:00:00. > 3:59:59Ukrainians in crime era, as the high-level talks to resume the
:00:00. > :00:07.crisis continue. Hello and welcome to Midlands Today.
:00:08. > :00:11.The headlines tonight: The NEC group up for sale. Owners Birmingham City
:00:12. > :00:19.Council needs to find ?1 billion to pay off equal pay claims. In some
:00:20. > :00:26.people 's eyes, it may be about that. For me, it is about ensuring
:00:27. > :00:29.the future guard `` the futtre of the city and safeguarding it.
:00:30. > :00:32.We'll hear from an entrepreneur who believes it could be a great
:00:33. > :00:38.opportunity for an investor. Also tonight: Bad blood and jealousy were
:00:39. > :00:40.behind the murder of Joshua Ribera, a jury is told.
:00:41. > :00:42.Protests, as Wolverhampton City Council meet to vote on
:00:43. > :00:44.multi`million`pound cuts and job losses.
:00:45. > :00:47.Not short on laughs, Hollywood star Warwick Davis brings his reduced
:00:48. > :00:52.height theatre company to Coventry. When people see the show, they judge
:00:53. > :00:55.was as actors and they enjoxed the play without any reference to our
:00:56. > :00:57.size. And although I'm not promishng
:00:58. > :01:00.temperatures as sizzling as this sunset, there is definitely
:01:01. > :01:02.something to look forward to this weekend. I have more for yot in the
:01:03. > :01:17.forecast later. Good evening. Birmingham City
:01:18. > :01:34.Council has put the NEC Grotp up for sale. The company is made up of the
:01:35. > :01:37.National Exhibition Centre, the National Indoor Arena, the
:01:38. > :01:41.International Conference Centre and the LG Arena. It is estimatdd the
:01:42. > :01:44.group brings in around ?2 bhllion to the West Midlands economy e`ch year.
:01:45. > :01:47.It supports around 29,000 jobs in the region. The sale comes `s the
:01:48. > :01:51.Council struggles to make s`vings of ?822 million over the next four
:01:52. > :01:54.years, as well as settle eqtal pay claims of more than ?1 billhon.
:01:55. > :01:57.Giles Latcham has the details. It is one of the nation's premier
:01:58. > :02:00.venues for concerts and exhhbitions, handily placed for Birmingh`m and
:02:01. > :02:04.the motorway network, and it's for sale. One careful owner, nalely the
:02:05. > :02:08.City Council. At the NEC, they say it is an opportunity for thdm to
:02:09. > :02:11.grow in a way they couldn't up until now. The City Council cannot operate
:02:12. > :02:15.and they cannot buy businesses in different countries and that is what
:02:16. > :02:20.we want to do. We have brought partnerships into different arenas.
:02:21. > :02:24.What we are looking to do is expand that capability into differdnt
:02:25. > :02:28.geographies around the world that want our services.
:02:29. > :02:32.There will be 25`year leases on the NIA and the ICC in the city centre.
:02:33. > :02:38.The NEC itself is up for sale on a 100`year lease. This place `ttracts
:02:39. > :02:41.some of the biggest names in show business and perhaps more
:02:42. > :02:45.importantly, more than 4 million visitors a year, or what an asset!
:02:46. > :02:53.So selling it off is like sdlling off the Crown Julz. In some people,
:02:54. > :03:00.it made `` some people, it lay, to me it is about ensuring the future
:03:01. > :03:05.of this city is safeguarded and the interests of NEC safeguarded, I
:03:06. > :03:08.think we will do this by thd disposal of this asset to the
:03:09. > :03:12.private sector. Certainly, the council needs the
:03:13. > :03:16.money. The sale will help sdttle the bill it faces for an equal pay claim
:03:17. > :03:19.by thousands of women for ydars paid less than their male counterparts. I
:03:20. > :03:22.am glad Birmingham are lookhng at ways to settle their liabilhties but
:03:23. > :03:25.they could have paid these women the right amounts over the years.
:03:26. > :03:29.Instead, they have not and ht has looked up and they paying a big hill
:03:30. > :03:37.at the end rather than paying the women are right amount as they went
:03:38. > :03:40.along. `` the right amount. And there is cross`party support.
:03:41. > :03:43.Birmingham's former leader says selling up is the best option, but
:03:44. > :03:46.with conditions attached. A long lease is the way forward and it
:03:47. > :03:51.gives is influence on what will happen in the future. It is
:03:52. > :03:57.imperative for we are doing successfully is continued. H declare
:03:58. > :04:00.the National exhibition Centre open. Nearly 40 years on, the NEC now
:04:01. > :04:04.boasts 20 exhibition halls. Crufts starts tomorrow, one of the big
:04:05. > :04:07.annual shows. So what is thd place worth? One estimate is ?300 million,
:04:08. > :04:08.but with Britain still emerging from recession, there is every chance the
:04:09. > :04:15.buyer will come from abroad. PY Gerbeau is an entreprenetr who
:04:16. > :04:19.turned around the fortunes of the Millenium Dome in London, and has
:04:20. > :04:25.since been in charge of a ntmber of large leisure centre projects in the
:04:26. > :04:32.UK. He joins us now from London Good evening. Would the NEC group be
:04:33. > :04:38.an attractive business proposition? It is a fantastic business.
:04:39. > :04:43.Worldwide known. It is not only known in the UK but internationally
:04:44. > :04:49.as a very high`quality venud, so it is a fantastic business proposition.
:04:50. > :04:52.It is not for me to judge if the council is right or wrong to sell it
:04:53. > :04:55.but it will attract a lot of attention from the business
:04:56. > :05:01.community in this country and abroad. So you think investors from
:05:02. > :05:06.the UK might be interested `nd not just our own businesses? Absolutely,
:05:07. > :05:12.it is well`known foreign investment has come into the events industry or
:05:13. > :05:16.quite some time but I think there is a lot of money flying around `` for
:05:17. > :05:24.white. This is a very attract of business proposition. `` attractive.
:05:25. > :05:30.It is still in a public and private partnerships so it will attract a
:05:31. > :05:34.certain type of investor. So it private equity investor frol this
:05:35. > :05:40.country and abroad will cardfully be looking at this. And the prhce will
:05:41. > :05:45.be crucial, around 300 millhon, you know the value of this, does that
:05:46. > :05:53.sound right? It does sound right and it could be higher. But it hs a 100
:05:54. > :05:59.year lease. And the recession has hit. If you look at the vente,
:06:00. > :06:05.although it is very successful, it needs a bit of investment in terms
:06:06. > :06:11.of capital expenditure. So hf you have to spend a lot of monex to rent
:06:12. > :06:17.it to the next generation, 000 years might be a bit shorter. There will
:06:18. > :06:21.be some horse trading at it is an excellent proposition. `` what. And
:06:22. > :06:26.the pride for the Midlands will still be there it is privatd
:06:27. > :06:34.ownership, they are not movhng it anywhere. So it is very good and as
:06:35. > :06:39.a leisure man, it is one of the best distances to look at at this moment.
:06:40. > :06:46.`` businesses. Would you be interested? You know what, laybe!
:06:47. > :06:49.Coming up later in the programme: Made in the Midlands, local MPs
:06:50. > :07:06.promote products from our rdgion at the House of Commons. The trial of a
:07:07. > :07:10.man accused of murdering a talented rap artist has heard that the motive
:07:11. > :07:13.was one of jealousy over a xoung woman. Joshua Ribera was fatally
:07:14. > :07:16.stabbed last year, at a party to celebrate the life of his bdst
:07:17. > :07:19.friend, who had been stabbed to death just a year before. Otr
:07:20. > :07:21.special correspondent, Peter Wilson, was in court.
:07:22. > :07:27.Alison, and fitted outside court after hearing how her son h`d been
:07:28. > :07:33.stabbed with `` with a knifd through his heart. 18`year`old Joshta Ribera
:07:34. > :07:36.was at a party last Septembdr to raise money for a headstone to
:07:37. > :07:40.commemorate his friend, 16`xear`old Kyle Sheehan, stabbed a year before.
:07:41. > :07:47.The prosecution allege the lotive for the killing was jealousx, had
:07:48. > :07:52.blood over a young woman. `` bad. It is claimed that the defendant Armani
:07:53. > :07:56.Mitchell was angry to see hhs ex`girlfriend with Joshua Rhbera.
:07:57. > :08:01.There was a confrontation bdtween the young men and it is alldged that
:08:02. > :08:11.Armani Mitchell threatened Joshua Ribera, saying, do you want me to
:08:12. > :08:19.watch you up? Meaning to st`b him. `` wet. He was a talented r`p artist
:08:20. > :08:24.with a number one hit, his friends and fans were in court to s`y ``
:08:25. > :08:29.here as he lay dying, he whhspered the nickname of his attacker to
:08:30. > :08:35.paramedics fighting to save his life. The prosecution say Armani
:08:36. > :08:42.Mitchell pulled out a knife and drove it into Joshua Ribera. They
:08:43. > :08:46.say that you do not drive a knife into the heart of a man without
:08:47. > :08:53.intending to kill him or catse him serious damage. Armani Mitchell
:08:54. > :08:54.denies the charge of murder. The trial is expected to last three
:08:55. > :09:02.weeks. Four people have been arrested today
:09:03. > :09:06.in connection so called "cotrier fraud". A person is phoned by
:09:07. > :09:09.someone pretending to be a police officer or bank official and tricked
:09:10. > :09:12.into handing over their cards and bank details. Police raided nine
:09:13. > :09:15.addresses across the West Mhdlands this morning, including one in Burns
:09:16. > :09:22.Road in Wednesbury, where a 58`year`old man was arrested on
:09:23. > :09:24.suspicion of conspiracy to defraud. Officers also found live amlunition
:09:25. > :09:28.at the House. Police say they have found ` number
:09:29. > :09:36.of "items of interest" following three days of searches in woodland
:09:37. > :09:39.near Coventry. They were investigating the disappear`nce of
:09:40. > :09:43.Nicola Payne, who went misshng more than 22 years ago. Now the searches
:09:44. > :09:46.at Commbe Abbey have finishdd, tests will be carried out to see hf the
:09:47. > :09:48.items are significant in Nicola s case.
:09:49. > :09:51.It has been confirmed that Dvesham's Abbey Bridge and viaduct will open
:09:52. > :09:56.to traffic from Monday afternoon. The bridge has been shut for around
:09:57. > :09:59.six months for engineering works. They began work last September and
:10:00. > :10:00.should have been finished whthin ten weeks.
:10:01. > :10:03.Protestors have been demonstrating outside Wolverhampton Counchl
:10:04. > :10:05.offices this evening ahead of the council's budget meeting.
:10:06. > :10:12.Councillors are looking at cutting 2,000 jobs and making ?123 lillion
:10:13. > :10:17.in savings over the next five years. Joanne Writtle is outside the
:10:18. > :10:27.council house tonight. What has been the reaction among protestors?
:10:28. > :10:30.It is anger. The protesters were demonstrating outside the council
:10:31. > :10:35.chamber. The meeting among the council is going on to decide on
:10:36. > :10:41.these cuts. These are deep cuts which will have a impact on the
:10:42. > :10:46.city. Among the proposals, tp to 2,000 job cuts. And among the staff
:10:47. > :10:52.that keep their jobs, there are changes to terms and condithons to
:10:53. > :10:56.be negotiated such as docking the first day of paid during sick leave
:10:57. > :11:02.and cooked `` and cutting ftll`time hours from 37 to 35. I spokd to a
:11:03. > :11:06.trades union Council secret`ry who is also a council worker working
:11:07. > :11:12.with adults with learning difficulties. They have closed my
:11:13. > :11:22.workplace and threatening to cut 80 jobs to 30. It is similar for my
:11:23. > :11:30.colleagues in other parts of care and youth services. A lot of money,
:11:31. > :11:38.or what could be cut? `` wh`t. They are expected to move ?67 million to
:11:39. > :11:43.save 123 million over five xears. All areas on the cards incltding
:11:44. > :11:49.libraries, leisure centres, children's centres. And there is a
:11:50. > :11:52.plan for camera enforcement of motorists who use bus lanes
:11:53. > :11:57.illegally, similar to measures which have proved controversial in
:11:58. > :12:03.Birmingham. And the council leader says these measures are tough. There
:12:04. > :12:07.will be a major impact on the city but those people who use our
:12:08. > :12:12.services most will be most `ffected, older people and the most
:12:13. > :12:18.vulnerable. And in any other set of circumstances, we would want to be
:12:19. > :12:22.supporting. Councillors also expected to push through a 2%
:12:23. > :12:30.increase in council tax although they do say this would be the first
:12:31. > :12:34.rise in four years. Thank you. Our top story tonight:
:12:35. > :12:38.The NEC group up for sale. Owners Birmingham City Council needs to
:12:39. > :12:39.find ?1 billion to pay off dqual pay claims.
:12:40. > :12:43.Your detailed weather forec`st to come shortly.
:12:44. > :12:46.Also in tonight's programme: A squad with a difference, Worcester
:12:47. > :12:51.Warriors set up the country's first homeless rugby team.
:12:52. > :12:53.And the casualties of the Great War, but these were underground hn North
:12:54. > :13:06.Staffordshire. MPs from across our region have been
:13:07. > :13:09.promoting products made in the Midlands at the House of Colmons
:13:10. > :13:13.today. Investors have been hnvited to see the work of ten comp`nies
:13:14. > :13:25.from Birmingham and the Black country. Our political reporter
:13:26. > :13:28.Catherine Stanszcyzn was thdre. This is the only firm in Europe still
:13:29. > :13:33.making handmade leather bikd saddles and business has gone from strength
:13:34. > :13:43.to strength, making 1,000 s`ddles a day, double the amount it m`de a
:13:44. > :13:47.decade ago. People are still aware they are being handmade and we like
:13:48. > :13:51.to promote that and show Birmingham are still making things herd. Brooks
:13:52. > :13:56.has been showing off its products at the House of Commons today,
:13:57. > :13:59.showcasing the best of small`scale manufacturing in Birmingham and the
:14:00. > :14:03.Black Country. Figures show the West Midlands still has the most money
:14:04. > :14:10.back trio of any region in the UK, 80% of those `` 8% of busindsses.
:14:11. > :14:16.This Labour MP who has organised this event says not enough people
:14:17. > :14:18.are aware of that. We need to put Birmingham and the West Midlands
:14:19. > :14:24.more firmly on the map of Westminster. Let people in London
:14:25. > :14:31.place is thriving. And therd is an assumption we dissed to mantfacture
:14:32. > :14:35.things, that is not true. Btttons, jewellery, and one of the world 's
:14:36. > :14:40.most advanced small engines are on display, designed to show the West
:14:41. > :14:46.`` the rest of the country the West Midlands still has what it takes. Do
:14:47. > :14:51.the people today agree? It hs quite striking how deep their expdrtise
:14:52. > :14:55.are and how many years they have been going and it is striking they
:14:56. > :15:01.have had these businesses going Along. The automotive industry in
:15:02. > :15:06.the region is booming and locals want to say this is the place to
:15:07. > :15:08.invest in special products. The message is, in Birmingham and the
:15:09. > :15:14.Black Country, we still makd things. Kidderminster Harriers Football Club
:15:15. > :15:27.have sacked Andy Thorn as their manager, after just two months in
:15:28. > :15:30.charge. Thorn was brought in at the start of January to try and ensure
:15:31. > :15:33.the club got promoted to thd Football League. But results have
:15:34. > :15:37.not improved and his appointment was unpopular with the fans. Gary Whild
:15:38. > :15:39.has been put in charge for the rest of the season.
:15:40. > :15:42.This will be a subject on the breakfast show tomorrow.
:15:43. > :15:45.The country's first homeless rugby team to be backed by a profdssional
:15:46. > :15:49.club has been set up in Worcester. The Warriors have been recrtiting
:15:50. > :15:53.residents of the YMCA to crdate a squad to compete in a summer league.
:15:54. > :15:56.It is part of a wider plan to eventually form an England homeless
:15:57. > :15:58.touch rugby team. Our reporter, Pam Caulfield, joined them for `
:15:59. > :16:01.training session. On the pitch, these players are put
:16:02. > :16:04.through their paces. But off`field, most face bigger battles, against
:16:05. > :16:10.homelessness, drug problems and alcohol addiction.
:16:11. > :16:14.It's kept us off the streets. Stopped us doing naughty thhngs
:16:15. > :16:19.Basically, on a Friday night now, we train up at the YMCA. Inste`d of
:16:20. > :16:22.going out on the pop. Since the summer, they've bden
:16:23. > :16:28.training here once a week whth coaches from the Worcester Warriors.
:16:29. > :16:32.And setting up the first professional homeless rugby team in
:16:33. > :16:35.the country is a learning ctrve for them too.
:16:36. > :16:39.From going into schools when you've got 30 kids buzzing, ready for
:16:40. > :16:42.rugby, to a place where you struggle to get two or three at the start.
:16:43. > :16:45.That's always an uphill battle really.
:16:46. > :16:49.But it's one they're now winning, with a full squad regularly turning
:16:50. > :16:53.out. The group we've got now are really
:16:54. > :16:56.committed to it. It just makes everything more rewarding. They re
:16:57. > :16:59.getting better each week. Wd're able to arrange more sessions for them.
:17:00. > :17:03.It's part of a wider plan to eventually form an England Homeless
:17:04. > :17:06.rugby team, but the main ail is to motivate the players on and off the
:17:07. > :17:09.pitch. Before, I was a little bit
:17:10. > :17:12.defeatist. The effects of it, it gets you out. Gets you more
:17:13. > :17:16.confident. Just focussed on something. And if you can focus on a
:17:17. > :17:20.little something like this, then you can apply that to your actu`l life.
:17:21. > :17:23.Getting a job. Starting agahn. With the coaching and all that, ht's
:17:24. > :17:26.boosted my confidence back tp and I've got my own place.
:17:27. > :17:30.And changing lives in this way will not only help the project whn more
:17:31. > :17:31.funding, it could also give the players a chance to represent their
:17:32. > :17:40.country. As thousands marched to War in 914,
:17:41. > :17:54.thousands more were left behind doing crucial jobs which cotld be
:17:55. > :17:57.fraught with danger. One of those was coal`mining. With littld or no
:17:58. > :18:00.regard for health and safetx, the death toll rose as the War
:18:01. > :18:04.progressed. And then in 1918, an explosion ripped through a line in
:18:05. > :18:06.the village of Halmer End in North Staffordshire, with devastating
:18:07. > :18:14.consequences. Cath Mackie rdports. Behind the statistics is a name a
:18:15. > :18:22.face, and a bereaved family. I lost three great uncles in Minnid Pit.
:18:23. > :18:26.This is Jesse and Harry, and Ralph. They were among 156 men and boys who
:18:27. > :18:31.lost their lives in the Minnie Pit disaster on January 12th 1908. It
:18:32. > :18:37.absolutely devastated the vhllage. If you look at these houses,
:18:38. > :18:41.practically every house lost a son, husband, father. Mining was crucial
:18:42. > :18:44.to the War effort for industry, railways and shipping. But ht was
:18:45. > :18:47.dangerous work. Around 200 len and boys lost their lives in thd North
:18:48. > :18:55.Staffordshire pits between 0914 to 18. There had been little ahr
:18:56. > :19:00.movement. You would have sedn dust floating by. Very thick dust. The
:19:01. > :19:05.Apedale Heritage Centre in Newcastle`under`Lyme gives some idea
:19:06. > :19:12.of life for the wartime mindrs. How long would they have spdnt down
:19:13. > :19:20.here? They could have you down here from 6am until 7pm, 8pm. Never see
:19:21. > :19:28.daylight. For the families, it was a worrying time, Minnie Pit w`s a
:19:29. > :19:37.disaster waiting to happen. The explosion at Minnie Pit happened at
:19:38. > :19:44.exactly 20 minutes to ten. We heard a rush of wind. Somebody sahd, it
:19:45. > :19:51.was smoke, something is the matter. By that time, we were incomplete
:19:52. > :19:58.darkness. Minnie Pit was very, very gassy. They lifted the lamps above
:19:59. > :20:01.their heads. They used to s`y it would not be long before thdir clogs
:20:02. > :20:07.were clattering the roof, in other words, they were expecting `n
:20:08. > :20:11.explosion. 44 out of the 156 victims were under 16 years of age. The dead
:20:12. > :20:16.were taken to the local chapel for identification, which wasn't easy.
:20:17. > :20:25.One of my great uncles was identified because on his t`ckle, he
:20:26. > :20:28.had a scarlet ribbon. `` buckle It took 18 months for all the bodies to
:20:29. > :20:32.be recovered from the labyrhnth of tunnels. Each number denotes where a
:20:33. > :20:35.body was found. Fathers and sons were found in each other's `rms The
:20:36. > :20:38.scene of such devastation is now a memorial.
:20:39. > :20:42.I'm standing on what would have been an entrance to Minnie Pit, but after
:20:43. > :20:44.the explosion in 1918, it w`s sealed and has since been concreted over.
:20:45. > :20:48.And with the 100th annivers`ry, there are plans for a book `nd a
:20:49. > :20:53.play to remember those who died It just makes me feel that I h`ve not
:20:54. > :20:58.forgotten them, that they are not forgotten, because it was a very
:20:59. > :20:59.tragic time for these peopld and it is nice to think that somebody
:21:00. > :21:05.remembers them. We would love to hear from xou if
:21:06. > :21:08.you have a relative who recdived the Victoria Cross during the Fhrst
:21:09. > :21:11.World War. Our email address is midlandstoday @bbc.co.uk. And there
:21:12. > :21:19.is plenty more information on the special BBC World War One wdbsite.
:21:20. > :21:22.He is a Hollywood star who has appeared in films including Star
:21:23. > :21:26.Wars and Harry Potter. Now Warwick Davis has set up his own
:21:27. > :21:35.theatre company where all the cast members are less than four feet
:21:36. > :21:38.tall. Their new production hs on at Coventry's Belgrade Theatre. Kevin
:21:39. > :21:42.Reide has been to meet him. As well as an impressive Hollywood
:21:43. > :21:45.portfolio, Warwick Davis also has a glittering TV career, with one of
:21:46. > :21:48.his most recent works being the tongue in cheek Life's Too Short.
:21:49. > :21:51.But in this latest project, he brings together a cast of shmilar
:21:52. > :21:58.statures, under the name Thd Reduced Height Theatre Company. The ethos
:21:59. > :22:03.behind the company is to give short performance a platform to challenge
:22:04. > :22:06.themselves and to celebrate the talent without reference to their
:22:07. > :22:10.size. Their first play is entitled See How
:22:11. > :22:12.They Run, a comedy farce set in quintessential rural England.
:22:13. > :22:22.Amongst the cast, 17`year`old Francesca Mills, from Market
:22:23. > :22:29.Drayton, in Shropshire. I think Warwick 's company hs a
:22:30. > :22:34.genius idea. It is definitely a brilliant opportunity for all of us
:22:35. > :22:40.to participate in and working with Warwick is an honour. You ldarn so
:22:41. > :22:44.much from him, he is a genits, he has been involved in the business
:22:45. > :22:51.for some many years. It is just an honour, really. `` so many xears.
:22:52. > :22:55.She is amazing, she set the bar very high to keep up with her and she
:22:56. > :23:00.totally steals the show. It is impossible to match.
:23:01. > :23:10.Warwick has never shied awax from the issues his stature raisdd.
:23:11. > :23:18.Kept that quiet, didn't she? Look at her, there is no clue in thd
:23:19. > :23:22.picture. People talk to me `nd try not to say the word, short, but in
:23:23. > :23:25.doing so, they say it more than they should.
:23:26. > :23:30.The more you try not to do something, the more you do ht. So I
:23:31. > :23:42.try to make people feel at dase straightaway and that it is all
:23:43. > :23:45.right, let's just have a ch`t. See How They Run is on every night at
:23:46. > :23:47.the Belgrade in Coventry until Saturday.
:23:48. > :23:50.The UK's first`ever 31`leggdd race took place at the NEC near
:23:51. > :23:54.Birmingham today. Ninety chhldren from three of the city's schools
:23:55. > :23:57.took part in the event insphred by a craze that's hugely popular in
:23:58. > :24:00.Japan. The two winning teams will compete in the Sport Relief Games in
:24:01. > :24:04.London later this month. Thd three presenters from CBBC's Blue Peter
:24:05. > :24:10.were at today's race to help coach the youngsters.
:24:11. > :24:15.It is so hard, it is about communication. You get excited and
:24:16. > :24:20.the adrenaline is rushing and that is when you make stakes. Yot have to
:24:21. > :24:25.compose yourselves and workhng as a team, and they did just that. And a
:24:26. > :24:29.lot of coordination! We're not doing too badly for early
:24:30. > :24:31.spring sunshine so far this week, how's it looking for next couple of
:24:32. > :24:34.days, Shefali? We would like to see sunshine and
:24:35. > :24:39.warmth but the sunshine will be fading.
:24:40. > :24:46.But temperatures will be gohng up, and you will notice a difference
:24:47. > :24:54.during the weekend. That influence will stretch into next week. The
:24:55. > :24:58.colours are heart`warming. These are going to intensified by the weekend.
:24:59. > :25:04.These were washed across us all week and it will become more pronounced
:25:05. > :25:09.by the weekend `` these will wash. The high pressure and the w`rm front
:25:10. > :25:13.bring the warm air towards ts. There is this feature towards the West
:25:14. > :25:18.will stop this will threaten some rain for the weekend `` the West
:25:19. > :25:27.that will threaten some rain for the weekend. We have that infludnce at
:25:28. > :25:32.the moment. We started sunnx at that cloud has started to spread across
:25:33. > :25:37.the region and it will bring in rain to the North and West in thd night.
:25:38. > :25:46.For the majority of the reghon, it should stay dry. We dropped to about
:25:47. > :25:53.minus two Celsius for Birmingham. `` we will drop. I do not think we will
:25:54. > :25:57.see frost or ice tonight. It would be like and patchy rain for most
:25:58. > :26:05.places, but we could see he`vier rain from time to time `` lhght It
:26:06. > :26:17.will be slightly breezy. Thd same frontal system is bringing the rain
:26:18. > :26:20.tomorrow and more rain on Friday. This is how it is looking for the
:26:21. > :26:27.rest of the week. Out mix of rain on Friday, temperatures creeping up ``
:26:28. > :26:30.outbreaks. More rain on Sattrday and Sunday.
:26:31. > :26:37.I like the idea of wafting warm air! Tonight's headlines from thd BBC:
:26:38. > :26:40.Trying to break the deadlock. Russia, America and Europe leet for
:26:41. > :26:43.the first time since the Ukraine crisis began.
:26:44. > :26:45.The EU law that may force RBS and Lloyds to relocate to London if
:26:46. > :26:49.Scotland becomes independent. The NEC group up for sale, owners
:26:50. > :26:52.Birmingham City Council needs to find ?1 billion to pay off dqual pay
:26:53. > :26:55.claims. And bad blood and jealousy caused
:26:56. > :26:57.murder, claims from the prosecution at the start of the Joshua Ribera
:26:58. > :27:04.trial. Before we go, are you interdsted in
:27:05. > :27:07.the BBC and its programmes `nd services? If so, the BBC Trtst's
:27:08. > :27:11.Audience Council England, is looking for people here in the West Midlands
:27:12. > :27:15.to join its regional audience panel. The panel meets three at tiles a
:27:16. > :27:19.year, it isn't paid but you do get expenses. The easiest way to find
:27:20. > :27:22.out more, and to get an application pack, is to go to the website,
:27:23. > :27:27.bbc.co.uk/ace. If you don't have internet access, call 0800 092 030.
:27:28. > :27:31.Calls are free from landlinds, but calls from a mobile will cost. The
:27:32. > :27:35.closing date for applications is Friday seventh March.
:27:36. > :27:39.That was the Midlands Today. I'll be back at ten o'clock with more on the
:27:40. > :27:42.outcome of the meeting on ctts and jobs losses at Wolverhampton City
:27:43. > :27:44.Council. Have a great evening. Goodbye.