Saudi crown prince Mohammed bin Salman invited to visit UK // Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman has been invited to visit the UK, the Saudi Arabian embassy has told the BBC. No 10 said it would confirm the prime minister's engagements in the usual way, with nothing in the diary yet. A spokesperson said the prime minister looked forward to meeting the crown prince "at the earliest opportunity". It would be the prince's first UK visit since the murder of the journalist Jamal Khashoggi at the Saudi consulate in Istanbul in 2018.
Afghanistan refugees being let down by UK, says think tank // Many Afghan refugees have been "let down" by the UK, with some living in hotels for up to two years and now facing eviction, a think tank has said. More in Common said lessons needed to be learned so future refugees were better supported. It comes on the anniversary of the UK's evacuation programme and the fall of Kabul to the Taliban on 15 August 2021. Operation Pitting saw the UK airlift around 15,000 people out of Kabul - including British nationals, as well as people who worked with the UK in Afghanistan and their family members. Those who had nowhere to live were placed in government-funded hotels. This was supposed to be temporary accommodation but by the end of March, there were still around 8,800 Afghans living in hotels.
Grooming cases at record high amid online safety laws delay // Tens of thousands of online grooming crimes have been recorded during the wait for updated online safety laws. Campaigners are urging tech companies and MPs to back the Online Safety Bill and are calling for no more hold-ups. The bill, which aims to crack down on illegal content, has faced repeated delays and amendments. Children's charity the NPSCC says 34,000 online grooming crimes had been recorded by UK police forces since it first called for tougher laws in 2017. The proposed new rules state that tech companies should be able to access the content of private messages if there is a child safety concern.
Barbie banned from Algerian cinemas for 'corrupting morals' // Algeria has banned the popular Barbie film three weeks after its release in the mainly Muslim North African nation. The culture ministry has asked cinemas to withdraw the Hollywood blockbuster immediately. The movie promoted homosexuality and did not comply with Algeria's religious and cultural beliefs, an official source told the Reuters news agency. Cinemas in the cities of Algiers, Oran and Constantine have been packed, according to 24H Algérie news website. The film was officially being banned for "damaging morals", the privately owned news website said, adding that since its release viewings had sold out every day.
Wagatha case: Coleen Rooney won't forgive Rebekah Vardy // Coleen Rooney has branded the "Wagatha Christie" trial "horrible", in her first public comments since the case. In an interview with British Vogue, she suggested she could not forgive Rebekah Vardy for her libel claim, but said "the relief was everything" to win. Rooney, the wife of ex-England captain Wayne Rooney, had accused Vardy of leaking stories about her. The High Court decision which found the comments "substantially true"Â was criticised by Vardy.
Disney's Snow White: Has the fairy tale already gone sour? // Hot on the trail of a string of Disney live action remakes, the famous film company's new version of 1937 classic Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs, set for release next year, has stirred controversy on social media. While debate about Disney's reboots is nothing new, the backlash over the new Snow White (note the dwarfs have been dropped from the title) has been particularly vociferous from some quarters. Much of the furore - which has had some TikTokers up in arms - has been building in recent weeks after interviews with Rachel Zegler, who plays the new Snow White, resurfaced online. The critics were out in force before that, though, following Disney's announcement in 2021 that the Latina star had landed the title role.
Mason Greenwood: TV presenter Rachel Riley says she'll stop supporting Man Utd if forward stays // Television presenter Rachel Riley says she will stop supporting Manchester United if forward Mason Greenwood stays at the club. United say no decision has been made about his future, which is still the "subject of intensive internal deliberation". Forward Greenwood, 21, had denied the criminal charges against him, including attempted rape and assault. The Crown Prosecution Service dropped all the charges on 2 February.
Women's Open: Protesters with flares halt play after making way on to 17th green // Play was interrupted briefly on the final day of the Women's Open when protesters with flares made their way on to the 17th green. Eventual winner Lilia Vu and England's Charley Hull were finishing the hole when the incident took place at approximately 18:15 BST. Security and police arrived to remove those involved, some of whom were carrying red and yellow flares, and play resumed within a couple of minutes at Walton Heath in Surrey. The protests appeared to be aimed at the tournament's sponsors, insurance company AIG. Surrey Police later confirmed five people had been arrested for aggravated trespass.
World Athletics Championships: Tobi Amusan cleared over missing doping tests // Nigerian 100m hurdles world record holder Tobi Amusan has had her suspension lifted after she was found not to have broken anti-doping rules over missed tests. The 26-year-old was set to miss the World Athletics Championships in Budapest, which start this weekend. But she can now defend her world title after an Athletics Integrity Unit (AIU) disciplinary tribunal hearing. She had been accused of missing three doping tests. The double Commonwealth Games gold medallist denies taking performance-enhancing substances.
Shop sales drop in July as rain dampens demand // Retail sales fell by 1.2% between June and July after the wet weather hit clothing sales and the cost of living weighed on food shoppers. The Office for National Statistics (ONS) said it was a particularly bad month for supermarkets. Department stores also reported falling demand for household goods.
Booking.com owes hosts in Scotland thousands in room payments // Travel website Booking.com has been accused of leaving accommodation hosts in Scotland thousands of pounds out of pocket because of payment delays. The online platform allows people to book rooms that hotels and individual homeowners advertise on its site. However, two Scottish hosts said they have not been paid in months for accommodating guests. Booking.com said some payments were delayed as a result of planned IT system maintenance. The company blamed "unforeseen technical issues" and said it was urgently working to resume payments for a small number of hosts.
What's next for Wilko and its 12,500 workers? // Wilko, the discount homewares retailer, is facing its most crucial few weeks in its 90-year history. Last week, the chain was forced to appoint an administrator after it failed to find a buyer to save the cash-strapped business. That decision puts 12,500 jobs at risk and means 400 shops could close. But does it mean that Wilko will disappear from UK High Streets forever? Or is there still hope for the firm and its many workers?