It’s been five years since “Call My Agent!,” known in its home country as “Dix pour cent” (“10 percent”), ended with the staff of Paris’ bankrupt ASK talent agency moving en masse toward the exit, as in the closing moments of “The Mary Tyler Moore Show.”
The rich workplace comedy mounted four seasons from 2015 to 2020; the fourth was made without its creator, Fanny Herrero (she went on to create the fine but less successful “Standing Up,” about Parisian comics). But she has returned, along with “Standing Up” writer Lison Daniel, for “Call My Agent! The Movie,” premiering Thursday on Netflix, which picks up the scattered ensemble more or less where they imagined they’d be when the series ended, and gets them back in the same frame.
As a movie, it’s its own sort of beast — a complete statement in a single package, with not just A and B stories, but C and D as well, and arcs that might develop over a season of the show compressed into a couple of hours. But its essentials are essentially unchanged: It’s still about the difficulty of making art, and the often unsavory business that lets art get made, with known actors playing fun house versions of themselves and our heroes attempting to wrangle them into order, with whatever works — lies, bribes, real shared feelings. The regular cast, many of whom Americans will first have met here, still feel identical with their characters, rather than just professionals who have been paid to play them, so that even when the action is outlandish the emotions are real.
The focus here is on the fierce Andréa (Camille Cottin), who has left agenting and is about to direct her first movie, a drama set in the woods, and Noémie (Laure Calamy), whom Andrea hires as a replacement producer — she has become the producer of a hit workplace comedy, “Les Colleagues,” the sort of show that produces a lot of branded merch — believing that she can mold Noémie to her will. On the domestic front, Andréa separated from partner Colette (Ophélia Kolb), a co-parent to her daughter Flora — some sticky questions will arrive, doubling the pressure.
Noémie is still with Mathias (Thibault de Montalembert), once the most formidable of agents, who has quieted down somewhat owing to a Season 4 heart attack, and the fact that he’s working in the agency his daughter Camille (Fanny Sidney) announced at the end of the series. He’s feeling old (comparatively, he is, at 64 — though Liliane Rovère as agent emeritus Arlette beats him at 93) and things with Noémie are not great, which sets the stage for some romantic comedy, including a wild boar.
Andréa’s movie brings the old cast together, including sensitive junior agent turned aspiring actor Hervé (Nicolas Maury), and I am glad to see them. (Stéfi Celma’s Sophia, a receptionist turned actor, is sadly missing.) Much goes wrong, before things go right. (It’s a comedy, they will — though there are some moving dramatic moments along the way.) To be sure, there are no backstage comedies — or dramas, or dramedies — in which nothing goes wrong, or things even go mostly right. Disaster is the air they breathe.
On the eve of production, Andrea loses her male lead (Laurent Lafitte as himself) to a Wes Anderson movie; the psychologically delicate actor they get to replace him, Vincent Macaigne as himself, who’s represented by former ASK agent Gabriel (Grégory Montel), now working for their old rival, has a messy history with the other lead, Laetitia Casta, also as herself. They can barely work together. (There will be a bit of romantic comedy wrapped around this thread, as well.)
Then there’s a storm.
The French actors playing themselves are not well known here — Casta may be more familiar as a ’90s supermodel, for those who are familiar with that sort of thing — but Americans have been given the gift of cameos from Eva Longoria and an uncredited George Clooney who takes a comically unproductive lunch meeting with Andrea, crashed, in more than one sense, by Noémie.
Though the series finale made for a satisfying ending, there was already talk then of another season or a film. Still, “The Movie” arrives seemingly out of left field, as sort of a happy surprise. It doesn’t betray its legacy. We know from the supermarket magazines and internet scandal sites that some actors are seemingly as crazy as these actors pretend to be. But somehow movies get made. Most every show business satire is also a show business celebration. There’s no business like it.
COMO, Italy: Como marked their Champions League debut with a gesture of respect by inviting their older fans to the game against Leipzig on Thursday.
President Mirwan Suwarso and some directors made the magnanimous decision of giving away their own seats, allowing supporters born in 1950 or earlier to attend the sold-out game.
“We will be honored to give up our seat for them,” Suwarso had posted on Instagram.
Capacity was reduced to around 10,000 because the delightful Stadio Giuseppe Sinigaglia stadium on the shores of Lake Como underwent modifications for the Champions League.
The 119-year-old club reached the competition under coach Cesc Fabregas, a standout goal-scoring midfielder during a stellar club career with Arsenal, Chelsea and Barcelona. He played for the Spain team that won the 2010 World Cup.
Fabregas guided Como to fourth place last season ahead of Juventus and AC Milan to claim Serie A’s final Champions League spot with a high-pressing brand of soccer.
Goals have been coming from 22-year-old playmaker Nico Paz, who has stayed on loan from Real Madrid and burly Greece center forward Anastasios Douvikas.
Venezuelan political junkies witnessed an amusing phenomenon in the past few weeks: former presidential hopeful Henrique Capriles embraced a derisive meme about himself that suddenly became popular. Or more precisely, he, too, started joking about his own memefied persona, el manguanguas, the weirdly energetic, repetitive and even creepy politician that appears at your doorstep and, if you let him inside, sits down for hours to hablar de la situación while emptying your family’s coffee reserves.
Capriles is one of the most memeable characters in our universe and the manguanguas moniker is not a rarity. It comes from a 2019, early Juan Guaidó era livestream where he praises Guaidó and rants at Maduro for virtually terminating political competition a year before: “¡Coño, qué manguangua! ¿Ah?” (an indignant “hell, that’s convenient, huh?”).
The whole thing does say a couple of things about our (still overwhelmingly digital) public sphere and the memefication of Venezuelan politics. First, it seems many people were more eager to have a laugh and scroll down the manguanguas rabbit hole than to learn, say, about the US-Nabep deal and the involvement of bolichico king Alejandro Betancourt, a material architect of the crisis that remains the biggest handicap to the quality of life of Venezuelans. To put it another way, el manguanguas was getting an insane amount of attention while the US overlords faced their biggest reputational crisis in Venezuela since January 3.
The meme emerged because Capriles has been touring Miranda while Venezuelan politics become increasingly defined by what a group of gringos in navy blue suits decide to tweet on a Friday evening.
We’re not making a great discovery here—most people know memes can have spectacular traction when it comes to political messaging and campaigning. The Venezuelan jodita, the national propensity to make jokes about everyone and everything even in the midst of tragedy, can make memes an even stronger weapon in our digital sphere. It seems someone made Capriles aware of that: he first reacted by complaining on X, accusing “those who are paying a millionaire campaign in production and publicity” of attacking him on social media. Then he acknowledged it in a friendlier fashion: “They say I visit your homes to steal your coffee,” he said in a September 1 video in Barlovento. “They mock me because they don’t want to see me coming here.” In a later post, he made a toast with other townspeople raising tiny coffee cups: “Por la manguangua!”
Capriles decided to tag his recent posts with #OperaciónManguangua and the whole thing has been helping him—engagement around his account grew and became more positive as a result, though he still doesn’t dare to open the comments section in his X handle. It’s good news for him after a few years of unpopularity, when he formally joined the faux opposition camp. If not for the events of January 3 and a still dim opening of the political arena, Capriles would be flirting with irrelevance, just a washed-up face in the parliamentary seat Jorge Rodríguez gifted him in 2025, begging Iris Varela or Jorge Arreaza for a chance at the chamber’s microphone. We wrote about his acts and decisions extensively—or his lack of courage and effectiveness—in the late Maduro era. But Capriles is not yet irrelevant, at least in my opinion.
The meme emerged in the first place because Capriles has been touring the state of Miranda this summer—a post-Maduro redemption tour, if you will—while Venezuelan political events again become increasingly defined by what a group of gringos in navy blue suits decide to tweet on a Friday evening. A few years ago, Capriles campaigned strongly about “bringing politics back to the country” in a not-so-slight dig at Guaidó, Leopoldo López, and the Trump-backed interim government they led. He now recognizes María Corina Machado as the rightful opposition leader and criticizes her exclusion from the so-called negotiations, so this is not about a plot against her.
Venezuelan politics started to see some interesting movements a few months ago, but these have become less and less intense as the rest of the opposition waits for Machado’s return or the green flag of an election date.
As weak and isolated as he may look, Capriles is one of the few opposition people with actual freedom to call things what they are when it comes to the United States and Venezuela. That is not the case for Machado, Juan Pablo Guanipa, or other figures who might be playing a role behind the scenes. Capriles didn’t have to wait for Marco Rubio’s explanations five days later to make his case about the US-Nabep deal. He was quick to assert that the oil belonged to the people on the day of Trump’s bombastic announcement, and made some sensible questions: What’s the deal’s scope? What’s its legal basis? What do Venezuelans receive, and under which conditions? Elliott Abrams, the GOP hawk and special envoy in Trump’s first term, noted Capriles’ almost lonely stance as a sign of the country’s worrying lack of politicians who are truly independent from Washington (to make his point, the former operative of Ronald Reagan also quoted the Venezuelan Communist Party in his Washington Post op-ed).
Will the manguanguas joke give him an enhanced platform? Maybe for a bit, though Capriles has a habit of messing things up and making people grow tired of him rather quickly. Right now, he is being noisier than at that time he was supposed to run for the 2023 primaries, only to chicken out in the final stretch, knowing he stood no chance against Machado. However, the videos he has been posting of rural communities in the state he once governed do carve out an accurate picture of how the country looks outside a few big cities. In the Barlovento area, Capriles is seen visiting a ramshackle school where the roof looks about to fall down, with a disgusting pile of books and furniture eaten by heat and dust as a library, its walls and windows looking flimsy when not broken. Another post shows a nearby ghost town, Tacarigua de la Laguna, where Capriles records an empty beach in front of him and an abandoned building behind—the only living thing nearby being a baby cat. Mire, aquí lo único que quedó es el gatico, he says.
In March, we wrote that the political heat map of Venezuela was starting to see some interesting movements, but these have also become less and less intense while the rest of the opposition waits for María Corina’s return or the green flag of an electoral calendar to light up the party. Maybe, if the people are kept waiting, angry or disappointed with the Americans as the opposition watches from the dugout, Capriles will remain the only cat making noise. Mire, pues vamos a ver.
NEW YORK CITY: A five-member international bloc known as the “Quintet” on Thursday rejected the prospect of any “parallel governing structures” in Sudan.
As its representatives wrapped up a “Good Offices” mission to Khartoum, they reaffirmed the need for full respect for the country’s sovereignty, unity and territorial integrity.
The rebuke, a reference to a rival administration the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces seeks to establish amid its conflict with the Sudanese Armed Forces, came after the Quintet — the African Union, the Intergovernmental Authority on Development, the Arab League, the EU and the UN — held talks with Sudanese leaders in an effort to revive a Sudanese-led political process to end the civil war, which began in April 2023.
The delegates met the chair and deputy chair of Sudan’s Transitional Sovereignty Council, the prime minister, and the undersecretary of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation. They also attended a working dinner hosted by the finance minister that drew a number of political and civilian figures.
Beyond government officials, the Quintet said its representatives met a range of political and civilian groups, including the Democratic Bloc, and heard from a committee tasked with fostering the conditions for a nationwide “Sudanese Dialogue,” which briefed the delegates on its work. A meeting with independent women’s and youth groups concluded the Quintet’s mission.
The bloc described the visit as being “in the spirit of listening to the stakeholders on the ground,” with the aim of linking its diplomatic engagement outside of Sudan with initiatives emerging within the country.
“There is no military solution to the conflict in Sudan,” the Quintet said, adding that any durable political process must be paired with concrete steps to protect civilians and end hostilities.
The bloc said it remained convinced that a “credible and inclusive Sudanese led and Sudanese owned” political track can still deliver a transition to a democratic, civilian-led government that reflects the aspirations of the Sudanese people.
BERLIN: Buoyed by partisan home fans, host Germany upset Belgium 93-74 to reach the semifinals of the women’s FIBA World Cup on Thursday.
Leonie Fiebich scored 17 points and had 10 rebounds to lead Germany to a showdown with France on Saturday. Nyara Sabally also had a double-double with 16 points and 12 rebounds.
“I can’t quite believe it yet,” forward Frieda Bühner said. “We’re among the best four teams in the world. I can’t believe it. It’s crazy.”
The players screamed and whooped in celebration. Germany had never reached the semifinals before.
“Everyone stepped up today and we did it from the first second to the very last,” said Alexandra Wilke, who scored 10 points.
Germany lost their opening game by 30 points to Spain, but bounced back with impressive wins over Japan and Mali before routing South Korea in a playoff to reach the quarterfinals.
Egged on by fervent commentary from the announcer, fans cheered, jumped and waved Germany flags at the Berlin Arena to help the home team keep their momentum going.
“It’s always really cool to play in front of such a crowd,” Sabally said. “I couldn’t have wished for more, especially in Germany. It’s really cool to see that there’s so much hype and the whole venue is caught up in it. It’s really, really cool.”
It’s the sixth straight World Cup at which the host have made the final four since China failed to make the semifinals in 2002.
Belgium, the European champion, were one of three teams that advanced through group play without a loss.
Emma Meesseman led Belgium with 29 points and added eight rebounds, but her team were unable to regain the lead after Bühner made it 20-19 toward the end of the first quarter.
Germany did not qualify for the World Cup since the unified country’s only previous appearance as host in 1998. East Germany’s women’s basketball team finished fourth at the 1967 tournament.
France rout China
Marine Johannès and Janelle Salaün led France to the semifinals for the first time by beating China 90-61 earlier.
Both Johannès and Salaün scored 15 points while Gabby Williams contributed 14 as the Olympic finalists put themselves in contention for a first World Cup medal since the inaugural tournament in 1953, when France finished third in the final round.
“It means a lot,” Williams said of reaching the semifinals for the first time. “We want to be one of the greatest teams ever to put on the French jersey. Obviously, we have a big goal this tournament, but it’s great to check this off the list.”
Chants of “Allez les Bleues” rang around the Berlin Arena before Williams opened the scoring, and the French supporters made sure they were heard for the rest of the game as their team dominated on the court below. France have been fluid and free-scoring, beating their four opponents so far by a combined 156 points.
The team set a tournament record for 3-pointers in a single game by netting 22 in their final group game on Monday. The French players connected on 14 of 37 attempts Thursday, with Johannès and Salaün scoring three triples each.
“We are lucky because we are a group that have known each other for a couple of years now,” Salaün said of France’s team spirit. “We went through a lot of things, the Olympics, training camp(s), so we just know each other and we know what we want. We have a goal and we want to do everything to get to this goal.”
Salaün had an ice pack bound to her right knee. France coach Jean Aime Toupane told The Associated Press it was just a precaution.
Zhang’s impact limited
The French defense limited the impact of China’s 7-foot-3 Zhang Ziyu, who had the attention of two French players any time she received the ball. The 19-year-old sensation was held scoreless over her 7 minutes, 18 seconds of play in the first half, though she contributed in defense with three blocks before halftime.
There was nothing Zhang could do to stop Johannès from scoring successive 3-pointers in the third quarter, when she also got on the scoreboard. Zhang finished the game with seven points, eight rebounds and seven turnovers.
Han Xu, who had a double-double in each of her four games at the tournament, again led China with 21 points and nine rebounds.
US never in danger
The United States, the four-time defending champion, routed Hungary 108-56 in the first quarterfinal with Napheesa Collier scoring 19 points to stretch their winning run in the tournament to 34 games since a semifinal loss to Russia in the 2006 semifinals.
The US await the winner of Spain-Australia in the last quarterfinal later.
At least 25 people were killed after a fire broke out aboard a Liberia-flagged ship while it was undergoing repairs at a shipyard in Qingdao, China. President Xi Jinping ordered a swift investigation and accountability.
Shaun Wright-Phillips has revealed that he has been speaking to Strictly winner Karen Carney for advice ahead of his own debut on the BBC competition later this month
20:03, 10 Sep 2026Updated 20:04, 10 Sep 2026
Shaun Wright-Phillips has been speaking to Karen Carney for advice ahead of Strictly(Image: CREDIT LINE:BBC/Ray Burmiston)
Shaun Wright-Phillips has played for Manchester City, Chelsea and earned 36 caps for England – but swapping the pitch for the ballroom could prove to be his biggest challenge yet.
Fellow footballer Karen Carney knows a thing or two about making the switch, having gone all the way and lifted the Glitterball last year. She’s been on hand to give her pal a few pointers. “She said to just dive straight into it and don’t hold back,” Shaun, 44, explains. “So I’ll take that advice. I’m going to go for it and do the best I can.”
For Shaun, who scored six international goals between 2004 and 2010 and played club football under the watch of titans such as Kevin Keegan and José Mourinho, Strictly is proving to be a whole different ball game.
“It’s something that’s definitely out of my comfort zone,” he says. “I don’t get overly nervous in general, but this is obviously something that’s really new to me.”
Shaun’s family and friends, including his famous footballer dad, Ian Wright, are used to him busting a move on the dancefloor, but usually after a few beers. He is now bracing himself for their reaction when he takes to the floor every weekend.
“I’m sure they’ll be giving me as much feedback as the Strictly judges,” he laughs. “They’re used to seeing me dance at parties, but this will be the first time they’ve seen me dance while sober.
“Everyone was crazy excited when they found out I was taking part. And then all of a sudden my inbox was filled with friends and family trying to get their live show ticket orders in! I’ve received a really nice amount of support so far.”
Over the course of his career, Shaun played for play for Manchester City, Chelsea, Queens Park Rangers and England. He retired from the pitch in 2019, and since then, has carved out a career as a football pundit, appearing across BBC, ITV and Sky Sports.
Last year, he competed on Cooking With The Stars alongside comedian and Outnumbered star Hugh Dennis, former Love Island winner Ekin-Su Culculoglu and This Morning’s Kelly Hoppen.
Shaun became the tenth name announced to compete and the BBC Saturday night favourite will return to screens in just a matter of weeks.
When it was confirmed that he had signed up, he said:: “Dancing is in my blood—but mainly at family events! Strictly is definitely outside my comfort zone, but I’m super excited to get started and really looking forward to the challenge!”
GENEVA: A road accident involving a tourist coach in eastern Switzerland has left several people dead and others injured, police said on Thursday.
The accident happened between the communes of Susch and Zernez in the far-eastern canton of Graubunden.
“Several people died in the coach crash in Susch. Several others were also injured,” the cantonal police said on X, without giving details on the circumstances of the accident or the victims’ identities.
Footage broadcast by Swiss media showed many rescue workers rushing about around the coach, which has overturned onto its side below the road, and helicopters stationed nearby.
According to the Swiss press, the bus belonged to the Dutch Oad tour operator, which offers trips across Europe.
Zernez is the entry point for visitors to the Swiss national park, a vast Alpine reserve stretching more than 100 square kilometers (40 square miles) across the mountainous Engadine valley.
TORONTO — Ontario Premier Doug Ford said Thursday he hopes President Trump’s Republicans lose both the House and Senate in the midterm elections, saying voters should punish Trump politically for his escalating trade war with Canada.
“Hopefully he’s going to lose the Senate. He’s going to lose Congress. I hope so, and hold him accountable,” Ford said. “But we’ll see how that goes. We aren’t going to interfere in the U.S. election.”
Ford has emerged as one of Trump’s most outspoken Canadian critics, accusing him of trying to strip industry out of Ontario and move it south of the border as the two trade personal insults and threats.
Ford’s comments came two days after Washington escalated the dispute by banning some Canadian dairy products and motorcycles and most alcoholic beverages after Canadian retaliatory tariffs took effect on about $20 billion in U.S. goods. Trump also moved to shut Canadian products out of large, long-term U.S. government contracts.
“He’s not reliable at all,” Ford said. “He could make a deal today and then change his mind. And we’ve seen that over and over again.”
Still, Ford said he believes Trump wants an agreement before the midterms and that Canada should return to negotiations as soon as possible.
“I truly believe President Trump wants a deal before the midterms,” Ford said. “I could be wrong, but I think it’s best that we sit down and get a deal.”
Last year, Trump abruptly ended trade talks with Canada after Ford’s Ontario government aired an anti-tariff television ad in the United States using former President Ronald Reagan’s criticism of tariffs.
The feud repeatedly has turned personal. In an interview with the Associated Press last month, Ford mocked Trump for keeping a portrait of Reagan near his desk while pursuing tariffs the former president had criticized, saying Reagan would be “throwing up on him from the picture if he knew what was going on.”
Trump described him as “the less charismatic, intelligent, and overall unimpressive brother of the late, great, Rob Ford.”
Trump also signed an executive order directing the U.S. government to refer to Lake Ontario as “Lake America,” a name Canada does not recognize.
Ford said Thursday that Trump unintentionally strengthened Canada by forcing it to reduce its dependence on the United States.
“The only two good things Donald Trump has ever done for Canada,” Ford said, were that “he woke us up” and “he united the country like I’ve never seen before.”
NEW YORK CITY: About 4,100 Palestinians have been displaced across the West Bank so far this year as a result of demolitions and settler violence, UN deputy spokesperson Farhan Haq said on Thursday.
He warned of a sharp rise in demolitions in the Masafer Yatta area of the southern West Bank in recent days. The Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs said Israeli authorities demolished 20 homes and other structures, including a water cistern and solar panels, in two Palestinian herding communities there on Tuesday.
This activity, and demolitions in a nearby third community on Wednesday, displaced nearly 60 people, half of them children, and affected a further 30 seasonal residents. Many of the destroyed properties were built with donor support, Haq said.
Masafer Yatta is home to about 1,200 Palestinians in 13 communities, all of whom have been under pressure to leave after Israeli authorities designated the area a “firing zone.”
Haq said humanitarian officials have reported increased violence by Israeli settlers targeting those communities following the establishment in recent years of settlement outposts nearby.
Representatives of the UN and its humanitarian partners visited Masafer Yatta on Tuesday to speak with displaced residents who are receiving emergency shelter, food, hygiene items, baby products and psychosocial support, Haq said.
Across the West Bank, he added, about 1,500 Palestinians have been displaced so far this year as a result of demolitions, and more than 2,600 have been displaced by settler violence and related access restrictions.
Demoralised tourists reach 52-2 before rain ends play early on day two, needing 268 runs to make England bat again.
Published On 10 Sep 202610 Sep 2026
Ollie Robinson continued his outstanding summer with two wickets in his opening over as England pushed Pakistan towards defeat in the third Test at Edgbaston.
Robinson, man of the match in the first two Tests, struck with the first ball of Pakistan’s second innings on Thursday and again three deliveries later to leave England closing in on a 3-0 series whitewash.
The demoralised tourists reached 52-2 before rain ended play early on day two, needing 268 runs to make England bat again.
Robinson, 32, has been almost unplayable in this series, taking 21 wickets at an average of under seven runs each.
He continued in the same vein in Birmingham, removing Saim Ayub, who was dismissed for a duck in both innings, and then Abdullah Shafique to finish the day with figures of 2-10 from his six overs.
“He’s probably one of the most consistent bowlers in world cricket. He knows what he’s doing with the ball, and he wears you down a bit so it’s a challenge,” said Pakistan batting coach Mike Smith.
“He has bowled exceptionally well, and he’s in a little purple patch as a player. We need to find a way to combat that as well as we can.”
Shan Masood, who was dropped at slip by Ben Duckett off Gus Atkinson, was still there on 21 at the close, alongside opener Azan Awais on 29, but Pakistan’s position appears hopeless.
England, who led by 23 overnight, had earlier pressed the accelerator to extend their first-innings advantage to a daunting 320.
They made 453 with Harry Brook and Dan Lawrence extending their fifth-wicket partnership to 86 until Brook set off for an impossible single and was run out by Masood for 75 from 97 balls.
Lawrence went on to make 65 from 82 balls before dragging a wide ball onto his stumps to give Mohammad Imran his first Test wicket. It was a third Test half-century in a row for Lawrence, who was recalled after a two-year absence for this series.
“I’m really happy with how I’ve contributed,” said Lawrence. “I was feeling really good today, got on a bit of a roll with Brooky and went with it.
“I thought I was going to make a really big score, to be honest. It wasn’t to be, but I think if I’d been offered 65 at the start of the day, I’d have taken it.”
There was also a welcome half-century from the out-of-form Jamie Smith, who overcame an uncertain start and a finger injury, which caused him to hand over the wicketkeeping gloves to Jordan Cox, to strike 69 off 84 balls including one six and nine fours.
It was his highest Test score since a second-innings 88 against India on the same ground 14 months ago.
Robinson chimed in with a 50 of his own, which included a huge six into the Hollies Stand off Mohammad Abbas, before becoming Razaullah’s fourth victim.
The blooding of the 21-year-old, who had only played eight first-class games prior to his call-up, was one of the few positives for Pakistan.
While he was expensive – he conceded 148 runs off his 23 overs – he posed a threat with his pace and aggression.
Razaullah may represent a brighter future for Pakistan, but the present remains bleak for a team that has lost 15 of its last 20 Tests.
Rabat: Morocco said on Thursday there were “no facts” establishing its involvement in the massive migrant rush into Spain’s North African exclave of Ceuta in July.
More than 70,000 migrants entered Ceuta from Morocco on July 30 and 31 in an unprecedented, chaotic surge that left scores dead and sparked European Union infighting over the touchy issue of migration.
The Moroccan foreign ministry said there were “no facts or reports proving any involvement by the Moroccan authorities”.
The ministry added that Rabat refused to become the “scapegoat for political score-settling” in Spain.
The statement marked the kingdom’s first official reaction to a Spanish police report accusing Morocco’s security forces of “total permissiveness” when the mass crossing took place.
Spain’s Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez has consistently avoided blaming Morocco, noting that there was no “solid proof” that the North African country orchestrated the migrant rush.
Glasgow-based star Calum, 31, first joined the Channel 4 programme last September, alongside his best friend Jake, 27. But now, Calum has left the series after emigrating to Australia with his partner.
Speaking about the move, Calum said: “I am very far away from Scotland right now, and that’s because me and my partner have moved to Australia. That means a few things, the most obvious one being that unfortunately I am leaving the show.
“I had the most wonderful time, and I can’t sing the praises enough of everyone on and off camera, the entire Gogglebox family, so it’s very bittersweet to be leaving.” Calum will be replaced by Jake’s childhood friend, Louis, 28, who will make his debut on Gogglebox this Friday (September 11) at 9pm on Channel 4.
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NEW YORK CITY: A UN Security Council committee tasked with overseeing sanctions on Iran remained blocked for a fourth consecutive quarter on Thursday.
Council members traded accusations over the panel’s inertia, against a backdrop of intensifying US-Iran hostilities and a landmark decision by the UN’s nuclear watchdog to refer Tehran back to the council for the first time in 20 years.
The 1737 Sanctions Committee has not met in the year since it was reestablished with the backing of most council members, and no report on its activities was presented during Thursday’s session after China and Russia once again blocked it.
The impasse has also stalled the appointment of experts to a panel, the mandate for which is due to expire on Sept. 27, that is intended to support the sanctions-monitoring work of the committee.
The dispute dates back to August 2025 when France, Germany and the UK triggered a so-called “snapback” mechanism under the 2015 Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action, commonly known as the Iran nuclear deal, to reimpose pre-2015 UN sanctions on Tehran.
China and Russia dispute the legality of that move, arguing that all sanctions lapsed on Oct. 19, 2025, with the scheduled expiration of the deal, and so the council’s consideration of the Iranian nuclear file was effectively ended.
Against this backdrop of an unresolved procedural fight, the Security Council session on Thursday was dominated by more recent developments: the International Atomic Energy Agency’s formal referral of Iran to the Security Council and the General Assembly this week; and the continuing military exchanges between Iran and the US.
The agency’s board of governors voted 23-3 on Wednesday to refer Iran over its noncompliance with international nuclear safeguards, the first such referral in two decades. China, Niger and Russia voted no and eight countries abstained.
Ambassador Jennifer Locetta, the US alternate representative for special political affairs, told the council that the IAEA “has not received information from Iran regarding the status of its declared nuclear materials or facilities” and has been denied access to carry out verification procedures.
The agency’s director general, Rafael Mariano Grossi, has again urged Tehran to engage constructively with the process, she added. Locetta dismissed Iranian claims that inspections were being blocked as a result of security concerns, noting that “Ukraine has been a worse and more constant war zone” and yet IAEA inspectors had still been able to work there throughout the conflict.
Washington, she said, would “look to partners in the coming days to weigh options” for strengthening the sanctions regime.
China’s deputy permanent representative, Sun Lei, voted against the meeting’s agenda and placed the blame for the deteriorating situation squarely on Washington. He said the US strikes and campaign of “maximum pressure” on Iran were the “primary causes” of the crisis.
A memorandum of understanding between the US and Iran in June was “undermined shortly after it took effect” by renewed military clashes, he added, and Washington had since “intensified unilateral sanctions” and “launched a new round of military strikes” against Tehran.
Beijing, he said, opposed further use of force and called for a return to efforts to reach a political and diplomatic settlement based on “equality and mutual respect.”
France’s ambassador to the UN, Jerome Bonnafont, said Iran’s stockpile of more than 440 kilograms of uranium enriched to 60 percent had “no credible civilian justification” and was sufficient for about 10 nuclear devices.
He cited the latest report by Grossi as saying the situation “raises an issue of proliferation and should be addressed with the greatest urgency.”
France backed a US-drafted resolution for the renewal of the expert panel’s mandate, Bonnafont added. He called for the full reopening to international shipping of the Strait of Hormuz, and offered a French naval presence there, alongside the UK, to help secure freedom of navigation.
Pakistan’s permanent representative, Asim Iftikhar Ahmad, told the council that the “upsurge of violence in the Middle East in the last few days” was “unsettling for the prospects of peace,” and said Islamabad was engaged in back-channel diplomacy to encourage de-escalation.
He urged “all sides to exercise restraint” and voiced concern over the continuing divisions within the council.
A memorandum of understanding between Washington and Tehran in June, which paused hostilities and set a 60-day window for a final nuclear agreement, expired on Aug. 17 without any deal.
The Strait of Hormuz remains effectively closed to international shipping, attacks on vessels have continued, and the US has revoked sanctions waivers on Iranian oil exports. A Security Council vote on renewal of the Iran sanctions expert panel’s mandate is scheduled for Sept. 17.
As a kid growing up in rural Oklahoma, I feared what lurked beneath the lake water.
I’d listen as my family spun yarns about the massive catfish they’d discovered while noodling. I was terrified that, despite their docile nature that not a single adult told me about, an alligator gar would eat me while I bobbed in the lake. Old timers would recount finding a water moccasin in their boat. And I’ve still never recovered from the concept of a “breeding ball,” which a friend’s cousin’s cousin claimed to have run into while water skiing.
Despite the fact that nothing bad ever happened to me in a lake, my fear stayed with me into adulthood. I’ve met several Californians who hold fears similar to mine, but rather than lakes, their outsized anxieties lie within the ocean. It not only keeps them from swimming at our local beaches but also from venturing beyond the shallow shoreline.
An underwater view near Terranea Resort on the Palos Verdes Peninsula.
(Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times)
In this week’s edition of The Wild, our weekly outdoors newsletter, I will discuss how to safely tackle those fears and start exploring with a snorkeling kit. Get ready to learn about the incredibly diverse and colorful world that lives beneath our local waters — you’re about to feel like Ariel exploring a whole new world! Let’s dive in.
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I spoke to Ralph Buck, who founded Barnacle Busters, an L.A.-based LGBTQ scuba club, with two others almost 40 years ago. Buck’s passion for helping others learn how to safely explore the ocean was so infectious that by the time we ended our call, I was seriously considering whether I should get my scuba certification (which is a story for another day).
Here’s what Buck advised regarding snorkeling.
The Wild writer Jaclyn Cosgrove snorkels among what appear to be grunion or topsmelt near the coastline of the Palos Verdes Peninsula.
(Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times)
1. Get the right gear
Generally you will need the following gear to get started:
A wetsuit (with booties, as a bonus, to protect your feet): Generally, 7 mm is a great thickness for Southern California, although our water is warmer because of our El Niño season (and climate change).
A life jacket or flotation device: This is considered optional, as the wetsuit will help you float, but there’s absolutely no shame in being extra safe! (And if you don’t have a wetsuit, please do wear a life jacket.)
Fins: It might be too strong to suggest they’re “optional,” but they can be awkward for those new to snorkeling and not necessary if you’re in calm enough waters or an overall strong swimmer.
Camera: Very, very optional. While out at Santa Cruz Island two weeks ago, I took some terrible underwater photos with my iPhone and wished I’d just left it on the shore.
Weight belt: If you want to dive, you might need a weight belt to help you go under. That said, this is a more advanced tool, and it’s good to just focus on the basics as you get more comfortable in the water.
One thing new snorkelers might not realize is the level of buoyancy that a wetsuit gives you. Both times I’ve been in the past month, I wore a 7-mm suit and loved how easy it was to float above the eel grass at Santa Cruz Island and the kelp on the coast of Palos Verdes. I love a sport that includes just lying around.
Kelp, sea grass and various algae grow beneath the water at Terranea Beach Cove in Rancho Palos Verdes.
(Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times)
2. Plan for getting your wetsuit on
For anyone on the shore of Prisoners Harbor two weeks ago, they got the pleasure of watching me groan (and curse) as I maneuvered into a thick wetsuit without anything but my swimsuit on. I told my friend I knew what sausage felt like as it’s shoved into its casing.
Zach Cantrell, owner of Ventura Dive and Sport, gave me a tip I will be eternally grateful for: Bring a plastic bag or something else that will help you slide into your wetsuit, as it helps reduce the friction between your body and the wetsuit. I brought one with me when my colleague, Allen J. Schaben, and I went out last week, and getting my wetsuit on was a breeze. No human sausage vibes (or cursing).
Buck suggested other options might be pantyhose or a long-sleeved unitard. Anything to help you slide into your wetsuit!
3. Before going out, practice in a pool
“I would suggest before hitting the open water, go hop in a pool and maybe find an experienced snorkeler to go with you simply because there are some subtle little pieces to the puzzle, which are” easy to miss for a new snorkeler, Buck said.
That includes the direction to point your snorkel. If it’s pointing too far forward, you will likely find yourself breathing straight saltwater as the waves hit you. But if you point it straight up or tilt it a bit backward, it’ll help your breathing apparatus stay clear.
A variety of marine life living around the rocky bottom of Terranea Beach Cove in Rancho Palos Verdes.
(Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times)
4. Never snorkel alone
You look out at the ocean and see calm waters. You hear the siren’s call. You are alone. Resist.
Despite looking like a fairly chill activity, snorkeling still comes with significant risks that will be exacerbated if swimming alone. While out with my colleague off the coast of Rancho Palos Verdes, he pointed out a massive rock that I thought I could maneuver around. I timed my movements wrong and whacked right into it. I was fine, but also glad someone had my back if I wasn’t.
5. Assess the day’s conditions
Check the weather. If it is a particularly windy day, it’s likely not a good day for snorkeling, not only for safety reasons but also visibility.
Before entering, scan the shore to assess the movement of the water.
Learn how to spot rip currents. Rip currents “most commonly form at low spots or breaks in sandbars and near structures such as groins, jetties, and piers,” according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.
“If you’re a beginner, and the waves are higher than knee high, I would just go to brunch,” Buck said. “If the surf’s too big, your visibility is going to suck anyway.”
I do love any excuse to have waffles.
The Wild writer Jaclyn Cosgrove carefully enters the water at Terranea Cove Beach in Rancho Palos Verdes.
(Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times)
6. Choose an area that’s easy to enter and exit
This includes sandy beaches, where you can easily wade into the water without losing your balance. At Prisoners Harbor, I fell over several times because the shore is covered in various fist-sized rocks. (I need to work on my balance.) Snorkeling off the Palos Verdes Peninsula, I took my time, watched the waves and slowly moved into the water as the waves allowed. I found that, when there are rocks around, walking into the water like I’m navigating a balance beam is a good approach.
Also, in terms of looking for the best spots to snorkel, look for kelp forests and rock reefs. And because you’re newer, I would stick to spotsknown for snorkeling.
7. Plan for fog
Buck said before the COVID-19 pandemic, the Barnacle Busters, like most diver clubs, would recommend a simple solution to fog in your goggles: Spit. They still recommend using your spit in bodies of water where your germs won’t immediately affect other swimmers like in the ocean.
You can also buy an anti-fogging agent for your goggles. If you take your goggles off at any point as you snorkel, you’ll need to reapply either spit or anti-fog spray.
While I was out snorkeling, I was amazed at how well spit worked. (And if you want to understand the science behind why this works, check out this blog post from Scuba.com.)
A garibaldi, California’s state fish, at Casino Point Dive Park on Catalina Island in 2016.
(Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times)
8. Check in with yourself and your partner
You should check in with your partner every 30 seconds. That might feel like it’s way too frequent, but you’ll be amazed at how far apart you can float from your friend in that time frame. It can be as simple as making sure you see them and they see you.
9. Keep an eye out for hazards
When entering the water, you’ll want to do the “stingray shuffle” to ensure you alert any nearby rays of your presence. Around L.A. County, you’ll also want to watch out for sea urchins because their spines can prick your skin, which will require treatment if you bump into them.
As our county lifeguards point out, L.A. beaches aren’t typically places you’ll find the most dangerous jellyfish. “Jellyfish in Southern California are usually smaller in scale and have a more mild sting than other species found around the world,” according to the agency’s website.
(And don’t worry. Electric eels don’t live in the ocean.)
I asked Buck how often he and his fellow divers check for hazards like sharks.
He told me that outside of rocks, high surf and going out too deep for one’s skill level, he and his diving partners don’t think too much about hazards in our local waters.
Purple sea urchins grow on a rock near the shore of Prisoners Harbor on Santa Cruz Island in the Channel Islands National Park.
(Jaclyn Cosgrove / Los Angeles Times)
“Well, we don’t consider sharks to be a hazard at all. My husband and I blame Steven Spielberg for the irrational fear of sharks,” Buck said, referencing Spielberg’s 1975 film “Jaws” and the adverse effects the film had on white sharks.
Buck said he and his husband rarely see sharks. He does give some weight to the argument that divers in wetsuits can resemble seals and sea lions when floating on the surface.
“But in areas where you’ll probably be snorkeling, you’ll probably be snorkeling on shallow rocky reefs or shallow kelp. It’s not even a consideration for us,” he said.
Lastly, if you or your partner start to shiver, get out.
The Wild writer Jaclyn Cosgrove snorkels at Terranea Cove Beach in Rancho Palos Verdes.
(Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times)
10. Don’t touch anything
Practice Leave No Trace in the ocean too. “That’s our philosophy for diving too,” Buck said. “Look, but don’t touch.”
And never feed the marine life.
11. Have fun!
Since learning to snorkel, I’ve already found two friends who also enjoy it, and I plan to ping them to go out soon. If you don’t have anyone in your circle who snorkels yet, consider joining a local club.
In a world that feels hard right now, I felt like I had a two-hour vacation as I floated above the bright green sea grass and golden yellow kelp, watching garibaldi and what appeared to be grunion or topsmelt bob and dive around me. I came out refreshed and grateful to live here.
3 things to do
The hike to Eaton Canyon Falls in the San Gabriel Mountains before the 2025 Eaton fire.
(Myung J. Chun / Los Angeles Times)
1. Learn about Eaton Canyon’s future in Arcadia L.A. County Parks and Recreation will host From Ashes to Action: Reimagining Eaton Canyon from 5 to 7 p.m. Wednesday at the L.A. County Arboretum’s Ayres Hall (301 N. Baldwin Ave. in Arcadia). Attendees will learn about design concepts for the next Eaton Canyon nature center along with the latest work completed in the natural area. The event is free, but registration is required. Register at arboretum.org.
2. Service sage in San Pedro Cabrillo Marine Aquarium (3720 Stephen M. White Drive) needs volunteers from 9 to 10:30 a.m. Saturday to work on its native plant garden. Participants will learn about plants as they work. All ages welcome. Learn more at cma.recreation.parks.lacity.gov.
3. Launch into Latino Conservation Week in L.A. The Audubon Center at Debs Park will kick off Latino Conservation Week from noon to 6 p.m. Sunday at Metabolic Studio (1745 N. Spring St.). Activities include a bachata class, panel discussion and guided nature hike. Learn more at act.aubudon.org.
The must-read
Burn damage to the Torrey pine grove at Santa Rosa Island, as seen from a ferry on June 8.
(Kayla Bartkowski / Los Angeles Times)
Last week, the National Park Service announced that up to 80% of the rare Torrey pines on Santa Rosa Island in the Channel Islands National Park could die after being harmed by a wildfire in May. Times staff writer Corinne Purtill wrote that initially park officials were hopeful that because the fire, which charred through 40% of the 18,000-acre island, burned at low intensity through the grove, the trees could recover. Research found the fire hurt the mature trees’ exposed root systems. However, I am holding onto hope — for a few reasons. “Park staff have also collected more than 14,000 seeds released from the pine cones. Viable seeds will be planted and raised in a nursery until the seedlings can be planted in the grove,” Purtill wrote.
Another reason is that volunteers are already actively working to save these trees. You can help with that. The California Institute of Environmental Studies needs volunteers to help with recovery as well as with Channel Islands Restoration. You can also donate to the Channel Islands Park Foundation’s Santa Rosa fire resilience fund.
Now more than ever, it’s on us to protect our public lands.
Happy adventuring,
P.S.
While out kayaking off the coast of Santa Cruz Island last month, I yanked a plastic wrapper out of the ocean. I frequently pick up plastic snack wrappers and corners of wrappers that people have accidentally dropped on the trail. And not infrequently have I found thick plastic bags — those said to be reusable — floating in shallow water near the beach. In recent years, California lawmakers have passed laws to address our state’s plastic consumption, including the Plastic Pollution Prevention and Packaging Producer Responsibility Act, or Senate Bill 54. Starting in 2027, the state will receive $500 million every year for 10 years to address plastic pollution, and state leaders want to hear from you how to best spend that money. You can submit your thoughts through Sept. 30 using this form or send your message using the email listed on the form’s webpage. Times staff writer Susanne Rust recently wrote about how there’s a secretive multimillion-dollar campaign to crush California’s landmark plastics law. If the battle over single-use plastic in California is something you’re passionate about, consider subscribing to Boiling Point, where my Times colleagues explore what’s happening to our climate-changed world. They’ll definitely keep you posted!
For more insider tips on Southern California’s beaches, trails and parks, check out past editions of The Wild. And to view this newsletter in your browser, click here.
ABC comedian Jimmy Kimmel’s interview with Texas Senate candidate James Talarico won’t air on broadcast television amid the network’s high-stakes skirmish with the Federal Communications Commission.
Kimmel, during his Wednesday night monologue, said his talk with the 37-year-old Texas Democrat would instead stream on his show’s YouTube channel — depriving ABC viewers and TV stations of a potentially newsworthy interview with Talarico, who has been surging in the polls.
The Texas race is shaping up as a key contest in what could help decide control of the U.S. Senate in the mid-term elections.
Kimmel alluded to the Walt Disney Co. network’s ongoing dispute with FCC Chairman Brendan Carr as the reason for the switch. This spring, Carr’s Media Bureau ordered ABC to submit to an early review of its TV station licenses for Disney’s eight owned stations. The FCC launched the review a day after President Trump demanded Kimmel be fired after First Lady Melania Trump became upset over a joke the comedian told on his program, “Jimmy Kimmel Live!”
ABC has since sued the FCC, alleging Trump’s disdain for Kimmel and other ABC programs has fueled the FCC’s heavy-handed approach to the network, in violation of its 1st Amendment rights.
Kimmel pointed to the “unusual circumstances” in his monologue.
“For the whole 20-plus years of our show, in fact, I’ve been interviewing Americans who are running for office with no problem at all, just like [David] Letterman did, [Jay] Leno did, Arsenio [Hall], etc. etc.,” Kimmel said. “I’ve interviewed a lot of political candidates — from Hilary Clinton to Ted Cruz to Donald Trump.”
But, Kimmel said that in the current climate, airing the Talarico interview on the public airwaves carried too much risk.
“Out of consideration for our local stations, especially our ABC affiliates in Texas who would have to deal with this nonsense,” the ABC interview, which was scheduled for Thursday, would instead play on YouTube, he said.
ABC declined to comment. An FCC spokesperson did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
The issue surfaced nearly one year after a major dust-up when ABC temporarily benched Kimmel after comments he made on his show over the shooting of conservative activist Charlie Kirk. During that episode, Carr seemed to threaten Disney by saying that Kimmel should be punished.
“We can do this the easy way or the hard way,” Carr said. “These companies can find ways … to take action … on Kimmel or there is going to be additional work for the FCC.”
Two station groups removed Kimmel’s show, but ABC eventually stood by the comedian returning him to his perch the following week.
The Disney-owned station licenses were not set to expire for several years when the FCC demanded that Disney defend its stewardship of the outlets. The license for Disney’s KABC-TV Channel 7 in Los Angeles extends to 2030 but it is now being challenged.
The Burbank giant has asked a federal judge to issue a temporary restraining order and injunction to halt the FCC’s early station review.
ABC also is defending against an FCC probe into whether its daytime talk show, “The View,” should be entitled to an exemption from the so-called equal-time rule for political candidates who appear as guests.
Carr has challenged the status of “The View,” arguing that the topical chat show is not a bona fide news program and, thus, should not be entitled to the exemption.
The same issue tripped up former CBS late night comedian Stephen Colbert who interviewed Talarico in February — before his program, “The Late Show with Stephen Colbert, was canceled.
At the time, Colbert told viewers CBS lawyers forbid him from airing a Talarico interview on his program due to the FCC’s increased scrutiny of exemptions to the equal-time rule, an allegation that CBS disputed.
But Colbert’s interview played on the program’s YouTube channel — not the CBS network.
The FCC has said it was investigating ABC stations over whether the company’s diversity and inclusion policies are in violation of the Communications Act of 1934 and the agency’s rules, including its “prohibition on unlawful discrimination.”
Last week, the FCC asked a federal judge in Washington to dismiss ABC’s 1st Amendment lawsuit, calling Disney’s challenge to the early review “meritless” because the commission hasn’t made a decision on whether to escalate the matter or rescind Disney’s station licenses.
Kimmel ended his monologue, saying he was grateful for the YouTube channel “because in the America we live in right now, that is the best that we can do until November.”
F1 faces a fresh challenge this weekend at the first Spanish Grand at the new Madring, a hybrid street circuit built on the Ifema complex near the city’s international airport.
Hamilton said: “It’s a massively challenging circuit. Of all the new tracks that I’ve gone to, this one, maybe Saudi, are the two closest in terms of how difficult it was to get on top of the car and find the right lines and such.”
Mercedes driver George Russell said: “It’s a crazy circuit, I would put it. Arguably one of the most risky circuits of the whole calendar.
“Because you have real high-speed corners, sort of Jeddah-esque, the walls are very close, so there’s no margin for error, but then you have other corners… where you’re coming from a high speed into a slow braking zone, you’re braking and turning at the same time, so locking tyres are going to be easy and if you lock up you’ll be straight in the wall.
“So, excited to try that out, I think it’s going to be really challenging for us as drivers, the race is going to be challenging to overtake, so on the whole it’s not an easy one.”
Russell heads into the race 66 points behind team-mate Kimi Antonelli after the Italian’s landmark victory in Monza from 19th on the grid.
The Briton acknowledged that his title hopes with nine or 10 races left, amid uncertainty about the end of the season, were fading fast.
“I would definitely need some luck and I need some good performances,” Russell said. “It’s not really something I’m thinking about, because he’s performing better than me, so he deserves to be leading the championship.
“There’s still a long way to go, but he’s yet to have a bad weekend in terms of performance.
“So he’s performing exceptionally well, my performances are better, but if I want to win this championship, I’m going to need some luck on the way. But it’s not something I’m focused on. I’m focused on driving faster and just finding more performance.”
Antonelli said: “I don’t really want to try thinking about the championship. I think Monza was the proof that I wasn’t driving thinking about, or worrying about the championship. I was just driving to win, to do my best. So that’s the mindset.”
The Italian said his win in Monza was “so far the best day of my life and definitely one I will remember forever”.
He said a day karting with Mercedes on Monday helped him move on from the excitement of the day before.
“After Monza, that night, that day overall, I was very excited. But then going karting on Monday helped me to go back to earth, just go back to the ground.
“It was a good day, good fun day with the team. It was also a way to remind myself where I came from, all the journey that was done.
“And then about pressure, I try to embrace it as much as possible. And I try to see it as a positive thing and try to see it as an opportunity too. That’s also what is helping me to stay calm under difficult situations.”
MADRID: Spain’s lower house voted on Thursday to grant citizenship to Sahrawis born when Madrid administered the North African territory of Western Sahara as a colony, a move that could inflame delicate relations with Morocco.
The legislation, which a statement from parliament said was approved with 168 votes in favor, 31 against and 145 abstentions, would also allow descendants of those granted citizenship to acquire it.
Some 70,000 to 110,000 Sahrawis could be eligible for Spanish citizenship, according to local media.
Spain’s ruling Socialist Party and its junior left-wing partner Sumar, which filed the initiative, were among those who supported the bill, while the opposition conservative People’s Party abstained and far-right Vox voted against it.
“With the adoption of this legislation, we are restoring – and I emphasise, restoring – the Spanish national identity card to those Sahrawis who once held it and from whom this state took it away,” said Tesh Sidi of the leftist Sumar coalition, the first woman of Sahrawi origin to serve in parliament.
Tensions with Morocco
Tensions have grown between Spain and Morocco following the mass arrival of at least 70,000 migrants in Spain’s North African enclave of Ceuta in July.
Spain controlled Western Sahara under various administrative arrangements from 1884 until 1976. Morocco claims sovereignty over Western Sahara and began asserting control over the territory after Spanish rule ended.
The Algerian-backed Polisario Front independence movement seeks recognition of an independent state called the Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic.
Many Sahrawis live in refugee camps in Tindouf, Algeria, or elsewhere abroad, while others remain in Western Sahara. Spain had supported a referendum in the territory — in line with United Nations resolutions — until Sanchez’s government reversed course in 2022 and backed Morocco’s position. Tensions eased somewhat after that shift, with Madrid describing Rabat’s autonomy proposal for Western Sahara as “serious, credible and realistic”.
The Conservatives’ former director of campaigning and his wife have pleaded guilty to cheating at gambling by placing bets on the date of the 2024 general election.
Anthony Lee stood to win approximately £15,000 after placing more than 60 successful bets totalling £1,549, the Gambling Commission said.
He passed confidential information to his wife about when former Prime Minister Rishi Sunak was planning to call the general election.
Laura Lee, who was a parliamentary candidate at the time, placed eight successful bets on the election date totalling £535 and would have profited by around £5,000.
On Thursday at Southwark Crown Court, Anthony Lee pleaded guilty to two offences and Laura Lee pleaded guilty to one offence.
They will be sentenced in October.
The trials of 10 other defendants will take place in September 2027 and January 2028.
Former MP Craig Williams, who was Sunak’s closest parliamentary aide at the time, pleaded guilty in June and will be sentenced at a later date.
In Williams’ case, the prosecution said he bet £250, £100, and £22.50 on the date of the 2024 election, telling the court he “used highly sensitive and confidential information”.
When details of the scandal first emerged in June 2024, Williams admitted making a “huge error of judgment”.
Sunak’s decision to call the poll was a surprise to many, including many Conservative MPs, who were expecting an autumn date.
The Conservative Party has been approached for comment.
Comedian Nick Mohammed, who appeared on Celebrity Traitors towards the end of last year, will act as host in the new stage production based on the hit game show
17:45, 10 Sep 2026Updated 17:47, 10 Sep 2026
Nick Mohammed sworn in as host of The Traitors Act of Betrayal
Nick Mohammed will take on the role of the host in the new stage show The Traitors – Acts Of Betrayal at the Gillian Lynne Theatre, London.
The comedian and Ted Lasso actor, 45, was a contestant on The Celebrity Traitors where he reached the final but lost to fellow comedian Alan Carr. The Traitors host Claudia Winkleman formally swore Mohammed in during a video filmed at Ardross Castle in the Scottish Highlands, where the BBC show is filmed.
In the video, former Strictly Come Dancing host Claudia says: “Nick Mohammed, you stand before me. You have been chosen to take this game to the West End. Eight shows a week, no retakes, no edits, no mercy.”
She then pronounces him a Traitors host and hands him a cloak At the end of the clip, she jokingly says: “I’m out of a job.”
Written by John Finnemore and directed by Robert Hastie, The Traitors – Acts Of Betrayal is a cycle of five new plays, each playing out an entire game of The Traitors, traitors chosen, players banished and murdered, a winner crowned, in one evening.
Nick Mohammed said: “At first, I didn’t want to believe that a series of fictional plays based on The Traitors could ever contain as many brilliant twists and turns as the real thing – or be quite as compelling.
“But John Finnemore has crafted an absolute masterpiece: a cycle of five plays that are each as funny as they are moving, and of course, deeply, deeply unpredictable!
“And under the direction of the brilliant Robert Hastie, I couldn’t be more delighted to be joining such an original and wildly ambitious show.
“To take on Claudia’s role, as it were, is not just a privilege but a real challenge as an actor – I simply don’t have enough hair! But I will do my utmost not to disappoint.
“Either way, this time round, I promise not to let down the whole nation right at the very end. Now let the game begin…”
The production also does something television cannot: it answers the question of who would have won if different players had been chosen as the Traitors.
From Monday to Friday the story begins identically but takes five different paths. Characters banished or murdered early in one version emerge victorious in another.
On Saturdays the audience decides who will wear the cloak, and their choice determines which of the five plays unfolds that day. The stage production begins previews from May 11 2027, with opening night on June 8 2027.
MADRID: Charles Leclerc and Ferrari teammate Lewis Hamilton said they had cleared the air face-to-face after a clash at last weekend’s Italian Grand Prix but there were still no written rules of engagement between the pair.
Seven-times Formula One world champion Hamilton had called for written rules after being forced off onto the gravel by Leclerc on the opening lap and dropping from fourth to 10th.
The Briton eventually finished sixth while Leclerc crashed out. Asked at the Spanish Grand Prix on Thursday whether anything had been put in writing, Hamilton replied, “There was not.
“I’m sure at some stage we’ll discuss how we can be better but we’ve not had a lot of time to turn around. You can’t change things in two days.”
Hamilton said there had been no shying away between the two drivers when they came to discuss what had happened.
“We sat face to face, just him and I, and talked about it,” he said. “We were just both open and honest and we squashed it. And we can move on… I think it’s healthy. It’s a relationship we have built over time.”
“Of course there’s going to be frustrations… I’m sure there will be more times (where) we are close (on track) because we are very close on pace. We both want to win just as much as each other and we both want to do well for the team as well.”
Ferrari are second in the championship after 13 rounds, 122 points behind Mercedes. Hamilton is third overall, 76 points behind Mercedes’ leader Kimi Antonelli.
Leclerc told reporters he had reviewed footage after the race and recognised he had gone too far.
“I said it to Lewis and I think it’s very clear what we should do or should avoid going forward but I won’t go into much more details of what we’ve said,” added the Monegasque.
“The only thing I can say is it definitely did not affect the good relationship that we have and it will not affect anything going forward and that is the most important for me really.”
Leclerc said his crash at Monza at the end of the second lap had felt like a big one and he had suffered a tight neck for a couple of days after but was now fine.
