We have put together a round-up of all the latest news, weather and travel information for Thursday, March 10, that will get you caught up and ready for the day.
An airstrike on a maternity hospital in the port city of Mariupol wounded women waiting to give birth and buried children in the rubble as Russian forces intensified their siege of Ukrainian cities.
Bombs also fell on two hospitals in another city west of Kyiv, PA reports.
Read more: The vile abuse faced by a Gypsy family on the edge of Cardiff
The World Health Organisation (WHO) said it has confirmed 18 attacks on medical facilities since the Russian invasion began two weeks ago.
Ukrainian officials said the attack at a medical complex in Mariupol wounded at least 17 people.
The ground shook more than a mile away when the series of blasts hit. Explosions blew out windows and ripped away much of the front of one building. Police and soldiers rushed to the scene to evacuate victims, carrying a bleeding woman with a swollen belly on a stretcher past burning and mangled cars.
Another woman wailed as she clutched her child. In the courtyard, a blast crater extended at least two floors deep.
"Today Russia committed a huge crime," said Volodymir Nikulin, a top regional police official, standing in the ruins. "It is a war crime without any justification."
In Zhytomyr, a city west of Kyiv, bombs fell on two hospitals, one of them a children's hospital, mayor Serhii Sukhomlyn said on Facebook. He said there were no injuries.
President Volodymyr Zelensky said the Mariupol strike trapped children and others under debris.
"A children's hospital. A maternity hospital. How did they threaten the Russian Federation?" Mr Zelensky asked in his nightly video address, switching to Russian to express horror at the strike. "What kind of country is this, the Russian Federation, which is afraid of hospitals, afraid of maternity hospitals, and destroys them?"
He urged the West to impose even tougher sanctions, so Russia "no longer has any possibility to continue this genocide".
Wales news headlines
Two people charged over 10-year-old fatally mauled by a dog
Two people have been charged following the death of a 10-year-old boy fatally mauled by a dog at a friend's home.
Jack Lis, aged 10, died after being attacked by the American bully dog at a house in Pentwyn, Penyrheol, at about 4pm on November 8.
A 28-year-old woman and a 19-year-old man, both from the Caerphilly area, were arrested on suspicion of being in charge of a dog dangerously out of control causing injury resulting in death.
Both have now been charged with these offences and have been released on bail.
They are due to appear at Newport Magistrates' Court on April 7, 2022.
The 19-year-old man has also been charged with a further five offences between the dates of November 4 to 7, 2021 which are listed as:
- owner / person in charge of dog dangerously out of control causing injury x 2
- owner / person in charge of a dog dangerously out of control - no injury x 3
Latest covid infection rate
Six more people have died with coronavirus according to latest figures from Public Health Wales.
New data published on Wednesday, March 9, and covering a 24-hour period, also shows 1,141 new positive cases to bring the total to 822,937.
The number of people who have died within 28 days of a positive Covid test now stands at 7,039.
The latest infection rate based on PCR tests for the seven days up to March 4 is now 184.9 cases for every 100,000 people – a rise from the 178 cases recorded on Tuesday.
However 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, for the week to February 27, show there have been a further 9,255 positive test results reported. That's down from 11,350 the previous week. Positivity also increased slightly from 8.23% to 8.49%. The highest incidence rate was in the Hywel Dda University Health Board area with 349.5 positive tests for every 100,000 people.
Today's forecast
Wales will be rather cloudy with a damp start, but turning brighter in west, according to The Met Office forecast.
Today: "Rather cloudy this morning with some patchy rain. This afternoon will turn dry for many, with the cloud tending to break up, especially in the west allowing some sunny spells to develop. Mild with lighter winds than Wednesday. Maximum temperature 12°C."
Tonight: "Rather cloudy overnight with occasional outbreaks of rain, especially in the east. The cloud may thin later on in the night to allow some clearer spells to develop. Breezy. Minimum temperature 7°C."
Here is how the roads and rail are affected at 8am:
Slow traffic on A465 Heads Of The Valleys Road at High Street (Dowlais Top Roundabout).
Reports of incident on A48 Eastbound at A48 (Nantycaws Junction). Traffic is coping well.
Earlier traffic light fault on Nercwys Road at the Mold Business Park.
National news headlines
Energy bills could rise to £4,000 a year
The only fixed-rate energy bills being offered by energy providers are now approaching £4,000 a year and there are warnings average bills for all could rise to £4,000.
The uncertainty about the energy market means most of the UK’s domestic energy suppliers have either stopped offering customers the chance to move to a fixed-price tariff or they are priced at £3,800 and above.
Former minister Robert Jenrick told BBC Newsnight: "We could be looking at an energy crisis unrivalled since the 1970s … it looks as if this is going to be the most difficult economic year that we’ve seen in my lifetime."
High demand for gas and reduced supply is behind the surge in wholesale prices. Whilst prices were at record lows as countries locked down and demand fell during Covid-19, the speed of change since then is unprecedented. Wholesale UK electricity prices are the highest they’ve been since the market was formed in 1990. Gas prices are the highest they’ve been for 15 years – up 250% since January.
In September 2021 the average UK energy bill was £95 per month, or £1,138 a year.
Dual fuel gas and electricity bills are already set to rise more than 50% to an average of just under £2,000 per household on April 1. However, analysts had warned that the war in Ukraine could lead to a further 50% increase when the cap changes again in October, leaving households facing the prospect of paying £3,000 a year. There are now reports that could escalate to £4,000 a year.
Petrol price hits high of 192.9p in Wales and it will go higher
Experts have warned petrol could rise to £1.60 a litre this week, but one Welsh filling station is already charging 192.9p as prices continue to soar.
The cost of fuel has reached record highs since Russia launched its assault on Ukraine, and petrol station comparison website PetrolPrices.com said the price at the BP Moto Services at junction 47 of the M4 near Swansea had risen to 192.9p.
That's despite the site showing a price of 153.9p, a mile away at the Tesco store in Fforestfach.
It is also reported that petrol at the Pont Abraham motorway services has also hit the high of 192.9p.
Diesel currently costs an average of 155.23p per litre at UK pumps, with petrol at 151.67p per litre, according to the latest RAC Fuel Watch figures.
The surge in oil prices followed a suggestion from the US government that it was talking to rival producers about increasing supplies in the event of a boycott of Russian energy – it has since announced a ban on all Russian oil imports.
The current high prices at the pump have yet to reflect the latest increases in the cost of a barrel of crude oil, but drivers are already facing soaring costs.
RAC fuel spokesman Simon Williams said: “The average price of petrol across the UK has jumped by more than 4p in a week, topping £1.55 for the first time ever which means a gallon costs over £7 – something which many older drivers will be struggling to comprehend. Diesel, however, has increased by 6.5p a litre to £1.61 or £7.30 a gallon.
“These hikes are unprecedented and will sadly be hitting both homes and businesses hard. It’s therefore vital the Chancellor acts quickly to limit the damage by cutting VAT to at least 15% which would save drivers 6.5p a litre and take the average price of unleaded back under £1.50. Importantly, this could also limit the impact of inevitable fuel price rises in the coming days and weeks.”
Sport headlines
Pivac in concussion row
Wayne Pivac is embroiled in a continued row over the selection of Tomas Francis after his head injury against England.
Pivac explained his stance on Wednesday, rejecting the claims of lobby group Progressive Rugby and their representative Professor John Fairclough, who described picking the prop for tomorrow's game against France as "a grave mistake".
However, Pivac responded by claiming that he would be following the experts in brain injuries - something he suggested Fairclough necessarily wasn't.
“No disrespect to the gentleman you’re alluding to, we’re going with experts in concussion," he said.
"I know he was a leading surgeon in another area of the body, I think. We’re doing everything in our power that we can do. The decision has not been taken lightly."
Progressive Rugby responded publicly, saying: "Wayne Pivac dismisses Prof John Fairclough as a leading surgeon ‘in another area of the body’. Well, he is, but he was also responsible for management of head injuries both pitch side & inpatient & continues to be involved in Sports Medical research nationally & internationally.
Alix Popham, the former Wales international diagnosed with early onset dementia after head injuries sustained playing rugby, told the i website “I just can’t understand that he [Francis] is playing. They are following the protocols but the protocols aren’t fit for purpose. It needs calling out and what is going on is shocking."
Wales versus Austria goes ahead as planned
Wales' World Cup play-off showdown with Austria will go ahead for this month as planned, even though Scotland versus Ukraine has been postponed until June.
The sell-out semi-final clash takes place at Cardiff City Stadium on March 24, it has been agreed, after Wales were locked in talks with FIFA on the best way forward.
Scotland and Ukraine were scheduled to meet at Hampden Park on the same night, but that game has been delayed until the summer after the Ukrainian FA applied for a postponement following the Russian invasion of their country.
It means that Wales' hoped-for play-off final against the winner of that pair, due to go ahead in Cardiff on March 29, will be put back.
Whoever emerges victorious from that final shootout will go to the World Cup in Qatar.
If Wales can edge past Austria in the semis, it is unclear exactly when in June their final would be played and thus their World Cup fate decided.
FIFA held a virtual meeting on Monday with FAW chief executive Noel Mooney and his counterparts at Scotland, Ukraine and Austria to discuss the matter and the best way to proceed.
The FAW has confirmed that tickets already purchased for the match on March 29 will remain valid for the rearranged play-off final.
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