14/03/2012 BBC Wales Today

Welcome to Wales Today. Tonight's top story: St Asaph is awarded city

status to mark the Queen's Diamond Jubilee. It is amazing, the feel

that there is. You had an ecclesiastical City feel to the

place but now to have this stamp is absolutely amazing. The cathedral

city finally gets officially recognised and the celebrations

have already begun. Also tonight: A Welsh journalist

held in Libya is transferred by a militia to government control after

three weeks in captivity. I am just looking forward to seeing my family.

On the day bans on smoking on hospital grounds come into force, a

cancer charity calls for an outright ban. I know that smoking

is not good when you are pregnant. It is especially not good when you

are pregnant. And Grand Slam fever comes to Beddau Rugby Club. Gethin

Jenkins is back at his old club three days before the big match.

Good evening. St Asaph has become Wales' newest city, joining Cardiff,

Swansea, Newport, Bangor and St David's. A rank outsider, it was

recognised along with Perth in Scotland and Chelmsford in England,

as part of the Queen's Diamond Jubilee celebrations. Those behind

the successful bid hope it'll bring more visitors there. Matthew

Richards is at St Asaph Cathedral. Thank you very much. Even its most

enthusiastic supporters were surprised at the success. It has

been Andy -- ecclesiastical City for hundreds of years. But now

there is relief it has finally been recognised.

We are having some technical difficulties with that piece. Let's

bring you the Bishop of St Asaph. First of all, why do you think St

Asaph was successful? We stress that but we did not think it was

about size or economic status but it was more about the quality of

community life that Britain wanted to commend in the 20th century,

21st century even. We believe that St Asaph is a caring community. It

has a very successful hospice. It is a cultural place. We have the

North Wales international music festival here. It is a praying

place. This cathedral has lived here for 1,500 years. We have got a

lot going for us. Having noted a spring in people's

step today? Absolutely. I think there is a sense of amazement. I do

not think we thought we were going to win but there is a sense of joy

as well. It does give something of confidence, of excitement, of hope

for the future. Thank you very much. Let's go back to that peace and see

the reaction in the city. St Asaph is not your stereotypical

city. Ponder just 3,500 people, it is now the second smallest city in

the UK after St David's. It 6th century cathedral is the smallest

in Wales. The first Bible translated into Welsh is kept here.

I think the sense of community, the fact it had so much support from

such a wide range of people. The fact it does have is fantastic,

rich cultural heritage. And of course, I think that it shows that

it does not matter how small you are, you can be recognised on the

major stage. I think it is a recognition of the city, and

history of the town, recognised by her Majesty herself. Only three in

the whole of the United Kingdom have had this added his be great

honour. St Asaph lost out to Newport in 2002. It was chosen over

Wrexham, where there has been a mixed reaction. It is the principal

town in North Wales. It is ridiculous. I prefer the town like.

Naturally enough, it is disappointing but we were up

against well-qualified submissions. Naturally, we are pleased that

someone in North Wales has done so well out of it. The little city of

St Asaph it has regularly been at the centre of big events. It has a

turbulent history. It suffered severely from the fury

of the parliamentarians in 1645. But it bounced back and in a

quieter age has been the host of an international music Fussell in

recent years. The Royal Collection is nothing new. -- Festival.

We also have an associate composer who wrote the music that was

another William and Kate's wedding. There are many famous faces from

this place. They can join current residents in celebrating city

status. Let's hope it brings more people into the city. I am so

pleased. We will have to have a party.

Former St Asaph resident Henry Morton Stanley we presume would no

doubt East -- thrilled that Fe Community's efforts to put this

blaze on the map have played off. -- this place on the map.

My son think that skyscrapers will be built tomorrow. We have the

Jubilee Service at the end of May and a party for the Jubilee in June.

Andy double reason to celebrate. And then I think it is asking

visitors to come and enjoy the history and the culture and it is

about the shops and thinking about how to expand their business, the

cathedral seeking to extend its mission. New openings and new

opportunities. From one city to another. Lucy in Cardiff.

The Welsh cameraman who was detained by a Libyan militia group

last month along with another journalist has been handed over to

the Libyan government. The pair, Gareth Montgomery-Johnson, who is

from Carmarthen, and Nick Davies- Jones, who were working for an

Iranian news channel, were accused of spying. Caroline Evans reports.

They've been held captive now for a month, accused of entering Libya

illegally and spying. We are sorry if we caused any inconvenience. It

was not intended. It was a mistake that could not be avoided. But we

love Libya. We came here to film its struggle for freedom and

reported on the news. I have great hope for Libya and I still do.

two men were captured in the Libyan capital Tripoli on February 22

while working as freelancers with the Iranian state owned TV channel.

At a press conference, the militia who held them showed the media

photographs and footage which they said showed them test-firing

weapons. In the new video, Gareth Montgomery-Johnson says he

understands why there had to be an investigation. We were treated well.

We have not been hurt. I am looking forward to seeing my family. I am

told we will be released. Foreign Office has confirmed that

the men have been handed over to the Libyan government. The Interior

Ministry in Tripoli which says it will decide whether to press

charges. We're now joined by Melanie Gribble,

Gareth's sister, in our Carmarthen newsroom. You've seen today's

pictures. How does your brother look to you? He looks troubled and

exhausted. Does it worry you when you see those pictures of him?

I think we have got a journey to take when he gets back, which he is

going to have to heal and rest. has been handed over to the Libyan

government. Have you heard any more about what is going on? Not at all.

The only update I have had is that he is with the Libyan government.

We feel safer because of that. the Foreign Office been able to

tell you anything else at all? at all. They have not had any

reports back from Tripoli that they can pass on to us yet. When did you

hear from them and what was it like getting the news? Actually, we were

alerted to a report last - late last night which we tried getting

confirmed by ringing the global response unit. Unfortunately, they

were unable to confirm it added has been a waiting game since late bets

late last night. It does sound as if he is going to be one step

closer to coming home. Absolutely. And how does that make you feel?

Good. But I do not think we are out of the water yet. Until he is back

home, I still have to remain vigilant. The cancer charity

Tenovus has called for an outright ban on smoking. It says the cost of

treating tobacco related diseases is denying the health service

millions. From today, bans on smoking on hospital grounds are

being enforced across most of Wales. 23% of adults here are smokers. The

Welsh Government wants that down to 16% by the end of the decade.

Taking their last few puffs in public. From today, smoking has

been banned right across the grounds of this hospital in Newport.

Even the shelter has been dismantled. It leaves smokers know

where to go. They will be asked politely if they could perhaps

extinguish that cigarette and leave the hospital grounds. This is not

really about whether people smoke, it is about where they smoke.

some feel their rights have been taken away. There are people in

there that are really ill and on their last legs -- legs, they want

that fag. I have been smoking since I was 11. I am 50 years old now. I

have got a clean chest and everything else. Six out of seven

health boards in Wales now operate bans across their premises. One

cancer charity wants to go further. And effectively make smoking

illegal. If you snogging your own home, it still does it will still

cost the NHS -- smoke in your own home. It is important. We have

chipped away at No Smoking. Be a gun to run out of areas to smoke.

It is time to think about be bigger question. The relationship between

smokers and the NHS in Wales is slowly changing but inside

hospitals like this one, the cost of treating smoke is said to be a

million pounds a day. 22 % of was women smoke throughout

pregnancy. It is the highest rate in the UK. They see the health

effects on the maternity ward. lot of women do not really

understand discontented babies. It has had nicotine throughout the

pregnancy and then when the baby is born, it does not have that

nicotine. It has withdrawal from the nicotine which then the baby is

crying a lot. Victoria is the proud mother of a

newborn Amelia and a smoker. Although she has managed to cut

down. To stop altogether was really hard. I thought at least if I cut

down the amount of nicotine I am having, at that will have some sort

of benefit rather than smoking 20 per day. The Welsh government says

it does not have the powers to ban smoking completely but ultimately

it wants a smoke-free society. The debate over where and when people

can smoke seems to be shifting. A leading Welsh economist says many

of the predictions on job losses in the public sector have not become

reality yet. It comes as figures show that there have been 17,000

cuts in the Welsh public sector over the past two years, that's

under 5% of the workforce. The donations were pouring in abbeys

call centre in Swansea. It was holding a celebration of recruiting

staff. The latest unemployment figures

have shown a slight rise in Wales with plenty of people out there

looking for work. Recruitment has not been a problem here. Some

people are leaving a job to come and join us. Some have been

unemployed for two years. I have not over the last three months had

anyone unemployed for more than two years. But when you're 22, being

unemployed for two years is a large chunk of your life. Places like

this dating on about 60 people per month are unusual but on the whole,

unemployment is holding its own in Wales at about 9% of the workforce.

A survey out this week by a major bank says that there were losses in

the service sector but they were being balanced out by gains in

manufacturing. We also had an indication of what

is happening in the public sector. At the end of 2011, 335,000 public

sector workers, down 8,000 on the year, a reduction of 2.2 %. That is

less than half the 4.7 reduction in the public sector workforce over

the past year in England. One economist says many forecasts

had predicted that towns and cities across Wales would have been hit

harder by now. In reality, they have not because the job losses in

Wales have only been 2%. In England, they have been over four Prasad.

The reasons for that are competitive. It may be that in

England, they are basically outsourcing many of the public

sector jobs in local authorities. It may be we will see this big

increase next year but it will not -- it has not happened so far.

There were some positive elements today. Most notably -- noticeably a

significant reduction in the number of people economically inactive.

Still to come on the programme: Grand Slam fever comes to Beddau

Rugby Club. Gethin Jenkins is back at his old club three days before

the big match. The next ten years represents a

once in a lifetime chance for Wales to earn billions of pounds of

investment and thousands of new jobs. That was the bold claim today

from First Minister Carwyn Jones as he launched his Energy Strategy. It

calls for an overhaul of the planning system. More from our

Environment Correspondent, Iolo ap Dafydd.

Work to extend infrastructure around the gas fired power station.

Just across the river, a second electricity sub-station is an

almost complete. Part of a system to join Britain and Ireland's power

networks. Today, the First Minister announced a strategy to try and

maximise the jobs we received from such investments will stop when it

comes to the large-scale windfarms, we know it will be a quango that

will decide the fate of those windfarms. That will impose English

planning policy on Wales. What can the was government do? We need the

same kind of system that exists elsewhere. A streamlined system

that has to be democratically accountable. It also a system that

means that this is us will be taken quickly. Today's launch of the

energy strategy emphasised the need to improve the planning system, as

well as infrastructure. Last May, hundreds of protesters from mid-

Wales angry at the prospect of more wind turbines and the pilot's to go

with them call for a review of something called Tan eight, the

government policy to encourage windfarms in seven specific areas

of Wales. It was in itself a great idea and a great process to go

through for Wales. It has spectre cleanest its targets for 2010. I

think now is the time to redress that -- spectacularly. There are

maintenance jobs but if you take the Shia investment that is being

put in, the return on jobs is miniscule.

And against the major industry for mid-Wales, which is tourism. That

will be badly hit. The difficulty for the wiles government is it has

no control over a large energy projects -- Welsh government. Those

powers are not evolve. The mixed messages from Cardiff Bay on

windfarms and proposed new pylons in mid-Wales has been confusing.

There was hardly any mention of that today.

A report into education in Denbighshire has found a dramatic

improvement during the last five years. Standards are said to be

good in all areas, with leadership of education services ranked

excellent. In 2007, the inspection body Estyn described education in

the county as unsatisfactory. Plaid Cymru members have just a few

hours to vote in a leadership election that's seen as crucial to

party's future. Members have to choose between the former Presiding

Officer Dafydd Elis-Thomas, the former Rural Affairs Minister and

Ceredigion AM Elin Jones, and South Wales Central AM Leanne Wood. Our

Welsh Affairs Editor, Vaughan Roderick, joins us now. Who's going

to win? I think what I would say is if I was a betting man, I would

stick to the Cheltenham Festival. What has happened is Elin Jones no

doubt started as a narrow favourite. Leanne Wood then went off with a

rocket and there are signs in the last days of the campaign that

Dafydd Elis Thomas may have been picking up support. Every one of

these candidates can sketch out a scenario where they win. The truth

is it probably depends on who gets knocked out. It is an alternative

vote election. It is likely to be decided by second choices.

It is impossible to call. Impossible even to say who is the

favourite. When will we know? The vote ends at 12 o'clock

tomorrow lunchtime. People can bring in their vote right up until

the last minute and then they will start counting. Plaid Cymru say

they have learnt lessons from the Conservatives. They kept

journalists hanging around for hours. They are not saying what

thing they will announce it. -- time. Whether his victorious World

start out on the hard job of rebuilding Plaid Cymru -- whether

Football and Cardiff City are out of the Championship play off places,

after losing to Hull 3-0 last night. Manager Malky MacKay says there

were two massive errors made by officials, during the game and

he'll be sending the footage to the referees' association. He says it

shows an equaliser ruled out in the first half, and the final goal,

which appeared offside, cost his team valuable points. Better news

thoraxes it does Wrexham. -- better news for Wrexham. Tonight, Wales

coach Warren Gatland will be putting the finishing touches to

his team selection, for Saturday's Grand Slam decider against France.

He'll name the side tomorrow. One man certain to be picked, is last

weekend's captain, Gethin Jenkins, who's hoping to win his third Grand

Slam in eight seasons. This evening, he's back at his old rugby club in

the Rhondda, and our sports reporter, Ashleigh Crowter, is

there too. Thanks, Claire. Rugby clubs all

over Wales will come to standstill on Saturday afternoon, as they

watch the Grand Slam game. But here in Beddau, they have a very

personal connection to the match. The reason - this man, Gethin

Jenkins. He started his playing career here as a 13-year-old and

tonight he's come back to old club to answer questions from the junior

players here. This is where it all started for you. You must have good

memories. It has produced a lot of players through the system. It will

be very busy appear on Saturday. Everyone excited and looking

forward to the game. He won here is part of the project to get people

involved in rugby -- you are here. This club has a big part to play in

the committee. A lot of my friends are still from the area. They have

put a lot of working to get this club working at the top level. It

is great that they will be up here supporting us. You have already

one-to- grants lambs. -- two Grand Slam us. Yesterday was pretty

intense. It is a big occasion a Saturday. It will be electric out

there. We are looking forward to it. Who is your favourite player?

George North. Not Gethin Jenkins? Never mind!

How good has it been to ask Gethin Jenkins some questions are they?

is good to speak to him and asking some questions. It is not the first

time I have spoken to him. He came to our club to do presentations.

Who is going to win on Saturday? Wales of course. I think that is

what everyone thinks at Beddau rugby club. I am sure George North

will be delighted! He's a man with plenty of Olympic experience.

Having competed at the Sydney, Athens and Beijing Games, Christian

Malcolm is aiming for his fourth Olympics. And this weekend, the

sprinter from Newport is heading to America for training. Tomos Dafydd

caught up with him. The glamour and glory of the Olympics seemed a long

way away when training alone on a cold March morning in Cardiff. By

the time the Olympic Games come around, Christian Malcolm will be

33 and he knows exactly what is needed to make it to the Games.

is different. I am not a young kid any more. This is everyone's first

home Olympics. It is new to everyone. It is totally new. It

does almost feel like preparing for the Sydney Olympics again. It is

about Olympic Games 12 years ago that Kristian mark and started his

Olympic career. He finished 5th then -- Christian Malcolm. It

painful experience in Athens, hospitalised with a kidney problem,

he did not qualify for the public - - finals.

But he returned for the Beijing Olympics in 200 weight. -- 2008.

Television appearances followed but soon Christian Malcolm would have

to rely on it media work, public appearances and help from family,

just to pay the bills after losing his lottery funding.

He even contemplated retirement. was hard. It was really hard. I

always try to take a positive from a negative. You think the world is

Gunter went, what is and will happen, where my Gunter get the

money? But you always find a way. Christian Mark and insists he is

still have the best in the world. He is aiming to end his career at

the London Olympics -- Christian Time now for the weather forecast.

I have been looking forward to Saturday.

Yes, the weather is on the change by Friday but we are stuck with the

cloudy weather this evening. We will see some clearer conditions

across parts of Wales. We will see temperatures dipping away. We could

see a touch of frost. Cloudy and the West. Overnight temperatures as

low as three Celsius. High pressure tomorrow moving away and saddling

itself across mainland Europe. We will see the weather front moving

in from the West. First thing tomorrow morning, it is a gloomy

start a prop -- a cross seven starts. -- across South Wales.

Further showers inland. Top temperatures 13 Celsius.

Friday, we will see that rain band pushing its way in South and

eastwards. Top temperatures told degree Celsius. It is great news

for farmers and gardeners with all that rain. Saturday morning, it

will start OFWAT. Becoming dry. Today's picture is a foggy sea from

Janet Morris. It's coming up to 7:00pm. Let's get

an update on the top stories. A Welsh journalist held in Libya has

been handed over by a militia which captured into the Libyan government.

What is the latest you can tell us from Tripoli?

They are still in the custody of the Libyan authorities but they

have been handed over by this rebel group. I think they may be released

in a couple of days, may be deported. The Libyan government

will now decide whether to prosecute them or not for entering

the country illegally. But the feeling is those charges will

probably be dropped and they will be deported.