17/01/2016 BBC Wales Today

BBC Wales understands around a thousand workers

could lose their jobs in the steel industry in Wales.

It's thought Tata Steel are about to announce

that the losses will be mainly at their Port Talbot plant.

There are calls for politicians to do more to intervene

Here's our political correspondent, Arwyn Jones.

Where once the economic blizzards of former years swept

across Port Talbot, there now emerges the Abbey steel works...

When it was built over 40 years ago, the Port Talbot plant

was the largest in Europe, but things change.

Cheap imports from China, a strong pound and high energy costs

have led to thousands of job losses elsewhere in the UK.

Now BBC Wales understands that hundreds of jobs could go as early

as tomorrow all over Wales, but mainly at Port Talbot.

Port Talbot is massively important to the British economy.

Probably in 2014, it accounted for a third of the steel produced

So we've seen a number of job losses since then,

so, to a certain extent, if we want a manufacturing base

and we want steel, Port Talbot is the jewel in the crown,

not just in Wales, but in the whole of the UK.

Now there are concerns that further job losses could be the end

We're watching the industry that we love and we have been

so much of a part of in terms of Welsh industrial history,

we're watching that decline to the point where it's so serious,

it could be going over a cliff, and that's the end of it.

The Italian government has already intervened here at Europe's

Ilva in the south of the country was making huge losses,

so ministers intervened to essentially nationalise the plant

Speaking on BBC Radio Wales this morning, Plaid Cymru's leader said

There needs to be some sort of urgent action,

and all options considered to protect those jobs.

When I say all options considered, I mean that the Government should

really take seriously the option of taking in a temporary part stake

in the industry, like has been done elsewhere in Italy and in Germany,

in order to protect those vitally important jobs to the Welsh economy.

Wales' First Minister said the UK Government should be

If you look at the way Italy has done it, Italy has effectively

taken its steel industry into public ownership and is selling it again,

so the state aid issue doesn't really apply.

I hope we don't get to that position in the UK, but,

if we do, the UK Government must be ready to make sure it supports

the steel industry in Wales and gets it through this difficult patch.

It's been a central part of the Welsh economy for decades,

but the steel industry is now facing some very difficult challenges.

New eye-care services are to be introduced in Mid and West Wales,

to reduce journey times for hundreds of people.

Patients in the Hywel Dda University Health Board area,

with wet, age-related macular degeneration,

currently have to travel to Ammanford or Aberystwyth.

But new centres in Pembrokeshire and South Ceredigion are planned,

to bring services closer to patients.

For the first time, people in Wales are being given the chance

to explore the Welsh National Book of Remembrance for the First World

The book holds the names of 35 thousand servicemen and women

It's now being displayed at the National Library

A digital copy has been created, so the public can help

in researching the stories of the names listed.

Football, and BBC Wales has learned that Swansea City are set to appoint

the former Udinese manager, Francesco Guidolin, as head coach,

alongside Alan Curtis, until the end of the season.

Meanwhile, the Swans are back in the Premier League relegation zone.

Newcastle's 2-1 win at home to West Ham means they've

leapfrogged Swansea City, who are now two points

Rugby, and the Scarlets have suffered a record defeat

The Pro12 leaders were outclassed as Racing scored nine tries,

Meanwhile, in the European Rugby Challenge Cup,

They lost to Harlequins 34-26 away at Twickenham.

A look at the weather forecast, and rain is likely to turn to sleet

or snow over high ground overnight, where extensive hill fog

It'll be cold and dull tomorrow, with occasional drizzly rain,

and still a few light flurries of sleet or snow on high ground.

We're back in Breakfast with updates from 6.25.

From me and the weekend team, good night.

Good evening. There as been a bit of snow across many parts of UK but it

is not all doom and gloom. It looks like people are having fun here in

Cumbria. There was some sunshine to be