Rob England
BBC News Online

More than 100 cruise ships, external, potentially carrying 150,000 passengers, are set to visit Guernsey during the cruise season, according to the States.

The first ship - Marco Polo - is due to arrive this Easter weekend.

Eleven of the expected vessels will be anchoring in the island's waters for the first time.

Guernsey's harbour master, Captain Chad Murray, said the cruise sector was "still a growth business".

"The feedback from operators last year was very positive and we are looking forward to welcoming both returning and new ships to Guernsey," he added.

Image source, AIDA Cruises

Last year visitor spending from cruise ships was worth about £4m to the local economy, according to the States, who used figures from a study by a local firm, Global Research.

The red light arm on the Albert Pier will be closed to parking on "ship days", the States say, but will aim to open "as quickly as possible on smaller ship days".

BBC Weather

Tonight will see clear spells and isolated showers for a time.

However, cloud will thicken again with the chance of some rain edging up from the south, mainly during the early hours.

Minimum temperature: 4 to 7C (39 to 45F).

Tomorrow morning will be cloudy and wet with outbreaks of rain, but it should become drier during the afternoon with cloud breaking to give some bright or sunny spells.

BBC Radio Guernsey

Deputy Barry Paint has joined the three founding politicians in the Guernsey political group, the Islanders Association.

BBC Radio Jersey

There has been a sharp rise in the number of people making complaints about their employers to Jersey's Employment and Discrimination Tribunal (EDT).

The organisation hears complaints from people who do not think they have been treated fairly at work.

Last year it dealt with 20% more cases than 2016. The EDT say the increase mainly came from claims within the "protected characteristic" of sex, and related characteristics such as sexual orientation, gender reassignment, pregnancy and maternity.

In 2017 there were 236 employment law claims, 55 discrimination claims and 18 counterclaims from employers.

In its annual report, external the EDT said companies that lose their cases often do so because they "do not fill in the correct forms to respond to the accusations against them".

BBC Radio Guernsey

Guernsey's building industry is suffering its worst slump in 50 years, according to the Construction Industry Forum.

The group, which promotes the sector, says there is little sign there will be an upturn over the next 18 months.

The latest update on the Island Development Plan, external shows a significant gap between planning permissions granted and construction work starting.

Image source, Getty Images

Chris Lovell, the vice chair of the forum, says the government needs to pursue policies that promote confidence and encourage economic growth.

"There's got to be very much a corporate approach from government as a whole," he said. "Yes we're open for business and here's how we're encouraging it to come in.

"Then the private sector will come behind them. But we do need that activity from government. I believe it's coming but we would like to see it sooner rather than later."

The Committee for Economic Development said it was willing to "listen and work closely" with the construction industry.

BBC Radio Jersey

One in three new mothers in Jersey are over the age of 35, according to the States of Jersey statistics unit.

Their latest report on births and breastfeeding shows, external the number of older mothers has risen from about a quarter of all births in 2000 to about a third in 2017.

Last year also saw the lowest number of births for the past 15 years. But the number of women giving birth aged 35 or over has grown.

There has also been an increase in cesarean sections, as older mothers are "more likely to have the operation", the report claimed.

More than three quarters of mothers who were aged 45 had a cesarean, the figures show. In the UK the average age of mothers in 2016 rose to just over 30.

Image source, States of Jersey

Brent Pilnick
BBC Sport

Jersey Reds hooker Nick Selway will make his 100th appearance for the islanders as they host Doncaster in the quarter-finals of the British and Irish Cup.

Jersey lost last season's final by a single point and go into the game off the back of impressive wins over Bristol and Rotherham Titans.

"It is very exciting playing knockout rugby, but at the same time we've got to be accurate and get our detail right, but it's going to be a great occasion," said head coach Harvey Biljon, who won the inaugural British and Irish Cup as a coach with Cornish Pirates in 2010.

"This is knockout rugby, anything can happen on the day, so we've got to make sure we're prepared and ready."

This will be Jersey's last chance to win the trophy as it is being scrapped at the end of the season.

Jersey: Van Breda (co-capt); Pincus, Ma'afu, Best, Worrall; Cope, Hardy; Woolmore (co-capt), Selway, Armstrong, Sexton, Bartle, Argyle, Joyce, Rogerson

Replacements: Saunders, Godfrey, Atalifo, Kolo'ofa'i, Upfield, Dudley, Eastwell.

Rob England
BBC News Online

Image source, Getty Images

Representatives from the States of Jersey and Guernsey have commented on how the UK leaving the European Union will affect the Channel Islands.

The UK will formerly leave on March 29, 2019.

In Guernsey, Deputy Lyndon Trott, Vice President of the Policy and Resources Committee, said it was "business as usual" under protocol three until "at least 2020".

"We are hoping that the UK's arrangements and agreements under the World Trade Organisation (WTO) principles and criteria will enable us to be co-aligned," he said.

The WTO is a global organisation dealing with the rules of trade between states.

Jersey's Chief Minister, Senator Ian Gorst, said the island's government wanted to "continue the benefits" of its relationship with the EU, including access to the goods markets on the same terms as the UK, access to the EU financial services markets, and to secure the same deal as the UK for the movement of our British nationals in the EU.

More on this story:

• Hard Brexit not an option for Guernsey firm
• Brexit: PM accused of plan to 'throw open' borders

• Year to go: Your questions on Brexit answered

The Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC) said she "failed to provide appropriate care" during labour.

Rob England
BBC News Online

Members of a "transition team" to reform Jersey's public services have been kept on by the government, despite being "stood down" as a unit.

The four UK consultants were appointed in October 2017 for six months, and cost the public purse £432,945 by the end of February 2018, according to the States.

Brought over by the new chief executive of the States of Jersey, Charlie Parker, the team worked on "every aspect" of public services, and helped design "a new structure," a States spokeswoman said.

"The transition team has done what we asked of them, and that phase of work is now complete," Mr Parker said.

However, the chief executive said three members of the team - out of four - would be kept on to work on "specific initiatives" over the next year. The team's fourth member will also be staying on in a "specific post", pending "a permanent appointment" through an open competition.

BBC Radio Jersey

Plans to pay for students in Jersey to go to university should only be agreed as an "interim solution", politicians have said.

Image source, Getty Images

The government wants to provide full tuition fee grants to students from households earning up to £110,000 a year, with those earning up to £200,000 funded on a "sliding scale".

But an independent adviser - brought in by the Education and Home Affairs Scrutiny Panel, which was tasked with producing a report on the plans, external - has said future demand for the grant scheme has been "underestimated".

Mr Bahram Bekhradnia, from the Higher Education Policy Institute, said the student numbers used to inform the government's plans were based on "minimalist and unrealistic expectations of likely demand".

The scrutiny panel concluded the funding plans would provide "significant support immediately" to students, but recommended the government update the States on "up take" in October.

The plans will be debated on 10 April., external

More on this story:

• 'Equality' for higher education students in Jersey
• University funding to come from higher education budget
• University grants because Jersey investments 'performing well'
• Tuition fee grant 'will help create an educated workforce'

Rob England
BBC News Online

A new data protection law in Guernsey has been approved by the UK Privy Council.

It brings the island up to EU requirements, including criteria set out in the General Data Protection Regulation, external.

Image source, Getty Images

It comes into force on 25 May.

The new legislation follows a meeting held between the States of Guernsey and EU authorities in Brussels on 9 March.

Deputy Mary Lowe, President of the Committee for Home Affairs, said: "The committee looks forward to working with the community and the Data Protection Authority to ensure the Bailiwick remains a preferred place to do business and where residents can remain confident that their data is being handled with proper safeguards."

More on this story:

• Is leaving Facebook the only way to protect your data?
• UK data protection laws to be overhauled

BBC Radio Jersey

Natwest bank has warned people in the Channel Islands to be aware of potential scams over the Easter period, as fraudsters tend to target bank holidays.

A spokesman said there had been a number of "smishing attacks" across the islands this year, with fraudsters using well-known brands in an attempt to trick people.

Earlier this month four people in Jersey lost tens of thousands of pounds in a text message scam.

Natwest has advised customers to never share "secret security information" like PINs, passwords, and card reader codes in response to a text messages or telephone call claiming to be from the them.

More on this story:

• Text scam: Check text messages and avoid public Wifi

• Thousands taken from islanders in scams in 24 hours'
• Man loses thousands in text message scam

Ryan Morrison
BBC News Online

The States of Jersey is looking for someone to work in their storage and procurement team and it appears to have a very generous salary.

They're looking for someone with "a high level of attention to detail" to work on the storage, purchasing and stock maintenance in the States.

The job advert, on the States of Jersey page, says the salary is £2,661,600 per year. But a spokeswoman for the States said it is a mistake and "thank you for pointing it out and we're going to change it".

The actual salary for the role is between £26,616 and £28,259 per year.

Rob England
BBC News Online

A midwife in Guernsey has been suspended following the death of a mother five hours after giving birth, a panel has heard

Anne Passave, was on duty at the Princess Elizabeth Hospital in Guernsey in May 2016 when the woman lost almost two litres of blood.

Ms Passave, who had been a midwife for 11 years was put under investigation by the Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC) for failing to offer the mother pain relief.

Neil Guest, representing Anne Passave, said: "Although we are dealing with very serious matters we are looking at one incident in a career.

"Prior to that there were no blemishes on her record whatsoever."

The billionaire Barclay brothers donated the alleys, which are still stored in two blue shipping containers.

Jenna Hawkey
BBC News Online

Some elective operations at Guernsey's Princess Elizabeth Hospital have been postponed due to an "extraordinary demand" for beds.

An increase in the number of patients with respiratory illness, including diagnosed cases of the flu virus, has put particular pressure on capacity.

Professor Juliet Beal, chief nurse, said: "Bed capacity at the hospital in the past 48 hours has been running at some of the highest levels we have seen all winter.

"The safest option, when pressure on hospital beds is so great, however, is to postpone elective surgery.

"Our team have been speaking to patients and their families to explain the situation and we will of course re-arrange as soon as possible anybody that is affected by our need to postpone."

Rob England
BBC News Online

An exhibition showcasing the projects Jersey Overseas Aid contributes to has opened at Jersey Museum.

Highlights include an initiative to cross breed Jersey cows with local stock in Rwanda.