Manchester United’s hunt for a left-back continues and Alejandro Balde has been cited as an option

Manchester United have made an offer for Barcelona starlet Alejandro Balde, according to reports. Mundo Deportivo have claimed that the Catalan academy graduate is the subject of various offers including one from Michael Carrick’s side.

Before Balde opts to leave the Nou Camp, it has been said that the 22-year-old wants to know if he isn’t needed within Hansi Flick’s side before deciding his future.

United have been widely mooted with left-back reinforcements, while Matthias Jaissle shot down reports that Lewis Hall would swap the North East for the North West. ESPN has reported that club sources at Old Trafford have dismissed the chances of securing Balde but the reigning La Liga champions have been made aware of the interest.

Balde’s future remains precarious after being left out of the emphatic 5-0 win in their curtain-raiser against Elche.

Speaking post-match, Flick admitted that the Catalan was left out of the squad to clear his mind amid the ongoing transfer speculation. He said: “We have to manage the minutes, I hope to have six players who can play 90 minutes.

“I spoke with Balde this morning and told him that I think he’s not here at 100%, clear your mind and then we’ll talk.”

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Reports claim that the German wants to hold face-to-face meetings with the full-back before making a decision on his future. Meanwhile, Balde is wanting assurances over his playing time with Joao Cancelo and Xavi Espart competing for a starting berth, and it is reported that a meeting with Flick is taking place on Monday night.

United would prefer a season-long loan if Balde was made available, ESPN has suggested, with the option to make a move permanent.

It has been said that the Spanish giants value his services up to £34million. Luke Shaw is the current starting left-back for United but Carrick faces the need to add reinforcements at the back, with their midfield options increasing as Carlos Baleba closes in on a move.

United got off to a losing start in Carrick’s first match as permanent head coach and Shaw was among those to feature in the 2-0 defeat at Hull.

On the defeat, he said: “Disappointing, I think we knew Hull’s strengths, Set-plays and wide positions and crosses into the box. At times we did defend well, but the goals, set-plays, not good enough.

“We knew they were going to be good from set-plays and ultimately it’s cost us the three points.”

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By JON MICHAEL RAASCH, WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT

Published: 18:17 BST, 24 August 2026 | Updated: 00:22 BST, 25 August 2026

The Trump administration unveiled its ‘economic D-Day’ plan intended to decimate Iran‘s already teetering monetary environment with what has been dubbed the ‘toughest sanctions in history.’

Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent announced on Monday afternoon that the US would roll out sanctions against countries and entities that do any business with the Islamic Republic.

‘The United States Treasury has begun Operation Economic Outcast, an unprecedented campaign against the Islamic Republic of Iran and its enablers,’ Bessent said at a press conference.

‘We are launching an economic onslaught on Iran’s connections around the globe. Our objective is to sever every economic lifeline that sustains this tyrannical regime until Tehran stands alone.’

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The drastic escalation could prompt nations and businesses to sever their remaining trade ties to Tehran to maintain access to the US financial system. 

China and others have continued to purchase Iranian oil during the war despite warnings from US officials, and the announcement serves as a notice that those transactions could elicit economic consequences.

The new sanctions target digital assets, technology, gold, aviation and shipping, Bessent shared.

‘No one is above the reach of US sanctions,’ Bessent said when asked about China’s trade ties to Tehran. ‘It is now time for world leaders to make a decision between America and Iran.’

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Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent unveiled on Monday new sanctions on countries and entities that do business with Iran

The announcement sent the Iranian currency – the rial – plummeting to its lowest rate in history

One US dollar now can purchase over 1.3 million Iranian rials, according to currency exchanges

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Bessent had been signaling for a week that the move would be the ‘toughest sanctions in history,’ saying that the new economic crackdown could replace ‘kinetic’ strikes that have been a hallmark of the nearly six-month war. 

The gambit is intended to pressure nations still doing business with Iran in hopes that the additional sanctions will cripple the nation’s economy and bring its leadership back to the negotiating table with US counterparts.

The move also serves as a final warning to countries still doing business with Iran that they could be swept up in the US-Iran conflict if they continue trading with Tehran.

While the US has been sanctioning Iran for decades, the new additional categories of sanctioned goods and services open up the regime’s trading partners to new penalties.

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‘We’re winning against everyone, including Iran, whose Country is in an economic and military death spiral,’ Trump posted on social media Monday. 

While Iran has been under strict US sanctions for years, the regime has devised ways to avoid crackdowns on its oil, aviation, weapons and cryptocurrency sectors. 

While the sanctions restrict Iran from accessing the dollar-based financial system, the country has set up shell companies and other fronts to avoid them. 

Bessent warned that anyone who offers a financial lifeline to Iran could be at risk of being targeted by US sanctions. 

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‘The United States Treasury has begun Operation Economic Outcast, an unprecedented campaign against the Islamic Republic of Iran and its enablers,’ Bessent said at a press conference

The shift from kinetic military operations to maximum-pressure economic sanctions signals the administration’s willingness to fight Tehran with fiscal means

The war will reach its six-month mark at the end of this week on August 28

The announcement prompted Iran’s currency, the rial, to drop to historic new lows. 

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As of Monday afternoon, 1.3 million rials can purchase a single US dollar, according to currency exchanges.

The nation has been suffering from skyrocketing inflation since the war broke out and Trump imposed a strict blockade on the Islamic Republic. 

The administration’s focus on sanctions may signal a new phase of the nearly six-month war. 

Absent a peace deal after negotiations fell through last month, the US has been reluctant to continue strikes against Iran. 

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The new sanctions give the US additional leverage over Iran by targeting its trade partners in hopes that the fallout will prompt the regime’s leadership to resume peace talks.  

BOGOTA, Colombia (AP) — Colombian President Abelardo de la Espriella has promised to deport thousands of migrants who are in the country without residence permits, mainly Venezuelans, as he attempts to make significant changes to the nation’s immigration policies that he says will reduce crime.

De la Espriella, who was sworn into office three weeks ago, said that he would order the country’s national immigration service to conduct raids with Colombian police as early as this week. He announced the new policy in a video released on Sunday night in his X account where he spoke of multiple measures to reduce crime and confront criminal groups.

The ultra conservative leader, who is closely aligned with the U.S. President Donald Trump, said that law enforcement will first target migrants who are “committing crimes” and then, those who are living in the country without regular status.

“I will not accept any illegal immigrants, wherever they come from,” de la Espriella said in the video. “They will have to leave and be deported. It is a political decision I am taking responsibility for.”

Most migrants living in Colombia come from neighboring Venezuela, a nation that lost about a fifth of its population over the past decade as Venezuelans fled a repressive regime that oversaw years of economic turmoil, and a 75% contraction in the nation’s GDP.

Around 2.8 million Venezuelans were living in Colombia as of August, according to the United Nations, making it the largest Venezuelan diaspora. In July, Colombia’s national immigration service said that it had granted temporary residence permits to about 2.3 million Venezuelans under a scheme rolled out in 2021 by then President Ivan Duque during the peak of Venezuela’s immigration crisis.

De la Espriella’s effort to deport migrants who have no regular status marks a major shift for Colombia, which had long worked to protect incoming Venezuelans and grant them a pathway towards permanent residency.

Ana Karina García, director of Juntos Se Puede, an organization that helps Venezuelan migrants in Colombia, said that the Colombian government stopped handing out new temporary residency permits three years ago. She said that de la Espriella’s incoming administration should expand pathways to legal residency, instead of punishing people who cannot obtain residency permits.

“We understand that the president wants to protect Colombians,” she said. “But there is no need to protect them from migrants. It has been proven that foreigners do not commit crimes at greater rates” than the local population.

“The doors seem to be closing,” Pereda said. “Not just in Colombia, but also in Chile, Peru and Ecuador,” where conservative leaders have also made it harder for Venezuelan migrants to get residency permits.

In a text message, Colombia’s national immigration department, Migracion Colombia, said that the agency is currently without a director. The agency said it will only implement the new policies outlined by Colombia’s incoming government once a new director is appointed and installed. ___

Follow AP’s Latin America coverage at https://apnews.com/hub/latin-america

Millions of new 10p coins with the King’s portrait will be pumped out today after the latest issue by the Royal Mint.

Eagle-eyed people still using coins might soon spot that something has changed with the 10p coin.

Released into circulation today, the shiny new 10p coins will feature the King’s portrait for the first time.

The coins are being released because of increased demand for the 10p denomination, the Royal Mint said.

Until now, the 10p coin has featured a portrait of Queen Elizabeth II.

Those coins will remain legal tender and in active circulation along with the new King Charles coins, with the aim of ensuring a smooth transition that has minimal environmental impact.

The Royal Mint said that 600,000 2023-dated and 6.5 million 2026-dated 10p coins featuring Charles are entering circulation across the UK.

The other side of the new coin, known as the ‘tails’, will feature the capercaillie bird.

The design was inspired by the flora and fauna of the British Isles, in a nod to the King’s penchant for conservation.

King Charles 10p coins will be available from post offices and bank branches.

How rare is the new 10p coin?

The Royal Mint, the official maker of the British coins, said the Charles coins represent just 1% of the 24.14 billion coins in circulation today, making them highly sought after.

The monarch’s portrait has already been etched on the 5p, 50p and £1 coins since 2022 after Charles ascended to the throne following the death of Queen Elizabeth at the age of 96.

If you are on the hunt for the UK’s rarest coin, look out for the 2023 Atlantic salmon 50p – there are only 200,000 of them in circulation.

The second-rarest coin is the 2009 Kew Gardens 50p, of which 210,000 were minted.

Rebecca Morgan, director at the Royal Mint, said: ‘This is a landmark moment for the nation’s coinage, as people begin finding the very first 10p coins bearing the King’s portrait in their change.”

Commenting on the bird design, she said: ‘We hope that by putting this extraordinary bird into millions of pockets and purses, we can spark a nationwide conversation about a species at real risk of vanishing from Britain forever.’

Get in touch with our news team by emailing us at webnews@metro.co.uk.

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Police in Nigeria have arrested a 101-year-old great-grandmother on suspicion of selling drugs.

The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency said Esther Ogunmabo was arrested on Saturday 15 August in possession of 90g of sachets of skunk, a powerful strain of cannabis which she claimed to be selling to locals.

The elderly woman, who was granted bail and sent for counselling, told police that she turned to drug dealing after her shop was razed by fire. She said that one of her daughters in Lagos arranged the supply of the substance to her every four days, which she sold off in bits.

Ms Ogunmabo was pictured holding up a whiteboard listing her personal information as she stood next to a pile of what police said were drugs. Her face was blurred out by the agency.

The suspect was granted bail and placed on counselling due to her advanced age. Her daughter was arrested.

The agency described the arrest of Ms Ogunmabo as a “rare and startling development” as it recorded a number of “significant breakthroughs” in tackling drug crimes across the country’s land and maritime borders.

As well as arresting a centenarian, the agency reported an separate incident where they intercepted cocaine in edible cassava flour popularly known as fufu.

The NDLEA intercepted a wooden boat on the high seas conveying illicit drugs to fishing settlements on Friday (21 August) and arrested three suspects on board.

Etima Effiong Eekpo, 29, was arrested, caught with 1.12kg skunk, while 33-year-old Otobong Eyoh Etukudoh, had 42.06kg of skunk in his possession. Kingsley Effiong John, 27, was found with 20 grams of cocaine concealed inside a large wrap of edible cassava fufu, alongside 435grams of skunk.

The agency also recorded its first ever seizer of drugs shipped from Thailand through the maritime border, intercepting two containers of cannabis indica at the Apapa and Lekki ports.

Both containers were loaded at the Port of Laem Chabang, Thailand, as the force warned of an emerging new trafficking route being exploited by drug syndicates to smuggle synthetic cannabis into the country.

Matt Lucas will be making people laugh on Channel 4’s Taskmaster, but he remembers his late former partner, Kevin McGhie, as being hilarious as he pays tribute two decades on from their marriage

Matt Lucas has paid tribute to his late ex-husband Kevin McGee two decades on from their marriage. The 52-year-old comedian tied the knot with Kevin in December 2006, and they dissolved their civil partnership in October 2008. Kevin sadly committed suicide in October 2009.

Ahead of his appearance on Channel 4 ’s Taskmaster, Matt was asked what makes him laugh, and Matt said: “My late husband Kevin [McGee] was the funniest person I’ve ever met. Also, we had a chocolate Labrador called Milo who was hilarious. He was so stubborn.”

Matt will appear on Taskmaster alongside the likes of Richard Ayoade, Isy Suttie, Chloe Petty and Nina Conti.

He previously spoke about Kevin on social media in 2019 when he said: “This is Kevin John McGee, who died ten years ago today.

“I loved him more than anyone I’ve ever met, and still do. He was so funny and silly and clever and kind and handsome and his smile made my heart soar.”

In a new interview with Radio Times Lucas also spoke about how comedy has changed over the years. He famously wrote and starred in Little Britain with David Walliams.

Matt said: “Most of the comedy I enjoy now is filmed in people’s living rooms and posted online. If you’ve got a mobile phone, you can be a star. I love Limmy, he’s a complete one- off. Also there’s a Canadian comedian called Mitch Wood on Instagram who makes me howl.”

Asked what his style was on Taskmaster, Matt added: “I’m inept. If I get anything right, it’s by luck, not design – I was stumped most of the time. Greg Davies called me Grandad. Still, it was nice to get out of the house!”

In Taskmaster, Matt will attempt to conquer a variety of puzzling, creative and often pointless tasks in the hopes of impressing host Greg Davies.

As well as comedy, Matt has co-hosted The Great British Bake Off in the past on Channel 4 and regularly stars in London’s West End in shows including Les Misérables and Oliver!

* Taskmaster starts on September 3 on Channel 4.

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While Palmer and Joao Pedro have generally carried Chelsea‘s biggest attacking threat in recent times, they have now been joined by the impressive Rogers too.

His arrival reunites him with Palmer, an ex-Manchester City team-mate and someone he described after the win at Craven Cottage as his “best friend in football”.

“He had a difficult season with injuries and stuff last year – and you could see it in his eyes in pre-season and training that he’s ready this year and ready to prove people wrong,” added Rogers when asked about Palmer’s display.

“You saw that with that performance. He was the best player on the pitch by a mile and that’s what he does. It’s good to have him on our side.”

Indeed, it was also encouraging how Rogers, whose pre-season was shortened by his involvement in England’s run to third place at the World Cup, looked so fit and powerful.

Rogers is the first Chelsea player to score on his Premier League debut since Christopher Nkunku in 2023 – and the first to create five chances in his first league appearance since records began in 2003-04.

It was also the first time Chelsea supporters sang the new Rogers chant in the away end.

Like Palmer, Joao Pedro missed out on the World Cup – as a high-profile omission from Brazil’s squad – but returned in pre-season with eight goals in seven games.

It was no surprise to see him on the scoresheet so early in the Premier League campaign, having inherited the number nine shirt from Liam Delap, who was left out of the squad on Monday, following the contract extension the Brazilian signed this weekend.

“Great combination, great quality,” Alonso told BBC Match of the Day when asked about his front three.

“We know if we reach them [Joao Pedro, Morgan Rogers and Cole Palmer] in good positions, they have this talent to create special things and I am very happy the three forwards have scored.

“We need to put them in the best situations. I am happy for the three of them. They played for the team.”

This comes with a community policing meeting planned to take place for the Rumworth and Hulton areas in the south west of town next week.

Officers say this will give people a chance to see Sergeant Oliver Cooper for a final time before he leaves for a new role outside the borough and to meet the area’s new sergeant.

A Greater Manchester Police spokesperson said: “This will be an opportunity to say goodbye to Sergeant Cooper as he moves on to a new role outside of Bolton, and also say hello Sergeant Dixon who is taking over.

The meeting will be held next week (Image: GMP)

“Local partners and councillors have also been invited.

“We hope to see you there!”

The Rumworth/Hulton Community Meeting is set to take place at St Andrew’s Church on Crescent Avenue in Over Hulton on Thursday, September 3 at 7pm.

Emergency services are at the scene

A property had a “close call” as another huge wildfire spreads. The incident is ongoing on Monday evening around Cymmer in Porth.

Councillor Ros Davis for Porth shared at around 8pm that the fire is “under control”, but that the blaze came close to properties.

She shared: “At least this fire is beginning to die down at the Porth end. I was concerned about Cae Mawr Gardens but have spoken to the Fire Service who have reassured me that the situation at that end is under control: ‘Not out but under control.’ Appliances are on standby should the situation change.

“Looking across the valley from Cemetery Road, we can see that one property further along Cymmer Road has had a close call. Fire appliance are still protecting them.

“Cymmer Road is still closed between the recycling centre and Dina’s Flats.

“Thank you again to all our brave Fire Fighters. It is sad that the last of these summer days are being marred by these incidents.

“If you are concerned about fires and there is a risk to people or property, always dial 999.”

A spokesman for South Wales Police shared that officers are at the scene at Bronwydd Park.

The spokesman shared: “The road is currently closed in both directions between Community Recycling centre, Cymmer Rd, Porth and the Dinas Flats on Dinas Road.

“It is expected to remain closed for some time; please avoid the area and use alternative routes where possible. We’re grateful for your patience.”

Sir Chris Bryant MP, who represents Rhondda and Ogmore, said he is “deeply angry” to see ongoing fires in his constituency including the one in Porth. Another is ongoing in Maerdy as of Monday evening.

He shared: “I am deeply angry to see more mountain fires tonight. As a result, there are road closures in place causing more disruption for residents.

“After weeks of fires across our communities, our firefighters and emergency services should not have to be heading back out again, putting themselves in danger and spending yet more time tackling fires that devastate our mountains and wildlife.

“These fires are not harmless. They spread rapidly, threaten homes, damage the landscape for years to come and place enormous pressure on the emergency services.

“To every firefighter, and emergency service responder tonight, thank you. You should not have to be doing this again.

“Please, everyone, take care and think about the consequences of anything that could start a fire. We cannot keep putting our emergency services, our communities and our mountains through this.”

Emmy-award winning Harington, a lifelong fan of the books, already has some familiarity with his new role: The actor voiced Lockhart in Audible’s star-studded Harry Potter: The Full-Cast Audio Editions last year.

The show could reunite him with director and producer Mark Mylod, who worked on Game of Thrones and is directing some Harry Potter episodes. Mylod is an executive producer on the new series along with author JK Rowling.

Lockhart was portrayed in the Warner Bros Harry Potter films by Kenneth Branagh, and is a key character in Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets, the second book in Rowling’s best-selling franchise.

The vain wizard who authored several books on his purported encounters with dark creatures serves as Hogwarts’ latest professor for the defence against the dark arts and fancies himself a mentor to Harry in his second year.

Hoult, known for his roles in X-Men, Superman and Mad Max: Fury Road, was announced for the role earlier this month. But HBO reportedly had to let the Superman actor out of his deal due to his commitments to projects that conflicted with a change in the series’ production schedule, according to Deadline, which first reported Harington’s casting. HBO confirmed the reporting to the BBC.

Representatives for Harington and Hoult did not immediately respond to requests for comment.

The HBO series is expected to take 10 years to complete, as producers plan multiple seasons covering each of Rowling’s seven books, which the eight blockbuster films were originally based on.