10/07/2014 BBC Wales Today

question is, will more competition deliver better programmes? That's

all from us. A Schools, courts,

job centres and council services have all been disrupted today

as public sector workers here joined Union leaders claim pay

freezes leave low paid Standing side-by-side. They are

expressed their anger over pay, pensions and working conditions. The

unions say the average public sector employees has more than ?2200 worse

off every year since the UK Government froze salaries in 2010

and then introduced a 1% cap on pay rises a couple of years later.

Around 300 people have gathered on Castle Square in Swansea and their

message is clear. Enough is enough. People sometimes only appreciate

public services when they are withdrawn. This is a last resort. We

hope people will tolerate the fact that we are standing for federally

funded public services. It is estimated 70,000 public sector

workers were part of the walk-out today in Wales. Firefighters have

also been striking over pensions and retirement age. We feel we have been

forced into a corner by this Government. Firefighters working and

to the age of 60 will put people at danger. We need the government to

come back to the table to negotiate. The Welsh Local Government

Association said a strike will not change anything and their employees

are already being offered the best deal in a challenging economic

climate. It is a strike against the public and a recovering economy and

it is also an intimidation to a lot of people who would not have voted

in favour of a strike. Away from the demonstrations, it has been a day of

disruption for many. I half of Welsh schools were closed. It was a bit

short notice. It is a lot of money because they do not have the

baby-sitters. The teachers do a fantastic job and I do understand

why they are doing this. There was a limited service at the National

library and most of our museum sites were closed. People putting out the

rubbish had to bring it back in in Neath. On the roads, there was

congestion with Cardiff 's Bute closed and rush-hour traffic being

brought to a standstill. Firefighters have now returned to

work and other public sector workers will be on strike until midnight.

A nine-year-old girl has been taken to hospital after she became stuck

among sea defence boulders while playing hide and seek.

The rescue at Aberaeron this afternoon involved coastguards,

A lifeboat crewman had to submerge himself in the water to free

She was taken to hospital as a precaution.

Campaigners have lost their high court fight to stop

services being lost from Withybush Hospital in Pembrokeshire

A judge has dismissed their legal challenges against

Hywel Dda health board saying he was wholly unconvinced that the

Their protest and pleas couldn?t have been louder.

But so far, they failed to hit their mark.

Campaigners have been battling on two fronts:

In Pembrokeshire, against plans to close the special care baby unit

and the loss of consultancy led maternity care at Withybush.

There are worries about the distances patients will

have to travel on these rural roads when services move to Carmarthen.

And in Llanelli, against plans to downgrade the A and E at Prince

Philip into a GP and nurse-led unit. Today, a judge ruled both

these decisions are lawful. We are a little bit despondent

and upset at the moment with regards to the decision of the court.

However, as a group, we must accept that it has gone

through the legal process and we must move on from here.

Mr Justice Hickinbottom said there was no doubting the sincerity

of the claimants who deeply believe the changes should not be made.

But he said the courts were only concerned with the lawfulness

of the decisions and he was wholly unconvinced that any aspect of the

procedure was unfair or unlawful. Campaigners say they may have lost

the legal argument, but they will fight on.

In my opinion, it is totally dangerous and I do believe that

people will die on the road between Pembrokeshire and Carmarthen.

These artist impressions show how the new maternity unit in Carmarthen

will look when it opens in August. Today the health board said they

hoped this judgement provided staff, patients and members of the public

with the assurance they needed. The Welsh Government have welcomed

this ruling, saying that health services here need to evolve

and modernise to meet the changing needs of the population and to take

full advantage of new benefits of technology and the advancement

in clinical skills. A spokesperson called today?s judgement

an important one for the future of services here in Wales.

Vulnerable children and young people in the care system across Wales are

still being denied the right to an independent, professional voice,

That's according to the Children's Commissioner for Wales who says that

while there has been progress, it's been too patchy and slow.

The Welsh Government disagrees, and says it's committed to empowering

Tasha Wood has been in the care system for nine years.

When I was younger, perhaps I could have done with an advocate to get a

deeper understanding of what was going on. I was informed and

everything but an advocate could have explained it to me so that I

had a deeper understanding because I was only a child. If I had something

to say, they could have put it across for me.

Three Welsh Premier sides have all crashed out of the Europa League.

After drawing the first leg 1-1 at home, Airbus UK lost 2-1 in Norway.

It was a heavy defeat for Aberystwyth Town.

They lost 5-0 against Derry City, after already facing a 4-0 deficit.

It was also bad news for Bangor City.

Poet Owen Sheers has won Wales Book of the Year at a ceremony

The writer also won the Roland Mathias Poetry Award for Pink Mist.

In Welsh, Ioan Kidd won the book prize and People's Choice

It means a huge amount. Any book you embark on, you really

go into the dark and never really know where it?s

going to end. To have it recognised in this way,

and among such a strong shortlist. Weather time now and another warm

day, but will it last? Sue's here. Cardiff was the hot spot. Cooler in

the West. Clear spells and some cloud around. Maybe a few spots of

rain further west. Not amounting to much. Some coastal mist and

remaining dry. Tomorrow, we are sandwiched between a couple of

whether France. A warm front will bring rain, it will weaken. Tomorrow

is largely dried with bright and sunny spells. Across the UK, a

greater zone in the middle. Cloudy with some rain further east and

across Northern Ireland as both weather systems edge closer.

Remaining humid. McGee for border counties tomorrow. 23 Celsius in

Monmouthshire. 18 Celsius all Saturday, fine at first. Cloud and

showery rain will push on from the west later. Remaining humid. As

these friends push in late on Saturday and into Sunday, there will

be a more unsettled Atlantic influence to our weather. Those

showers will clear early on Sunday and turn into a bright and breezy

day. More in the way of sunshine by the afternoon. The weekend starts

humid with sunshine and showers. Slightly fresher and changeable on

Sunday and into the start of next week. More humid again from mid

onwards. That is Wales Today. We will have updates in the morning

onwards. That is Wales Today. We will have updates in the from six

o'clock.