ben Johnson’s offensive philosophy.

    Cincinnati Bengals

    Week 1 Result: Beat the Tampa Bay Buccaneers 33-27
    Preseason Ranking: 16
    Top Newcomer: Edge Boye Mafe

    Cincinnati’s top free-agent signing produced a sack, forced fumble, and fumble recovery. Mafe tied rookie Cashius Howell with a team-high four pressures (per Next Gen Stats), maximized one-on-one matchups, and led Bengals defensive linemen with 37 snaps. He appears set to anchor a heavily rotated edge-rushing unit.

    Cleveland Browns

    Week 1 Result: Lost to the Jacksonville Jaguars 34-10
    Preseason Ranking: 31
    Top Newcomer: WR Denzel Boston

    The second-round pick’s production—two catches for 59 yards and a touchdown—came largely in garbage time, but his 46-yard deep-post score reflected his training camp form. Boston led Browns receivers with 47 snaps and 26 routes run, signaling a significant role moving forward.

    Dallas Cowboys

    Week 1 Result: Lost to the New York Giants 28-20
    Preseason Ranking: 15
    Top Newcomer: S Caleb Downs

    The No. 11 overall pick posted seven tackles, a sack, and a forced fumble while playing 61 of 69 snaps split between safety and slot. With Malik Hooker sidelined by a fractured forearm, Dallas may need to adjust Downs’ alignment despite his value in the slot.

    Denver Broncos

    Week 1 Result: Lost to the Kansas City Chiefs 31-10
    Preseason Ranking: 4
    Top Newcomer: RB Jonah Coleman

    In a dismal team performance, Coleman’s 27-yard kickoff return made him the standout newcomer by default. The Broncos returned more players from 2025 than any other team; Jaylen Waddle managed one catch for two yards, safety Tycen Anderson had one tackle, and Coleman was the only rookie in uniform.

    Detroit Lions

    Week 1 Result: Beat the New Orleans Saints 31-30 (OT)
    Preseason Ranking: 11
    Top Newcomer: OC Drew Petzing

    Despite an uneven game, Petzing’s offense executed a 10-play, 70-yard overtime touchdown drive capped by Amon-Ra St. Brown’s 4-yard grab. Petzing, hired from Arizona, helped Jahmyr Gibbs set a career high with 34 touches. Quarterback Jared Goff said Petzing adjusted good and settled us down when we needed it and got us into the right plays.

    Green Bay Packers

    Week 1 Result: Lost to the Minnesota Vikings 39-22
    Preseason Ranking: 7
    Top Newcomer: K Trey Smack

    The rookie nailed a 59-yard field goal for his first NFL attempt and made all his tries (also from 43 and 26 yards). A 40-yarder was wiped out by a Vikings penalty. Smack’s only errors were a missed extra point and one kickoff into the end zone.

    Houston Texans

    Week 1 Result: Lost to the Buffalo Bills 36-31
    Preseason Ranking: 10
    Top Newcomer: RB David Montgomery

    Acquired via trade from Detroit in March, Montgomery scored three touchdowns—the most in a Texans debut in franchise history—and totaled 79 yards (60 rushing, 19 receiving). Houston posted its most points in a season opener under DeMeco Ryans, with 124 rushing yards on 32 carries opening lanes for C.J. Stroud’s 287 passing yards. That’s going to be our identity, Montgomery said.

    Indianapolis Colts

    Week 1 Result: Lost to the Baltimore Ravens 41-23
    Preseason Ranking: 19
    Top Newcomer: RB Seth McGowan

    The sixth-round pick didn’t carry the ball but returned five kickoffs for 164 yards, including a 66-yarder to the Ravens’ 30-yard line. McGowan, a training camp standout as a returner, is expected to see offensive snaps behind Jonathan Taylor as the season progresses, per coach Shane Steichen.

    Jacksonville Jaguars

    Week 1 Result: Beat the Cleveland Browns 34-10
    Preseason Ranking: 17
    Top Newcomer: LG Emmanuel Pregnon

    The third-round rookie from Oregon allowed just one pressure on 25 pass-block snaps (4% rate), tied with left tackle Anton Harrison for the team best. Jacksonville moved veteran Ezra Cleveland to right guard to get Pregnon on the field after he won the job in the second half of training camp.

    Kansas City Chiefs

    Week 1 Result: Beat the Denver Broncos 31-10
    Preseason Ranking: 13
    Top Newcomer: RB Kenneth Walker III

    Walker posted a career-high 173 rushing yards, highlighted by a 60-yard touchdown on fourth-and-inches early in the third quarter. He forced 14 missed tackles—the most by a Chiefs player in a game since 2018—and added a receiving touchdown.

    Las Vegas Raiders

    Week 1 Result: Beat the Miami Dolphins 27-13
    Preseason Ranking: 27
    Top Newcomer: Edge Kwity Paye

    Signed to a three-year free-agent deal to complement Maxx Crosby, Paye delivered two sacks, five pressures, and five quarterback hits. Under first-time defensive coordinator Rob Leonard, Las Vegas aims for aggression; Paye’s Week 1 performance suggests the Raiders’ outlook could shift significantly if he sustains this level.

    Los Angeles Chargers

    Week 1 Result: Lost to the Arizona Cardinals 26-14
    Preseason Ranking: 14
    Top Newcomer: C Jake Slaughter

    The second-round pick from Florida was thrust into the starting center role after Tyler Biadasz’s preseason ACL injury, despite training camp reps at left guard. Slaughter allowed just one quarterback pressure (per Next Gen Stats) and avoided major mistakes in a difficult transition.

    Los Angeles Rams

    Week 1 Result: Lost to the San Francisco 49ers 27-7
    Preseason Ranking: 1
    Top Newcomer: CB Trent McDuffie

    Acquired for four draft picks in March to overhaul the cornerback room, McDuffie allowed two receptions for 22 yards on four targets with two passes defensed (per Next Gen Stats). He broke up a first-quarter target to George Kittle and intercepted the ball but was ruled out of bounds.

    Miami Dolphins

    Week 1 Result: Lost to the Las Vegas Raiders 27-13
    Preseason Ranking: 32
    Top Newcomer: WR Caleb Douglas

    While linebacker Jacob Rodriguez posted 14 tackles, the passing offense relied entirely on Douglas. The third-round pick established himself as WR1 with five catches on seven targets for 94 yards (81 in the first half), showing promise despite rookie growing pains in a disappointing team debut.

    Minnesota Vikings

    Week 1 Result: Beat the Green Bay Packers 39-22
    Preseason Ranking: 22
    Top Newcomer: NT Domonique Orange

    The third-round pick from Iowa State (nicknamed “Big Citrus”) made the game-clinching play. With 13:17 remaining, Green Bay took a field goal off the board after a Vikings penalty and went for it on fourth-and-1. Orange fought off center Sean Rhyan and stuffed Jordan Love’s sneak for no gain. If I was a quarterback, Orange told reporters afterward, I’d try that, too. But they don’t know about Big Citrus yet.

    New England Patriots

    Week 1 Result: Lost to the Seattle Seahawks 13-10
    Preseason Ranking: 6
    Top Newcomer: Edge Dre’Mont Jones

    The eight-year veteran, signed to a three-year, $36.5 million deal over retaining K’Lavon Chaisson (7.5 sacks in 2025), totaled four QB hits, one sack, and two tackles while setting the edge effectively. Runner-up: sixth-round linebacker Namdi Obiazor, who led the team with three special-teams tackles including one on the opening kickoff.

    New Orleans Saints

    Week 1 Result: Lost to the Detroit Lions 31-30 (OT)
    Preseason Ranking: 25
    Top Newcomer: TE Noah Fant

    Signed to a two-year spring deal, Fant caught a potential go-ahead 8-yard touchdown in overtime with 1:38 left, but New Orleans failed the two-point conversion. He finished with four catches for 33 yards on eight targets, mostly in the second half as the offense found rhythm, indicating a key role ahead.

    New York Giants

    Week 1 Result: Beat the Dallas Cowboys 28-20
    Preseason Ranking: 24
    Top Newcomer: TE Isaiah Likely

    Likely became quarterback Jaxson Dart’s primary target, catching all eight passes for 78 yards and two touchdowns, including two third-down conversions on the game-ending drive. The chemistry from training camp translated immediately. I mean, we paid him a lot, coach John Harbaugh said with a laugh. That’s what we paid him for, and he did it.

    New York Jets

    Week 1 Result: Beat the Tennessee Titans 23-10
    Preseason Ranking: 29
    Top Newcomer: TE Kenyon Sadiq

    The No. 16 pick, limited to 26 snaps after a hernia cost him most of camp, scored on a 3-yard end-around among his four touches (three receptions, one rush). His versatility allowed OC Frank Reich creative packages. Sadiq joined Hall of Famer Ozzie Newsome as the only tight ends with a rushing touchdown in their NFL debut.

    Philadelphia Eagles

    Week 1 Result: Beat the Washington Commanders 24-22
    Preseason Ranking: 5
    Top Newcomer: WR Dontayvion Wicks

    Acquired via trade from Green Bay in April, Wicks caught two passes for 73 yards and a touchdown, including a career-long 64-yard catch-and-run that sparked the new-look offense. As WR2 behind DeVonta Smith, his spring and summer rapport with Jalen Hurts paid immediate dividends.

    Pittsburgh Steelers

    Week 1 Result: Beat the Atlanta Falcons 20-13
    Preseason Ranking: 21
    Top Newcomer: DC Patrick Graham

    Despite Bijan Robinson’s 173 scrimmage yards, Graham’s pass rush dominated third-stringer Cooper Rush. Veteran buy-in was evident: T.J. Watt, who admitted reluctance about moving in the old scheme, recorded a pick-six and sacks from both sides of the line. Graham passed his first test decisively.

    San Francisco 49ers

    Week 1 Result: Beat the Los Angeles Rams 27-7
    Preseason Ranking: 9
    Top Newcomer: WR Mike Evans

    The free-agent signing on a three-year deal caught six passes for 49 yards and a touchdown. Every reception produced either a first down or a score—six receiving first downs, the most in a team debut since Puka Nacua’s six for the Rams in 2023. Defensive tackle Osa Odighizuwa also impressed in his Niners debut.

    Seattle Seahawks

    Week 1 Result: Beat the New England Patriots 13-10
    Preseason Ranking: 2
    Top Newcomer: S Rodney Thomas II

    Starting for injured Ty Okada, the former Colts starter on a one-year, $1.4 million deal (beginning on the practice squad) had a pass breakup leading to an interception and an open-field tackle on consecutive drives. Those plays set up a field goal and the tying touchdown in Seattle’s 10-point defensive effort.

    Tampa Bay Buccaneers

    Week 1 Result: Lost to the Cincinnati Bengals 33-27
    Preseason Ranking: 18
    Top Newcomer: LB Josiah Trotter

    The son of Eagles legend Jeremiah Trotter became the first rookie since 1982 (when sacks became official) with a pick-six and a sack in his debut, per Elias Sports Bureau. His pick-six helped turn a four-turnover game into a one-score loss. He added 10 tackles with two for loss.

    Tennessee Titans

    Week 1 Result: Lost to the New York Jets 23-10
    Preseason Ranking: 28
    Top Newcomer: LB Anthony Hill Jr.

    The second-round pick logged 16 tackles and two passes defended, one of which punched the ball loose from tight end Mason Taylor (ruled incomplete). I thought Anthony flew around, coach Robert Saleh said. I thought he did a good job controlling the huddle. He was all over the field, made a lot of tackles, showed really good range.

    Washington Commanders

    Week 1 Result: Lost to the Philadelphia Eagles 24-22
    Preseason Ranking: 20
    Top Newcomer: LB Sonny Styles

    The No. 7 overall pick recorded a sack (trucking Saquon Barkley to reach Jalen Hurts), two tackles for loss, and a QB hit. He was caught out of position on a 43-yard touchdown to Dallas Goedert after he and two teammates pointed at Goedert pre-snap anticipating a false start. Styles also assumed play-calling duties when Frankie Luvu exited with a groin injury—a strong, if imperfect, debut.

  • 108 Armenian Churches Destroyed; More Being Erased

    108 Armenian Churches Destroyed; More Being Erased

    Azerbaijan Controls Nagorno-Karabakh Territory, But Must Not Erase Armenian History

    A priest stands before a church in Stepanakert on September 27, 2023. Armenia reported that 42,500 refugees had arrived from Nagorno-Karabakh since Azerbaijan’s lightning offensive, representing a third of the ethnic Armenian enclave’s population.

    Territorial Control Does Not Grant Historical Authority

    Power may seize territory. It cannot seize truth.

    Azerbaijan now controls Nagorno-Karabakh, known to Armenians as Artsakh. The ethnic Armenian government that existed there for decades is gone. More than 120,000 Armenians were forcibly removed from their ancestral homeland following months of blockade, severe deprivation, and Azerbaijan’s September 2023 military offensive. Azerbaijan now possesses the towns where they lived, the cemeteries where they buried their dead, and the monasteries where Armenian Christians worshiped for centuries. That control carries a moral responsibility. It does not give Azerbaijan the right to rewrite the identity of the people it displaced or the sacred places they left behind.

    State-Sponsored Narrative Contradicts Physical Evidence

    Instead, Azerbaijan appears determined to win an argument with history itself. This month, its government brought approximately 150 representatives from 58 countries and nine international organizations on an official tour of Nagorno-Karabakh. At the medieval monasteries of Gandzasar and Dadivank, Hikmet Hajiyev, President Ilham Aliyev’s foreign policy adviser, presented the sites as monuments of ancient Caucasian Albanian Christianity. Azerbaijani officials accused Armenians of altering the buildings and compromising their original character.

    Caucasian Albania was real. The fiction is the attempt to use its existence to erase the Armenian medieval identity of monuments whose walls record that history.

    Gandzasar contains extensive Armenian inscriptions documenting its construction, patrons, and religious affiliation. An inscription by the thirteenth century prince Hasan Jalal identifies him as the builder and records the church’s consecration in 1240. Dadivank likewise contains Armenian inscriptions and khachkars, the distinctive carved cross stones of Armenian Christianity. By the medieval period, the Albanian Catholicosate invoked by Azerbaijani officials existed within the Armenian Apostolic Church. Gandzasar later served as its seat.

    Scholars may debate the complicated history of the South Caucasus. Governments, however, have no right to remove inconvenient inscriptions from the historical record. There is certainly no justification for mocking that history, as Hajiyev is seen doing while members of the diplomatic delegation laugh.

    There is nothing amusing about the attempted erasure of a people’s history, especially after those people have been driven from the land where that history was written.

    Cultural Erasure Extends Beyond Architecture

    This is more than an argument over architecture. It is a question of human dignity and moral responsibility. A government does not honor its strength by humiliating the displaced or asking sacred stones to deny the people who carved them. True strength preserves the truth, including the parts that complicate a nation’s preferred story.

    Azerbaijan has particular reason to understand this responsibility because there is a disturbing precedent within its borders.

    Nakhchivan Precedent: Documented Destruction

    In the exclave of Nakhchivan, Caucasus Heritage Watch documented the destruction of 108 Armenian monasteries, churches, and cemeteries between 1997 and 2011. This represented 98% of the Armenian cultural sites the project documented there. Among the losses was the medieval cemetery at Julfa, which once contained thousands of Armenian khachkars. The cemetery was systematically destroyed, and Azerbaijan later denied that it had existed while preventing independent investigators from examining the site.

    Ongoing Destruction in Nagorno-Karabakh

    Now physical traces of Armenian life are disappearing in Nagorno-Karabakh. Satellite monitoring has documented the destruction of churches, cemeteries, and villages. Karintak has been almost entirely razed. In Stepanakert, Azerbaijan has demolished two Armenian churches, including the Holy Mother of God Cathedral, which was consecrated in 2019. A cemetery in Shushi containing Armenian and Russian graves, medieval khachkars, and nineteenth century gravestones was also destroyed.

    These are not isolated incidents. They reveal a pattern that should concern every government and every person of conscience. Historical erasure is not simply an offense against the past. It is an ongoing injury against people who have already lost their homes, communities, and access to the graves of their ancestors.

    International Community Must Demand Accountability

    Azerbaijan has every right to tell its national story. It does not have the right to insist that the Armenian story never happened. An Armenian inscription carved into a church seven centuries ago poses no threat to Azerbaijan’s sovereignty. It simply declares an undeniable truth. Armenian Christians were here.

    The international community must demand that Azerbaijan grant UNESCO and independent heritage specialists sustained access to Nagorno-Karabakh. There must be a comprehensive inventory of Armenian churches, monasteries, inscriptions, manuscripts, khachkars, and cemeteries. Their Armenian identity must be documented and preserved. Forcibly displaced Armenians must also receive meaningful access to their sacred places and family graves.

    Diplomatic Complicity in Cultural Erasure

    The diplomats who participated in the tour also bear responsibility. They represented governments and international institutions. A tour controlled by Azerbaijan is no substitute for independent observation. Those who laughed should explain what they found amusing. Those who remained silent should now demand transparency. Diplomatic courtesy must never become complicity in cultural erasure.

    Global Christian Responsibility

    Christians around the world must also refuse to look away. Gandzasar and Dadivank are sacred places where generations prayed, worshiped, buried their dead, and confessed their faith in Jesus Christ. When their Christian identity is erased, the wound is not borne by Armenians alone. It is borne by the wider Body of Christ.

    Silence is not neutrality when churches are destroyed and Christian history is rewritten. If the global Church waits until the inscriptions are removed, the cemeteries are gone, and the monasteries have been stripped of their Armenian identity, our concern will have arrived too late.

    Truth Cannot Be Annexed

    Azerbaijan may control the territory, but it must not be permitted to control the truth. No government has the moral authority to erase a people and then claim their sacred history as its own.

    Peace cannot be built upon forced displacement, destroyed churches, and rewritten history. Peace built upon a lie is merely injustice waiting for the world to forget.

    The world must not forget. The Church must not remain silent. If governments and people of conscience look away, the stones themselves will continue to bear witness.

    Armenian Christians were there. Their faith remains. Their history must remain.

    Dr. Paul Murray is CEO of Save Armenia and a Christian leader engaged in global religious freedom and policy advocacy.

  • Mike Rogers Declines Senate Debate, Abdul El-Sayed Confirms Participation

    Mike Rogers Declines Senate Debate, Abdul El-Sayed Confirms Participation

    Michigan Senate Debate: Abdul El-Sayed Appears Alone After Mike Rogers Declines FOX 2 Invitation

    The U.S. Senate debate for Michigan’s open seat aired on FOX 2 on September 15 as part of “The Pulse.” Democratic nominee Abdul El-Sayed participated in studio, taking questions from metro Detroit residents via text and in person. Republican nominee Mike Rogers and his campaign declined the invitation, leaving an open podium on stage.

    Rogers Campaign Cites Moderator Bias as Reason for Absence

    After 42 days without a response to the debate invitation, the Rogers campaign released a statement Tuesday morning explaining the decision. The campaign pointed to moderator Roop Raj as the primary reason for declining.

    “Michiganders deserve to see their candidates engage in a healthy, fair debate — not one compromised by media bias,” said Alyssa Brouillet, communications director in a statement. “Roop Raj has made his position clear, from praising Abdul as ‘brilliant,’ to being celebrated by Hasan Piker as ‘my GOAT,’ and bragging about his political stunts. Mike looks forward to making his case to working families and to making Abdul answer to voters for the conman he is.”

    Moderator Roop Raj Responds to Allegations

    Raj addressed the campaign’s claims on “Good Day Detroit,” denying any partisan bias and defending the station’s journalistic approach.

    “Nothing we do at this station is trying to take a side,” Raj said. “We ask tough questions about Republicans and Democrats each and every night on our political talk show, The Pulse. But as you can imagine, the narrative is the narrative. And for whatever reason, the Rogers camp did not want to do a debate with FOX 2.

    “It is rare to cite a moderator as a reason not to want to face an opponent. But that is what we have here this morning.”

    Regarding his prior comment describing El-Sayed as “brilliant,” Raj explained the context was about the candidate’s qualifications.

    “We were framing a question in that moment where people had questioned whether (El-Sayed) was actually a doctor or not a doctor, whether he was qualified for office or not,” Raj said. “I essentially was saying, look, this is a guy who, by all accounts, is a smart guy. They’re both tremendous political athletes.”

    Debate Invitation Timeline and History

    FOX 2 and the Michigan Debate Committee sent invitations to both campaigns on August 5, the day after Michigan’s primary election. The El-Sayed campaign agreed to participate the following day. The Rogers campaign initially acknowledged receipt but did not provide a definitive response until the morning of the debate.

    FOX 2 maintained an open podium for Rogers throughout the event, and the invitation remains standing. The station employed a similar approach earlier this summer when Democratic gubernatorial candidate Jocelyn Benson did not commit to a primary debate.

    RNC Weighs In on El-Sayed Candidacy

    The Republican National Committee issued a sharp critique of El-Sayed following the debate.

    “While we appreciate Abdul taking a break from making thirst trap videos, he should apologize for aligning himself with 9/11 supporters and keeping money tied to terrorist organizations. El-Sayed’s radical, anti-American worldview is completely out of step with Michigan, and he has no business anywhere near the United States Senate.” – RNC Spokesman Hunter Lovell

    Future Debate Scheduled

    Both campaigns have agreed to a WOOD TV8 debate on October 8 on the west side of the state. A press release from Rogers’ campaign characterized it as the “first debate” of the general election cycle.

    Why This Race Matters for Senate Control

    Michigan’s open U.S. Senate seat is among the most closely watched contests in the 2026 midterm cycle, with implications for which party controls the chamber. Republicans currently hold a 53-47 majority, meaning Democrats need a net gain of four seats to retake control.

    While most 2026 Senate races occur in states President Donald Trump won comfortably in 2024, slipping approval ratings and economic dissatisfaction have created a challenging environment for Republican incumbents and candidates.

    Democratic Path to Majority

    Democrats initially viewed their path to a majority as defending seats in Michigan, Georgia, and New Hampshire while flipping Republican-held seats in Alaska, Maine, North Carolina, and Ohio. However, Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer recently suggested unexpected victories in Iowa and Texas could provide an alternative route.

    Michigan’s Political Landscape

    The seat is being vacated by retiring Senator Gary Peters. No Republican has won a Senate race in Michigan since 1994. Republicans believe Rogers, who lost the 2024 Senate race to Elissa Slotkin by fewer than 20,000 votes, has an improved opportunity against El-Sayed.

    Democrats face unity challenges after El-Sayed, the progressive candidate, narrowly defeated moderate U.S. Rep. Haley Stevens in the August primary.

    Key Dates

    The general election is scheduled for Tuesday, November 3, 2026.

    Source: This article is based on reporting from WJBK FOX 2, which contacted both campaigns. Background information drawn from previous FOX 2 reporting and The Associated Press.

  • ‘The Steal’: How Conservatives Took Over the Supreme Court

    ‘The Steal’: How Conservatives Took Over the Supreme Court

    How Four Conservative Architects Reshaped the Federal Judiciary During the Reagan Era

    Recent Supreme Court decisions—from the overturning of Roe v. Wade to the end of affirmative action and the curtailment of federal regulatory power—have fundamentally reshaped American law. According to political analyst Alex Wagner, this rightward shift was not happenstance. In her upcoming book, The Steal: Four Right-Wing Hard-Liners, One Republican Presidency, and the Raid on America’s Courts, Wagner argues it was the result of a well-planned, “harebrained” but disciplined long game to build conservative institutions that gained momentum during the Ronald Reagan years.

    Those efforts helped elevate organizations such as the Heritage Foundation, the architect of Project 2025, and the Federalist Society, which became a key pipeline for conservative judicial talent. Every current Republican-appointed Supreme Court justice has ties to the Federalist Society. In this exclusive excerpt, Wagner introduces the four men who conceived, developed, funded, and built the institutions that have fundamentally changed today’s courts.

    Ed Meese: The Inside Man

    Ed Meese was moving into a corner office in the White House. Ronald Reagan had seized the presidency in a landslide, and his conservative foot soldiers were no longer barbarians at the gate. They had stormed past it—in the most spectacular fashion imaginable. They had won the White House, the Senate and, most importantly, the American public.

    It was 1980, and the right wing was going to make sure that this decade would be their decade. The rest of the country had turned its attention to Dallas and was glazing its eyeballs over something called Pac-Man. Up until this point, liberals thought the second half of the 20th century would be theirs to shape—through civil rights, equal rights and sexual freedom. But Reagan’s ascension had thrown cold water all over the smugness and self-confidence with which the hippies believed they would inevitably shepherd the progress of this great country. The left lost.

    Meese, named the head of the new administration’s transition effort the day after the 1980 election, had the enviable task of rounding up the sharpest and shrewdest minds in conservative America and offering them White House positions. The man himself was disheveled and disorganized, a middle-aged former DA who worshipped cops and hated protesters, an individual who did not cut an imposing figure on the national stage but would be an instrumental player nonetheless. He was ruthlessly effective at quelling rebellion, summoning the troops and keeping his eye on the ball.

    President-elect Reagan had chosen a former George Bush man, a darling of the establishment named Jim Baker, to be his chief of staff, but Meese had the real power: both the confidence of the president and the trust of the right-wing hardliners who formed the bedrock of Reagan’s support. Inside the White House, Meese was dubbed the “Prime Minister.”

    He was ambitious and clear-eyed, one of Reagan’s right-hand men during his time as governor of California who was subsequently imported to the Beltway once Reagan won the presidency. The two men had been aligned in their conservative vision from the start.

    A Law-and-Order Conservative Before It Was Mainstream

    While other Yale graduates were self-radicalizing in the middle sixties, newly awoken to the Civil Rights Movement and campaigning for social justice, Meese was not. In 1966, at the ripe old age of 35, Meese already believed American society to be in steep decline, a free-for-all where the rules no longer applied.

    Giving the keynote address to the International Association of Auto Theft Investigators—a room clearly primed for this kind of message—Meese warned:

    “Too often a concept of permissiveness has pervaded society, which no longer holds individuals responsible for their actions nor penalizes those who commit transgressions against the rest of society.”

    Meese, even as a young man, was an avatar of law-and-order conservatism in the middle of the Mamas and the Papas bohemianism, a crew-cut antidote to the liberalism of the day.

    “We must return to a social climate where the law is respected and obeyed, where the individual is held responsible for his acts, and where criminal offenses are followed by just punishments.”

    In 1967, his first year in office, Governor Reagan hired Meese, a deputy district attorney and army reservist, as his “extradition and clemency secretary.” Meese would not look to soften criminal sentences. He aimed to make them tougher, as someone who believed that “deterrents to criminality” had been removed to the degree that “the dedicated lawbreaker knows he has a good chance of escaping any type of real punishment.”

    As Governor Reagan looked to reorient the justice system away from leniency and rehabilitation, and toward harsher sentencing and more cellblocks, Meese was his man, heading up initiatives like Project Safer California in the mid-1970s, and acting as an adviser for a “fixed-term sentencing” task force at the end of the decade. This focus on the courts and the decisions granted within them ultimately led Meese to what would become, in many ways, the focus of his years in the Reagan White House: the judges themselves.

    Meese knew that the gavel was the hinge point in determining whether a society was protected or not, whether its citizens followed a wholesome path or were lured astray. Judges could set precedents and parameters, act as guardrails or remove them entirely. For Meese, they were the whole ballgame.

    While Reagan was still governor, Meese worked to enhance the quality of judicial nominees, ensuring that the men and women who sat on the California bench met a rigorous standard and “understood and believed in the law,” however Governor Reagan decided to define that.

    Once Reagan was elected president, this project would become a mission. Meese himself would later call his work to overhaul the judiciary “one of the most important and constructive legacies of the Reagan era.”

    He was not wrong.

    The Blueprint: Targeting the Judicial Branch

    By the end of 1980, Republicans controlled the executive branch. They had made significant inroads in capturing the legislative branch, as well: The GOP held the Senate and the New Right had begun influencing policymaking in Congress. But the judicial branch—and the federal courts, specifically—were virgin territory with extraordinary potential. These courts ran independent of an election season; their rulings held far more permanence than legislation that could be amended or repealed depending on who was in power and what was the vanguard of the day.

    From his perch just down the hall from President Reagan—evidence of his established authority in Reagan’s inner circle—Meese was well-positioned to remake American law and justice, but he needed help. He’d get it. Before Reagan’s first year in office was complete, Meese would ensure that the Justice Department was fully engaged in the battle for the bench.

    The Builders: Money, Power, and Activism

    The work of transforming the courts would require money, power and activism. The men who helped Ed Meese in this mission were not formally engaged in his plot, but they worked in concert all the same.

    On the outside, there was Joe Coors, the wealthy Colorado beer magnate who detested the desegregation and secularization of the country almost as much as he hated organized labor. When he wasn’t trying to break unions, Coors was supporting nascent conservative campaigns—like Ronald Reagan’s presidential one—and bankrolling movement efforts to unwind civil rights and social progress. One of Coors’ main investments was in Paul Weyrich.

    Weyrich was young, not yet 35, a railroad enthusiast and former radio reporter from Racine, Wisconsin, a deeply religious conservative who was once described as having the manner of a “formal, slightly constipated owl.” Weyrich was a Barry Goldwater acolyte who became a deep skeptic of squish conservatives like Richard Nixon and Gerald Ford. His party had gone soft and so Weyrich would dedicate his life to finding its backbone—by working outside the system to force change within it.

    Judge Robert Bork of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit, a Marxist-turned-Marine-turned-conservative radical, would be the man on the ground, embedded in the heart of conservative law circles. By the time Reagan was measuring drapes in the White House, Bork was a semi-famous professor at Yale Law School—where he served as a faculty adviser to a fledgling conservative law school student group that was calling itself the Federalist Society.

    In this small circle of unlikely warriors—a disheveled police enthusiast with a punitive streak; an ultrareligious college dropout with a thing for trains; a joyless, paranoid beer magnate who believed that ZIP codes were an insidious government plot; a testy conservative contrarian who was a onetime advocate for the New Deal—the plan to take the courts was put in play. Meese was the Inside Man, the one who could operate from the center of the machine they were all trying to rewire. Weyrich would draw the blueprints and Coors would fund the larger operation with his bottomless pockets. Bork’s jurisprudence was a compass and his lawyerly pipeline an army of recruits to help execute the plan.

    The Results: A Conservative Judicial Monolith

    Like the best heists, the work of these men was stealthy: Their progress mostly remained unnoticed until the alarm bells began ringing, long after they had left the building. While America’s system of justice was slowly being perverted, the country Aqua-Netted its hair and traded stocks, snorted coke and danced to Boy George—laughing at Reagan or praising him over the course of a decade, never really understanding that the red-sweatered president was merely a sunny figurehead atop a movement more cutthroat and angry than the glasnost-and Madonna-loving public could ever imagine.

    The full effect of the work of these strange thieves would not be understood for decades to come, but it was in the shadows of the Reagan White House that the foundations were laid for the conservative judicial monolith that has, nearly half a century later, reoriented American society away from its expected magnetic north. As you read this, the conservative majority of the Supreme Court has finally overturned Roe v. Wade, brought religion back into the public square, ended landmark civil rights protections and sanctioned discriminatory policies across the country.

    It is an outcome more spectacularly effective than even Weyrich and Meese and Bork and Coors could have imagined, back when they began their work in earnest, in 1981: a federal judiciary so deeply at odds with American public opinion—to say nothing of the last half century of social progress—that to envision it would have been, perhaps, delusional.

    Excerpted by permission of Flatiron Books, a division of Macmillan Publishers, from The Steal: Four Right-Wing Hard-Liners, One Republican Presidency, and the Raid on America’s Courts. Copyright © 2026 Alex Wagner. No part of this excerpt may be reproduced or reprinted without permission in writing from the publisher.

    Read Newsweek’s interview with Alex Wagner here.

  • Assessing Premier League Overreactions: Title Race Narrows to Arsenal and Man City

    Assessing Premier League Overreactions: Title Race Narrows to Arsenal and Man City

    Premier League Weekend Review: Title Race, VAR Controversy, and Early Season Verdicts

    Another Premier League weekend delivered breathtaking action, yet the conversation remains dominated by VAR decisions and officiating standards. Manchester City and Arsenal both secured away victories, Hull City continued their impressive start, Tottenham Hotspur failed to score for a fourth consecutive match, and Coventry City suffered a heavy home defeat. Here are the key talking points, separating overreactions from legitimate takeaways.

    Title Race Already a Two-Horse Contest?

    Arsenal and Manchester City have opened a four-point gap over third-place Leeds United after four straight wins each. The defending champions and the 2024 title winners appear to be setting the early standard under Mikel Arteta and new City boss Enzo Maresca respectively.

    Verdict: NOT AN OVERREACTION

    Chelsea possess the attacking firepower to trouble the elite, but defensive vulnerabilities leave them exposed. Meanwhile, Arsenal and City have claimed maximum points. The Gunners needed a Bruno Guimarães wondergoal to overcome Sunderland, while City survived a first-half red card for Phil Foden to win the Manchester derby at Old Trafford thanks to a controversial Erling Haaland strike.

    Arsenal have barely missed a beat since last season’s triumph, bolstered by shrewd summer recruitment. David Raya remains outstanding in goal, highlighted by his penalty save against Enzo Le Fée, while Martin Ødegaard and Bukayo Saka are hitting early-season stride. Rivals are showing cracks: Liverpool lack a clinical edge under Andoni Iraola, and Manchester United have stumbled under Michael Carrick. Arsenal and City are ticking along efficiently.

    Promoted Clubs Outperforming Last Year’s Cohort?

    Ipswich Town, Hull City, and Coventry City have collectively made a statement. Hull briefly led the table at Stamford Bridge before settling for a 2-2 draw, while Ipswich sit 10th after a dramatic 3-2 win at Crystal Palace.

    Verdict: OVERREACTION

    Hull have been outstanding, accumulating eight points from four matches and remaining undefeated. Manager Sergej Jakirović refuses to raise survival expectations despite the fast start. For context, Sunderland had seven points at this stage last season en route to a seventh-place finish.

    Ipswich have six points thanks to Zian Flemming’s late winner at Selhurst Park. However, Coventry are pointless after a 5-0 home thrashing by Brighton & Hove Albion. Collectively, this year’s promoted sides have amassed 14 points — matching last season’s total from Leeds, Burnley, and Sunderland after four rounds — despite spending approximately €557 million compared to €434 million last summer. Per million spent, last year’s cohort is faring better. It is too early for sweeping judgements, but Hull and Ipswich have started brightly while Coventry face early concerns.

    Arteta Is Right: The Game Remains Unprotected

    Arsenal’s manager was furious over a penalty awarded against his side at Sunderland, while Manchester United raged at Haaland’s match-winner — a goal the Premier League referees’ body, Pro Ref, later admitted involved an “error of judgement.” The case for a VAR overhaul grows stronger.

    Verdict: NOT AN OVERREACTION

    Weekly VAR controversies are becoming the norm. At Sunderland, Ezri Konsa was penalised for fouling Dan Ballard at a corner, though replays suggested Ballard initiated the contact with a judo-roll maneuver. Post-match, Arteta stated: “We have a lot of cameras and VAR, we have to take responsibility to protect the game. Today the game was unprotected, and it could have cost us the game and the momentum which is a really, really serious thing.”

    The following day, Haaland’s winner was initially disallowed for offside before VAR ruled Patrick Dorgu played him onside. However, VAR overlooked Enzo Fernández interfering with play in the six-yard box, clearly attempting a header under pressure from Lisandro Martínez. Both goalkeeper Senne Lammens and Martínez were distracted, leaving Haaland unmarked. Pro Ref subsequently acknowledged the mistake. “It’s worrying if that’s how the game is seen,” Carrick said. Former United star Wayne Rooney summed up the frustration on BBC: “I’m so sick of VAR, it’s horrendous. It takes all the emotion out the game, the energy that the game is played with.”

    Tottenham Destined for Another Relegation Battle?

    Four matches, two points, zero goals. A dreary 0-0 draw with Everton extended Spurs’ goalless run. After back-to-back 17th-place finishes, the alarm bells are ringing.

    Verdict: OVERREACTION

    Context matters. Last season, Aston Villa went five matches without a win before finishing fourth. Villa currently sit one point below Spurs with three defeats. Unai Emery’s rebuild took time; Roberto De Zerbi’s project at Tottenham requires similar patience. A €366.5 million summer outlay brought a revamped midfield and a tenacious manager. Sávio, Omar Marmoush, and Mohammed Kudus need time to adapt, while De Zerbi is visibly nurturing Mathys Tel’s confidence — evidenced by their touchline exchange after the Everton draw. Early results against Brentford, Newcastle, and Nottingham Forest were concerning, but Spurs possess the quality to finish in the top half.

    Frank Lampard Has Hit His Ceiling at Coventry?

    Coventry’s grand return to the top flight after 25 years has begun with four defeats, zero goals, and a €160 million summer spend. Lampard, in charge since late 2024, is under intense scrutiny.

    Verdict: OVERREACTION

    When a manager loses the dressing room or the fans, the end is near. Coventry’s supporters remain firmly behind Lampard. The opening fixtures — defeats at Arsenal (3-0), home to Hull (1-0), at Manchester City (1-0) — were daunting. The 5-0 loss to Brighton looks alarming, but Taiwo Awoniyi’s 53rd-minute red card changed the match while Coventry were 2-0 down and creating chances.

    Lampard’s Premier League record is mixed: fourth with Chelsea in 2019-20 before a January 2021 exit; keeping Everton up on the final day in 2022 before sacking in 2023; a winless caretaker spell at Chelsea in 2022-23. Yet Coventry fans applauded their team at full-time on Sunday — no boos, just appreciation for the man who delivered promotion. As the squad adjusts to the division’s pace and physicality, Lampard retains the credit to turn the campaign around. Wins are urgently needed, but the panic is premature.

  • Kauai Weather Forecast for September 15, 2026

    Kauai Weather Forecast for September 15, 2026

    Kaua’i Weather Forecast: Detailed Outlook for Tonight Through Tuesday Night

    Regional Forecasts

    West Kaua’i

    Tonight: Mostly clear with isolated showers in the evening. Lows around 73°F near the shore to around 63°F above 3,000 feet. Northeast winds up to 10 mph in the evening becoming light. Chance of rain 20%.

    Tuesday: Mostly sunny with isolated showers. Highs 86°F to 92°F near the shore to around 79°F above 3,000 feet. North winds up to 10 mph shifting to the southwest in the afternoon. Chance of rain 20%.

    Tuesday Night: Partly cloudy with isolated showers in the evening. Lows around 75°F near the shore to around 66°F above 3,000 feet. Northeast winds up to 15 mph. Chance of rain 20%.

    South Kaua’i

    Tonight: Partly cloudy with isolated showers. Lows 69°F to 77°F. Northeast winds 10 to 15 mph. Chance of rain 20%.

    Tuesday: Partly sunny with scattered showers in the morning, then mostly sunny with isolated showers in the afternoon. Highs 80°F to 90°F. Northeast winds 10 to 15 mph. Chance of rain 50%.

    Tuesday Night: Partly cloudy in the evening then becoming mostly cloudy. Breezy with scattered showers. Lows 72°F to 78°F. Northeast winds 10 to 20 mph. Chance of rain 40%.

    Kaua’i Mountains

    Tonight: Mostly cloudy with scattered showers. Lows around 68°F in the valleys to around 60°F above 4,000 feet. Light winds. Chance of rain 50%.

    Tuesday: Partly sunny with scattered showers. Highs 76°F to 84°F in the valleys to around 75°F above 4,000 feet. Light winds. Chance of rain 50%.

    Tuesday Night: Mostly cloudy with scattered showers. Lows around 71°F in the valleys to around 63°F above 4,000 feet. East winds up to 15 mph. Chance of rain 50%.

    North Kaua’i

    Tonight: Partly cloudy with isolated showers in the evening, then mostly cloudy with scattered showers after midnight. Lows 64°F to 75°F. Southeast winds up to 10 mph in the evening becoming light. Chance of rain 40%.

    Tuesday: Partly sunny with scattered showers. Locally heavy rainfall possible in the afternoon. Highs 73°F to 89°F. East winds up to 15 mph. Chance of rain 50%.

    Tuesday Night: Mostly cloudy in the evening then becoming partly cloudy with scattered showers. Lows 67°F to 76°F. Southeast winds up to 15 mph. Chance of rain 40%.

    East Kaua’i

    Tonight: Partly cloudy with isolated showers in the evening, then mostly cloudy with scattered showers after midnight. Lows 65°F to 76°F. North winds up to 10 mph. Chance of rain 50%.

    Tuesday: Partly sunny with scattered showers. Highs 79°F to 87°F. Northeast winds up to 15 mph increasing to 10 to 15 mph in the afternoon. Chance of rain 50%.

    Tuesday Night: Mostly cloudy with scattered showers. Lows 68°F to 77°F. Northeast winds up to 15 mph. Chance of rain 50%.

    Synopsis

    Light to moderate trade winds will strengthen through Wednesday. Moisture from the remnants of Tropical Storm Norbert should move through the islands Wednesday night through Friday morning as trades strengthen to moderate to fresh levels. Drier air will return this weekend as trade winds continue.

    Discussion

    Visible satellite shows mostly cloudy skies and scattered light showers over and upstream of the Big Island due to an area of tropical moisture moving in with the trade wind flow. Elsewhere, partly cloudy skies persist around the state with gentle to moderate trade winds. Expect the batch of clouds and showers to slowly track westward tonight into Tuesday night before exiting to the west. Rainfall amounts will not be significant, but a noticeable boost in humidity will occur.

    Attention then turns toward the remnant of Tropical Storm Norbert, which is expected to become post-tropical on Tuesday. Norbert has the potential to bring heavy rain, isolated thunderstorms, and high humidity from late Wednesday night through Friday morning, though wind and surf will not pose any threat.

    Trade winds will strengthen to moderate to breezy speeds by late Wednesday into Thursday. The focus of heavy rain will be over windward and mauka areas, but leeward areas are likely to see impacts from the rain as well. A Flood Watch may be warranted, especially for Thursday into Thursday night, but forecasters will wait to see what high-resolution models show as the second half of the week approaches.

    Over the weekend, while the bulk of the deep tropical moisture should move west of the state, showery weather could linger through at least parts of Saturday. Generally improving weather conditions are expected this weekend with moderate to breezy trade winds.

    Aviation

    Satellite imagery this afternoon shows cumulus clouds developing along the trade winds and over the mountains of Hawai’i. Mainly VFR conditions are prevailing, with a few sites reporting MVFR ceilings. These conditions are expected to continue through the afternoon, with chances for VCSH or -SHRA increasing for sites like PHTO this evening and overnight. No major changes to the forecast are anticipated outside of that.

    Marine

    Moderate to locally fresh trade winds will persist through Tuesday as a weak trough lingers to the northeast. By Wednesday, building high pressure will increase trade winds into the fresh to locally strong range through the weekend. Also by Wednesday afternoon, the remnants of Norbert will move through as a trough and increase shower coverage over Hawaiian waters.

    Small surf along south-facing shores will continue through Tuesday before a series of long-period S to SSW swells are expected to arrive Wednesday through the weekend. The first pulse will gradually fill in tonight into Wednesday out of the southwest, followed by larger south-southwest swells Friday into the weekend. As a result of these swells, surf will gradually trend upward through the week beginning Wednesday and could approach advisory thresholds by the weekend.

    Surf along east-facing shores should see an increase during the second half of the week as trade winds strengthen and the remnants of Tropical Storm Norbert move through the islands. Flat to tiny surf along north-facing shores is expected through the forecast period.

    Fire Weather

    Fire weather risk will remain low the next several days due to light to moderate winds and the effects of recent rainfall. Inversion heights should be 6,000 to 7,000 feet through Tuesday. Moisture increases Thursday and Friday, and should bring enough showers to keep conditions relatively wet.

    Watches, Warnings, and Advisories

    None currently in effect.

    Kaua’i Now Weather is brought to you by Blue Hawaiian Helicopters. Check out their Kaua’i Helicopter Tours today!

    Data courtesy of NOAA.gov

  • NFL Week 2 Schedule: Full List of Games and Matchups

    NFL Week 2 Schedule: Full List of Games and Matchups

    NFL Week 2 Schedule: Full Slate of Games, Times and Matchups

    The 2025 NFL season is officially underway after an explosive opening weekend that featured record-setting scoring, a Super Bowl rematch, an international game in Australia, and several dramatic returns. Now the league shifts into Week 2 with a packed schedule highlighted by prime-time showdowns and key divisional rivalries.

    Thursday Night Football: Bills vs. Lions Opens New Stadium Era

    The week kicks off with a potential Super Bowl preview on Thursday Night Football. Josh Allen and the Buffalo Bills (1-0) host Jahmyr Gibbs and the Detroit Lions (1-0) in the inaugural regular-season game at the Bills’ new stadium. Both offenses enter the matchup riding high after Week 1 victories.

    Sunday Early Window: Eight Games at 1 p.m. ET

    Sunday’s early slate features eight contests, including several divisional battles:

    • Minnesota Vikings at Chicago Bears – NFC North rivalry renewed
    • Washington Commanders at Dallas Cowboys – High-stakes NFC East clash
    • Additional early games rounding out the 1 p.m. ET window

    Sunday Late Afternoon: Four Games at 4:05/4:25 p.m. ET

    The late window showcases four matchups with playoff implications:

    • Jacksonville Jaguars at Denver Broncos – AFC showdown between two of 2025’s top teams
    • Pittsburgh Steelers at New England Patriots – Classic AFC rivalry
    • Houston Texans at Cincinnati Bengals – Emerging AFC contenders collide
    • One additional late-afternoon contest

    Sunday Night Football: Chiefs Host Colts in AFC Heavyweight Bout

    NBC’s Sunday Night Football delivers an AFC marquee matchup as Patrick Mahomes and the Kansas City Chiefs welcome Jonathan Taylor and the Indianapolis Colts to Arrowhead Stadium. Both teams enter 1-0 with championship aspirations.

    Monday Night Football: Giants-Rams Cap Week 2

    The week concludes with an NFC battle on Monday Night Football. Jaxson Dart and the New York Giants—fresh off a Sunday Night Football win in Week 1—travel west to face Matthew Stafford and the Los Angeles Rams, who are returning home after their season-opening game in Melbourne, Australia.

    Week 2 at a Glance

    Day Featured Matchup Network/Time
    Thursday Detroit Lions at Buffalo Bills Thursday Night Football (8:15 p.m. ET)
    Sunday 8 early games + 4 late games 1:00 p.m. & 4:05/4:25 p.m. ET
    Sunday Night Indianapolis Colts at Kansas City Chiefs NBC (8:20 p.m. ET)
    Monday New York Giants at Los Angeles Rams Monday Night Football (8:15 p.m. ET)

    With five divisional games on the docket and multiple rematches of 2024 playoff teams, Week 2 offers an early look at the AFC and NFC hierarchy. Stay tuned for injury updates, weather reports, and betting lines as kickoff approaches.

  • Atlético Mineiro vs Santos: Predictions, Betting Tips, Lineups and Odds

    Atlético Mineiro vs Santos: Predictions, Betting Tips, Lineups and Odds

    Atlético Mineiro vs Santos Match Preview: Copa Sudamericana Showdown

    Brazilian Série A heavyweights Atlético Mineiro and Santos meet in a pivotal Copa Sudamericana clash, with kick-off scheduled for 05:00 on Thursday, 17 September. Both sides arrive with contrasting recent form, setting the stage for a high-stakes encounter at the Estádio Mineirão.

    Recent Form & Head-to-Head Context

    Atlético Mineiro secured a convincing 3-1 home victory over Fluminense in their last Série A outing. Galo dominated with seven shots on target and 50% possession, with goals from Reinier, Tomás Cuello, and Vitão.

    Santos, meanwhile, edged a 2-1 home win against Cruzeiro. Under coach Cuca, the visitors registered 52% possession and nine shots on goal, with Benjamín Rollheiser and an own goal deciding the contest.

    Head-to-Head Record

    Santos have won the last two meetings, both at home, by 2-0 and 1-0 margins. Across the past ten head-to-head fixtures, the record stands at four Santos wins, three draws, and three Atlético victories.

    Main Match Prediction: Atlético Mineiro to Win @ 1.95

    Our analysts identify strong value in backing Atlético Mineiro to win at odds of 1.95. The home side’s recent form at the Mineirão supports this selection:

    • 6 wins in last 10 home matches (all competitions)
    • 3 wins in last 5 home games
    • 2 consecutive home victories

    Implied probability from the odds is 51.3%, but our internal models estimate a 60% win probability for Galo, justifying the recommendation.

    Looking for enhanced odds? Consider a Match Result & Total Goals combination for a higher potential return.

    Correct Score Prediction: Atlético Mineiro 2-0 Santos @ 7.50

    We anticipate a controlled home win, predicting a 2-0 correct score at 7.50 odds. This aligns with Atlético’s defensive solidity and Santos’ struggles on the road.

    Player Prop Picks

    Neymar (Santos) – 1+ Shot on Target @ 1.70

    The Santos superstar remains a constant threat. Backing Neymar to register at least one shot on target at 1.70 offers appealing value given his involvement in attacking phases.

    Tomás Cuello (Atlético Mineiro) – Anytime Goalscorer @ 3.50

    Cuello has netted four goals in his last four home appearances. At 3.50, the Anytime Goalscorer market presents an attractive opportunity on the in-form winger.

    Full-Time Result & Key Market Odds

    Market Atlético Mineiro Draw Santos
    Full-Time Result 1.92 3.40 4.25
    Asian Handicap -0.5 / +0.5 1.89 — 1.90
    Under 2.5 Goals 1.73 (Both Teams to Score – No)

    First Goalscorer Favorite: Thiago Borbas (Atlético Mineiro) @ 5.30.

    Team Statistics Comparison (Last 10 Matches)

    Metric Atlético Mineiro (Overall) Atlético Mineiro (Home) Santos (Overall) Santos (Away)
    Record (W-D-L) 5-3-2 6-3-1 7-2-1 4-4-2
    Avg Goals Scored 1.50 1.80 1.80 1.70
    Avg Goals Conceded 1.10 1.10 0.90 1.10
    Avg Total Goals/Game 2.60 2.90 2.70 2.80
    BTTS Yes 5/10 6/10 5/10 7/10
    Over 2.5 Goals 6/10 6/10 5/10 5/10
    Avg Corners For 4.43 (last 7) 6.00 (last 7 home) 6.00 (last 6) 3.17 (last 6 away)
    Avg Possession 49.71% 50.86% 53.17% 48.17%

    Lineups & Team News

    Team news can significantly shift betting markets. Below are the most recent starting XIs for both clubs across Série A, Copa Sudamericana, and Copa do Brasil fixtures.

    Atlético Mineiro Recent Lineups

    • 13 Sep (Série A): Atlético MG 3-1 Fluminense
    • 10 Sep (Copa Sudamericana): Santos 2-0 Atlético MG
    • 06 Sep (Série A): São Paulo 2-0 Atlético MG
    • 02 Sep (Copa do Brasil): Atlético MG 2-1 Cruzeiro
    • 30 Aug (Série A): Atlético MG 2-1 Vitória
    • 26 Aug (Copa do Brasil): Cruzeiro 1-1 Atlético MG

    Santos Recent Lineups

    • 13 Sep (Série A): Santos 2-1 Cruzeiro
    • 10 Sep (Copa Sudamericana): Santos 2-0 Atlético MG
    • 07 Sep (Série A): Internacional 2-3 Santos
    • 03 Sep (Copa do Brasil): Santos 0-0 Palmeiras
    • 31 Aug (Série A): Corinthians 0-1 Santos
    • 27 Aug (Copa do Brasil): Palmeiras 3-0 Santos

    Confirmed lineups and injury updates will be published closer to kick-off. Check the latest team news before placing bets.

    Expert Analysis by Leonardo López

    South American Football Analyst

    Our previews are crafted by a specialised team of analysts, former odds compilers, and sports journalists. Predictions are research-driven, incorporating team news, injuries, predicted lineups, league and cup form, standings, and fixture context. Advanced metrics such as xG, xGA, xA, and PPDA are combined with odds movement analysis to assess chance quality, defensive strength, and pressing intensity.

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    Last Updated: 15 September 2026, 11:27 (reflecting latest team news, injury reports, lineups, performance metrics, and market shifts).

    All analysis is produced by professional analysts, supported by proprietary models, and reviewed by our Football Betting Panel for accuracy and consistency. Historical performance for main match predictions is tracked and updated regularly.

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