Updates on Thursday 23 June 2016
More news, sport, travel and weather from 06:00 on Friday
Two men from Birmingham accused of giving money to a suspect in the Brussels and Paris terrorist attacks when he visited England are to stand trial in November.
Mohammed Ali Ahmed and Zakaria Boufassil, both 26, from Small Heath, are accused of giving £3,000 to Mohamed Abrini in Birmingham in July last year.
The pair were remanded in custody.
Image source, JULIA QUENZLEREx-Walsall right back Jason Demetriou has signed a two-year deal with Southend.
Former Leyton Orient player Demetriou, 28, joined Walsall last summer after playing for five years in Cyprus.
Capped 28 times by Cyprus, he played 53 times for Walsall in 2015-16, but rejected a new deal.
Image source, Getty ImagesFour men are arrested as part of an investigation into alleged smuggling of migrants across the English Channel.
Read MoreHere's word from the club that, as we reported earlier, Petrov will not only resume training with the first team but join the training camp abroad.
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Chris Blakemore
BBC WM
There's been a stay of execution for the Hall Green greyhound stadium in Birmingham.
At a planning meeting this morning, city councillors refused the owner's plans to knock it down and build housing in its place.
Stephen Rea leads the Save Our Hall Green campaign and says he expects the decision to be appealed.
Quote MessageIt was very emotional when the decision was made. The room was packed with supporters and they cheered every councillor who spoke in favour of rejecting the application. We were very tearful and elated when we came out."
Stephen Rea, Spokesman, Save Our Hall Green campaign
A map of the fictional Middle Earth annotated by Lord of the Rings author JRR Tolkien has gone on display for one day only in Oxford.
The author, who grew up in Birmingham, is thought to have been inspired by his childhood haunts of Sarehole Mill and Moseley Bog.
Image source, The Tolkien Estate Limited 2016It was unseen for decades until last October, when a book shop put it on sale for £60,000.
The map is on display at the Bodleian's Weston Library.
BBC Sport
Read more on the ex-Villa captain Stiliyan Petrov who is to resume training with the first team.
Petrov was then Villa boss Martin O'Neill's first signing when he arrived from Celtic for £6.5m in August 2006.
He first showed symptoms of leukaemia after developing a fever following a 3-0 defeat at Arsenal in March 2012 and was diagnosed with the illness a few days later, after making 218 appearances for Villa and more than 500 in British football.
Image source, Getty ImagesHe had four months of chemotherapy before it was announced in August of the same year that he was in remission.
Fuelled by the love and support of the Villa fans, he has since set up a foundation to help leukaemia patients.
- Stiliyan Petrov to resume training with AVFC first team four years after leukaemia diagnosis
- Prison officer charged with smuggling drugs into HMP Birmingham
- Date of first Birmingham International Marathon announced
A teenager has been stabbed in Sutton Coldfield.
The victim, an 18-year-old, is in a stable condition in hospital and his injuries are not thought to be life-threatening.
Police say they were called to reports of a stabbing on Crawford Road in Walmley at about 22:00 last night.
A 17-year-old has been arrested on suspicion of attempted murder.
Stephanie Barnard
BBC Local Live
Here's more on our earlier story about this morning's multi-vehicle collision.
A man who was cut free from his car in Wolverhampton is being treated at New Cross Hospital.
A spokesman for the ambulance service said he "was not complaining of any obvious injuries".
BBC Midlands Today
Hilary McConnell, Producer
On Midlands Today this evening, our Staffordshire reporter Sian Grzeszczyk has been given exclusive access to the Stoke on Trent traffic warden team.
It follows an increase in the number of verbal and physical assaults on the city’s traffic enforcement team. They now wear body cameras to record everything they see.
We’re in the Black Country as officials from UNESCO visit the area as it bids to become a GEOPARK. Find out what that means at 13:30 and 18:30 tonight with our Black Country reporter Ben Godfrey.
And we're speaking to the England cricket squad ahead of their one day international against Sri Lanka at Edgbaston tomorrow.
Mark Regan
BBC WM Sport
Former Aston Villa captain Stiliyan Petrov is to resume training with the first team - four years after he was diagnosed with leukaemia.
Petrov, 36, has been away from football since 2012, but will join up with Villa for their pre-season training camp in Austria in July.
The Former Bulgarian International is hopeful of making a full return to football and will be looking to improve his fitness ahead of the new season with his former club.
Image source, Getty Images
Victoria Derbyshire
A woman from the West Midlands is the first person in the UK to be given a joint court order to protect her from both forced marriage and female genital mutilation. She tells her story.
Mike Taylor
BBC WM
Teenage reserves Jack Parkinson-Blackburn and Jack Smith rescued the Birmingham Brummies in a tense first leg of the National Trophy final against Kent last night. , external
With some of the team's leading riders struggling, 15-year-old JPB and Smith, 17, both reached double figures to help the Brummies to a 47-43 win.
The Brummies manager Graham Drury said the team's youngest riders stood up very well to the challenge from an impressive Kent team.
The second leg is in Kent on Monday.
Yesterday we brought you the story about one of Dudley Zoo's snow leopards moving to India as part of an international breeding programme.
See more about the cat's journey from Dudley to Darjeeling....
Dudley snow leopard to have a spot of Darjeeling
Stephanie Barnard
BBC Local Live
If like me you suffer with hay fever, get your tissues ready - it's another eye-watering, sneezy day ahead as pollen levels are very high.
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The date of the first Birmingham International Marathon has been announced.
It will take place on Sunday, October 15, 2017.
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A prison officer has been charged with smuggling drugs into HMP Birmingham in Winson Green, West Midlands Police says, external.
The force says Richard Stack, 35, from Kingstanding Road, Kingstanding, was arrested on Tuesday.
The 35-year-old is charged with possessing cannabis, steroids and a psychoactive substance with intent to supply, two counts of conveying items into prison, and misconduct in a public office.
He is due to appear in court later today.
Haseem Hameed's 70 not out puts Lancashire on top against Warwickshire after spinner Matt Parkinson's five-wicket debut.
Read More
Giles Latcham
BBC Midlands Today
A decision on whether to demolish Hall Green greyhound stadium in Birmingham is due to be made by the city council later.
The venue on York Road has been hosting greyhound racing for 89 years.
Developers want to build more than 200 houses on the site.
The plans, external have been backed by animal rights campaigners but more than 4,000 people have signed petitions to save the stadium.