Program providing key aid halted after complaints from Laura Loomer, the far-right influencer close to Trump

The US state department announced on Saturday that it would stop issuing visas to children from Gaza in desperate need of medical care after an online pressure campaign from Laura Loomer, a far-right influencer close to Donald Trump who has described herself as “a proud Islamophobe”.

“All visitor visas for individuals from Gaza are being stopped while we conduct a full and thorough review of the process and procedures used to issue a small number of temporary medical-humanitarian visas in recent days,” the state department said in a message posted on X, the social media platform formerly known as Twitter, which Loomer was banned from before it was purchased by Elon Musk.

Former Labour leader says rising UK poverty ‘would make Dickens furious’ and calls for wealth tax to help reverse it

Labour must scrap the two-child cap on benefits to lift children out of poverty, the party’s former leader Neil Kinnock has urged.

Rising levels of poverty “would make Charles Dickens furious”, Lord Kinnock said in an interview with the Sunday Mirror, in which he also called on ministers to introduce a wealth tax.

Move comes after claims earlier this month that two stars of the TV dance show used cocaine

The BBC has asked the police to investigate Strictly Come Dancing amid fresh allegations, according to reports, after claims two of its stars used cocaine.

The Sun on Sunday reported that the corporation has alerted the Metropolitan police to new allegations about the dance competition show, the details of which it does not specify.

Troops requested by Trump team are ‘ready to respond’ but ‘not on a political policing mission’, veteran group says

West Virginia is to deploy 300 to 400 national guard troops to Washington DC at the request of the Trump administration, the state’s governor said on Saturday.

West Virginia governor Patrick Morrisey’s office said in a statement that the deployment is “a show of commitment to public safety and regional cooperation” and the state will provide equipment and “approximately 300-400 skilled personnel as directed”.

Counter-demonstration offers welcome to refugees as anti-migrant protesters gather outside Cladhan hotel

Anti-racism campaigners held a counter-demonstration against people protesting against “uncontrolled illegal immigration” outside a hotel used to house asylum seekers in Scotland.

Stand Up to Racism Scotland, Falkirk Trades Union Council and local people said they organised the gathering in Falkirk on Saturday to show that refugees are welcome in the town.

Organisers described it as a “safely stewarded community event with music, speeches from the local community, the trade union movement, local campaigns, faith groups and others”.

Demonstrators held placards with messages such as “stop the far right”, “refugees welcome” and “migrants make our NHS”.

Details of post-summit call were leaked in which US president supports plan for Kyiv to give up Donbas region

Donald Trump will back a plan to cede unoccupied Ukrainian territory to Russia to secure an end to the war between the two countries, it was reported on Saturday, after details of his post-summit call with European leaders leaked out.

Trump told European leaders that he believed a peace deal could be negotiated if the Ukrainian president, Volodymyr Zelenskyy, agreed to give up the Donbas region, which Russian invaders have not been able to seize in over three years of fighting, the New York Times reported, citing to two senior European officials.

• Winner extends perfect record and closer to world title shot

• Veteran sent crashing to canvas within two minutes

Moses Itauma blew away Dillian Whyte with a devastating first-round knockout in their all-British heavyweight clash in Riyadh. The 20-year-old extended his perfect record through 13 professional fights as he sent veteran Whyte sprawling to the canvas inside two minutes.

The 37-year-old Whyte, a former WBC interim heavyweight champion, was not given any time to settle as Itauma – who had been made to wait in the ring by a delayed walk-in from his British rival – immediately went on the front foot.

• World No 1 wins 7-6 (4), 6-2 on his 24th birthday

• Qualifier Atmane in his first ATP Masters 1000 semi

Jannik Sinner, the top seed and defending champion ended the French qualifier Terence Atmane’s dream run at the Cincinnati Open with a 7-6 (4), 6-2 win to reach the final of the US Open warm-up event.

Sinner, playing on his 24th birthday, won a remarkable 91% of his first-serve points, did not face a single break point during the 86-minute match and converted two of five break points in his first career meeting with Atmane, the world No 136.

Pilot at London trust aims to reduce paperwork and free up doctors, as UK brings AI to public services

An artificial intelligence tool designed to speed up the discharge of patients is being trialled at a hospital trust in London.

The platform completes documents needed to send fit patients home, potentially saving hours of delays and freeing up beds.

Multi-part series on ex-NFL player who protested racial injustice will not continue over ‘creative differences’

Director Spike Lee’s multi-part documentary series for ESPN Films about former NFL quarterback Colin Kaepernick, who sparked a national debate when he protested racial injustice nearly a decade ago, will not be released, the filmmaker and ESPN said.

“ESPN, Colin Kaepernick and Spike Lee have collectively decided to no longer proceed with this project as a result of certain creative differences,” ESPN said in a statement to Reuters on Saturday. “Despite not reaching finality, we appreciate all the hard work and collaboration that went into this film.”

Lightweight, affordable and supernaturally durable, the Xero Genesis are the shoe to buy when you’re ready to be done wearing out sandals

After a strenuous day of running or hiking, there’s nothing quite like slipping your aching feet out of muddy shoes and into a breezy pair of sandals. From Nike and Adidas slides to Chacos and Birkenstocks, I’ve churned through many styles and brands. But now I think I’ve finally found a pair that’ll last me a lifetime – the Xero Genesis.

With an unprecedented 5,000-mile guarantee, these barefoot sandals are built for the long haul. I’ve been wearing a pair of Genesis for two years now, taking them on trips around the globe and racking up thousands of miles. Despite their light weight and minimalist design, they’ve held up remarkably well. And at just $45, they’re a shockingly affordable investment for anyone seeking a durable, travel-friendly pair of sandals that aren’t destined for the trash in a few years.

In the end Marcus Rashford did get to make his competitive debut for Barcelona as they began their defence of the La Liga title. Formally registered a little after 10.30 on Saturday morning, Barcelona’s economic obstacles overcome, he was introduced just after 9pm with 22 minutes left of a sticky and ultimately successful night in Mallorca. By the time he pulled on his shirt and stepped up the line, one of three subs brought on, the temperature had dropped a little, if still not enough, the game was already won, he was up against just nine men, and he got 10 touches. It wasn’t much, but it was a start.

Earlier than expected, too: Rashford had insisted he was confident but the doubts over him being registered were not resolved until the morning of the match. And so, on 68 minutes, there he was waiting to come on.

Author of Natchez Burning trilogy had battled blood cancer for decades, according to his literary agent

Greg Iles, the Mississippi author of the Natchez Burning trilogy and other works, has died. He was 65.

Iles died on Friday after a decades-long battle with the blood cancer multiple myeloma, his literary agent, Dan Conaway, posted on Saturday on Facebook.

Islamic Council of Victoria says many Muslims don’t report racist incidents because they fear not being taken seriously

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The Islamic Council of Victoria has reported an increase in Islamophobia, warning that the actual number of victims is likely far higher than reported.

On Saturday, the council held its first conference on Islamophobia, with politicians, police, religious leaders and academics among those in attendance at the event in Melbourne.

As world’s largest living reptile reclaims the Fitzroy River in Queensland, some say athletes shouldn’t worry while others warn against ‘running the gauntlet’

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Andrew Miller is only minutes into a crash course on using a V8 ocean ski when he first drops the C-bomb.

The former red beret paratrooper and current president of a Rockhampton canoe club is explaining to a first-time paddler why he won’t begin on a K1 – the kind of craft the world’s best canoe sprinters will paddle when and if they come here to central Queensland to compete at the 2032 Olympic Games.

Many of us suffer with bad sleep. Could changing what – and when – we eat improve our chances of sleeping well?

Have a glass of warm milk. No, a cup of herbal tea. Eat carbs, but only the right carbs. Have fats, but not too much. Have a filling meal. No, not that filling. Eat early, but not too early or you’ll get hungry again later.

Ask the internet for advice on how to eat for a good night’s sleep and you could lose a whole night trying to find a clear answer. But amid a global shortage of good sleep (48% of Australian adults report having at least two sleep-related problems), dietary habits are emerging as a key factor that can make the difference between refreshing rest and a night spent regretting every food choice you made in the previous 24 hours.

In the early days of her new relationship, Natalie Murray was floored by news from her previous partner. Brent offered her comfort when she needed it most

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“There’s something I need to tell you,” said my new boyfriend, Brent. We were sitting on his leafy balcony in Sydney. His expression was grave, his skin pale – nothing like his usual relaxed, smiley self. He’d been hiding something from me and he’d finally decided to confess.

My thoughts raced. He’s married. He has a kid. He’s moving to a small island in the South Pacific.

Now that I’m in my 50s, I care less about how my appearance is perceived by society. It’s a subtle shift from age empowerment to age liberation

I am noticing a growing movement where women are less concerned about looking their age, whether it’s makeup-free Pamela, silver and chic Andie Macdowell, or Ashley Judd not caring what we think about her swimsuit-clad mature form in a splashy Instagram frolic.

In fact, it almost seems like older women are caring less about what people think about their appearance, despite other age groups feeling less confident than they did a decade ago. This isn’t to say that older women don’t want to present themselves in fashionable and stylish ways like their younger counterparts; they’ve just probably grown a little tired of the narrow societal expectations of having to look the youngest they possibly can.

Protesters holding placards outside City Hall detained on suspicion of displaying item in support of proscribed group

Police arrested 13 people at a protest in Norfolk on Saturday on suspicion of showing support for the proscribed group Palestine Action.

A group assembled outside City Hall in St Peters Street, Norwich, holding placards referencing the organisation, Norfolk police said. The force said they were arrested on suspicion of displaying an item in support of a proscribed organisation, contrary to section 13 of the Terrorism Act 2000.

Afzal Khan had said visit to Turkish-occupied northern Cyprus was in personal capacity but resigned after furore

Cyprus has welcomed the resignation of the UK’s trade envoy to Turkey, Afzal Khan, saying it sends “a resounding message” amid widespread criticism of the Labour MP’s recent visit to the island’s breakaway Turkish-occupied north.

Khan had defended his trip on 8 August in a letter to the British prime minister, Keir Starmer, claiming it was conducted “in a personal capacity during the parliamentary recess”.

Midfielder’s time at Man City has been turbulent but there is hope Everton can help him rediscover sense of joy on the pitch

A figure toils alone at Bodymoor Heath. The light fades, but against the setting sun his silhouette is distinctive: the floppy hair, the hunched gait, the vast calves. Jack Grealish is working, honing and polishing, inventing, striving at the limits of technical excellence.

He has inspired Aston Villa to promotion. He has helped them avoid relegation, establish themselves as a Premier League side. He is enormously popular. Even opposing fans admire his ability, warm to the sense he is still in some way the impish kid in the playground, revelling in his ability, having fun. That summer at the Euros he had become a cause célèbre, the figure behind whom the clamour for Gareth Southgate to release the handbrake rallied, the poster boy for the sort of pundit who wished England would just believe in talent.

Whether Manchester City restore their powers as the Premier League’s formidable force after a summer of change remains one of the great unknowns but for Pep Guardiola the early evidence in victory at Wolves was supremely encouraging. The substitute Rayan Cherki, a £30m signing from Lyon, capped the scoring within eight minutes of entering and Tijjani Reijnders, another one of those pinpointed to drive the close-season makeover, was peerless on his league debut; the Netherlands midfielder was the architect for Erling Haaland’s double, which bookended Reijnders’s first City goal, a feathery first-time finish. “City are back,” crooned the away support and, by the end, it was hard to argue otherwise.

Guardiola, understandably, is not getting carried away. “Last season we were back when we won 2-0 at Chelsea [in our first game] and look what happened afterwards,” the City manager said. “We won [just] today. If you told me we were back in the second half, I’d say no.” City were clinical, scoring with all four shots on target, all of which were easy on the eye, even if Haaland’s first was a tap-in at the end of a move that began with the kind of Reijnders burst that may become commonplace. City had the swagger that has accompanied so much of their success. The injured pair of Rodri and Phil Foden, looking on from the stands, must have pondered where they will fit in.

• South Africa 22-38 Australia

• Wallabies recover from 22-0 down to sink Springboks

Australia rallied from 22-0 down as Harry Wilson, their captain, scored two tries in a stunning 38-22 bonus-point victory over South Africa in their Rugby Championship opener on Saturday, the Wallabies’ first victory at Ellis Park in Johannesburg since 1963.

South Africa raced into a seemingly commanding lead through tries by the wing Kurt-Lee Arendse, the centre André Esterhuizen and the No 8 Siya Kolisi, but their achilles heel has been the breakdown and it was there that Australia began to take control.

Advertising hoardings dotted around Sunderland are adorned with enticing images of long sandy beaches and invite visitors to embark on adventures in “our city by the sea”. It is all part of an £80m project intended to reinvent and regenerate the post-industrial riverside area around the Stadium of Light but West Ham had evidently not bargained for this rejuvenation extending to the football team.

As the second half unfolded, an exhilarating afternoon that exceeded the wildest dreams of even the most optimistic Sunderland fans became not so much an adventure as an ordeal by the North Sea for West Ham’s manager.