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  • Postcard finally arrives in Swansea 121 years after it was first sent
    www.bbc.com Postcard finally arrives in Swansea 121 years after it was first sent

    The card was addressed to a Miss Lydia Davies, who lived at the address when it was sent in 1903.

    Postcard finally arrives in Swansea 121 years after it was first sent

    cross-posted from: https://feddit.uk/post/16539136

    > > The Christmas-themed card was delivered to Swansea Building Society’s Cradock Street branch last week even though it was originally sent in 1903 - so only just over a century too late. > > > >Staff say they hope to find relatives of a Miss Lydia Davies, who previously lived at the address and who the card was addressed to, to reunite them with it. > > > >The Royal Mail said it is likely the postcard was "put back into" its system, rather than "being lost in the post for over a century".

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  • Welsh 20mph speed limit forces junior cycle race to shorten and reroute
    www.theguardian.com Welsh 20mph speed limit forces junior cycle race to shorten and reroute

    Three of five stages of Junior Tour of Wales changed as support vehicles would not have kept up with cyclists

    Welsh 20mph speed limit forces junior cycle race to shorten and reroute

    > Organisers of a cycle race in Wales have been forced to change and shorten its route because of the introduction of the 20mph speed limit in parts of the country. > >Three of the five stages of the Junior Tour of Wales, which starts on Friday, have been changed because support vehicles would not have been able to keep up with the riders without breaking the limit.

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  • Excavation unearths a thousand years of history
    nation.cymru Excavation unearths a thousand years of history

    A piece of the jigsaw puzzle that could unlock 1,000 years of history at a north Wales heritage site has been unearthed – suggesting that local Britons may have lived ‘in harmony’ with the Romans. An excavation has led to the discovery of a horse bridle mount dating back to the late Iron Age at the ...

    Excavation unearths a thousand years of history

    cross-posted from: https://feddit.uk/post/16347864

    > > A piece of the jigsaw puzzle that could unlock 1,000 years of history at a north Wales heritage site has been unearthed – suggesting that local Britons may have lived ‘in harmony’ with the Romans. > > > >An excavation has led to the discovery of a horse bridle mount dating back to the late Iron Age at the Greenfield Valley Heritage Park in Flintshire. > > > >The artefact, which is up to 2,000 years old, was found within the remains of a newly discovered settlement that likely belonged to the Iron Age Deceangli tribe but appears to have continued into the early Roman period. > > > >The region occupied by the Celtic clan, which spread as far west as the River Conwy and included Denbighshire, Flintshire, and Wrexham, was rich in lead and silver, materials highly prised by the Romans.

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  • Schoolgirl's dinosaur footprint find on Vale of Glamorgan beach
    www.bbc.com Schoolgirl's dinosaur footprint find on Vale of Glamorgan beach

    Experts think 10-year-old Tegan uncovered prints of a huge herbivore from the late triassic period.

    Schoolgirl's dinosaur footprint find on Vale of Glamorgan beach

    cross-posted from: https://feddit.uk/post/16268322

    > > When 10-year-old Tegan went for a summer holiday beach stroll with her mum, she had no idea they would be actually walking in the footsteps of dinosaurs. > > > >The schoolgirl spotted five enormous footprints that dinosaur experts believe are the mark of a camelotia that was there more than 200 million years ago. > > > >Palaeontologists think the footprints, which are up to 75cm (30in) apart, were made by a huge herbivore from the late triassic period, and now there are efforts to get them verified. > > > >Tegan and mum Claire have been told by the National Museum Wales palaeontology curator that she is "fairly certain they are genuine dinosaur prints".

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  • £13.5m to help firms hit by Tata steel job losses
    www.bbc.com Tata Steel: £13.5m to help firms hit by Port Talbot job losses

    First cash from fund for workers and firms affected by Port Talbot restructuring plans released.

    Tata Steel: £13.5m to help firms hit by Port Talbot job losses

    > The first money from a £100m fund to help workers and firms affected by restructuring plans at Tata's Port Talbot steel plant is being released, UK ministers will announce on Thursday. > >Tata closed one of its two blast furnaces on the site last month and plans to shut the second in September, as it moves to greener production and cuts thousands of jobs. > >Welsh Secretary Jo Stevens will confirm that £13.5m from the fund will be made available. > >UK ministers are in separate negotiations to try to save jobs at the steel giant, which is planning to lose 2,800 posts. > > The funding is to support local firms whose main customer is Tata Steel find new markets and to help workers find new jobs, access training and gain skills and qualifications in areas where there are vacancies.

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  • Gaming: Fantasy video game based on Welsh myth launches
    www.bbc.com Gaming: Fantasy video game based on Welsh myth launches

    Tales of the Mabinogion, from the makers of Assassin's Creed, is inspired by Welsh folklore.

    Gaming: Fantasy video game based on Welsh myth launches

    > The developer behind the hit video games Assassin's Creed and Warhammer Online has launched a new fantasy inspired by Welsh folklore. > >Tales from the Mabinogion puts players in charge of a wandering ancient king whose lands are plagued by a cursed purple fog, with the story told in Welsh with English subtitles > >The language that inspired JR Tolkien was "fitting" said designer Stevan Anastasoff's in comments on the game's release. > >The Mabinogion is the collection of Welsh folk tales about fabled beasts and monsters that gave rise to the literary figures of King Arthur and Merlin. > > It became an early example of the fantasy fiction genre when an English translation was published in 1838, based on 12th and 13th century manuscripts preserving an earlier oral tradition of pre-Christian Celtic mythology. > >In the new video game version, "a vengeful sorcerer unleashes a cursed fog upon the ancient Welsh kingdom of Dyfed, a warrior-king finds himself entangled with beasts from the mythical otherworld of Annwn," explains the trailer. > >"To save his realm, he embarks on a quest to uncover the origins of the curse - and unlock the secrets necessary to thwart its devastating grip."

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  • Deep space radar site in Wales to go ahead to protect UK from ‘space warfare’
    www.theguardian.com Deep space radar site in Wales to go ahead to protect UK from ‘space warfare’

    Ministers say network of 27 radar dishes in Pembrokeshire crucial to defend against ‘increasing belligerence in space’

    Deep space radar site in Wales to go ahead to protect UK from ‘space warfare’

    cross-posted from: https://feddit.uk/post/15919289

    > > Plans for a network of radars tracking deep space activity to help protect the UK from “space warfare” are to go ahead in Pembrokeshire, despite the opposition of local campaigners. > > > >The 27 radar dishes planned for the St Davids peninsula, which will be 20 metres high and can track objects as small as a football, are part of a network planned around the globe. > > > >The Deep Space Advanced Radar Capability (Darc) will be developed at Cawdor barracks in south-west Wales by the Ministry of Defence. Ministers have said the plans are crucial as long-term defence against the possibility of threats in deep space. > > > > The plans to redevelop the barracks, which were previously set to close, are part of the Aukus defence partnership between the UK, US and Australia. They will involve a network of ground-based radars in all three countries designed to monitor, track and identify objects up to 22,000 miles (36,000km) away from Earth.

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  • A Playing Field Yields Oldest Houses in Wales
    news.artnet.com A Playing Field Yields Oldest Houses in Wales | Artnet News

    Under a playing field at a park, researchers have found the remains of what they deem to be the oldest houses in Cardiff.

    A Playing Field Yields Oldest Houses in Wales | Artnet News

    cross-posted from: https://feddit.uk/post/15847682

    > >A large open space in in Trelai Park that had been used as a playing field since 1933 yielded a treasure trove of prehistoric artifacts during a 2022 land survey conducted by a local school that was building a sports field in a corner of the park. Upon the archaeological site’s discovery, the Caerau and Ely Rediscovering Heritage Project (CAER), an organization promoting community involvement in archaeological research, began collaborations with Cardiff University to excavate the area. > > > > Archaeologists initially expected the discovery would shed new light on everyday life in the region between the late Iron Age and early Roman Era. To their surprise, unearthed shards from a clay pot dated the site to the Bronze Age, around 1500 B.C.E. > > > > The excavation was soon found to constitute two Bronze Age roundhouses—circular dwellings, typically featuring thatched roofs, that were made up of walls built using wooden or stone posts and stuffed with wattle-and-daub, a mixture of twigs, earth, and clay. The roundhouses have been dubbed the oldest houses in Cardiff.

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  • ‘Humongous’ fort found in Wales may disprove theory of Celtic-Roman peace
    www.theguardian.com ‘Humongous’ fort found in Wales may disprove theory of Celtic-Roman peace

    Site in Pembrokeshire suggests area was more militarised than previously thought, says expert who made discovery

    ‘Humongous’ fort found in Wales may disprove theory of Celtic-Roman peace

    cross-posted from: https://feddit.uk/post/15631543

    > > A previously unknown Roman fort discovered in Pembrokeshire in Wales overturns assumptions that the area’s indigenous Celtic tribe was on peaceful terms with the Roman invaders. > > > >The site, which has excited archaeologists, had been hidden until now beneath an enormous, overgrown field. It explains why the land had been unsuccessful for farming: the farmer kept hitting stone. > > > > The discovery was made by Dr Mark Merrony, a leading Roman specialist and tutor at Oxford University, who said: “It is a humongous fort, an incredible find of national importance.” > > > >He is all the more excited because it is right next to a Roman road that he has also identified for the first time. > > > >The fort is thought to date from the first to the third centuries, when the Celtic Demetae tribe inhabited the south-west area of modern Wales. > > > >They were thought to have been pro-Roman, meaning there was less need for a major military presence to quell local resistance. > > > >Merrony said that this fort suggested this part of Wales was considerably more militarised than previously thought: “I now don’t think they were pro-Roman at all, but that the Romans were hitting the area with an iron fist.” > > > >He noted that its form and scale was like the only other Roman fort known in Pembrokeshire, excavated at Wiston near Haverfordwest in 2013. Both forts were now linked to a Roman road network that had not previously been known, he said.

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  • Cwmdare: Dog freed from hillside hole after seven hour ordeal
    www.bbc.com Cwmdare: Dog freed from hillside hole after seven hour ordeal

    The gaping hole had been hidden by grass and heather, taking the pet by surprise.

    Cwmdare: Dog freed from hillside hole after seven hour ordeal

    cross-posted from: https://feddit.uk/post/15162785

    > > A dog has been rescued after seven hours trapped underground. > > > >Adventurous Bryn found himself in a precarious situation after falling into a narrow, seven-metre deep natural rift in the hillside during a walk on the Darren Mountain in Cwmdare, Rhondda Cynon Taf. > > > >The South and Mid Wales Cave Rescue Team was called to assist their colleagues at the South Wales Fire and Rescue Service in rescuing him. > > > >A rescue operation, which took place on Sunday, involved a seven-hour effort using ropes and a harness before the combined efforts of both rescue teams brought him safely and uninjured back to the surface.

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  • Four members of Gething's cabinet quit, calling for FM to resign
    www.bbc.co.uk Four members of Gething's cabinet quit, calling for FM to resign

    Three ministers and government's top legal adviser resign at same time, calling for Vaughan Gething to go.

    Four members of Gething's cabinet quit, calling for FM to resign

    Four members of the Welsh government's cabinet have resigned at the same time, calling for Vaughan Gething to go.

    Three ministers - Jeremy Miles, Lesley Griffiths and Julie James - and the government's top legal adviser - counsel general Mick Antoniw - all announced their resignations on X, formerly known as Twitter.

    It follows months of rows since Mr Gething was installed in March, including a week of drama over a sacked minister, complaints over Mr Gething's campaign donations and a lost confidence vote.

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  • Star Wars: The Acolyte brings Wales to the galaxy far, far away
    www.bbc.com Star Wars: The Acolyte brings Wales to the galaxy far, far away

    New Star Wars series The Acolyte was filmed partly in Wales, with locations across Bannau Brycheiniog.

    Star Wars: The Acolyte brings Wales to the galaxy far, far away

    cross-posted from: https://feddit.uk/post/14672143

    > > Latest Star Wars TV series The Acolyte proves that the Force is strong in Wales - after pivotal scenes were shot across Bannau Brycheiniog. > > > >Starring Amandla Stenberg and Lee Jung-jae, the new Star Wars show brought a glimpse of sci-fi action to the national park - also known as the Brecon Beacons - as well as the south Wales valleys as the production spread across several locations in the country. > > > >"We shot a lot in Wales," said showrunner Leslye Headland. "What was incredible about Wales was that, you know, you could shoot in a beautiful wooded area, but then if you moved up further, you’d be in snow." > > > >Welcoming both Jedi and other Force users, Wales has officially become part of the galaxy far, far away for the very first time.

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  • Welsh Government promises ban on lying politicians
    nation.cymru Welsh Government promises ban on lying politicians

    Chris Haines – ICNN Senedd reporter The Welsh Government promised to introduce a law banning lying politicians before the next Senedd election after striking a last-minute deal to avert defeat. Mick Antoniw, who is counsel general, the Welsh Government’s chief legal adviser, reached an agreement wit...

    Welsh Government promises ban on lying politicians

    The Welsh Government promised to introduce a law banning lying politicians before the next Senedd election after striking a last-minute deal to avert defeat.

    Mick Antoniw, who is counsel general, the Welsh Government’s chief legal adviser, reached an agreement with Adam Price just before a key vote on creating an offence of deception.

    Under the elections bill, Mr Price proposed a four-year disqualification for Senedd members, ministers or candidates found guilty of deliberate lying.

    Mr Antoniw stopped short of supporting criminalisation as he invited the Senedd’s standards committee, which is holding an inquiry on accountability, to make proposals.

    He said: “The Welsh Government will bring forward legislation before 2026 for the disqualification of members and candidates found guilty of deception through an independent judicial process.”

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  • Sir Grumpus L Shorticus The Monster Raving Loony Party Candidate For Ynys Môn
    www.thebangoraye.com Sir Grumpus L Shorticus the Monster Raving Loony Party candidate for Ynys Môn

    Sir Grumpus L Shorticus has been named as the Official Monster Raving Loony Party candidate for Ynys Môn.

    cross-posted from: https://feddit.uk/post/14030641

    > > Sir Grumpus L Shorticus has been named as the Official Monster Raving Loony Party candidate for Ynys Môn. > > > > Describing himself as ‘Half Man Half Biscuit’ Sir Grumpus is one of 22 Monster Raving Loony candidates standing across the UK for the Westminster Parliamentary election on 4th July. > > > > ... > > > > Sir Grumpus’ key policies include creating a unique time zone for Wales, building a third Menai crossing …. From Dublin and deporting illegal Grey Squirrels to Rwanda. > > > > ... > > > > Sir Grumpus L Shorticus’s SIX-STEP Plan for Ynys Môn > > > > 1. A UNIQUE TIME ZONE FOR WALES – Reduce the hour from 60 minutes to 40, fully reversing the 20mph speed limits back to what they were without the cost of changing all the signs – again; and creating a whole new industry in manufacturing Welsh time pieces. > > > > 2. BUILD THE 3RD CROSSING – FROM DUBLIN – But fiscal stewardship is key, so a return crossing will only be built when public finances allow. > > > > 3. GREY SQUIRRELS ENTERING ANGLESEY ILLEGALLY WILL BE SENT TO RWANDA – Badgers, to their county of origin. > > > > 4. YNYS MÔN TO RE-JOIN THE EU – Build Wylfa B, reverse the generated power into the wind-farms which would then propel Anglesey to an EU country of choice. > > > > 5. A PRIVATE MEMBER’S BILL TO MAKE THE MISUSE OR OMISSION OF APOSTROPHE’S A CRIMINAL OFFENCE – Improper grammar in text messages will also incur a Fixed Penalty, increasing Treasury revenues a trillion-fold – an App to be developed to make automatic payment on hitting ‘Send’. > > > > 6. A FLEXIBLE APPROACH TO POLITICS – These pledges are sincerely held beliefs and promises, but may be changed on a whim. > > > > 7. IMPROVE MATHS EDUCATION FOR ADULTS

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  • Tata set to cease operations at Port Talbot earlier than planned due to strike
    nation.cymru Tata set to cease operations at Port Talbot earlier than planned due to strike

    Tata is to take steps to cease operations at its steel plant in Port Talbot earlier than planned because of a strike by Unite, workers have been told. The company had been planning to shut down one of the blast furnaces by the end of June and the second one by September. But workers at […]

    Tata set to cease operations at Port Talbot earlier than planned due to strike

    Tata is to take steps to cease operations at its steel plant in Port Talbot earlier than planned because of a strike by Unite, workers have been told.

    The company had been planning to shut down one of the blast furnaces by the end of June and the second one by September.

    But workers at the South Wales site have been told that because of the strike by members of Unite, from July 8 Tata can no longer be assured of sufficient resources being available to ensure safe and stable operations.

    A message to employees said: “Therefore, we are left with no alternative but to take preparatory steps to cease operations on both blast furnaces and safely isolate them no later than July 7.”

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  • A short history of Laverbread – the Welsh Marmite?
    nation.cymru A short history of Laverbread – the Welsh Marmite?

    Carwyn Graves Porphyra umbilicalis, Bara lawr, the Welshman’s caviar, Laver bread. A dark green – or is it red? – or pink or deep brown? seaweed that is simultaneously the crowning joy and sharpest point of division of all Welsh foods. Crowning joy, because this is a true delicacy, with a deep umami...

    A short history of Laverbread – the Welsh Marmite?

    Porphyra umbilicalis, Bara lawr, the Welshman’s caviar, Laver bread. A dark green – or is it red? – or pink or deep brown? seaweed that is simultaneously the crowning joy and sharpest point of division of all Welsh foods.

    Crowning joy, because this is a true delicacy, with a deep umami flavour and a rich, smooth texture that fills your mouth.

    Sharp point of division, because, like Marmite, this is a love-it-or-hate-it foodstuff, shunned and adored in equal measure even within the same family.

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  • The 50ft four-letter word by 'Deeside Banksy' is much ruder than it first looks

    cross-posted from: https://feddit.uk/post/13573179

    > > A North Wales village has been mildly scandalised by four letters mown into grass onto a children’s playing field. At first glance they appear to spell "COOK" but residents insist the word is altogether ruder. > > > > The guerilla graffiti in Ewloe, Flintshire, has become the talk of the village, causing widespread shock and hilarity. The culprit’s identity is a mystery but he or she has been labelled Deeside’s answer to Britain’s best-known subversive artist. “Has Banksy bought himself a lawnmower?” wondered one local when he shared pictures online. > > > > Now one knows exactly why the 50ft-long letters were mown neatly in grass on Big Park playing fields in the St David’s area of Ewloe. As they are so neat, it’s assumed a ride-on mower was used - and that confusion was created by the tyre tracks it left when adding a second letter “C”. “It definitely doesn’t say “cook,” confirmed one resident. > > > > ... > > > > Later aerial photos confirmed the word as being obscene or poultry-related.

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  • Religion: Calls for Powys school probe for promoting creationism
    www.bbc.com Religion: Calls for Powys school probe for promoting creationism

    There are calls for a school to be investigated for promoting evangelical Christianity to pupils.

    Religion: Calls for Powys school probe for promoting creationism

    > There are calls for a school to be investigated after promoting creationism and an evangelistic Christian course. > > The National Secular Society (NSS) said it had obtained images of wall displays at Llanidloes High School in Powys showing marine life and the solar system beneath lines from the Bible such as “great are the works of the Lord” and “God created the creatures of the sea”. > > The NSS is calling for a ban on teaching creationism in schools in Wales, saying "it undermines teaching about evidence-based theories such as evolution". > > The Welsh government said community schools "are not permitted to have a religious leaning". > > While teaching creationism as a scientific theory is banned in England, the promotion of creationism is not prohibited in schools in Wales. > > The NSS claims the promotion of creationism at the school is being led by head teacher Daniel Owen, who is also an elder or spiritual leader at an evangelical church in Newtown, about 14 miles from Llanidloes.

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  • Wales has UK worst economic inactivity rate - ONS
    www.bbc.co.uk Wales has worst UK economic inactivity rate, says ONS

    One in four in Wales is economically inactive, although jobless rate is better than the UK average.

    Wales has worst UK economic inactivity rate, says ONS

    Wales has the highest rate in the UK of working age people not in employment or looking for a job, according to new estimates.

    Figures from the Office for National Statistics (ONS) suggest that 28.4% of 16-64 year olds in Wales were economically inactive in the three months to April, compared to a UK average of 22.3%.

    But the jobless rate in Wales of 3.5% was lower than the UK average of 4.4%.

    The ONS has warned that the figures should be treated with caution because of shrinking response rates to its survey.

    ...

    Long-term sickness is the biggest reason, followed by studying and home-making.

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  • Welsh first minister loses no confidence vote
    www.bbc.co.uk Vaughan Gething won't quit after losing vote of no confidence

    Vaughan Gething says he will stay in post after losing the vote when Labour members were sick.

    Vaughan Gething won't quit after losing vote of no confidence

    First Minister Vaughan Gething has lost a vote of no confidence in his leadership in the Welsh Parliament.

    29 voted in favour of the resolution, while 27 voted against.

    Mr Gething is not obliged to quit, as the result is not binding, but it places him under additional pressure after weeks of criticism.

    The Senedd vote was called by the Conservatives over donations made to Mr Gething’s leadership campaign by a company owned by a man previously convicted of environmental offences.

    There are 60 members of the Welsh Parliament - Labour holds exactly half of the seats with 30 members, while there are 16 Tories, 13 Plaid Cymru members and a solitary Liberal Democrat.

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  • Large fossil discovery finally exposes origins of Welsh dragons
    phys.org Large fossil discovery finally exposes origins of Welsh dragons

    A large fossil discovery has helped shed light on the history of dinosaurs in Wales. The find is reported in Proceedings of the Geologists' Association.

    Large fossil discovery finally exposes origins of Welsh dragons

    cross-posted from: https://feddit.uk/post/12676188

    > > A large fossil discovery has helped shed light on the history of dinosaurs in Wales. The find is reported in Proceedings of the Geologists' Association. > > > > Until recently, the land of the dragon didn't have any dinosaurs. However, in the last 10 years, several dinosaurs have been reported, but their life conditions were not well known. > > > > In a new study by a team from the University of Bristol, important details have been revealed for the first time. The researchers found that early Welsh dinosaurs, from more than 200 million years ago, lived on a tropical lowland beside the sea. Dinosaur trackways are known from Barry and other sites nearby, showing that dinosaurs had walked across the warm lowlands. > > > > The discovery was made at Lavernock Point, close to Cardiff and Penarth, where the cliffs of dark-colored shales and limestones document ancient shallow seas. At several levels, there are accumulations of bones, including the remains of fish, sharks, marine reptiles and occasionally, dinosaurs.

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  • Gething no confidence vote expected next week
    www.bbc.co.uk Vaughan Gething to face no confidence vote next week

    The first minster will face a Senedd vote of no confidence in his leadership next Wednesday.

    Vaughan Gething to face no confidence vote next week

    Wales' First Minister Vaughan Gething looks set to face a vote of no confidence when the Senedd returns next week.

    The Welsh Conservatives are said to be very likely to table one ahead of a deadline of 18:00 BST on Wednesday, with the vote to take place on 5 June.

    Mr Gething has faced unrelenting pressure after accepting £200,000 of donations to his recent Welsh Labour leadership campaign from a company whose owner was convicted of environmental offences.

    Labour holds 30 of the 60 seats in the Senedd, so for the vote of no confidence to succeed at least one Labour Member of the Senedd would need either to vote in favour of the motion or abstain.

    On 17 May the Senedd Conservative leader Andrew RT Davies said it was "odds-on" that a no confidence motion would be called.

    He was speaking after Mr Gething sacked one of his ministers, Hannah Blythyn, for leaking messages to the media, something she denies.

    0
  • Plaid Cymru challenge Sunak and Starmer to Wales specific TV debate
    nation.cymru Plaid Cymru challenge Sunak and Starmer to Wales specific TV debate

    Emily Price Plaid Cymru has challenged Rishi Sunak and Keir Starmer to a Wales specific TV debate with Senedd leader Rhun ap Iorwerth to give a “full picture” of choices faced by voters in the upcoming General Election. Westminster Leader Liz Saville Roberts made the call in letter to the leaders of...

    Plaid Cymru challenge Sunak and Starmer to Wales specific TV debate

    Plaid Cymru has challenged Rishi Sunak and Keir Starmer to a Wales specific TV debate with Senedd leader Rhun ap Iorwerth to give a “full picture” of choices faced by voters in the upcoming General Election.

    Westminster Leader Liz Saville Roberts made the call in letter to the leaders of the Conservative Party and the Labour Party saying that any televised debate that excludes Plaid Cymru will “mislead viewers in Wales”.

    She warns that the election – set for July 4 – is so far being framed “through an English lens” due to Wales’ “weak media landscape”.

    In her letter to the party leaders, she wrote: “Broadcasters have a duty to give an accurate reflection of the choices at the ballot box in all countries across Britain. But as your parties call the shots when it comes to broadcasters’ decisions for debates in this election, you must show leadership.

    “I therefore invite both of you to make clear that you would be happy to debate Plaid Cymru leader Rhun ap Iorwerth in a Wales-specific TV debate. Come and defend and debate your own parties’ record here in Wales: from the chronic mismanagement of our NHS to the severe underfunding of our public realm.

    “A multi-party leaders’ debate is the only way to reflect the democratic choice facing people in this election. I implore you to accept our offer, so that voters in Wales can have a true sense of the choice facing them in this election.”

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  • Snakes force Ceredigion Covid vaccination centre to shut
    www.bbc.com Snakes force Ceredigion Covid vaccination centre to shut

    A Covid vaccination centre in Ceredigion had to close after two snakes were seen in the building.

    Snakes force Ceredigion Covid vaccination centre to shut

    cross-posted from: https://feddit.uk/post/12281929

    > > A Covid vaccination centre has been closed after two snakes were spotted in the building. > > > > The snakes, named Cwm and Cou after the centre in Ceredigion they were found in, are believed to be an adder and a grass snake. > > > > The adder is said to have left the building and Hywel Dda health board said it was seeking help from experts to remove the one remaining reptile. > > > > ... > > > > It said they were found on Monday afternoon by staff and joked neither of the animals qualified for a vaccine. > > > > A spokesman said: "Cou has made a break for it and is no longer in the building. Cwm is still at large."

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  • Wylfa chosen for new nuclear power station
    www.bbc.co.uk Nuclear power: Wylfa on Anglesey chosen as site for new plant

    The UK government names Wylfa, on Anglesey, as its preferred site for a new nuclear power station.

    Nuclear power: Wylfa on Anglesey chosen as site for new plant

    Wylfa on Anglesey has been chosen as the preferred site for a large-scale nuclear power plant, the UK government said.

    The site was bought by ministers for £160m from previous developers Hitachi who abandoned plans for a new reactor in 2019.

    International energy companies have begun talks with the UK government to start building the new Wylfa plant.

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  • 'Little Italy' hidden in Welsh jungle with 200 replica buildings

    cross-posted from: https://feddit.uk/post/12167391

    > > A hidden gem engulfed in greenery has revealed more of its mysteries as volunteers uncover hundreds of ornate Mediterranean-style structures. Volunteers at the site, dubbed the "Little Italy" of southern Eryri , have been astounded by the number of replica buildings nestled within a small woodland. > > > > "Every time I pulled away more ivy I thought: 'Bloody hell, there's another one'," said Jonathan Fell, the site's colourful curator. To date approximately 200 "objects" have been discovered a collection that includes not only buildings but also statues, plaques, and various curiosities. Before the conservation efforts started a few years back only about 30 structures were visible. > > > > The area is dotted with iconic Italian structures ranging from the Duomo of Florence to the Rialto Bridge of Venice. Among the more recent finds are some unexpected elements: a miniature English village, a cat cemetery, and what appears to be a Venetian canal, which may have once carried flowing water. > > > > Each discovery further amplifies the admiration Jonathan holds for the site's creators, Mark Bourne and his wife Muriel. He views their homage to Italian architecture, located on the fringes of Corris, between Dolgellau and Machynlleth, as a testament to their obsession, perseverance, and creativity. > > > > He dismisses those who refer to it as a model village and has little patience for any comparison with Portmeirion, the renowned Italianate village in Porthmadog. "I absolutely love this place," Jonathan said. "I don't like to call it folk art because it's much more than that. It's such an important site – one of the most important in Wales, far more so than Portmeirion, which had all that money thrown at it." > > > > Mr Bourne previously ran a caravan site and poultry unit. He would often vanish to Italy for weeks on end, coming back with sketchbooks brimming with architectural drawings. Donning his signature baggy corduroys he would then get stuck into his recreations, occasionally aided by local volunteers. Old materials, from wash boilers to hub caps, were repurposed to provide structure then wrapped in moulded chicken wire ready for concreting. > > > > Over a quarter of a century Mr Bourne hauled thousands of buckets of water and ballast from the Afon Deri in the valley below to be mixed with concrete to make mortar. A modest Datsun 4x4 and trailer did some of the heavy lifting but, for the final stretch, up through the garden, sheer physical strength was required. > > > > Jonathan still finds it hard to grasp the magnitude of the task. "This guy spent 25 years carrying hundreds of tonnes of concrete, water and ballast up a hillside with a slope that ranges from 30 to 45 degrees," he said. "At its steepest, it's hard to walk up and he had to build paths up there before erecting a workshop, laying foundations, and starting on the objects. > > > > "With a job like this, I would have used winches and flywheel to lift everything up the slope. I certainly couldn't have carried all those buckets up there. It was a huge amount of work just building the steps. Probably his wife helped him. I remember Muriel still walking up the track from Corris, carrying two shopping bags, at the age of 84.

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  • Wales becomes first UK nation to join metaverse
    news.sky.com Wales becomes first UK nation to join metaverse

    Tourism body Visit Wales hopes the new initiative will attract those visiting the "virtual Wales" to also visit the country in the real world in future.

    Wales becomes first UK nation to join metaverse

    > The launch of Wales in the metaverse hopes to give virtual visitors from all over the world the chance to see what the country has to offer. > > Tourism body Visit Wales has created the immersive experience with the aim of platforming some of Wales's experiences and attractions. > > Around 600 million people visit the metaverse each year, across a number of platforms. > > The Welsh metaverse is being hosted on platform Spatial. > > Organisers say they believe Wales is also the first European nation to use this approach to market itself as a tourism destination. > > The announcement comes after a report by a committee of MPs published last July found Wales "lacked a coherent brand" to attract overseas visitors. > > ... > > Visitors to the virtual Wales can take on quests including building an interactive itinerary which includes real-life Wales-based activities.

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  • Vaughan Gething misled UK Covid Inquiry by not admitting he deleted messages
    nation.cymru Vaughan Gething misled UK Covid Inquiry by not admitting he deleted messages

    Martin Shipton Evidence has emerged that Vaughan Gething misled the UK Covid Inquiry and the Senedd by concealing the fact that he deliberately deleted records of conversations he had with other ministers. As a witness to the Inquiry, the First Minister insisted that messages had been deleted from h...

    Vaughan Gething misled UK Covid Inquiry by not admitting he deleted messages

    Evidence has emerged that Vaughan Gething misled the UK Covid Inquiry and the Senedd by concealing the fact that he deliberately deleted records of conversations he had with other ministers.

    As a witness to the Inquiry, the First Minister insisted that messages had been deleted from his mobile phone not by him, but when it was serviced by the Senedd’s IT department.

    But a previously undisclosed message that has been leaked to Nation.Cymru proves that he admitted deleting conversations he had with ministerial colleagues on a group chat.

    In a text message posted to the ministerial group chat on Monday August 17 2020, when he was Health Minister, Mr Gething wrote: “I’m deleting the messages in this group. They can be captured in an FOI [Freedom of Information request] and I think we are all in the right place on the choice being made.”

    The message was written at a time when Wales was still subject to Covid restrictions following the first lockdown, and when ministers were making decisions about the level of interaction between people that should be permitted.

    ....

    On March 11 he gave oral evidence to the Inquiry when it was sitting in Cardiff. Immediately before doing so, he made this declaration: “I do solemnly, sincerely and truly declare and affirm that the evidence I shall give shall be the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth.”

    Telling lies at a statutory public inquiry, such as the UK Covid-19 Inquiry, amounts to the criminal offence of perjury, which on conviction can lead to a prison sentence of up to seven years.

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  • Girl, 13, to appear in court over school stabbing
    nation.cymru Girl, 13, to appear in court over school stabbing

    A teenage schoolgirl will appear in court charged with attempted murder after a stabbing at a school in Carmarthenshire. Pupils at Ysgol Dyffryn Aman (Amman Valley School), in Carmarthenshire went into lockdown just after 11.20am on Wednesday after the stabbing at the end of morning break. Two teach...

    Girl, 13, to appear in court over school stabbing

    A teenage schoolgirl will appear in court charged with attempted murder after a stabbing at a school in Carmarthenshire.

    Pupils at Ysgol Dyffryn Aman (Amman Valley School), in Carmarthenshire went into lockdown just after 11.20am on Wednesday after the stabbing at the end of morning break.

    Two teachers and a pupil were hurt in the incident but have since been released from hospital.

    The 13-year-old, who cannot be named, was remanded in custody to appear before Llanelli Magistrates’ Court.

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  • Air ambulances at school after reports of stabbing
    www.bbc.co.uk Girl arrested on suspicion of attempted murder after teachers and pupil stabbed at school - BBC News

    A teenage girl remains in custody after a stabbing at a school in south-west Wales.

    Girl arrested on suspicion of attempted murder after teachers and pupil stabbed at school - BBC News

    Emergency services are in attendance at an incident at a secondary school in west Wales.

    There have been reports of a stabbing at Ysgol Dyffryn Amman in Ammanford, Carmarthenshire on Wednesday.

    Wales Air Ambulance have confirmed two helicopters attended the incident, with one now en route to University Hospital of Wales in Cardiff.

    Concerned parents have posted online that the school is locked down, with pupils being held in their classrooms.

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  • Specialist firefighters tunnel under home to rescue trapped poodle
    www.standard.co.uk Specialist firefighters tunnel under home to rescue trapped poodle

    The dog, named Jock, became stuck under a property in Swansea on Tuesday.

    Specialist firefighters tunnel under home to rescue trapped poodle

    cross-posted from: https://feddit.uk/post/10906937

    > > A poodle had to be rescued by specialist firefighters after it became trapped under a home. > > > > The crew were forced to tunnel under the property in Parkmill in Swansea, South Wales, to reach the three-year-old black dog named Jock, after being called out at 7.11am on Tuesday. > > > > They removed a large number of patio slabs at the rear of the home, hoping to get to the poodle. > > > > Unable to find him, specially trained officers from the Wales Urban Search and Rescue (USAR) Team were called in. > > > > Using seismic detection equipment and technical search cameras they were able to help pinpoint the dog’s exact location and a second tunnel was dug under the property’s kitchen.

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  • Please drive carefully and respect our goats.
    bylines.cymru Goats in Llandudno: ‘Please drive carefully’

    “A lot of people have phoned the council … They need to do something. The goats are really important to Llandudno. It’s unique, isn’t it?”

    Goats in Llandudno: ‘Please drive carefully’

    A grandmother is campaigning for more road signs warning of goats in and around Llandudno after a small herd of the animals was killed. Four goats were hit by a vehicle on the A470 at Wormhout Way earlier this month.

    The goats have roamed Llandudno and Craig y Don since the pandemic lockdowns saw them venture from the Great Orme into the resort’s empty streets. Conwy Council has previously said it won’t fence in the goats due to the risk of the authority becoming solely responsible for the creatures’ welfare. But following the accident last week, some are calling for more road signs in and around Llandudno to warn motorists of the presence of the goats.

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  • Llywodraeth Cymru 'o ddifrif' am gyrraedd y nod o filiwn o siaradwyr Cymraeg
    newyddion.s4c.cymru Llywodraeth Cymru 'o ddifrif' am gyrraedd y nod o filiwn o siaradwyr Cymraeg

    Mae Llywodraeth Cymru wedi dweud eu bod nhw’n “cymryd o ddifri” eu targed o 1 miliwn o siaradwyr Cymraeg erbyn 2050 ar ôl beirniadaeth.

    Llywodraeth Cymru 'o ddifrif' am gyrraedd y nod o filiwn o siaradwyr Cymraeg

    Mae Llywodraeth Cymru wedi dweud eu bod nhw’n “cymryd o ddifri” eu targed o 1 miliwn o siaradwyr Cymraeg erbyn 2050 ar ôl beirniadaeth.

    Maen nhw’n wynebu haeriad gan un o aelodau pwyllgor iaith a diwylliant y Senedd y bydd “bron yn amhosib” bwrw'r targed nad oes digon o gyrsiau ar gael i gwrdd â’r galw.

    Daw’r feirniadaeth ar ôl i Dona Lewis, Prif Weithredwr y Ganolfan Dysgu Cymraeg Cenedlaethol, gyflwyno tystiolaeth i’r pwyllgor.

    Fe ddywedodd nad oes modd cyrraedd y twf “anferth” mewn darpariaeth yr oedden nhw wedi gobeithio amdano.

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  • 20mph Wales: Some roads to revert to 30mph after backlash
    www.bbc.com 20mph Wales: Some roads to revert to 30mph after backlash

    Transport Secretary Ken Skates says speed limit policy must be "corrected" after a public backlash.

    20mph Wales: Some roads to revert to 30mph after backlash

    > Some roads in Wales will revert to 30mph following backlash at the Welsh government's £34m default 20mph policy. > > Transport minister Ken Skates said the changes will address the concerns that "a lot of people" have raised "on a consistent basis". > > "We've put our hands up to say the guidance has to be corrected," he said. > > Swansea council leader Rob Stewart welcomed the change, but said the government must help foot the bill to swap signage. > > Mr Skates highlighted the almost half a million signatures to a Senedd petition opposing the policy, brought in under former first minister Mark Drakeford and his transport minister Lee Waters.

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  • Why so few witches were executed in Wales in the middle ages
    theconversation.com Why so few witches were executed in Wales in the middle ages

    Only five witches were executed in Wales, while thousands were sentenced to death in Scotland and England.

    Why so few witches were executed in Wales in the middle ages

    cross-posted from: https://lemmy.world/post/14135985

    > The fear of witchcraft led to centuries of persecution and executions across Europe. While there were an estimated 500 executions in England, and between 3,000 and 4,000 killings in Scotland, only five people were hanged for witchcraft in Wales. > > Early modern Wales was unique in its outlook on witchcraft. Distinct elements of Welsh culture, including superstition and religion, halted the witch trials seen across the rest of Britain and Europe. > > In fact, the witch is steeped in Welsh culture. There is speculation among some researchers that the traditional tall, black hat of the Welsh woman served as inspiration for the wide-brimmed hat of the fairy tale witch. Yet Wales saw no witch hunt. > > There were other factors, such as the preference for unreformed religion. And the people’s reliance on wise women and soothsayers who could cure sickness and find missing items, and the ever-present influence of old beggar women, meant witchcraft was less poised to be brought to the attention of the courts. When it did very occasionally come to trial, it was usually dismissed.

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  • Welsh Labour leadership: Vaughan Gething to be Wales' next first minister
    www.bbc.co.uk Vaughan Gething to become Wales' first black leader

    Vaughan Gething narrowly beats Jeremy Miles to win the Welsh Labour leadership election.

    Vaughan Gething to become Wales' first black leader

    Vaughan Gething is set to be Wales' next first minister after narrowly winning the Welsh Labour leadership election with 51.7% of the vote.

    Mr Gething, who will become the first black man to lead Wales, beat his only rival Jeremy Miles, who took 48.3%.

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  • St David: Ten things to know about the patron saint of Wales
    www.bbc.co.uk St David: Ten things to know about the patron saint of Wales

    The patron saint of Wales was a teetotal vegetarian who was born in a storm.

    St David: Ten things to know about the patron saint of Wales

    Dydd Gŵyl Dewi hapus, pawb.

    Every year on 1 March, Wales celebrates St David's Day - but how much do we actually know about the country's patron saint?

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  • Beavers in Wales, what do YOU think?
    www.wtwales.org Beavers in Wales, what do YOU think? | Wildlife Trusts Wales

    Last spring people across Wales were asked to share their views on beavers living in the wild in Wales and the results are now in!

    Beavers in Wales, what do YOU think? | Wildlife Trusts Wales

    Last spring people across Wales were asked to share their views on beavers living in the wild in Wales and the results are now in!

    Beavers lived in Britain until they were hunted to extinction approximately 500 years ago. They have recently been reintroduced to Scotland and England and the Welsh Beaver Project, led by North Wales Wildlife Trust, is seeking to re-establish beavers in Wales.

    The Welsh Beaver Project has been investigating the feasibility of reintroducing beavers to Wales since 2005, and this also involves finding out what people think about beavers in Wales. Lots of public engagement work has been undertaken, but this is the first time that an all-Wales online survey has been conducted.

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