17/01/2016

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:00:13. > :00:14.BBC Wales understands around a thousand workers

:00:15. > :00:17.could lose their jobs in the steel industry in Wales.

:00:18. > :00:19.It's thought Tata Steel are about to announce

:00:20. > :00:23.that the losses will be mainly at their Port Talbot plant.

:00:24. > :00:26.There are calls for politicians to do more to intervene

:00:27. > :00:32.Here's our political correspondent, Arwyn Jones.

:00:33. > :00:35.Where once the economic blizzards of former years swept

:00:36. > :00:38.across Port Talbot, there now emerges the Abbey steel works...

:00:39. > :00:42.When it was built over 40 years ago, the Port Talbot plant

:00:43. > :00:46.was the largest in Europe, but things change.

:00:47. > :00:50.Cheap imports from China, a strong pound and high energy costs

:00:51. > :00:54.have led to thousands of job losses elsewhere in the UK.

:00:55. > :00:58.Now BBC Wales understands that hundreds of jobs could go as early

:00:59. > :01:01.as tomorrow all over Wales, but mainly at Port Talbot.

:01:02. > :01:05.Port Talbot is massively important to the British economy.

:01:06. > :01:08.Probably in 2014, it accounted for a third of the steel produced

:01:09. > :01:15.So we've seen a number of job losses since then,

:01:16. > :01:18.so, to a certain extent, if we want a manufacturing base

:01:19. > :01:21.and we want steel, Port Talbot is the jewel in the crown,

:01:22. > :01:23.not just in Wales, but in the whole of the UK.

:01:24. > :01:26.Now there are concerns that further job losses could be the end

:01:27. > :01:31.We're watching the industry that we love and we have been

:01:32. > :01:38.so much of a part of in terms of Welsh industrial history,

:01:39. > :01:40.we're watching that decline to the point where it's so serious,

:01:41. > :01:44.it could be going over a cliff, and that's the end of it.

:01:45. > :01:49.The Italian government has already intervened here at Europe's

:01:50. > :01:54.Ilva in the south of the country was making huge losses,

:01:55. > :01:56.so ministers intervened to essentially nationalise the plant

:01:57. > :02:04.Speaking on BBC Radio Wales this morning, Plaid Cymru's leader said

:02:05. > :02:08.There needs to be some sort of urgent action,

:02:09. > :02:12.and all options considered to protect those jobs.

:02:13. > :02:15.When I say all options considered, I mean that the Government should

:02:16. > :02:20.really take seriously the option of taking in a temporary part stake

:02:21. > :02:25.in the industry, like has been done elsewhere in Italy and in Germany,

:02:26. > :02:29.in order to protect those vitally important jobs to the Welsh economy.

:02:30. > :02:31.Wales' First Minister said the UK Government should be

:02:32. > :02:37.If you look at the way Italy has done it, Italy has effectively

:02:38. > :02:40.taken its steel industry into public ownership and is selling it again,

:02:41. > :02:41.so the state aid issue doesn't really apply.

:02:42. > :02:46.I hope we don't get to that position in the UK, but,

:02:47. > :02:49.if we do, the UK Government must be ready to make sure it supports

:02:50. > :02:52.the steel industry in Wales and gets it through this difficult patch.

:02:53. > :02:55.It's been a central part of the Welsh economy for decades,

:02:56. > :03:03.but the steel industry is now facing some very difficult challenges.

:03:04. > :03:06.New eye-care services are to be introduced in Mid and West Wales,

:03:07. > :03:09.to reduce journey times for hundreds of people.

:03:10. > :03:13.Patients in the Hywel Dda University Health Board area,

:03:14. > :03:15.with wet, age-related macular degeneration,

:03:16. > :03:18.currently have to travel to Ammanford or Aberystwyth.

:03:19. > :03:22.But new centres in Pembrokeshire and South Ceredigion are planned,

:03:23. > :03:25.to bring services closer to patients.

:03:26. > :03:28.For the first time, people in Wales are being given the chance

:03:29. > :03:31.to explore the Welsh National Book of Remembrance for the First World

:03:32. > :03:35.The book holds the names of 35 thousand servicemen and women

:03:36. > :03:39.It's now being displayed at the National Library

:03:40. > :03:44.A digital copy has been created, so the public can help

:03:45. > :03:49.in researching the stories of the names listed.

:03:50. > :03:54.Football, and BBC Wales has learned that Swansea City are set to appoint

:03:55. > :03:56.the former Udinese manager, Francesco Guidolin, as head coach,

:03:57. > :04:00.alongside Alan Curtis, until the end of the season.

:04:01. > :04:03.Meanwhile, the Swans are back in the Premier League relegation zone.

:04:04. > :04:06.Newcastle's 2-1 win at home to West Ham means they've

:04:07. > :04:08.leapfrogged Swansea City, who are now two points

:04:09. > :04:16.Rugby, and the Scarlets have suffered a record defeat

:04:17. > :04:21.The Pro12 leaders were outclassed as Racing scored nine tries,

:04:22. > :04:31.Meanwhile, in the European Rugby Challenge Cup,

:04:32. > :04:36.They lost to Harlequins 34-26 away at Twickenham.

:04:37. > :04:40.A look at the weather forecast, and rain is likely to turn to sleet

:04:41. > :04:42.or snow over high ground overnight, where extensive hill fog

:04:43. > :04:46.It'll be cold and dull tomorrow, with occasional drizzly rain,

:04:47. > :04:51.and still a few light flurries of sleet or snow on high ground.

:04:52. > :04:56.We're back in Breakfast with updates from 6.25.

:04:57. > :05:07.From me and the weekend team, good night.

:05:08. > :05:15.Good evening. There as been a bit of snow across many parts of UK but it

:05:16. > :05:19.is not all doom and gloom. It looks like people are having fun here in

:05:20. > :05:20.Cumbria. There was some sunshine to be