Five things you need to know today!

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An extra Fringe tip for today.

Programme for today at the Acoustic Music Centre @ St Brides (Venue 123) includes the following:

The Spooky Men’s Chorale (6pm): They hail from the Blue Mountains of Australia and employ a devastating combination of musical sensibilities, cavernous vocal chords and extreme silliness to explore the paradoxes of later day masculinity. This is the Spookies’ sixth visit to the Fringe heralding a new album. Their last UK tour in 2013 saw sell-out concerts and ecstatic festival audiences.

Dick Gaughan (8pm): The only performer to hold the dual honours of a Lifetime Achievement award by BBC Radio 2 Folk Awards and induction into the Scots Tradional Music Hall of Fame. He returns for his annual hometown solo Fringe performance.

Elective Afinities (3.45): You are invited to tea with Alice Haupmann for a one-women play revealing her furious intolerance on social issues.

Claude Bourbon (5.30pm): Claude is known throughout Europe and America for his amazing guitar performances that take in blues, Spanish, Middle Eastern and Russian stylings.

Sandy Brechin Band (7pm): Wild man of the accordion and front man of Burach and The Sensational Jimi Shandrix Experience, Sandy plays fast and funky favourites from his albums.

Bruce & Walker (8.30pm): Fringe sell-outs in 2014, two of Scotland’s fines singer/songwriters return.

Boundary Riders (10pm): Rachel Dawick, a New Zealand folk album award finalist, brings her tales of women in the 1800 in New Zealand to Edinburgh.

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The Aviva Tour of Britain 2015 arrives in the capital on 9 September and race organisers have revealed the first confirmed competitors for the cycling tournament.

Edinburgh will host the fourth stage of this year’s race, which will include some world-renowned riders setting off from Holyrood Park and along the Royal Mile before reaching the Meadows and Musselburgh.

The first cyclists to be announced include previous Tour of Britain winner Edvald Boasson Hagen (pictured) who will lead the MTN-Qhubeka p/b Samsung Team. It will be the first time that the Norwegian has ridden in the tournament since he won the 2009 edition. Fellow stage winner Gerald Ciolek, who took victory between Carlisle and Kendal in 2013, will also return as part of a strong six-rider line-up.

Joining him will be Eritrean Daniel Teklehaimanot, who made history at the Tour de France by becoming the first African rider to wear the iconic polka dot King of the Mountains jersey.Serge Pauwels will also come to the Aviva Tour of Britain off the back of a strong Tour de France, having finished a career best 13th overall before going on to finish second in this month’s test event for the 2016 Rio de Janeiro Olympic Road Race.

The final two members of the provisional MTN-Qhubeka p/b Samsung line-up are former Tour de France stage winner Tyler Farrar and South African Reinardt Janse van Regensburg.

Edvald Bassoon Hagen said: “I have good memories from winning stages in the Aviva Tour of Britain in the past, and look forward to come back to race there again. My form has been pretty good over the last few weeks, so I hope to get some good results in some of the stages”.

Race Director Mick Bennett added: “We are always pleased to welcome back former winners of the Aviva Tour of Britain so are delighted to see Edvald returning to the race. This is a very strong line-up from MTN-Qhubeka p/b Samsung, showing a real sign of intent and their ambitions towards the race. In particular we are excited to welcome Daniel Teklehaimanot to make his debut at the Aviva Tour of Britain after his strong showing in the Tour de France.”

The City of Edinburgh Council campaigned to bring the Aviva Tour of Britain to Edinburgh and is a funding partner of the event. The race is British Cycling’s premier road cycling event giving cycling fans the opportunity to see the world’s best teams and riders competing on their door step.

Councillor Richard Lewis, Festivals and Events Champion for the City of Edinburgh Council, said: “With 20 days to go the excitement for the Tour of Britain is really building in Edinburgh. The first wave of confirmed riders features some of the world’s most talented and award-winning cyclists – I can’t wait to hear who else will race the city’s streets on 9 September.”

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Today if you have a day off to play tourist in the city then there is still a lot to see and do.

First of all you might start off with breakfast at Serrano Manchego on Leith Walk. Their tortillas patties are delicious and their cafe con leche supreme.

So after that you could find out what is on today through the Virgin Money half price hut – without leaving the comfort of your home or indeed the cafe of your choice.

Just click here and there will be a list for you to peruse!

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