We have put together a round-up of all the latest news, weather and travel information for Saturday, February 26, that will get you caught up to date.
The Welsh rugby team are getting ready to take on England in the Six Nations today. Both teams will be looking to build on their respective wins from a fortnight ago.
The match takes place at Twickenham Stadium at 4.45pm, after Scotland host France.
In other news, a Welsh airsoft company has come under fire after advertising a Ukraine v Russia conflict simulation. Customers accused the company of writing the ad in bad taste.
Elsewhere in the world, the conflict between Ukraine and Russia continues, however Ukraine claims Russia 'did not take a single city' during the night of fighting.
Wales news headlines
Welsh airsoft company faces backlash after advertising 'Ukraine v Russia conflict' simulation
An airsoft company has come under fire after advertising a "Ukraine vs Russia conflict" simulation.
Airsoft Cardiff advertised the event on Facebook on Friday, as Ukraine's military fought to defend the besieged nation from invading Russian forces.
The firm has received heavy condemnation from former customers and other airsoft pages, with many suggesting the advert was written in "bad taste" and is "offensive".
The Facebook post, which has since been deleted, said: "This week we will simulate Ukraine vs Russia conflict. Hope to see you all."
There was then a link to book a space on the latest Airsoft Cardiff session.
Airsoft is a sport where players take part in simulated gun combat with BB weapons, and is likened to paintball.
Facebook satire page CringeSoft posted a screenshot of the original post with the caption: "Everyone: The war in Ukraine is terrible.
"Airsoft Cardiff: How can we be the biggest k***s in airsoft...
"Airsoft Cardiff how about you run a game day and donate a portion of your takings to help fund those fighting for their lives and homes, instead of trying to make money from other people's suffering."
There has been significant backlash to Airsoft Cardiff's post.
One commenter said: "This is totally unacceptable, the sheer amount of lives lost in the past 24 hours is heartbreaking and to see yall capitalising on it is embarrassing, gives the sport such a bad name."
Another said: "Incredibly bad taste post, unbelievable, shame on you."
One former customer of Airsoft Cardiff said: "These guys are just absolute f*****g idiots! They are just trying to profit on people's suffering!"
Another added: "This kind of s**t is why I no longer play airsoft. Too many cringe f*****s embarrassing what was once a decent past time."
The Airsoft Cardiff Facebook page appeared to reply and dismiss the criticism earlier on in the evening.
The account said: "Thanks for your opinion! Now run to your shelter with women and kids! Let man do the work!!"
Spokesperson for Airsoft Cardiff, Pawel Czerwinski, told WalesOnline: "I want to change the post. The profit for that event will go to the victims of that very conflict.
"We intend to support victims of the conflict. People got the wrong idea. I have deleted the post already.
"There was a charitable intention - people got the wrong idea. It might be my own fault for not specifying. I am really sorry for the confusion."
'My dad shot himself to end his suffering from cancer, we should have been allowed to help him end his life'
Cancer had turned Norman Ward, a once fiercely independent Welsh Guard, into a "dead man walking" according to his family.
He had lived with prostate cancer for 15 years and tried every treatment offered to him. But the cancer had spread around his body and he had received a terminal diagnosis
Eventually, the 75-year-old's suffering became too much and he took his own life. He killed himself in his garden using a legally owned shotgun before being discovered by family.
Now his son Gareth Ward, 45, is campaigning to legalise assisted dying. He is calling on the government to change the law, giving terminally ill people who are sound of mind and who are expected to die within six months the option of an assisted death.
That option is not currently available but peers have debated an Assisted Dying Bill in the House of Lords which could change the law.
Speaking of his dad's death, Gareth said: "In my heart I don't think what my dad did was suicide. He ended his life, he was dying anyway. He had been dying slowly for months. He was at the end and I don't blame him. I'm not angry or upset that he shot himself, I'm pleased that he had a way out. But I wish it could have been done where it was a decision we could have been a part of."
Today's forecast
The Met Office predicts a cold start, but dry with plenty of sunshine for today.
For the day, they said: "A cold but bright start will give way to a dry and fine day across the country. Cloud, however, may build at times in the west, with the best of sun always in the east. Breezy, especially in the west. Maximum temperature 11 °C."
For this evening, they added: "A dry evening and night with plenty of clear skies, although cloud may build back in across the west later. Under the clear skies a patchy frost is possible. Minimum temperature 1 °C."
Here is how the roads are affected at 8:30am:
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B4350 in both directions closed due to flooding between the Bredwardine turn off (Clifford) and Whitney Bridge (Whitney On Wye).
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B4518 in both directions closed due to flooding between Vaenor Park (Llanidloes ) and Sun Hill (St Harmon).
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Eastgate Westbound closed due to an unsafe building from Portland Street to B4346 Pier Street, Aberystwyth
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A55 North Wales Expressway Eastbound entry slip road partially blocked due to emergency pothole repairs at J19 A470 Conway Road (Black Cat / Glan Conwy / Llandudno Junction).
Coronavirus headlines
The incredibly low numbers of Covid cases now in Welsh schools
Covid cases among school pupils and staff plunged over half term and in the week before half term, official figures show.
Infections in the school community are still collected over half term.
Data from Public Health Wales, published on February 24, shows most school cases continue to be among primary staff and children, but cases have fallen across all health authority areas for the last three weeks.
In the six days of half term to February 24, a total of 317 Covid cases were reported in schools compared with 781 in the week before half term and 1,694 the week before.
Of the half term cases reported:
- 187 were in primaries
- 97 in secondaries
- 33 in “other schools”, which includes independent schools and pupil referral units.
In the six days to February 17 - the last week before half term:
- 441 cases were in primaries
- 251 in secondaries
- 89 in “other”.
Two weeks earlier a total 991 Covid infections were logged by primaries, 531 in secondaries and 172 in “other”, the latest data shows.
Wales school Covid cases total since February 10:
- Six days to February 24 - 317
- Six days to February 17 - 781
- Six days to February 10 - 1,387
Reporting the figures Public Health Wales stressed that cases reported by schools does not mean infection necessarily took place there.
Latest Wales infection rate
A further 10 people have died with coronavirus in Wales according to latest figures published by Public Health Wales.
New data released on Friday, February 25, and covering a 24-hour period to 9am on Thursday, February 24, shows 855 new positive cases, bringing the total to 812,699.
The overall number of people who have died within 28 days of testing positive in Wales has now risen to 6,979.
The latest infection rate based on PCR tests for the seven days up to February 20 now stands at 202.3 cases for every 100,000 people – a reduction from the 210.7 cases recorded on Thursday.
The infection rate based on PCR tests is only a guide to the spread of Covid in Wales as it does not include lateral flow test results, which are reported weekly in Wales. People with no symptoms who test positive on an LFT no longer need a confirmatory PCR test.
The latest data on lateral flow tests, published on Thursday for the week to February 20, show there have been a further 11,350 positive test results reported. That's down from 13,700 the previous week. Positivity also increased slightly from 8.07% to 8.23%. The highest incidence rate was in the Hywel Dda University Health Board area with 431.3 positive tests for every 100,000 people.
National news headlines
Ukraine claims Russia 'did not take a single city' during night as fight for Kyiv continues
Ukraine's Ministry of Defence has claimed that Russia 'did not take a single city' over night - but says the fight for the capital Kyiv and the city of Vasylkiv continues.
In a tweet at around 4.15am UK time, an official Ukraine defence ministry account tweeted: "During the night, the Russian invaders did not take a single city!
"Kyiv is cleaned of the remnants of saboteurs. Thank you to the brave defenders of Ukraine!"
The tweet linked to the General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine's Facebook Page, which said in a post at 4am UK time: "Currently heavy battles are ongoing in the city of Vasylkiv in Kyiv region, where the occupiers are trying to expel a parachute from the air.
"Active combat actions are taking place on the streets of Kiev.. the enemy receives a worthy divided and suffers losses.
"Let's win this together"
However, the BBC reports that same twitter account - which is the verified account of the Ukrainian Ministry of Defence - has previously tweeted "misleading posts".
It tweeted footage of an aerial dogfight with the caption "MiG-29 of the Air Force of the Armed Forces destroys the 'unparalleled' Su-35 of the Russian occupiers".
But the BBC says the video was "video game footage from the game Digital Combat Simulator World".
Kyiv officials are warning residents that street fighting is underway against Russian forces and they are urging people to seek shelter.
The warning issued Saturday advised residents to remain in shelters, to avoid going near windows or on balconies and to take precautions against being hit by debris or bullets.
Sport headlines
England 43-14 Wales U20s: Byron Hayward's men leak tries after captain sent off in heavy defeat
Wales U20s captain Alex Mann was sent off in the first half ahead of his team going down to heavy 43-14 defeat against their English counterparts at Doncaster’s Castle Park.
Without their skipper, it became too much of an ask for the visitors, who had started the game in really promising fashion, and they ended up leaking six tries.
Cardiff No. 8 Mann was red carded for a shoulder to the head of his opposite number Emeka Ilione 29 minutes into the Six Nations clash.
With his team trailing 8-7, he looked to put in a tackle, but ended up catching Ilione to the jaw area.
After being alerted to the incident by her TMO, Irish referee Joy Neville went to check the replays at the side of the pitch. She decided there were no mitigating factors and sent the Welsh skipper for an early bath.
Mann was clearly distraught, putting his hands to his head before leaving the field. He had been a try-scoring man of the match in the bonus point 26-13 victory over Scotland at Colwyn Bay two weeks ago. And he had started this game really well too, winning a jackal penalty over the ball to set up a kick to the corner after just two minutes, then leaping high to claim possession at the resulting lineout.
That established an attacking platform which culminated in Cardiff Met prop Rhys Barratt diving over for a converted try after strong carries from centre Joe Hawkins and hooker Morgan Veness.
It was a dream start for Wales, who were to have much the better of the opening quarter, but the dream was to turn into a nightmare for Mann.
Soon after he was red carded, England capitalised on their extra body to claim a second try and take a 15-7 interval lead.
After the break, they stretched their advantage, securing the four-try bonus point after 52 minutes as they bounced back from their shock 6-0 defeat to Italy in the last round.
Ospreys second row Benji Williams did manage to force his way over from close range for the 14 men in red, but that was to prove just a brief respite for them.
For England, there were two tries from pacy full-back Henry Arundell, with hooker Finn Theobald-Thomas, No. 8 Ilione, prop Will Hobson and wing Deago Bailey also touching down.
There were also 13 points from the boots of Jamie Benson and Louie Johnson, while Wales fly-half Jac Lloyd landed a couple of conversions for the visitors.
It was the impressive Ilione who was named man of the match, with the Leicester youngster having been involved in much of the home side’s best work.
Byron Hayward’s Wales now have two defeats from their opening three Championship games, having suffered a 53-5 drubbing at the hands of Ireland out in Cork in their round one fixture before beating Scotland 26-13 a week later.
Next up for them is a home game against France at Colwyn Bay’s Parc Eirias in a fortnight’s time on Thursday, March 10.
England v Wales kick-off time and how to watch
Wales and England are ready to do battle at Twickenham in today's Six Nations encounter, with both teams looking to build on their respective wins last time out.
The old rivals head into the clash after Scotland v France kicks off the round-three action.
Wales, who haven't won at Twickenham in the Six Nations for 10 years, go into the grudge match following their bounce-back 20-17 win against Scotland in Cardiff in round two, which somewhat redeemed their 29-7 thrashing at the hands of Ireland a week prior.
England, meanwhile, unravelled in round one and lost 20-17 to Scotland at Murrayfield, before recording a 33-0 win against Italy last weekend.
Both sides will be targeting a win to keep their respective Six Nations title aspirations on track, with bragging rights on the table too.
What time is England v Wales kick-off?
England host Wales on Saturday, February 26, at 4.45pm at Twickenham.
What TV channel is England v Wales on? What about live streaming?
Coverage of Wales' match against England is being broadcast live on ITV and S4C. Viewers will also be able to live stream coverage via the ITV Hub and S4C Clic.
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