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However, when Rangers return from the international break, they will have their sights set on going top of the Scottish Premiership for the first time this season.

That's down to a new-look squad and six consecutive wins, including back-to-back Old Firm victories. There is a feel-good factor in the stands at Ibrox once again.

Here, we look at how a key summer transfer window helped pave the way for a remarkable turnaround - one McInnes knows he must keep on track against Kilmarnock on October 10.

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How do transfers at Rangers work?

Before we get into the fine detail, it's important to take a look at the bigger picture.

This was the second consecutive summer that Rangers signed 14 players. However, the two windows couldn't be more different.

For full context, you need to go back 12 months. It was a new era (yes, another one) at Ibrox. Russell Martin had been appointed head coach, and the club were being led by CEO Patrick Stewart and sporting director Kevin Thelwell. However, that fresh start proved to be a false dawn.

As Rangers went off track, Martin was sacked after 123 days, before Stewart and Thelwell followed soon after. Meanwhile, of the 14 signings sanctioned by the likes of the aforementioned, only four remain. Chairman Andrew Cavenagh admitted mistakes had been made, and after issuing the P45's, he took a more hands-on role at the club.

Some might think it was Robbie Thelwell, who has the title "head of recruitment", who was in charge of the signings. In truth, his title does not reflect his responsibility, and he works in the scouting team.

Instead, fast-forward 12 months and working alongside Cavenagh were the likes of CEO Jim Gillespie, who joined in March, now outgoing technical director Dan Purdy, Paraag Marathe and Gretar Steinsson of the 49ers, plus Stig Inge Bjornebye, who was appointed performance director in June following a spell as consultant.

Rangers were not only looking at players' attributes, but also how they'd fit in the dressing room, their injury history, trading value and so on. Things which in the past were not always prioritised but are now all part of the equation.

The likes of Purdy would identify the options, Cavenagh and Gillespie were among those signing off on the deals, all done with the backing of the 49ers and ultimately the manager.

While there will always be successes and failures, this time Rangers had a united approach.

So what was the plan this summer?

Rangers' initial target was to sign fewer players than they did the previous summer, but opportunities and injuries saw that number rise from around 10 to 14.

The club's leadership group set the parameters, the model of how Rangers should play both domestically and in Europe was in place, and it was over to the new powers that be to sign the players - just like they did in January when Tuur Rommens, Tochi Chukwuani and Ryan Naderi were permanent additions.

Rangers' goal this season - under McInnes, who knows the Scottish game inside out - was to taste domestic success once again.

So what was the plan to end Celtic's Premiership stranglehold? Well, rather than trying to copy their Old Firm rivals' possession-based style of play, Rangers were focussing on physicality and speed. The view was that to beat Celtic, they couldn't be like Celtic - they had to work differently.

Furthermore, following the departures of captain James Tavernier, vice-captain Jack Butland and co, they needed leaders in the squad, plus wanted to reduce the overall age of the group - something they had achieved over the previous windows.

Finally, while chairman Cavenagh was willing to splash the cash for the right players, many signings would still need to have the potential to grow in value and help the club flourish.

Did they deliver?

It was a complex checklist and not everything has been fixed at Ibrox over a few months. This was always going to take multiple windows. However, there are positive signs.

The average age of the team that beat Celtic in their two games before the international break was less than 24 - compared to their rivals, who were closer to 27.

The starting XI in those games comprised of a new-look spine and six summer signings: goalkeeper Ivor Pandur, defender Olwethu Makhanya, captain Dan Neil in midfield along with James Penrice, Minsu Kim out wide and Kevin Kelsy leading the line.

At Ibrox in their League Cup quarter-final triumph, Rangers played like a team with an identity and style. They were strong, physical, fast and dominated the battle for second balls. That was reaffirmed at Parkhead in the Premiership a week later, while their rivals changed shape in a search for answers that didn't arrive.

Both in January and this summer, Rangers have been adding to their squad with a clear plan in place. They now have a group boasting speed, physicality, desire and the types of players who could attract interest from bigger leagues across Europe.

That recognition is coming on the international front too, with 13 of the squad selected by their country for this three-week window. Of those away with their countries, 12 of the 13 are 26 or under too - a clear sign of the change in direction at Ibrox.

Rangers starting XI vs Celtic age

Ivor Pandur (26); Dujon Sterling (26), Emmanuel Fernandez (24), Olwethu Makhanya (22); Kim Minsu (20), Nicolas Raskin (25), Dan Neil (24), James Penrice (27), Djeidi Gassama (23); Ryan Naderi (23), Kevin Kelsy (22)

There has been significant work to alter Rangers' recruitment process since last summer, and while the early signs are positive, nothing is won in September.

Rangers still need to catch Celtic in the Premiership and face a tough test in Aberdeen, if they're to book a spot in the League Cup final, where Hearts or Hibs would await.

However, for the first time in years, after a busy transfer window and consecutive Old Firm victories - they head into Autumn with a platform that will allow them to deliver. %!s()

The two executives said Amazon’s international teams are in frequent creative contact, sharing scripts, casting ideas and talent. “We share talent globally — actors, creators, writers and authors,” said Morganti, Prime Video head of international originals, Italy & Southern Europe.

The real work, however, comes when a project needs to be sold internally.

Morganti said “Zeta,” an espionage actioner starring Mario Casas and produced by Pablo Isla’s Fonte Films, was a chance to prove that Spain could deliver a big action movie with a distinctly Spanish identity. “Spain has a strong ability to make action,” she said, noting that the film also benefited from its mix of action, family and emotion. The movie ranked among Amazon Prime Video most watched Global Top Ten hits earlier this year.

Balmaceda, head of international originals, Latin America, Canada and Australia for Prime Video & Amazon MGM Studios, described “Venganza” as a similar bet for Mexico. The challenge was convincing Amazon that a Mexican production could deliver the scale and action audiences expect from the genre.

“We believed a Mexican production could tell a story that would resonate globally and demonstrate that great action could come from somewhere other than Hollywood,” she said.

Neither project was an automatic greenlight. Morganti said the teams had to make the case around directors, talent and production capabilities. “You have to keep pushing and show the different elements of why the project could work,” she said.

That willingness to take risks extends beyond action. Morganti pointed to Spanish-language horror, a genre that was once treated as niche, as another area where Amazon has seen the market expand.

Success can also open the door to sequels and franchises, although Balmaceda said those opportunities don’t necessarily have to be engineered from the beginning.

“When you have a success, you naturally look at the audience and the fans around it,” she said. “The important thing is not necessarily to manufacture a franchise, but to recognize when an audience wants more.”

For creators pitching Amazon, the executives stressed conviction over quantity. Morganti’s advice was straightforward: “You need an original idea and, above all, to really believe in it. Know what you want to tell and why it matters.”

Balmaceda also emphasized having a clear point of view. “Passion matters,” she said, arguing that creators should know which story they want to tell rather than arrive with a menu of interchangeable concepts.

Reflecting on Latin America, she noted that its challenge is not necessarily a lack of talent, but a shortage of experience and opportunities to work at scale.

“Sometimes what’s missing is experience, craft or simply the opportunity to do something at scale,” she said.

On “Venganza”, a relection of Amazon MGM and El Estudio producer Pablo Cruz‘s push for genre at scale, Amazon brought Bulgarian action specialists to work with the Mexican crew, giving local filmmakers the chance to learn from an experienced international team.

The discussion comes as Amazon has announced a $2 billion-plus investment in Latin America through 2030, including spending on local content.

Balmaceda also pushed back on the idea that mass popularity and quality are mutually exclusive. “A hugely popular global title can still involve excellent production, substantial budgets and exceptional talent,” she said.

Morganti described the current moment for Spanish-language entertainment as a “renaissance,” while saying Amazon’s pipeline remains active. “We’re continuing to develop many projects, and there will be significantly more coming from 2028 onward,” she said, adding that the company is already looking toward 2029 and 2030.

John Hopewell contributed to this article. %!s()

Calling the film “powerful” and able to “create change,” Thunberg minced no words when speaking about the world’s attitude toward the region. “There’s this extreme hypocrisy that makes me so, so angry and upset,” she said.

“For me, this movie was so much about betrayal. There are so many levels of betrayal. First, there’s the occupation and the violence itself that somehow becomes ‘normal’ or is viewed as normal. It’s not easy to get any media attention and clicks, which is another betrayal,” she said. Then there’s “the betrayal of the international solidarity movement.”

Western Sahara has been occupied by Morocco since 1975. It is often referred to as the last colonial conflict in Africa. In 2025, the U.S. reaffirmed its recognition of Moroccan sovereignty.

Recently, Christopher Nolan’s “The Odyssey” faced backlash for filming scenes in the Western Sahara, with Nolan accused of “contributing to Morocco’s repression of the Sahrawi people.” The Western Sahara International Film Festival (FiSahara) even put out a statement urging him to stop production.

Turning to the film’s protagonist, Sahrawi human rights activist Najla Mohamed-Lamin, Thunberg said: “I’m convinced that people like you do not want thanks or applause, but action. It falls on every single one of us in this room, especially us privileged people who have a platform and access to resources, to take that moral obligation to amplify the Western Sahara struggles.”

“Otherwise, we are nothing more than hypocrites,” she added.

Mohamed-Lamin, whose life and fight for Western Sahara independence is depicted in the doc, became emotional, noting: “As I was watching these 10 years of my life, I couldn’t stop thinking about all the stories and lives in the last 50 years that nobody has heard of, which are probably far more inspiring than mine: My grandmother, my sister who passed away, my mother, all our neighbors. All the thousands of people we buried in these camps who would have never wished to be buried there.”

Mohamed-Lamin added, “As somebody who’s a refugee forgotten in the desert, you’re always looking for a little window to share your story. I didn’t know it would develop into a documentary. The only thing I know is that I carry the message of my people, and I will share it everywhere I go: In a documentary, in an article, in a train station or on a plane, because I’m the voice. The world has to know the truth.”

Directed by Patrick Wally, the film is sold by Lightdox.

Thunberg, who visited a Sahrawi refugee camp in 2025, also took part in a special panel discussion on “Resistance and Activism for Western Sahara.” %!s()

The group is the first of 5,000 Myanmar citizens that Kuala Lumpur says agreed to “voluntary” repatriation from detention centres amid a huge uptick in anti-migrant sentiment in Malaysia.

Both the UN and advocacy organisations voiced concern on Tuesday, saying the group could face a dangerous homecoming in Myanmar, where a civil war has raged since 2021.

Neither Malaysia nor Myanmar have officially clarified the number of Rohingya people in the first group, and there is worry they may be returned to a country where they face persecution rights groups say amounts to genocide. The Rohingya, a Muslim minority group, make up two-thirds of the 190,000 Myanmar refugees and asylum seekers in Malaysia, according to the UN.

Many of the Rohingya escaped to Malaysia during a brutal military crackdown in 2017.

On Tuesday afternoon, AFP reporters saw three ships belonging to the Myanmar navy, used in a previous repatriation exercise, departing from Malaysia’s Lumut naval base. The Myanmar nationals were processed at the naval base before boarding dozens of buses which arrived under police escort at the Majlis Perbandaran Manjung stadium.

Malaysia’s interior ministry confirmed that the repatriations were under way.

It said it a statement that the repatriation was part of the government’s plan to resolve the “legacy issue” of foreign asylum-seekers in Malaysia – of which it said 95% were from Myanmar.

“This long-standing issue has imposed a significant financial burden on the nation, triggered serious social crises, and created tangible security threats for the Malaysian people,” the statement said.

But in Geneva, the UN rights chief, Volker Turk, urged Malaysia to stop the process immediately, saying nobody should be deported to Myanmar, given the severity of the situation on the ground.

“This is no time to return anyone forcibly to a country plagued by egregious human rights violations and abuses, and where many cruelly face the real risk of more of the same violence again upon their return,” he said in a statement.

“The conditions are far from safe and sustainable, and it is deeply questionable whether any return in these circumstances can be considered truly voluntary.

“The hundreds of thousands who have fled Myanmar in fear for their lives must be protected, and their fundamental human rights to seek asylum and protection abroad properly considered.”

The Malaysian prime minister, Anwar Ibrahim, announced in July that Myanmar had agreed to take back 5,000 Rohingya. The plan was announced after authorities detained more than 100 Rohingya who had gathered outside the UN refugee agency’s office in Kuala Lumpur.

They were seeking help after being threatened with eviction from an informal settlement in northern Penang state. They were later released after officials confirmed they held valid UN documentation.

Myanmar earlier this month pledged “safe and dignified” returns for its citizens displaced abroad, after criticism from the UN and rights groups.

Last week more than 160 civil society groups in a joint statement called upon the Malaysian government to “immediately halt the deportations,” pending talks with civil organisations about the situation on the ground in Myanmar.

Malaysia, which shelters one of Southeast Asia’s biggest refugee populations, is not a signatory to the 1951 Refugee Convention and does not formally recognise refugee status. %!s()

The Creatives consists of some of the leading production companies in Europe, as well as one each in Israel and the U.S. They are Haut et Court and Unité in France, Komplizen and Razor Film in Germany, the U.K.’s Good Chaos, Lemming Film in Netherlands and Belgium, Maipo Film in Norway, Spiro in Israel and the U.S.’s Masha.

Led by Sébastien Raybaud, Anton’s projects include “In Love,” starring George Clooney and Annette Bening; “Pumping Black,” starring Jonathan Bailey and Natalie Portman; and the crime thriller “My Darling California,” featuring Jessica Chastain, Chris Evan, Chris Pine, Mikey Madison and Don Cheadle.

Anton’s investment in The Creatives reinforces the financial strength of the group and provides additional access to equity financing. The Creatives will be formally created at closing, following technical steps expected to take a few months.

Bessi brings three decades of experience in production, distribution and broadcasting, having built two international studios in Newen Studios/Studio TF1, which he led as chairman and CEO within the TF1 Group until 2024, and Studiocanal, where he served as group COO. Prior to this, he served as CFO for the Canal+ channels in France and CEO for Canal+ in the Nordics.

Speaking with Variety, Bessi said this consolidated company was “always the point.”

“Five years ago, all of these producers decided that, because they didn’t want anyone to buy them out and they wanted to share their expertise and contacts, they would create a form of club, where they would informally meet every month and co-produce together,” he added. “They have now been doing this very successfully for years, and they decided that, because it was working so well, they would become a group.”

“But they didn’t know how to do it, which is when they reached out to me,” he said. “Of course, creating a group costs money, so during the last year and a half I was structuring the group and looking for an investor to bring some money into the holding company.”

Bessi said it took over a year to find Anton. The Creatives had several other offers, but they had a number of strict demands for whoever would come in as a financial partner. “We wanted a European investor, not only because of the perception, but also because of regulation. They had to be European; they had to be someone who understands the industry—meaning that you can have good years and bad years, and you need to take some risk. That was very important.”

Finding the investor was “not so easy,” because the model built by The Creatives is “very new in the industry.” All 17 producers in the group are shareholders and control the group. “It’s very unique. Usually, you have one person or company who gets the shares and the control. Because of that, some investors were a bit concerned about the governance of the group,” Bessi said.

“We wanted someone who would agree to take a minority stake and would not require distribution or sales,” he added. “Then, of course, there was a valuation, which was important for the producers, and we wanted someone who would respect that valuation. Lastly, we needed someone we knew, and I knew Anton very well because it was created 15 years ago, to implement a state financing deal for Studiocanal. At that time, I was the CEO.”

In the end, the producers decided in favor of Anton. Now, all agreements are signed, and The Creatives are “ready to go.”

By “ready to go,” Bessi means realizing the group’s vision of becoming the leading “one-stop-shop” production company in Europe for major distributors and streamers. The exec sees The Creatives as the place where these companies can have access to “elevated content and festival movies and series.”

“When they come to us, they suddenly have access to many talents, many projects out of many European countries,” he said. “It offers a wide diversity of very good foreign content. We have the scale of the group now. It’s strong enough and financially reliable, so it can be a very interesting one-stop shop for major companies instead of them going country by country to work with these leading producers.”

“Our goal is to accelerate and enhance the model so we can allow the producers to develop the project they want to develop, be ready, take more risks, gather the best talent and use each other’s connections,” he emphasized. “We want these people to do what they do best: to produce and attract talent.”

Work produced by The Creatives has drawn over 140 awards at major festivals and awards ceremonies worldwide, including a Cannes Palme d’Or and a Venice Grand Jury Prize, alongside multiple Academy Award nominations and wins.

Signature lead-produced titles include Komplizen’s Oscar-nominated “Toni Erdmann”; Haut et Court’s Palme d’Or winner “The Class”; Good Chaos’ “Sisu” films, which both topped global streaming charts; Spiro’s Venice Grand Jury Prize winner “Foxtrot”; Razor Film’s Oscar-nominated “Waltz With Bashir”; Maipo Film’s Canneseries winner “A Better Man”; Unité’s multi-César winner “Souleymane’s Story”; Masha’s hit series “False Flag”; and Lemming Film’s six-time Dutch Academy Award winner “Sweet Dreams.” %!s()