15/06/2011 BBC Wales Today

Good evening, tonight's top story: Plans to charge students �9,000 for

university courses are rejected. Ministers say universities should

do more to attract students from poorer backgrounds. All Higher

Education institutions in Wales have been warned that as currently

presented, their fee plans would be Also tonight.

Controlling and abusive, Grant Yuill, who gave his daughter

methadone in her milk bottle is jailed for eight years.

I will be taking a closer look at Rapid Recovery surgery. Patience

earner the authors can get back on their feet after a major operations

quickly. It should reach speeds of a

designed in Swansea hoping to smash the landspeed record.

After failing to land both Alan Shearer and Malky Mackay, where

next for Cardiff City in their Good evening. Every university in

Wales has been told to go back to the drawing board over plans to

charge tuition fees up to �9,000. Education Minister Leighton Andrews

said universities were not meeting the Government's requirements on

All 10 Welsh universities have so that it plans for an increase in

tuition fees. We know what five of them want to charge. 5 I going for

the maximum �9,000 a year. It is not a done deal. The plans could be

rejected unless they make enough spaces available to people from all

kinds of backgrounds. Universities have basically been asked to

justify the increase in fees. It is important because the Welsh

government is paying for the increase on behalf of Welsh

students. It wants a return on its investment. Every university has

been asked to go back to the drawing board. I worry whether the

universities have taken this process seriously. What we are

considering in Wales is more robust than what is happening in England.

We want to see a real action to improve the student experience and

to attract more students from more deprived backgrounds. Universities

have under a nut to revise their plans. If rejected then, they were

not be able to raise fees beyond �4,000. All institutions are

working hard with the funding council to make sure they reach the

Grade I am confident that can happen. Not a single Welsh

university would be allowed to charge higher fees as it stands.

have got lots of students will be doing their final exams this summer

and they will be wanting to look at what universities are available,

what courses are available and how much money those courses will cost.

The government also needs to know what I'd have the basis to put its

sons together. The whole lot is completely and cost it. It is -- it

has not been thought through properly. There are three weeks to

resolve the situation. If Welsh universities cannot raise fees,

they will struggle and may even go bust. That is in nobody's interest.

They fed their baby daughter the drug methadone mixed into her

bottle of milk. Today, her father was jailed for eight years after

being found guilty of supplying methadone and heroin to the baby's

mother. The judge at Caernarfon Crown Court said the child was

lucky to survive. Grant Yuill, abusive and controlling, a

convicted drug dealer. He led his former cull front into a life of

addiction. They fed their daughter methadone. He supplied the drug.

And upsetting and distasteful case. Those were the words of one of the

barristers working on it. The child was lucky to have survived. Passing

sentence the judge said to gradual he must have known the ham he was

doing. This is the reaction of the father of Nia Wyn Jones, the former

girlfriends that mother of Grant Yuill's child. He has damaged the

family. To start with, I had no idea. Do you think she would have

got to this trouble without the influence of Grant Yuill? Know. I

don't, honestly. The court heard near Wynne-Jones's descent into

addiction. She used heroin and crack cocaine, sometimes combined

in a cocktail. During pregnancy, methadone was the drug of choice.

Grant Yuill supply curve. The baby was born an addict. They gave

methadone to their daughter to Orford -- overcome withdrawal

symptoms. It was not just the once. Over six month, the mother and

father continued to give the trek to the child. It was squirted into

her mouth, mixed into the milk. Nia Wyn Jones is serving three years

for her part in what happened. It was only after a string of visitors

-- visits to hospital that nurses realised what was going on. Babies

born to mothers with a picture is a reasonably common problem. But it

can be dealt with. Just think about the child, please seek immediately

medical attention. You'll find the medical services, the GP at

charitable services will be supportive. What of the child? The

court heard the method will have an impact on the child's development.

The Health Board said its staff acted appropriately. It is

upsetting case. $$NEWLNE The parents of a two year old girl

rescued from a fire which killed her grandfather and uncle say she's

in a life-threatening condition after two operations. Emmy Taylor

is being treated at Alder Hey Hospital in Liverpool after the

blaze in a caravan near Barmouth. Her parents have asked people to

pray for her. A 16-year-old boy has been arrested

on suspicion of arson, theft and criminal damage, as police continue

their investigation into a gorse fire at Solva in Pembrokeshire last

Tuesday. A 19-year-old girl was also arrested. Both have been

released on bail. A team of wildlife experts have

failed in their second attempt to remove a leopard from a zoo in

Ceredigion. The Cat Survival Trust spent six hours trying to lure

Rajah from his enclosure at Borth Animalarium near Aberystwyth.

Magistrates ordered the removal last year after the zoo admitted

not having the right paperwork. The number of people out of work in

Wales has fallen for the second month in succession. It now stands

at 115,000. That's down 9,000 on the quarter. It means the

unemployment rate here now stands at 7.9% of the working population.

That's slightly above the average for the UK as a whole. Here's our

business correspondent Nick Servini. Companies like this are helping to

get more people into work. Today's figures are encouraging. Despite

that, last month, 1700 more people started claiming jobseeker's

allowance. For Liz Boyle, that does not include her now. She has

recently joined the design team at a construction company in Cardiff

after being unemployed for a couple of years. We had Jobseeker's

Allowance, child tax credit and that is what we had to live on.

There was a lot of reliance on my parents. I am lucky to have parents

who would not let us go hungry. also found out today that different

parts of the economy and fearing So far, there have been relatively

few compulsory redundancies in the public sector in Wales. We will

probably see a drop of of about 10% in the jobs coming into our sector.

The rest of the UK have had bigger cuts. The jobs coming in his cell

about 37%. Wales has not been hit as hard. Public sector unions say

those redundancies are around the corner but they have not happened

yet. The cutbacks have been felt that the incoming end with low-

level of recruitment in the public sector. The focus will be on

private sector recruitment and events like this in Cardiff today.

A business show. Will that recruitment happen? For many bosses,

not straight away. Everything is on hold. We were going right to the

rafters. Then we will look to recruit in six months' time.

Overall, a good set of figures today. Many more are needed for

confidence to return. We'll have more on the jobs front

later. I will be meeting some young people who have not had the best

time in education to see if they can cut it as chefs of the future.

And we'll be live at one of the most prestigious opera competitions

Doctors in Wrexham say they've managed to halve the time patients

need to stay in hospital for major surgery like knee replacements.

Teams from around Europe have been studying the Rapid Replacement

Programme which gets patients up and walking within hours of an

operation. Our Health Correspondent Hywel Griffith's report contains

Kathleen Oftedal needs a new knee, her second replacement in two years.

Traditionally she would have needed a week in hospital to recover, but

doctors at Wrexham's Maelor Hospital plan to have her back on

her feet much, much sooner. sooner you get the joint working,

the better it is. It is a little bit painful but they do give you

painkillers to combat that. If you get the joint working straight away,

you can dispense with the catches much quicker. You could be out in a

couple of days. There could be out on Friday. A what is the benefit of

that early discharge could work I would rather be home than in

hospital. The Rapid Recovery Programme starts weeks before the

operation when patients are talked through the procedure, and given

the expectation of being mobile within hours of the operation.

Localised, rather than general anaesthetic is used and according

to surgeon Tony Smith, it is getting good results. We are seeing

much happier patients. They are getting out of hospital much more

quickly. We seem to have seen a decrease in the complication rate

as well. At the moment, it looks like an hour early complication

rates, such as thromboses, seemed to have gone down. Her new knee is

in place. In a few hours should -- she could be back up on her feet

and starting her prose has of rehabilitation. A few hours later,

this is the result, the average hospital stay for patients like

Kathleen has been reduced from more than six days to just under three.

She's already mobile and getting use to life with her new knee.

can move my ankle very well and they can feel the top of my thigh.

It is pretty good. I can actually bend it. And by the following

lunchtime, Kathleen feels well enough to share her experience with

the next batch of patients lined up for Rapid Recovery. The health

board has already started doing hip replacements as part of the

programme, again halving the time needed in hospital and helping more

Earlier, we heard about the latest unemployment figures. Now, we're

off to meet 16 young people from Anglesey who've had varying degrees

of success in the jobs market. Now, they've reached the final stage of

a search for the Jamie Olivers of the future. They'll learn the ropes

in college before working alongside top chefs.

Getting their first glimpse of a professional kitchen, these 16 to

20-year-olds may not have had the best time at school or home, many

coming from disadvantaged backgrounds, but they've impressed

those setting up Anglesey's first Cadet Chef's Academy with their

attitude to cooking. Alex Timpson of the Timpson business empire is

one of those behind the project. is about being able to help young

people move on to the next stage where they can feel something --

where they feel they are worth something. The young chefs will

study catering at Coleg Menai, where the best will receive

qualifications and the top six will work in the new-look version of

this former hotel in Rhoseneigr. am 15 years old. I did catering in

school. They always try and put you into a job after it. I am 20 years

old. I was on jobseeker's allowance. I was into cooking before and I

wanted to get back into it. There are not many jobs going so you grab

what you can. I am 16. I have got a part-time job already but after I

leave that, there are not many jobs around.

Cardiff City have been making plenty of headlines today. Claire's

here with tonight's sport. Good evening. Cardiff City's hunt

for a new manager has taken plenty of twists and turns today. These

were the some of the headlines fans woke up to this morning. News that

former England captain, Alan Shearer, was to become the new boss.

When in fact, just after midnight, it was announced talks had broken

down and he wouldn't be taking the job. With Shearer out of the

running, attention has returned one again to the bookies favourite,

Watford manager Malky Mackay. Cardiff made an official approach

for his services today, but Watford have so far declined permission for

them to speak to him, saying they will do everything in their power

to keep him. So let's have a look at the man Cardiff City want.

Malcolm Mackay was born in 1972 in Bellshill near Glasgow. A former

Scottish international, he won five caps for his country. Mackay

replaced current Swansea City boss, Brendan Rodgers, at Vicarage Road

back in June 2009 when Rodgers left for Reading. Watford finished 14th

in the Championship this season but it's been enough to capture the

attention of the Bluebirds. Let's get the thoughts of former

Cardiff City captain, Jason Perry. It seems Mackay is the man they

want, but they've hit a bit of a stumbling block. Yes. You cannot

blame at Watford. He has done a good job but what fed so they will

try and keep hold of him. Malky Mackay might want to leave the good

Cardiff City and in that case, there will have to let him go.

have said tonight that the board need to discuss it further. He

signed a new deal with them in March. He is he the right man for

Cardiff City? I believe so. He embraces the modern methods of

sport. He is also somebody who has a clear method. He knows how to

defend and attack and the players fit into that method. Dave Jones

had good players and he put them out. I think he likes his

discipline as well. I think he will be a very good appointment.

payback -- the feedback from fans is that they are relieved it is not

Alan Shearer. I agree. Alan Shearer is known throughout the world as a

football player, not to manager. It did not go too well for him at

Newcastle. I think Cardiff City fans want somebody who has cut

their teeth and somebody who has ambition.

Welsh swimmer David Davies will not take part in next month's World

Championships in Shanghai. The Olympic silver medallist has been

advised to take a six week break before starting his preparations

for next year's Olympic Games. He says London is now his main

priority. Rugby, and Gareth Thomas has

decided to prolong his career for at least another season by signing

a new one year contract with the Crusaders. The 36-year-old, who's

played both league and union for Wales, had previously indicated he

would retire at the end of the current Super League campaign.

And at the National Swimming Championships in Sheffield, two

Welsh swimmers go in the finals tonight. Georgia Davies and Gemma

Lowe will both be aiming for medals. That's it. Back to you, Tomos.

It could reach speeds of a thousand miles per hour and the Swansea

engineers who helped design it aim to smash the world land speed

record in two years time. The Bloodhound, four years in

development, will be the fastest car in the world, as Matt Murray

reports. Developing a supersonic car takes

time and money. This is an �11 million project which has already

been in development for close to four years. The Bloodhound intends

to smash the existing world land speed record. At the moment, that

stands at 763mph, set by the Thrust Supersonic car in 1997. This was

aerodynamically designed at Swansea University and so is the Bloodhound.

But now, engineers are looking to go that much further and faster.

But this project isn't just about breaking records. The idea is to

create in a Connect project to attract the in a generation to take

on Engineering. -- iconic With major sponsorship deals secured,

construction on the Bloodhound has just got underway and this

prototype has gone on display in Bristol. Tony Parraman showed me

how every detail has to be considered, from the thickness of

the cockpit glass to wheels which are bullet proof. It will be the

aim -- to a mile in three seconds. To reach these speeds the car will

be fitted with a jet engine and a rocket. This runs on rocket fuel.

It will reach a speed of 1,000 miles an hour and it will need a

1,000 litres of the stuff. Wales' involvement with land speed records

dates back to the 1920s when it was broken on five occasions at Pendine

Sands in Carmarthenshire. This world record attempt will take

place in a desert in South Africa. Work is already underway with more

than 300 people removing every rock and stone in preparation. It'll

take the Bloodhound just 42 seconds to reach a speed of 1,000 mph. Six

years of work all over in less than a minute, but a legacy which will

live on and inspire future generations of engineers.

It's launched the careers of some of the biggest opera stars. The

BBC's Cardiff Singer of the World competition is on all week and

tonight it's the turn of the singer representing Wales, John Pierce, to

take the stage. Colette Hume is at St. David's Hall for us tonight.

Take a look at this fantastic venue. And a few minutes, the crowds will

start to arrive for the third night of the competition. The local boy

takes his place on the stage tonight. He has a big job to do. So

far, the judges have chosen a soprano and a mezzo-soprano. Could

he be the first man this week to take centre stage year? It is an

amazing opportunity for young singers to make their mark on the

operatic stage. In a few moments, we will talk to one of the greats

of the world of opera but first, our reporter went to meet the new

patron and judge of the Cardiff Singer of the World competition.

The English soprano Mita Raval's winning performance in last night's

round to find this year's BBC Cardiff Singer of the World. 600

budding opera stars auditioned, but only 20 were invited to Wales to

compete for the coveted title. And this year, the competition has a

new patron and judge. Dame Kiri Te Kanawa has been a favourite of

opera audiences for more than 40 years. But how can she and her

fellow judges choose from so much talent? There is a variation of the

and people here. Some are very experienced and some are not. What

we are looking at is their performance. A young Bryn Terfel

competing here more than 20 years ago at the start of his successful

career. Dame Kiri says she'd like to see the event give more young

stars the chance to shine. We get more than one singer coming through.

I would like to see that. Many more singers that have opportunities.

The rounds continue this evening, and the winner will be announced on

Sunday. Joining me here is Dennis O'Neill.

Thank you for joining us. What you think of the standard of the

competitors that you and your fellow judges have seen so far?

cannot be too specific because of the BBC regulations but I am very

pleased. We are halfway through now so it is a critical moment. The

standard, as always, varies. These things are so pressurised for the

singers. It can vary even with one singers performance. You have

signed in all the great opera houses. What is it like for these

and people who come on to this stage tonight, trying to make their

mark? It is very very frightening. They will get a disproportionate

idea of the importance of one single evening but the businesses

like that. It is cruel. It is an immensely competitive business.

They don't have the experience of getting through way to achieving --

through a tough evening. We are looking forward to a great night of

singing here. Thank you very much. From here at St David's Hall, let

me hand you over to Derek for the weather forecast.

The weather hit something of a low note today with some rain, drizzle

and showers. And the River Taff here is higher than it has been.

The changeable weather is set to continue over the next few days. A

mixture of sunshine and showers tomorrow with a dose of heavy rain

expected on Friday. Now later this evening, a total eclipse of the

moon will take place. The moon will turn dark red as it rises low on

the horizon in the south-eastern sky at around 9:25pm. Some cloud is

likely but with a bit of luck you may catch a glimpse of it. The next

one is on December the 10th. This evening, the odd shower but

otherwise dry. However, there is a risk of rain in the south after

midnight. Lowest temperatures, 8C to 12C. Tomorrow, low pressure over

to 12C. Tomorrow, low pressure over the Atlantic will be in control of

our weather and that means unstable air and showers. Tomorrow, the

weather more like April than June. Some dry weather. Some sunshine,

but towering clouds will bring showers. These will be hit and miss

but if you catch one, it could be heavy with perhaps a rumble of

thunder. Top temperatures, 14C and 17C, with a west to south-westerly

breeze. In Carmarthenshire tomorrow, some sunshine but with heavy

showers as well. Temperatures in Llandovery rising to 15C. Some tide

times. The time of high water in Conwy, 1111 and 1111. The sea

temperature around 13C. On Friday, the weather looks set to go

downhill. A dry start but turning wet. Some persistent rain and

freshening winds. Feeling cool as well. Over the weekend, not looking

very summery. Cool and windy on Saturday with sunny intervals and

heavy showers. Sunday will be better. Fewer showers and more in

the way of dry weather and sunshine. Less windy too, so feeling a shade

warmer. So sunshine and showers tomorrow. Turning wet on Friday and

no sign of summer returning over the weekend. From the banks of the

the weekend. From the banks of the Taff, goodbye.