Thousands of Carillion jobs at risk
Updates from Monday 15 January
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BBC News Travel
J1 on the M5 entry slip road remains shut northbound due to a crash near Smethwick involving two lorries.
Highways England says crews need to repair the barrier and recover the HGVs before it can reopen.
Drivers are warned to expect delays on surrounding routes.
Image source, Highways EnglandAn inquest has heard Worcestershire Royal Hospital was "very busy" on the night Beth Shipsey was admitted.
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BBC Sport
The Wasps players have been told "don't beat yourselves up" over Sunday's defeat to Saracens, as they look ahead to their European Champions Cup group game at Harlequins.
Their director of rugby, Dai Young, said he was confident they could bounce back after being beaten 38-15 at the Ricoh Arena.
Image source, Getty ImagesYoung also said they needed to learn from last season that finishing top of the table doesn't guarantee a title.
Quote MessageWe're sitting third and we've had a real tough season with injury. There's no reason why we can't have a big push towards the end of the season."
Dai Young, Wasps director of rugby
There's been a call from a Green Party councillor to standardise bin collections across Warwickshire and Coventry.
Warwickshire county councillor Keith Kondakor said the current mixture of services was disjointed and that a review was needed.
Mr Kondakor also said changes to collection timetables over Christmas had led to lengthy queues at recycling centres.
Quote MessageWe need the same service and the same recycling calendars across Coventry and Warwickshire, because we've got far too many different systems and far too many different councils."
Keith Kondakor, Warwickshire county councillor
Giles Latcham
BBC Midlands Today
The quality of air in a Birmingham suburb is the subject of a BBC Two documentary tonight.
Kings Heath was temporarily turned into a car-free zone as part of the programme - in order to assess the impact vehicles have on air quality.
Nationally, air pollution's been declared a public health emergency and according to some estimates contributes to 50,000 premature deaths a year.
BBC Shropshire
A meeting's being held tonight for people who want to stop HS2 sending construction vehicles through a north Shropshire village.
People in Woore say between 300 and 550 trucks could come through the village every week.
An action group has been set up and coordinator Gaynor Irwin says they're suggesting alternatives to the company, including an "underground deep tunnel near Madeley and a disused railway line".
Faith Page
Reporter, BBC Shropshire
The leader of Telford and Wrekin Council has criticised the imminent closure of two job centres - one in Madeley, the other in Wellington.
Labour councillor Shaun Davies says it doesn't make sense - and has called the government "out of touch".
Image source, GoogleThe Department for Work and Pensions says more people are now claiming online, and the closures will make the service more efficient.
Other centres set to close this year include St Stephens House in Redditch which is set to close in March and the centre in Kidderminster on Lower Mill Street is due to close in May.
St Nicholas House in Hereford closed in September last year under the government's plans., external
The main swimming pool at the Quarry in Shrewsbury is being drained after a glass panel fell and shattered leaving shards in the water.
The smaller pools are still being used, but the main one could be out of action until the beginning of next month.
Image source, GoogleThe manager for the pool says 952,000 of litres of water will be drained to clean the pool.
Jennie Aitken
Reporter, BBC Radio Stoke
A charity shop in Staffordshire says staff are fed up of finding dirty nappies, sanitary towels, and soiled clothes among donations.
Age UK, based on the market town's high street, says says throughout December the charity shop was repeatedly given bin bags with items that were mixed up with rubbish.
Despite the soiled items, volunteers say they they've seen a rise in clothes being donated and purchases in-store.
Image source, GoogleQuote MessageWe've been given sanitary towels, soiled clothes and dirty nappies. We don't know what's in the bag until we look at it ourselves. Sometimes it's just disgusting and it's costing us money to dispose of the items."
Dianne, Volunteer at Age UK
Here are some of the stories making the headlines on the Express & Star newspaper:
Today Programme
BBC Radio 4
Troubled construction firm Carillion is one of the compaines building the HS2 high-sped rail line, but analysts believe it's got £1.5bn of debt.
David Madden, an analyst at CMC Markets, says the firm has a "tremendous amount of work" in the pipeline, but has a "serious" cashflow problem.
Image source, CarillionThe Wolverhampton-based firm is the UK's second biggest construction company. Despite its involvement in HS2, schools, hospitals and other national infrastructure projects, the government is not expected to ride to the rescue.
It is meeting with creditors later and Mr Madden said it could be described as "Judgement Day" for the firm.
BBC Radio Stoke Sport
The agent of Stoke City goalkeeper Jack Butland says claims that players were being signed behind Mark Hughes's back are not true.
The club's board are continuing their search for a successor to Hughes, with early favourite Gary Rowett having agreed a new deal at Derby.
Image source, ReutersQuote MessageNo player will come into a football club that Mark Hughes hasn't said yes to. Managers complain about not getting a big enough budget or they might identify players as a preference and it the board who say they cannot afford it but no players would come in the Hughes doesn't want.
Gary Mellor, Football agent
BBC Midlands Today
Sailor Susie Goodall has reached another landmark in her bid to become the first woman ever to complete the Golden Globe round-the-world race.
Susie, who grew up near Worcester, is an experienced seafarer and she's been working flat out to re-build her boat.
Today, at the London Boat Show, she'll officially launch the vessel which will become her ocean-going home for around 280 days, once the race starts in June.
Ben Godfrey
BBC Midlands Today
A business near Wolverhampton has accused the police of failing to mount a thorough investigation into two large-scale thefts at its premises.
Turfworld, based in Coven, was raided twice in the past three weeks and machinery worth £200,000 stolen.
A digger, cement mixer and 32 tonne truck were taken in mid-December.
The managing director says he's had to "turn detective" to track down the stolen lorry himself after losing confidence in Staffordshire Police.
Quote MessageWe feel very nervous. We're constantly looking over out shoulders and everybody who comes in and always wondering are we being watched. We're a little bit on edge. Something was not being dealt with [by police] so that is why I decided to take matters into my own hands."
Robin Winwood, Managing director, Turfworld
Construction group Carillion is holding a crunch meeting today in a bid to avoid collapse.
The company, which is based in Wolverhampton and used to be part of Tarmac, is one of the government's biggest contractors and was involved in building the Library of Birmingham., external
The firm issued a series of profit warnings in recent months.
The troubled services and construction group employs about 43,000 people worldwide, with about 400 of those in Wolverhampton.
Rich Davis
BBC Weather presenter
After a largely cloudy and damp start to the day, skies will gradually turn brighter, and any rain should clear away.
It will feel a little milder than of late in light winds - highs of 8C (46F).
Latest weather forecast for the West Midlands
Stephanie Barnard
BBC News
Welcome to live updates for the West Midlands on Wednesday 10 January.
We'll be bringing you the latest news, sport, travel and weather for the region between now and 19:00.
We love to hear from you so share your news, thoughts and photos of the area with us via email, Twitter, external and Facebook., external
Boys dreaming of a life in professional football were abused by coach Barry Bennell, a jury is told.
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