Updates on Wednesday 27 January 2016
News, sport, travel and weather updates to resume at 08:00 on Thursday
BBC Sport
Rotherham United have signed Birmingham City midfielder Andrew Shinnie on loan until the end of the season.
Image source, EmpicsQuote MessageI think that he is a player that, on his day, can unlock the best defences in this division.
Neil Redfearn, Rotherham United manager
Chris Blakemore
BBC WM
The judge has been summing up this morning in the trial of a Birmingham mother accused of taking her toddler to Syria and joining the Islamic State group.
Tareena Shakil denies joining IS or encouraging acts of terror on Twitter.
The cost of housing refugees as part of the Syrian Vulnerable Person Resettlement Programme , externalacross the Cannock Chase region has been revealed.
Image source, Cannock Mercury
Sarah Falkland
BBC Midlands Today
This lunchtime we’ll be live with the latest news from the Tareena Shakil trial - the case of a young mum accused of taking her toddler to Syria to join the Islamic State group.
Plus, we have good news for music lovers - a popular summer festival which was threatened with the axe has won a reprieve.
Join us on BBC One this lunchtime for the latest on those stories and more.
Stephanie Barnard
BBC Local Live
The top stories in the newsroom this lunchtime include:
- Nineteen Syrian refugees have relocated to Birmingham this morning as part of the city's commitment under a United Nations and Home Office-backed scheme, external
- Bomb hoaxes made to schools in Birmingham and the Black Country yesterday have left pupils and their parents feeling anxious
- Former Aston Villa assistant boss Peter Grant believes relegation would be disastrous for the Premier League club
Nineteen Syrian refugees have relocated to Birmingham this morning, external as part of the city's commitment under a United Nations and Home Office-backed scheme, external.
Cakes have been made to welcome the new refugees.
Birmingham City Council says, one family of five, two individuals and three families of four arrived this morning.
A further 22 refugees are expected to come to the city as part of the city's commitment to shelter 50 people.
Police are warning elderly and vulnerable people to be on their guard, external against fraudsters claiming to be their victim's doctor.
Hilary McConnell
Producer, BBC Midlands Today
We’re at the trial of Tereena Shakil at Birmingham Crown Court. She’s on trial for terror charges including joining the so-called Islamic State.
We’re meeting Liam Doyle from Solihull (pictured) who’s been selected by the charity Meningitis Now to feature in their garden at Chelsea Flower show.,
And our reporter Satnam Rana will be looking back at Varna Road in Birmingham as we take one of the street’s former residents to see a new photography exhibition of the area.
All that and more on BBC One from 13:30.
Wolves confirm they are in talks with Cardiff City striker Joe Mason.
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Chris Blakemore
BBC WM
A "pop up" pie van which was stolen over the weekend may have been found in a pub car park (pictured).
A caller to BBC WM says she found the van this morning in a car park in Rugby.
West Midlands Police say they have received a phone call from a member of the public and officers are now attending the scene.
The owners of Pietanic say the van, which they call Claude, went missing from the Digbeth area of Birmingham between Sunday night and early Monday morning.
Emergency services have closed Highfield Lane in Halesowen after a fuel leak ruptured.
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BBC WM Sport
Australian defender Shane Lowry has had his contract with Blues cancelled by mutual consent., external
The 26-year-old has joined A-League side Perth Glory after just two appearances since arriving at St Andrews in September.
Image source, EmpicsFirefighter have attended a blaze in Tamworth town centre this morning., external
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BBC Midlands Today
More than 10,000 new construction jobs will be created in the West Midlands in the next five years, according to the Construction Industry Training Board. , external
Its research takes into account projects such as the £500m revamp of Birmingham city centre and the development of the National Automotive Innovation Campus in Coventry.
The group says it hopes the news will attract more people to the industry.
Mikey Burrows
BBC WM Sport
Former Villa coach Peter Grant (pictured) has backed Eric Black to be a success, despite his links to Blues.
While the stand-out line will inevitably be his description of supporters as “delusional”, the interview is a passionate defence from Grant of his and Alex McLeish’s time together at Aston Villa.
Image source, EmpicsIt’s an intriguing insight into the financial constraints they had to work with and the perceived lack of understanding from fans too.
Grant firmly believes the subsequent years of instability are firmly to blame for Villa’s current “crisis” and he says it may take years for the club to recover, with perhaps the starkest warning being that relegation may not be the blessing in disguise some think.
Hundreds of 'legal highs' have been seized in Walsall ahead of a new law change this spring., external
BBC Sport
Chelsea and West Brom have been fined by the Football Association following their ill-tempered game earlier this month.
The Baggies were handed a £35,000 fine and Chelsea £65,000 with both clubs warned about their future conduct.
Image source, Getty ImagesDevelopment firms are queueing up for a chance to work on Wolverhampton's major revamp , externalof the city centre's Westside area, the council has revealed.
Image source, Express and StarSarah Falkland
BBC Midlands Today
Birmingham is to take in its next group of Syrian refugees either today or tomorrow, the BBC understands.
About 20 people who have fled from the war-torn country are expected - a mixture of families and individuals.
Nine refugees arrived in the city before Christmas and have been settling in to their new homes, supported by the Amirah Foundation (pictured).
Stephanie Barnard
BBC Local Live
The top stories in the BBC WM newsroom include:
- Six schools across Birmingham and the Black Country are opening as normal this morning after hoax bomb threats again yesterday
- Birmingham is to take in its next group of Syrian refugees either today or tomorrow, the BBC understand
- Chelsea and West Brom have been fined by the Football Association following their ill-tempered game earlier this month
