Hello, and welcome to WalesOnline's live blog for Satursday, November 18. We will be bringing you all of the latest news from across Wales - whether you're on the move, at home or at work - as well as the latest traffic and travel.
We will also be keeping you informed of major news stories from the UK and overseas. Contribute to the live blog by posting your comments below, or tweet us @WalesOnline to share the news that's breaking in your area.
Police raid 'industrial-sized' cannabis farm worth almost £700k
Police uncovered a huge cannabis factory in an industrial park. Officers from the South Wales Police organised crime unit searched the premises after thermal drone imaging suggested large-scale cannabis production. Read more and see images of the site here.
Statement from National Museum Cardiff after protest occupation
Earlier today pro-Palestine protesters occupied the National Museum Cardiff. In a statement at 3.35pm the museum said: "Due to an unplanned demonstration, we have had to close the front doors to the museum to protect the safety of our visitors and staff. You can access the museum via the Reardon Smith theatre on the side of the building. We apologise for any inconvenience caused and plan to open as soon as it is safe to do so."
Motorcyclist suffers life-changing injuries in crash with car
Police are appealing for information after a young biker sustained life-changing injuries in a crash with a car. Gwent Police wants to speak with any drivers who were travelling in Cardiff Road, Newport, between 8.50pm and 9.15pm last Sunday. Read more here.
Two airlifted to hospital after serious dog attack
Four people have been injured in a serious dog attack in Wales. Two of the casualties have been airlifted to hospital and 37 dogs seized following the incident, which you can read more about here.
The Hollywood-style Welsh home with a spectacular terrace and stunning sea views
If you've ever fantasized about owning your own modern coastal home which has that extra bit of pizazz to it, this house easily fits the bill. It looks just like those dreamy houses you see on the films set in LA.
But you don't have to uproot to the West Coast of America to get a taste of what life could look like by the sea. Found in Ogmore-By-Sea on Main Road, this swanky pad is on the market for £795,000, and looks right out onto the stunning sandy beach that stretches for miles in the area.
Read more here.
Welsh Government issues planning 'direction' to council over hospital housing plans
The Welsh Government is casting its eye over controversial plans to demolish a former hospital in Carmarthenshire to make way for housing. Cardiff Bay planning officials have issued a direction to Carmarthenshire Council preventing it from granting planning permission for the proposed development at the old Amman Valley Maternity Hospital, Glanamman, which closed nearly 40 years ago.
The direction does not prevent the authority from continuing to process the application or prevent it from turning it down. It'll remain in force until Welsh ministers decide whether or not to formally call in the application.
Read more here.
Nigel Farage says he will not do some bushtucker trials on I'm a Celebrity
Nigel Farage will not be competing in some bushtucker trials in the new series of I’m A Celebrity...Get Me Out Of Here! The controversial politician who is so hated by some they are threatening a boycott of the new ITV series has said that he has suffered a number of injuries over the years which restricts him to the less active tests.
Speaking to the Sun Farage, who is a GB News presenter, said his doctors won’t allow him to do some of the trials. The ex UKIP leaer said: “Well, anything involving weightlifting, I’d be out because I’ve obviously had some quite serious physical injuries and neck reconstructions and goodness knows what else,” Farage said.
Read more here.
Tesco, Morrisons, Asda, and River Island issue urgent recalls over product safety fears
Some of the UK's largest retailers have recalled products due to health and safety concerns. Among the products being withdrawn are Morrison's own-brand of gluten-free cereal, an Asda baby dungaree set, and a plant-based tikka masala from Tesco.
Issues with the products range from undeclared allergens to choking hazards and risk of injury as well as other reasons. When a product is recalled for any reason the Chartered Trading Standards Institute (CTSI), Office for Product Safety & Standards, and/or the Food Standards Agency share details on what people should do if they've bought the item and also explain why the product is being pulled from shelves.
We've rounded up some of the most recent products that have been recalled. Click here to see if you have purchased any of the affected items.
The firms caught breaking environmental rules in Wales
Building firms, two golf clubs, a council, and even a national park are named on the latest list of organisations caught breaking environmental rules in Wales. One firm dumped waste that caused almost £1m worth of damage while some breaches involved illegal spills in rivers.
In the first eight months of this year the Natural Resources Wales (NRW) regulator took action over 78 environmental breaches. But only two of those cases resulted in fines, according to data from Freedom of Information requests by Violation Tracker and shared with WalesOnline.
Read more here.
Dozens of Wales fans arrested in Armenia ahead of crucial Euro 2024 qualifier
Thirty-two Welsh football fans who have travelled to Armenia to watch the team have been arrested by police in Armenia. The arrests have been confirmed by the Football Association of Wales (FAW).
Robert Page's men were due to face Armenia in the capital Yerevan on Saturday afternoon UK time but a number of fans were taken into police custody. A spokesman from the FAW confirmed they are in "constant communication" with those affected.
Read more here.
Broken down vehicle closes one lane of M48 Severn Bridge
Traffic monitoring service Inrix says one lane has been closed and there is slow traffic due to a broken down vehicle on M48 Severn Bridge Eastbound between Junction 2 A466 Wye Valley Link Road (Chepstow) and Junction 1 A403 (Aust).
James Martin fans concerned as he posts update amid 'break' to battle cancer
Fans have spoken of their concern after TV chef James Martin posted an update on his Instagram page - revealing he’s still working. The popular culinary guru stunned followers when he revealed that he would be taking a break after a series of shows around the country - and said it was to get treatment for cancer.
The 51-year-old admitted he has been ‘going through a lot of s*** with cancer’ during one of his shows in Liverpool recently - and said he would be taking a break to get it ‘sorted’ and aimed to be back at the end of February. However, fans were worried when he took to instagram and revealed he has been filming.
Read more here.
Congestion on A4232
There are queues on the A4232 travelling northbound between St Fagans and the M4 Junction 33 (Capel Llanilltern).
Follow our live updates here.
Every one-off payment people of state pension age will get before end of 2023
People who are above state pension age are set to get a good amount of financial assistance in the weeks remaining in 2023. Before the end of the year, there is an array of different payments which they could get which amount to more than £1,000.
The money can be split into four separate payments - and most should be paid automatically, the Record reports. The payments include the cost of living money, the winter fuel cash, Warm Home Discount Scheme and DWP Christmas bonus.
Read more here.
Woman falls from bridge over road near Cardiff city centre
A young woman is in hospital with life-changing injuries after falling from a bridge near Cardiff city centre. The 22-year-old fell from a road bridge above East Tyndall Street, South Wales Police has said.
Roads were closed in all directions from the Magic Roundabout in Splott as emergency services attended the incident. Read more here.
The most expensive homes on the market in Cardiff right now
From a renovated old water tower to a former gatekeeper's cottage we've rounded up some of the expensive properties for sale in Cardiff right now according to Rightmove and Zoopla. Have a peek inside here.
Biblical disease hitting record levels in the 21st century
UK government advisers have called for a vaccination programme to target the growing threat of a biblical disease that has hit a record high in the 21st-century.
The latest NHS data shows that there were more cases of gonorrhoea, the ancient sexually transmitted infection, in England in 2022 than at any time since records began more than 100 years ago. The number of cases of gonorrhea in Wales has also risen massively in the last decade. In 2013, there were just 998 cases recorded, which had risen to 3,918 last year - nearly four times as many. Men are far more likely to catch the disease than women and the bulk of cases are in the 15 to 24 years old age group. The disease is most prevalent in the Cardiff and Swansea areas.
Read more here.
Cardiff slip road closes due to flooding
A slip road at a junction in Cardiff has closed due to flooding. An update on traffic monitoring service Inrix, issued just after 9am, says: "A4232 Northbound exit slip road closed due to flooding at A48 Cowbridge Road (Culver House Cross)."
Elsewhere in Wales, there is now one flood warning in place and eight flood alerts. Previously we reported there were six flood alerts in regions of south and west Wales.
The flood warning has been issued for the River Ewenny at Ewenny Village. It means flooding is expected and immediate action is required.
Out-of-control XL bully dog 'bit chunks' out of woman's face
The owner of an XL bully allowed the dog to attack his partner and rip chunks of skin and flesh from her face. The woman had to undergo plastic surgery to graft skin from her back into her cheek following the incident and has been left permanently scarred.
Swansea Crown Courtheard that Reggie the XL had bitten the woman just a matter of weeks before and police had advised the owner to take it to a vet to have it put down. Instead Kevin Griffiths just kept the large animal shut in the bathroom of this flat.
Read more here.
The people most wanted by police in Wales right now
Police in Wales are looking for a number of people who are wanted in relation to a series of alleged crimes. Officers are asking for members of the public to come forward if they have any information about the whereabouts of the people listed here.
This is not a comprehensive list of every wanted person in Wales. South Wales Police features its active appeals on its force Facebook page but not all are featured as officers make every effort to trace suspects prior to them being published as wanted.
North Wales Police does not remove all its appeals once the people are no longer active meaning some older ones still appear online and the force was not able to confirm whether these were still active and the people were still wanted. To maintain the greatest degree of accuracy we have chosen to only include appeals shared since October 20, 2023, for both forces.
More than a third of women sexually harassed on trains, say police
More than a third of all British women who travel by railway are likely to be assaulted during their commute, new data commissioned by the British Transport Police (BTP) has revealed. BTP data also indicates that most assaults occur during the evening rush hour when trains are packed and busy.
Unacceptable behaviour such as leering, catcalling, touching, pressing, upskirting or indecent exposure is being experienced by women more than ever, with 51% of female victims stating that other rail passengers intervened to try to help. However, only one in five people who have witnessed incidents of sexual harassment reported it to police.
Read more here.
The cheapest places to buy petrol and diesel in every part of Wales
WalesOnline has been able to access the latest data for standard grade petrol (E10) and standard grade diesel (B7) prices across Wales. Click here for the current cheapest place to buy petrol in every one of Wales' local authority areas, as of Friday morning.
Six flood alerts issued for Wales
Six flood alerts have been issued for Wales, covering areas in the south and west. Natural Resources Wales has issued the alerts, which mean flooding is possible and people should be prepared.
The locations of the alerts are:
- Rivers Nant-Y-Fendrod and Nant Bran
River Ewenny and Vale of Glamorgan west
Rivers Llynfi and Ogmore
River Ely
North and west Pembrokeshire
South Pembrokeshire
Met Office weather for Saturday
Wet and windy to start, drier into the afternoon. Here is the full forecast for Wales today:
A wet and windy start to the weekend with outbreaks of heavy rain gradually clearing northeastwards through the morning. Some brighter spells developing into the afternoon with a few showers around. Mild but breezy. Maximum temperature 15 °C. Often cloudy this evening with a few showers continuing. These becoming more frequent and heavier overnight, merging to give longer spells of rain by dawn. Staying breezy and mild. Minimum temperature 10 °C.
Good morning
Welcome to the WalesOnline daily blog.
The breaking news team are here ready to bring you all the latest news, weather and travel from across the region.
Time to get started.
