We have put together a round-up of all the latest news, weather, and travel information for Wednesday, April 13, that will get you caught up and ready for the day as President Joe Biden has said Russia's war in Ukraine amounts to "genocide", accusing President Vladimir Putin of trying to "wipe out the idea of even being a Ukrainian".
"Yes, I called it genocide," he told reporters in Iowa shortly before boarding Air Force One to return to Washington. "It's become clearer and clearer that Putin is just trying to wipe out the idea of even being a Ukrainian."
These statements follow an earlier event in Iowa, addressing spiking energy prices resulting from the war, where Mr Biden had implied that he thought Mr Putin was carrying out genocide against Ukraine, but offered no details. However, the president nor his administration announced new consequences for Russia or assistance to Ukraine following Mr Biden's public assessment.
Mr Biden said it would be up to lawyers to decide if Russia's conduct met the international standard for genocide, but said "it sure seems that way to me".
"More evidence is coming out literally of the horrible things that the Russians have done in Ukraine, and we're only going to learn more and more about the devastation and let the lawyers decide internationally whether or not it qualifies," he said.
Only a week ago Mr Biden had said he did not believe Russia's actions amounted to genocide, just that they constituted "war crimes".
Wales news headlines
Mass brawl between door staff and drinkers caught on video outside Neath nightclub
Door staff from a Valleys nightclub have been caught on film fighting in the street with a group of men they'd previously ejected from the venue. The mass brawl, shot on one reveller's mobile phone, is thought to have happened at the end of last month. However, it has only just begun circulating on social media.
The shocking 39 second clip shows several door staff from The Arch Bar & Nightclub in Neath clashing with a group of punters, thought to be door staff from another south Wales venue. At one point amidst the scuffle you can see someone apparently being knocked out and hitting their head on the pavement as they fall.
The spokesperson added that the police were radioed via NiteNet - a telephone alert network that links different establishments with local officers - to attend the scene, which was said to have happened in the early hours of Sunday, March 27. However, those involved had dispersed by the time they'd arrived.
South Wales Police have been contacted for comment. Read the full story here.
Body found at Welsh beauty spot
Police have confirmed a body has been found on the Great Orme in Llandudno. It follows reports of a heavy police presence in the area on Tuesday morning, April 12. The Great Orme Tramway posted on its Facebook page that its service was currently suspended to the summit and that the service would continue to run elsewhere on its route.
“Because of a police incident, visitors are not currently allowed at the summit of the Great Orme. The Tramway is running return trips to Halfway Station. We’ll post an update when this changes,” said the post North Wales Police confirmed that investigations were ongoing but said the death was not being treated as suspicious. Police and emergency services were still at the scene this afternoon.
A police spokesperson told North Wales Live : “We can confirm that a body has been found. This is still unfolding but there are no suspicious circumstances.”
A spokesperson for the Welsh Ambulance Service Trust (WAST) said: "We were called at approximately 6.23am this morning, Tuesday 12 April, to the Great Orme in Llandudno. We sent a paramedic in a rapid response car and an emergency ambulance to the scene." Read the full story here.
Today's forecast
Turning warmer this week. Here is the full forecast for Wales: "A cloudy start with drizzle over the hills. Turning brighter towards lunchtime with plenty of warm afternoon sunshine. However, some heavy showers forming in the south, perhaps thundery with hail. Low cloud also lingering on some coasts. Maximum temperature 17 °C.
"Showers easing this evening to leave a mainly dry night. Turning cloudier though with hill fog as low cloud spreads in from the west. The odd spot of drizzle later. Minimum temperature 6 °C."
Here is how the roads and rail are affected at 7am
All services appear to be running without issue.
National news headlines
Johnson survives Partygate fine fallout for now
Boris Johnson looked set to avoid an initial fallout from becoming the first prime minister to be hit with criminal sanctions while in office over a birthday bash held for him in Downing Street against Covid rules. The Prime Minister, his wife and the Chancellor all apologised on Tuesday and confirmed they had paid fines imposed by the Metropolitan Police over a party held on June 19, 2020, to mark Mr Johnson’s 56th birthday.
Mr Johnson said it “did not occur” to him that the gathering might be breaching Covid rules, while Rishi Sunak said he understood that “for figures in public office, the rules must be applied stringently in order to maintain public confidence”. But although both politicians said they now accepted the rules had been broken, neither appeared to be considering their positions, as they said they wanted to get on with the job.
Cabinet ministers tweeted in support of Mr Johnson, praising his leadership during Covid and Brexit and also pointing to the war in Ukraine. Even the Prime Minister’s critics appeared to accept that now was not the right time for a leadership contest.
However, Mr Johnson did not rule out the prospect he could be fined again for further events. He is reported to have attended six of the 12 under investigation.
Speaking to broadcasters at Chequers, Mr Johnson said: “There was a brief gathering in the Cabinet Room shortly after 2pm lasting for less than 10 minutes, during which people I work with kindly passed on their good wishes. And I have to say in all frankness at that time it did not occur to me that this might have been a breach of the rules.”
He added: “I now humbly accept that I was. But I think the best thing I can do now is, having settled the fine, is focus on the job in hand."
Mr Sunak said: “I offer an unreserved apology. I understand that for figures in public office, the rules must be applied stringently in order to maintain public confidence. I respect the decision that has been made and have paid the fine. I know people sacrificed a great deal during Covid, and they will find this situation upsetting.
"I deeply regret the frustration and anger caused and I am sorry. Like the Prime Minister, I am focused on delivering for the British people at this challenging time.”
Homegrown terrorist to be jailed for Sir David Amess murder
The unrepentant homegrown terrorist who murdered veteran MP Sir David Amess will be jailed for life when he is sentenced for his atrocity at the Old Bailey today. Ali Harbi Ali was convicted of murder and preparing terrorist acts on Monday by jurors who spent just 18 minutes in retirement.
Prosecutors described the case as “overwhelming”, and the 26-year-old Londoner himself did not dispute much of the evidence. The judge, Mr Justice Sweeney, will decide whether or not to impose a whole-life sentence on Ali, meaning the university drop-out would never be released.
Far-right extremist Thomas Mair, who murdered Labour MP Jo Cox in 2016, is among the handful of prisoners in England and Wales subject to a whole-life order, while ex-PC Wayne Couzens was also handed a whole-life term last year after raping and murdering Sarah Everard in south London. Max Hill QC, Director of Public Prosecutions, said Ali’s was an “exceptionally serious case” but refused to be drawn on whether he should receive the same sentence as Mair.
He said: “I have no doubt that this individual will receive his true deserts for the consequences of what he has done. We were in no hesitation that this was an act of terrorism, just as was the case in the tragic murder of Jo Cox.”
Ali will nevertheless receive a life sentence, with the judge deciding whether to lock him up for the rest of his life, or set a minimum time he must serve in prison before being eligible for parole. Islamic State fanatic Ali carried out his attack at the backbench Conservative MP’s constituency surgery in Leigh-on-Sea, Essex, on October 15 last year.
Ali told the trial he had no regrets about the murder, defending his actions by saying Sir David deserved to die because he had voted in Parliament for air strikes on Syria in 2014 and 2015. The court heard that Ali became known to authorities around this time as his school performance plunged and he was referred to the Government’s Prevent strategy, but continued plotting in secret.
The so-called “lone wolf” sent a manifesto on WhatsApp to family and friends seeking to justify his actions around the time of the attack. He told father-of-five Sir David he was “sorry” before plunging the 12in carving knife into him.
Sport headlines
Calls for 20-minute red card trial to expand
World Rugby has confirmed its hopes of introducing the 20 minute red card trial on a global scale. The trial gives teams the opportunity to tactically replace a player who has been sent off after 20 minutes.
The new law is being trialled in Super Rugby, with its supporters claiming that it would prevent games being ruined as spectacles by early dismissals. However, the overall reaction to the suggestion in the northern hemisphere has been pretty negative and there are accusations that it undermines efforts to improve player safety in order to protect the game as a spectacle.
“That’s been discussed before and will be discussed again,” World Rugby Chief Executive Alan Gilpin told The Telegraph. “It would be great if more competitions, even in a closed trial, would use it because that would give us more of an overview of the effect it would have on the game.
“We need to see more of the data to see whether that strikes the balance between safety and spectacle better. I think there is more work to do to analyse that and the concern is if a team goes back to 15 players is that enough of a deterrent to drive that behavioural change. We would like to see it trialled more widely before drawing any conclusions.”
“We are trying to find that balance but it is really hard. We have sympathy for players who are making these decisions in a fraction of a second. It is hugely difficult for the match officials to find that balance as well in a game that is moving so quickly. It is a challenge that is ongoing but we have to make sure that player welfare at the top of the agenda and that means moving the game to a place where head contact is unacceptable.”
Page on whether Bale will 'come home' after Madrid exit
Rob Page has said Gareth Bale will "definitely" continue playing club football if Wales qualify for the World Cup this year, but is unsure of his destination.
Bale will leave Real Madrid when his contract finishes this summer, but which club he will be at next is as yet unknown. Clubs in England, Italy and the MLS are all seen as viable options, so too is Cardiff City in some quarters. Whether the Bluebirds would be able to get him would depend massively on Bale sanctioning a massive cut in wages.
However, in recent weeks Ian Rush has said that the idea of Bale heading back to his hometown club is not outlandish, indeed the player himself begged Steve Morison not to lose the South Wales derby - which they of course did - during the latest Wales camp.
Any sort of move would need to be forced through from Bale's side, of course, with Cardiff boss Steve Morison admitting that it is not even a consideration for him until someone tells him it is remotely possible. On Bale's future beyond this summer, though, Page remained tight-lipped.
“If we get to the World Cup in November, then he will definitely be playing football,” Page, speaking to The Athletic, said of Bale. “The World Cup is his dream, the one thing missing from his CV. Where he’ll play, I’m not sure; whether he comes home, stays in Spain, fancies another challenge, I really don’t know.”
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