HOSTS Russia opened their World Cup campaign and with a 5-0 thrashing of a woeful Saudi Arabia, a result that will delight a nation desperate to enjoy their moment on football’s biggest stage.

According to FIFA’s rankings there was little between these teams as they kicked off, which suggested it would be a competitive game.

Sadly, the rankings also suggested it would not be high on quality, as Russia came into the tournament as the lowest-ranked hosts in history, at 70th. The Saudis were a whole three places higher but not for much longer on this evidence.

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SOME ready-to-eat salads sold by restaurants contain almost the recommended amount of salt for an entire day, a survey has found.

Health campaigners Action on Salt (AoS) found that the salt content of salads bought from restaurants, sandwich and coffee shops and fast food outlets has increased by 13% to 1.86 grams on average per serving since they were last examined in 2014.

The group said the findings highlighted “a distinct lack of commitment” from the food industry to reduce salt.

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CHILDREN and young people are being encouraged to spend longer online by “persuasive design” which should be considered a public health issue, a new report claims.

The tactic, which encourages the extended use of apps and websites, is used to collect children’s data for commercial gain, but it has an impact on the child’s social, mental and physical development, according to The Disgruntled Childhood Report.

The report, released today by the 5Rights Foundation, which advocates for children online, says unless action is taken the “creativity and development of a generation” is in danger of being stunted and sets out 24 recommendations to combat the problems experienced.

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TWO married fairground workers who failed to adequately anchor a bouncy castle that blew away with a little girl inside it will be sentenced for her gross negligence manslaughter.

Seven-year-old Summer Grant died after a gust of wind lifted the inflatable from its moorings and sent it “cartwheeling” 300 metres down a hill at an Easter fair in Harlow, Essex, an earlier trial at Chelmsford Crown Court heard.

William Thurston, 29, and Shelby Thurston, 26, were both found guilty of manslaughter by gross negligence.

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The Thurstons are listed to be sentenced at Chelmsford Crown Court on Friday.