Live Reporting
What's the weather got in store?published at 18:43 British Summer Time 19 July 2018
18:43 BST 19 July 2018
Shefali Oza
BBC Midlands TodayThere should be plenty of late sunshine around this evening, before a dry and largely clear night with lows of 12C (54F).
Here's your forecast:
Inquest plea over bodies exhibitionpublished at 17:54 British Summer Time 19 July 2018
17:54 BST 19 July 2018
The organiser of the Birmingham display of more than 20 dead Chinese men calls concerns "fake news".
Read MorePC in court over arrests 'assault'published at 17:52 British Summer Time 19 July 2018
17:52 BST 19 July 2018
PC Kevin McClenaghan has been granted unconditional bail at court on Thursday.
Read MoreNew look for region's transportpublished at 17:51 British Summer Time 19 July 2018
17:51 BST 19 July 2018
Buses, trams and trains will share the same logo and corporate design, in a rebranding exercise by Transport for West Midlands (TfWM).
Transport bosses hope the changes - similar to London's famous Roundal - will make it simpler to use public transport.
The branding will be rolled-out over a number of months.
Man admits his wife's stab murderpublished at 17:39 British Summer Time 19 July 2018
17:39 BST 19 July 2018
Arthur Stonehouse inflicted multiple stab wounds on Tracy.
Read MorePoundworld to disappear from high streetpublished at 17:34 British Summer Time 19 July 2018
17:34 BST 19 July 2018Breaking
The administrators of Poundworld have announced the closure of its remaining stores, some of them in the West Midlands.
Another 78 stores are to close by Sunday 29 July and another 112 stores by 10 August.
That will result in 2,339 job losses.
Administrators have been closing the firm's 335 stores since it went into administration in June.
Baby found safe and well after car-jackingpublished at 17:17 British Summer Time 19 July 2018
17:17 BST 19 July 2018Breaking
A four-week-old baby that was in the back of a car stolen in Birmingham this afternoon has been found safe and well.
She was left a health centre and will shortly be reunited with her mother, West Midlands Police said.
Her mother has been taken to hospital after sustaining leg injuries.
Car-jacking baby 'may be abandoned'published at 17:06 British Summer Time 19 July 2018
17:06 BST 19 July 2018
Police say thieves may abandon a four-week-old baby once they realise she's in the car and they are asking for the public to look out for her.
Officers said their priority was the baby's safe return.
Four-week-old baby caught up in car-jackingpublished at 16:52 British Summer Time 19 July 2018
16:52 BST 19 July 2018Breaking
Dozens of police officers are currently responding to reports of a car-jacking in Acocks Green, Birmingham.
West Midlands Police has tweeted that a four-week-old baby girl, external was still in a car seat in the back when it was taken from Marie Drive just after 16:00.
The force said it was "urgently looking for a grey Audi A3 S line with the reg no BJ66 YLV".
It said the vehicle was believed to headed towards Solihull.
Drug dealers jailed after 'production line' uncoveredpublished at 16:41 British Summer Time 19 July 2018
16:41 BST 19 July 2018
Four drug dealers have been jailed for bringing crack cocaine and heroin to the streets of Worcester.
The longest sentence was for 33-year-old Asgar Ali Khalfe (far left), from Townley Gardens in the Aston area of Birmingham, who was given 12 years in prison after admitting conspiracy to supply crack cocaine, conspiracy to supply heroin, production of crack cocaine and possession of criminal property.
Image source, West Mercia PoliceChristopher James Franklin, who is 35 and from Barbourne Road in Worcester (centre left) was jailed for five and a half years after pleading guilty to supply crack cocaine, conspiracy to supply heroin, assault and dangerous driving.
Shakur Abdul Hussain, 38, from Compton Road in Worcester (centre right), was sentenced to four years after being found guilty by a jury at Hereford Crown Court of conspiracy to supply crack cocaine, conspiracy to supply heroin and possession of criminal property.
The fourth man, 22-year-old Terry Melsom, of no fixed address (far right), was sentenced to six years and five months in prison after admitting conspiracy to supply crack cocaine and conspiracy to supply heroin.
West Mercia Police said the four had set up a production line in Birmingham and were "hardened drug dealers who made a substantial amount of money".
Jury discharged in terror trialpublished at 16:23 British Summer Time 19 July 2018
16:23 BST 19 July 2018
Dominic Casciani
Home Affairs CorrespondentSee AlsoPage 5700 – Christianity TodayAn Old Bailey jury has been discharged after failing to reach a verdict in relation to a Birmingham man accused of telling an undercover operation he wanted help to go and fight in Libya.
Image source, Julia QuenzlerOver a five-week Old Bailey trial Mohammed Aqib Imran, 22, had denied preparing for acts of terrorism by seeking help to reach Islamic State group fighters abroad.
The trial heard that he had allegedly made contact with IS commanders online - but didn't realise he was actually speaking to undercover officers from the FBI and MI5.
Imran was yesterday unanimously convicted of a lesser charge of possessing a "guidebook" for mujahideen fighters living in the West but the jury were unable to reach a verdict on the more serious charge.
His co-accused, Naa'imur Rahman, 20, was convicted of preparing to attack Downing Street in the hope of killing the prime minister.
Pupils misbehave for Ofsted inspectorspublished at 15:49 British Summer Time 19 July 2018
15:49 BST 19 July 2018
Teachers at New Leaf Centre in Walsall said they were scared for their own safety.
Read MoreShisha lounge licence revokedpublished at 15:08 British Summer Time 19 July 2018
15:08 BST 19 July 2018
Local Democracy Reporting Service
Carl JacksonA Birmingham shisha lounge has had its council licence stripped after police declared it was on the radar of every armed officer in the city.
Image source, GoogleIt is now unlikely that Arabian Nites, which has been temporarily closed by order of magistrates since a shooting in May, will ever reopen.
A Birmingham City Council licensing sub committee today took away the venue’s ability to play music, provide late night refreshment and perhaps most significantly, sell alcohol.
Committee chairman Councillor Barbara Dring confirmed the decision had been made to prevent crime and disorder and protect public safety.
Mayor could take over police rolepublished at 13:05 British Summer Time 19 July 2018
13:05 BST 19 July 2018
Local Democracy Reporting Service
Tom DareA vote on whether the mayor in the West Midlands should take on the role of the Police and Crime Commissioner (PCC) will be held tomorrow.
The board of the West Midlands Combined Authority will vote on the first phase of combining the two positions.
Image source, GettyThe proposals were first laid out in the West Midlands’ second devolution deal earlier this year, and would see the mayor take on the powers of the PCC in time for the 2020 mayoral election.
A similar process is currently under way to bring the powers of the West Midlands Fire Authority under the mayor.
An agreement on Friday would see the proposals put to an eight-week public consultation in November - people would then be asked their views on combining the two positions.
In the most recent respective elections (2016 and 2017), more people voted for the current PCC than the mayor.
Christmas death warning inspires man to shed nine stonepublished at 12:11 British Summer Time 19 July 2018
12:11 BST 19 July 2018
Bev Holder
BBC Shared Data UnitA stark warning that he could be dead by next Christmas prompted father-of-two Mark Oldfield from Dudley to lose more than nine stone (57kg).
Figures released showed Dudley men have one of the highest rates of premature deaths, external, in the West Midlands.
Image source, Mark OldfieldDiagnosed with type 2 diabetes and high blood pressure, Mr Oldfield topped 24 stone (152kg) at his heaviest in January 2016.
The warning that he faced a premature death came with a referral to a slimming group in Netherton on a 12-week programme - which helped him to lose weight through healthy eating and an exercise plan.
You can read more about the link between poverty and the mortality rates from avoidable causes here.
In the papers: Drug-driver in police chasepublished at 11:40 British Summer Time 19 July 2018
11:40 BST 19 July 2018
Birmingham Live
Some of the headlining stories on the Birmingham Live website today are:
Stadium to host Ashes openerpublished at 11:20 British Summer Time 19 July 2018
11:20 BST 19 July 2018Breaking
Edgbaston will host the opening match of next year's Ashes Test between England and Australia, it's been announced. , external
Image source, EdgbastonThe rivals will meet from Thursday 1 August 2019.
The stadium will also host the T20 Blast final on 21 September, after an agreement was made to relocate the event from Trent Bridge.
Neil Snowball, Chief Executive of Warwickshire CCC and Edgbaston Stadium said there was "nowhere better" for the team to start the series.
Weapons seized in string of armed incidentspublished at 09:56 British Summer Time 19 July 2018
09:56 BST 19 July 2018
Five people were arrested, and weapons recovered, in separate incidents across the West Midlands yesterday, police said. , external
Almost 2,300 emergency calls were made to West Midlands Police yesterday, which has seen record numbers of 999 calls in recent weeks.
Image source, West Midlands PoliceA sawn-off shotgun was seized after armed police responded to reports of a man threatening to shoot open his front door, in Chelmsley Wood.
Two people were arrested.
Two 16-year-olds were also arrested in Coventry, on suspicion of possessing a firearm with intent to cause fear of violence, after a caller suggested youths had pointed a "handgun" at staff.
Responding to reports of a man armed with a knife, a 20-year-old was detained in Brierley Hill, and a knife recovered.
In the papers: Man in court over attempted murderpublished at 08:37 British Summer Time 19 July 2018
08:37 BST 19 July 2018
These are some of the headlining stories on the Express and Star website today:
- Paranoid man tried 'to rip partner's face apart' as she fed their four-week-old baby, external
- Go headbutt a tree, judge tells thug, external
- Site revealed for new 750-place girls school, external
Fire delaying rail servicespublished at 08:14 British Summer Time 19 July 2018
08:14 BST 19 July 2018
BBC News Travel
A fire close to rail lines between Birmingham Snow Hill and Stratford-upon-Avon is delaying rail services.
A signalling fault is also affecting services between Birmingham New Street and Wolverhampton, said West Midlands Railway.
