Plans to overhaul a Dumfries square which surrounds a statue of Robert Burns are facing a delay due to a hold-up in a delivery of Chinese granite.

BBC: Robert Burns statue square works face Chinese stone delay

Soon what I thought was a minor traffic hold-up became a frightening delay in sweltering, dry harmattan heat.

BBC: African viewpoint: Christmas in Lagos

While neither candidate can hold up the plan themselves, they can create the space for its opponents in Congress to delay it, BBC North America editor Justin Webb notes.

BBC: US bail-out plan provokes doubts