This is a good explainer on the current migration picture, including some stats which might surprise some. Tracking UK migration: Small boats, asylum hotels and visas - BBC News www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...

A record high mortality rate for #drug deaths in #Wales (2022-24), up to 12.6 per 100,000. It was around 7 per 100,000 just over a decade ago. Swansea and Merthyr by far the highest. NE England has the highest rate regionally across Eng & Wales ONS figs. public.flourish.studio/visualisatio...

Two thirds of the longest hospital waiting lists in Wales are in north Wales. Despite a drop in Betsi Cadwaldr, numbers stubbornly high at nearly 5,400. In west Wales, no-one is waiting 2yrs+ in Swansea at all and fewer than 200 in Hywel Dda health board. #health #Wales #NHS

Childhood vaccination uptake has slumped to its lowest in 15 years. How did we get here? This looks at England but similar issues in Wales too. Online disinformation, ignorance and cultural differences all contributing www.thetimes.com/article/0ed4...

A new way of measuring Welsh #ambulance performance - for around 15% of the most urgent calls - published earlier. Response to those having cardiac or respiratory arrest was within target range. Meanwhile 'lost hours' handover delays lowest for 4yrs.

#A-level results by grade in Wales, England and (always a little ahead) Northern Ireland.

He did his city proud and they did him proud in return. I can't remember anything like this happening in #Birmingham before. Hopefully #Ozzy family get comfort from how loved he was by so many. This was proper Brummie sentiment, and done in its own style www.thetimes.com/article/d246...

International net migration into #Wales estimated to be 22,700 in year to mid-2024. This is down by nearly a quarter but still driving rise in overall population to 3.187m. Figs from #ONS www.gov.wales/mid-year-est...

Latest traffic monitoring since default #20mph came into force in #Wales offers more encouragement - drivers are cutting speed and only a couple of minutes on avg added to journeys. Even longest journey monitored (61km) added only 4mins. No results yet on air quality tfw.wales/national-mon...

A first visit in many years to Dyffryn Gardens in the Vale of Glamorgan. Bees and dragon fly everywhere. A perfect afternoon for sensory overload.

Longest hospital waits nudge up again in #Wales after big efforts/resources had cut them down. Two thirds of 2yr waits in north Wales. The 1yr waits also rose. #NHS

Vaccine take-up in England on a downward trend - particularly in poorer areas (from The Times) 1/2 www.thetimes.com/article/26a8...

Plenty of worthy tributes to #BrianWilson, in The Guardian alone, but a gobbet from Alexis Petridis on one wonderful song sums him up. ( Lucky enough to have seen him on his Pet Sounds and Smile tours with his magnificent band. Lots of ❤️) www.theguardian.com/music/2025/j...

The new pope's diverse ancestors include Spanish sea captains, black slave-owners and he's a v distant cousin of Madonna (that one). A beautifully produced delve into Leo XIV's family roots www.nytimes.com/interactive/...

It's a sad state of affairs that this is even a thing - 🙄 Alexander-Arnold speaks Spanish at Real unveiling - www.bbc.com/sport/footba...

Before Prince there was Sly. Loved those psych-funk jams with Larry Graham especially #SlyStone youtu.be/DyQenDEmhe4?...

Petition against the development of a hugely damaging Aqua Park at one of Glamorgan’s best wildlife sites. chng.it/hBdbBxwLLR

Target to cut two-year hospital waiting lists in #Wales to 8,000 nearly met. But Betsi Cadwaldr still has more than two thirds of 2yr list while eliminated in Hywel Dda and Swansea Bay. Gen surgery waits highest in north Wales and it has all the dermatology long waits in Wales + most 2yr ENT waits.

One of the great pop-rock-soul singer-songwriters #DarylHall taking us on a 40-year musical journey in #Birmingham. He pretty deftly (IMO) adjusted his voice when necessary to tough demands he set long ago. Still a terrific show/band. Sara Smile simply beautiful. Added bonus of Glenn Tilbrook.

Road casualties continue their downward trend in Wales and are lowest on record. For serious/fatal casualties on combined 20-30mph roads, these are down 16% in 2024 - since new default 20mph limit came in - compared to 2023. Good news! www.gov.wales/police-recor...

Can't remember a book that's made me laugh out loud and also at least once genuinely moved me to tears. Belatedly got around to reading John Niven's O Brother: a memoir of growing up, grief, suicide and regret. As funny as it's honest.

Good to be back at BBC Wales News to talk about the #Cardiff Blitz and #VEDay80 on #BBCWalesBreakfast. This Glamorgan Archives pic is repairs to houses in Brook St, Riverside in 1941. (Book out later this year!) #WW2 #history

Looks like the new target to cut numbers on 2yr #hospital waiting list in #Wales could possibly be met after latest figs. A big But: Betsi Cadwaldr HB now has 54% of these longest waits and has been least successful of all HBs in cutting them since November. #NHS

Probably the key stat from the latest speed monitoring figs in #Wales from TfW on default #20mph roads, compared to when they were 30mph. A significant drop in proportion driving 30mph+

Blaenau Gwent (perhaps not surprisingly) is the most affordable county in Wales for house buying. Neighbouring Monmouthshire least affordable. Based on prices & avg incomes. B-G more affordable than any Eng county public.flourish.studio/visualisatio... and more here www.ons.gov.uk/releases/hou...

My favourite read so far this year - a sprawling satire of London: tawdry elites, Russian money, people smuggling, all interwoven through dozens of characters - a doorstop of a book but hugely readable and enjoyable. Andrew O'Hagan's Caledonian Road. #books #fiction

Persistent absence rates from school in Wales improved slightly in the last academic year but are still way above (double) pre-Covid levels in Wales. 30.4% still missing too many lessons. Slightly worse girls v boys. These new figs pull together primary & secondary ages.

Shame about the click-baity headline but it's a good and sobering analysis of events since the weekend by William Hague www.thetimes.com/article/d4fe...

A wonderfully told story of the relationship between two very different men - Graham Taylor and Elton John - and how they saved #Watford #football club and each other. John Preston shares great anecdotes and memories of hardened pros who shared the journey. Heart-warming. Would be a terrific film.

A good unexpected twist already in #WhiteLotus S3 and enough dreadful new arrivals 😉

It's time to depart the BBC after 33 years. That's a good run. Indebted to so many talented and supportive colleagues past and present for making it memorable and, usually, not much like real work. Thanks all. Onto the next chapter! #BBC #News

Among 8,800 caught exceeding the #20mph offence threshold in January in #Wales was a motorist doing 89mph on the B5129 at Pentre, Flintshire 😳. That's a record. The camera there has caught thousands in the last year. Avg speed for offence was just over 28mph.

The rate - and number - of deaths from alcohol (liver disease etc) at an all-time high in Wales. A particular spike in men & those from poorer backgrounds. From ONS death registrations. Worst rate in Blaenau Gwent.

And that's 64 ambulances a *day* spending 4hrs or more outside A&Es in Wales. Not good for anyone involved. FOI for BBC Wales 👇 www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...

Coal production in the UK - it was barely 160,000 tonnes in 2024, mostly from one mine in Neath Port Talbot. At the peak just before WW1 it was around 290m tonnnes.

Drug seizures (c7,000) at an 18-year low by Welsh forces although Border Force have had record hauls, according to Home Office figs for 2023-24. public.flourish.studio/visualisatio...

Had to watch Gotta Light? episode again from #TwinPeaks ("Contains flashing images and scenes you might find disturbing." An understatement. )BBC News - Film director David Lynch dies at 78, family says www.bbc.com/news/article...

This doesn't look good for what was a controversial policy when it was introduced. BBC News - Problem drinkers turn from cider to vodka www.bbc.com/news/article...

NEW: How common are UK grooming gangs — and who are the perpetrators? Until recently, a lack of data - and definition - has left us in the dark. There is no specific “grooming gang” offence. But here’s what new police data shows… 1/5 @thetimes.com 🔗 www.thetimes.com/article/13df...

A fundraiser for Altadena resident Bennie Maupin, who played on amazing 70s albums by Miles Davis, Herbie Hancock, The Headhunters etc, recorded his ECM solo classic The Jewel In the Lotus, etc. Lost his home of 25 years, instruments, photos, everything www.gofundme.com/f/help-the-m...

Flu cases continuing to rise in Wales - as shown by screening for viruses of people attending hospital. public.flourish.studio/visualisatio... and more here www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...

430,000mph and out as fast as possible - Nasa makes history with closest-ever approach to Sun www.bbc.com/news/article...

Headed up north (well, Cyncoed) for Boxing Day game between Cardiff Met v Briton Ferry in the Cymru Premier. The hosts lost 3-1 as the fog closed in. Entertaining, lots of chances.

Flu has quite quickly reached 'medium' intensity levels in Wales - with it not expected to peak until after Christmas. Meanwhile, the ambulance service had its 2nd busiest month for "red" calls responded to on record in November www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...

Two thirds of 20mph offences have happened on just 10 roads, nearly a quarter on just two stretches. Reaction so far, is there are anomalies to sort out. But compliance is pretty good from most - and early figs suggest we're starting to see an impact on casualties. www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...

12% of people in Wales use a bus at least weekly, compared to 4% using trains. (I moan about my local buses sometimes but I'd moan more if I lived in the country, judging by urban v rural satisfaction rates). This shows how older, poorer people depend on them more. www.gov.wales/transport-na...

Started my final instalment of three decades of George Smiley. A wonderfully written series, the character quite a small shadow in some stories but always memorable. #LeCarre

A bloody event and a ruthless revenge, even by medieval standards. Though not sure it's quite right framing this as Eng v Wales: This generation like de Braose were new baronial class of French Norman land-grabbers, under Angevin king. Don't think they did the native English many favours either.

Obviously, something must be done about feral yoof cormorant gangs #Asia

Noah and Isla were 2023's most popular baby names in Wales. Noah well ahead of Oliver. Osian into the top 10 and other Welsh favourites: Harri, Elis, Mali and Seren. No Steve in the top 100 though 🙄 app.flourish.studio/visualisatio...