News in brief

First Minister Carwyn Jones today conducted a long-anticipated reshuffle of his government's cabinet.

Professor Mark Drakeford was appointed as health minister, replacing under-fire Wrexham AM Lesley Griffiths, who has faced massive protests over the "downgrading" of hospitals across Wales.

Ms Griffiths replaced Carl Seargent as local government minister.

Litvinenko inquest delayed to October

The start of the inquest into the death of poisoned spy Alexander Litvinenko has been postponed until October 2.

The inquest on the former KGB agent was due to begin in May, but coroner Sir Robert Owen said that he had put it off for five months "with great reluctance."

A hearing at London's Royal Courts of Justice was told that all the material needed for the inquest would not be ready in time for a May start.

MMR jab vital as measles spreads

Health chiefs warned today that a growing measles outbreak could leave children unprotected by the MMR jab brain-damaged or dead.

A total of 43 extra cases in the Swansea area of south Wales in the last week alone has seen the total number affected rise to 252.

"We cannot emphasise enough that measles is an illness that can kill," Dr Marion Lyons, Public Health Wales director of health protection, warned.