:00:00. > :00:07.Our top stories: A cut to Welsh Government ministers' pay -
:00:08. > :00:11.the promise from the Conservatives IF they win power in May.
:00:12. > :00:13.And it's usually one of the busiest roads in Wales -
:00:14. > :00:17.work to reduce the risk of flooding on the A55 will start in the next
:00:18. > :00:37.Welsh ministers could get their pay cut by 10% if the Conservatives win
:00:38. > :00:43.Their leader, Andrew RT Davies, will say in a speech tonight that
:00:44. > :00:46.giving his Cabinet members ?90,000 each a year,
:00:47. > :00:52.rather than ?100,000, would save ?250,000 over five years.
:00:53. > :00:54.That money, he says, he'd put towards getting young
:00:55. > :01:00.Our political correspondent, Arwyn Jones, has the details.
:01:01. > :01:06.This man wants to be the next First Minister of Wales,
:01:07. > :01:09.but if he gets the top job after May's election he wants
:01:10. > :01:11.a pay cut because if the Conservatives form a government
:01:12. > :01:15.he and his Cabinet will take a 10% pay cut to their ministerial salary,
:01:16. > :01:21.We're actually saying where we would invest that money
:01:22. > :01:24.because ultimately we believe that young people obviously
:01:25. > :01:27.are the future of this great country of ours and we believe that this
:01:28. > :01:30.institution is the democratic home of Welsh democracy and we do want
:01:31. > :01:33.greater youth participation here so instead of just talking
:01:34. > :01:37.about it we will be making sure we put our money where our mouths
:01:38. > :01:39.are and invest that money to develop greater youth participation
:01:40. > :01:46.After May's Assembly election, the First Minister's salary
:01:47. > :01:50.is expected to increase to ?140,000 with ministers of the Welsh
:01:51. > :01:58.That compares with ?56,000 for headteachers, ?91,000 for top
:01:59. > :02:03.GPs, ?147,000 for council chiefs and 134,00 for MPs
:02:04. > :02:09.This recruitment specialist says it's not money that would attract
:02:10. > :02:16.I would say for businesspeople to go into politics, there needs to be
:02:17. > :02:21.a why and it's usually something that's deep within them,
:02:22. > :02:25.or another challenge for them, it's not all about the money.
:02:26. > :02:27.They certainly wouldn't be going into politics,
:02:28. > :02:32.Last year, an independent panel recommended that every AM should be
:02:33. > :02:35.given a pay rise, but with the current squeeze on public
:02:36. > :02:38.spending, many members decided they couldn't take the increase
:02:39. > :02:43.But if we do want the best and brightest representing us
:02:44. > :02:47.in Cardiff Bay, isn't it right we pay top dollar?
:02:48. > :02:51.On a High Street here it was a mixed response.
:02:52. > :02:55.If other people are either having a pay cut or their wages
:02:56. > :02:59.are staying the same, or just 1% or something,
:03:00. > :03:03.why should they not be in the same situation as others?
:03:04. > :03:07.It's a very responsible job, you should have good pay for it.
:03:08. > :03:09.It's penny-pinching otherwise to cut it.
:03:10. > :03:17.Considering I had ?1.80 last week, brilliant.
:03:18. > :03:23.They need to come and live with the common people for a month
:03:24. > :03:27.and see how we live and then they might have a different idea.
:03:28. > :03:29.So some support here for cut-price politics.
:03:30. > :03:37.A jury at the Old Bailey has retired to consider its verdict in the case
:03:38. > :03:40.of three men accused of helping a teenager from Cardiff to join
:03:41. > :03:44.militants from the Islamic State group in Syria.
:03:45. > :03:46.The men, including Kristen Brek from the Grangetown area
:03:47. > :03:49.of the city, are charged with assisting in the preparation
:03:50. > :03:59.Tata steel has reported a net loss of ?215 million in the last quarter
:04:00. > :04:03.of 2015 across its business in Europe and India.
:04:04. > :04:06.Last month, the company announced hundreds of job losses at its works
:04:07. > :04:12.The Indian company said that despite rising demand for steel,
:04:13. > :04:16.it has been hit by a flood of cheap imports.
:04:17. > :04:18.A man whose body was found on Anglesey who's suspected
:04:19. > :04:20.of killing his family in West Yorkshire had been
:04:21. > :04:24.previously jailed for domestic violence.
:04:25. > :04:27.Paul Newman's body was found on cliffs near South Stack
:04:28. > :04:31.The body of Geraldine Newman, and their two children - 11-year-old
:04:32. > :04:35.Shannon, and Shane, who was six - were found in their house near Leeds
:04:36. > :04:40.West Yorkshire Police said Mr Newman was charged with common assault
:04:41. > :04:48.Work to reduce the risk of flooding on one of the busiest roads in Wales
:04:49. > :04:54.The Welsh Government has announced an extra half a million pounds
:04:55. > :04:57.to improve drainage on and around the A55 near Bangor,
:04:58. > :05:00.which was badly affected over Christmas.
:05:01. > :05:06.A major highway, or a dual carriageway canal?
:05:07. > :05:11.This was the A55 on Boxing Day as flood water closed the road
:05:12. > :05:14.and left places like Bangor partly cut off from the rest of Wales.
:05:15. > :05:18.It wasn't the first time in the last few years it had happened.
:05:19. > :05:23.Water also flowed into the village of Talybont, alongside the A55,
:05:24. > :05:29.Today the First Minister came to North Wales to announce that work
:05:30. > :05:31.will begin soon to deal with both issues.
:05:32. > :05:35.The A55 is the major gateway to Wales across the northern coast
:05:36. > :05:38.and it's important it's as resilient as possible.
:05:39. > :05:43.So what we are doing is making sure that the money is available to move
:05:44. > :05:45.forward the schemes to deal with flooding in Talybont and also
:05:46. > :05:48.bringing forward the work to deal with flooding between junctions 12
:05:49. > :05:51.and 13 on the A55, both areas were affected by flooding over
:05:52. > :05:57.The response to that flooding and other emergencies on the A55
:05:58. > :06:01.is co-ordinated from this control room near Conwy.
:06:02. > :06:03.Staff here also get a good view of the many cones
:06:04. > :06:06.which are currently on the carriageway.
:06:07. > :06:09.Some drivers fear today's news will mean more to come.
:06:10. > :06:12.But the news has been welcomed in Talybont,
:06:13. > :06:14.where residents blamed the A55 for causing the flooding
:06:15. > :06:18.The people of Talybont will be very pleased
:06:19. > :06:23.It's been a long time coming but finally the people of Talybont
:06:24. > :06:25.will rest peacefully knowing that the A55 will not flood again
:06:26. > :06:33.People in Talybont have also welcomed the scheme
:06:34. > :06:36.to protect their homes, but some just wish it
:06:37. > :06:39.could have been done sooner, before the house was flooded
:06:40. > :06:41.for the second time in just a few years.
:06:42. > :06:43.Four general election candidates for Ukip Wales are calling
:06:44. > :06:47.for the party's leader here, Nathan Gill, to resign.
:06:48. > :06:50.Joe Smith, the party's best performer in Wales at last year's
:06:51. > :06:52.election, says Mr Gill has been "weak" during the party's
:06:53. > :06:54.controversial selection process, ahead of the upcoming
:06:55. > :07:01.Many in the party are also unhappy that the former Conservative MPs
:07:02. > :07:05.Neil Hamilton and Mark Reckless are seeking seats.
:07:06. > :07:11.He should have not allowed the situation to get as it is now.
:07:12. > :07:14.the activists and candidates in Wales.
:07:15. > :07:27.Nathan will be leading this party, I can assure you, into the Assembly
:07:28. > :07:31.elections and he will be a very effective leader.
:07:32. > :07:33.The headmaster of a Newport secondary school has criticised
:07:34. > :07:36.the way the council has handled the planning of a new Welsh language
:07:37. > :07:41.Newport Council rejected plans to split the existing
:07:42. > :07:44.Duffryn High School site and create a new facility alongside it due
:07:45. > :07:51.It says it's still committed to investing in Duffryn High,
:07:52. > :07:54.but at a meeting with parents tonight, headmaster Jon Wilson
:07:55. > :07:58.described the situation as a "mess".
:07:59. > :08:01.I've been going to planning meetings for a year.
:08:02. > :08:04.Yeah, this hurdle came up, and I understand why it came up
:08:05. > :08:07.with National Resources Wales, but only at the end of November.
:08:08. > :08:15.So, yeah, it has ended very, very badly.
:08:16. > :08:18.Rugby, and the Wales women's team is preparing for their opening game
:08:19. > :08:22.of the Six Nations against reigning champions Ireland on Saturday.
:08:23. > :08:25.Centre Gemma Rowland says the team's in a better position than last year,
:08:26. > :08:30.The 26-year-old army captain made it into the squad having served
:08:31. > :08:40.Gemma Rowland has set her heart on helping her side succeed this
:08:41. > :08:43.year and when the British Army officer takes aim, she rarely
:08:44. > :08:49.On her debut last year, Wales beat world champions England
:08:50. > :08:52.for only the second time in their history.
:08:53. > :08:57.And she picked up the title of Army Sportswoman of the Year.
:08:58. > :09:02.It's a far cry from where she spent the 2013 Six Nations.
:09:03. > :09:05.Back then, she was a troop commander in Afghanistan,
:09:06. > :09:08.in charge of 30 men, working in surveillance,
:09:09. > :09:12.watching over patrols and lookout for potential danger.
:09:13. > :09:16.Despite 18 hour days in Lashkar Gah, she told me she still managed
:09:17. > :09:19.to find the time to train - eager to continue playing rugby
:09:20. > :09:26.It's an experience I wouldn't trade for anything because I learned a lot
:09:27. > :09:31.So to come back from that, being able to handle pressure,
:09:32. > :09:39.work well as a team, lead a team, which, as you're aware,
:09:40. > :09:41.are all qualities that then transcend onto a rugby pitch.
:09:42. > :09:44.I think probably hand in hand they've both helped me.
:09:45. > :09:48.Both sides met last week in a warm-up match.
:09:49. > :09:52.While the current squad is preparing for the immediate task of facing
:09:53. > :09:55.Ireland, work to find the next generation of players
:09:56. > :10:00.Summer leagues and more girls-only teams have helped the growth
:10:01. > :10:08.A couple of seasons ago, just 170 nine to 15-year-olds
:10:09. > :10:14.were playing, but last season that figure was up to more than 1,300.
:10:15. > :10:18.Those running the game here say a successful senior side will also
:10:19. > :10:25.We had a good crowd last week against Ireland.
:10:26. > :10:27.Over 1,000, I believe, were there to watch a good
:10:28. > :10:33.That will draw in the crowds moving forward.
:10:34. > :10:37.This year's Six Nations is more important than usual.
:10:38. > :10:40.Results will help decide who qualifies for the World Cup.
:10:41. > :10:43.Two wins in the championship will guarantee Wales a place
:10:44. > :10:49.To the men's game and after selecting Tom James to start
:10:50. > :10:53.on the wing against Ireland this weekend, Wales coach Warren Gatland
:10:54. > :10:57.says Hallam Amos isn't quick enough to be an international wing.
:10:58. > :11:00.Amos is being released back to the Dragons for tomorrow's game
:11:01. > :11:02.at Ulster and Gatland says he sees him more as a fullback
:11:03. > :11:12.I know he can cover on the wing and does play there,
:11:13. > :11:14.but we do see his long-term position being full-back and having
:11:15. > :11:19.the opportunity to exploit and work on improving that left foot of his.
:11:20. > :11:24.He's quick, but he wouldn't be international wing quick.
:11:25. > :11:27.Let's see how the weather is looking over the next few days.
:11:28. > :11:40.After a couple of colder, brighter days, it's turning more unsettled
:11:41. > :11:45.again. Turning wet and windy tomorrow. Overnight, cloudy, misty
:11:46. > :11:50.and murky with spells of drizzle, especially in the hills. Dry by
:11:51. > :11:56.dawn, but wins will strengthen. Eight mile night. Tomorrow's start
:11:57. > :12:01.strike but we have a cold front pushing south-east across the UK.
:12:02. > :12:05.Mostly cloudy in Wales. Early bright spells and patchy drizzle. Across
:12:06. > :12:08.the UK, brighter spells to the east, but winds will strengthen and we
:12:09. > :12:23.could see heavy rain further north and west. Colder
:12:24. > :12:25.air following behind it. Seven Celsius for North West Scotland, 12
:12:26. > :12:27.across south-west England. That heavy rain spreading south-east
:12:28. > :12:31.across Wales tomorrow. Highs of nine Celsius on Anglesey, 11 in Newport.
:12:32. > :12:35.Tomorrow night, heavy rain clearing through the early hours, but further
:12:36. > :12:42.rain arriving from the west by Dawn. On Saturday, these fronts push in
:12:43. > :12:46.from the Atlantic, bringing unsettled weather. Some dry spells
:12:47. > :12:52.further east, deteriorating through Saturday and turning wet and windy.
:12:53. > :12:58.A Met Office warning for heavy rain later. 60 mph winds possible along
:12:59. > :13:02.exposed coasts. Low pressure systems from the Atlantic will make it
:13:03. > :13:08.changeable. A mix of sunny spells and blustery showers on Sunday.
:13:09. > :13:13.Wintry on high ground. More rain lightly on Sunday night with strong
:13:14. > :13:17.winds. An unsettled weekend, very windy on Sunday with a chance of
:13:18. > :13:20.gales on Monday. The risk of some very heavy rain on Saturday.
:13:21. > :13:22.We'll be back in breakfast from 6.25am tomorrow.
:13:23. > :13:39.For now, from all of us on the late team, goodnight.
:13:40. > :13:42.Make the most of your day wherever you are.
:13:43. > :13:47.Use the BBC Weather App to stay one step ahead of the weather.