Richard Wilford
BBC WM Sport

Andy Murray wasted no time in handing Great Britain a 1-0 lead over Japan in their Davis Cup tie in Birmingham.

Murray needed only 90 minutes to overcome Taro Daniel in straight sets at the Barclaycard Arena.

Image source, Getty Images

Now it is up to Brummie Dan Evans to try to defeat world number six Kei Nishikori - Evans did win their only previous meeting at the 2013 US Open.

You can watch the coverage on BBC Two and hear updates on BBC WM.

BBC WM Sport

With newspaper reports of dressing room unrest – which have been denied by manager Remi Garde – Aston Villa face another tough ask away at Manchester City.

Villa are propping up the Premier League table – eight points adrift of safety.  

There’ll be commentary on BBC WM 95.6 from three o’clock with our buildup starting with Daz Hale’s early kick-off at 12:00.

Blues boss Gary Rowett talks about the 1-0 win against Hull City in the Championship.

Royal Sutton Coldfield Observer

More than 3,000 trees have been planted at a popular recreation ground in Sutton Coldfield, external – just months after it was recognised as one of the country's best green spaces.

Image source, Sutton Coldfield Observer

Let's find out how Andy Murray is getting on - he's representing Great Britain in the Davis Cup in Birmingham.

Wolverhampton City Council has confirmed it's backing plans for a West Midlands Combined Authority. 

Councilors voted to follow Birmingham, Coventry, Dudley and Solihull by signing up to the regional devolution deal.

BBC WM Sport

The Wolves winger Nathan Byrne says he's hoping to establish himself in the first team.

Image source, Getty Images

The 23-year-old has made just seven starts since joining from Swindon but started in the win over Derby last Saturday. 

He's now hoping to get another chance in tonight's game at Middlesbrough. You can hear commentary and full match build-up on BBC WM 95.6 from 19:00. 

BBC WM

A Wolverhampton man has won his appeal against a fine for driving in a bus lane - thanks to a council admin error.

David Evans was slapped with a £60 fine when he used the bus lane on Willenhall Road (pictured) in September.

But it turned out it was the bus lane that was unlawful - Wolverhampton City Council didn't have the correct, dated documentation for it. The official traffic penalty adjudicator also upheld the complaint there was a lack of signage in the area. 

A spokesperson for the local authority said it received very few appeals against bus lane transgressions.

The Davis Cup has come to the Barclaycard Arena in Birmingham. Team GB certainly has some strong support.

You can watch coverage on BBC Two this afternoon.

Share your photos with us on Twitter, external and email.

Cannock Mercury

Cannock Chase Council have begun legal proceedings, external in order to move travellers on from the Chase Leisure Centre.

Image source, Cannock Mercury

Stephanie Barnard
BBC Local Live

The top stories we're looking at right now include:

- A Wolverhampton man who complained about a lack of bus lane signs has won his appeal over a £60 fine

- 'The World Cup of Tennis' starts later today at the Barclay Card Arena as Great Britain returns to Davis Cup action in Birmingham for the first time since 2007

- Two Birmingham women who discovered their school friend was homeless after spotting her on Midlands Today have been reunited

Richard Wilford
BBC WM Sport

Great Britain begin their defence of the Davis Cup at Birmingham's Barclaycard Arena this afternoon against a Japanese team that are capable of making life difficult.

Ultimately the tie may boil down to Sunday's meeting of British number one Andy Murray and world number six Kei Nishikori, but today Murray opens proceedings against Taro Daniel.

Then West Midlander Dan Evans will hope to draw upon the energy of the home crowd as he attempts to upset Nishikori.    

You can watch coverage on BBC Two from 13:00 and hear updates on BBC WM.

Cannock Mercury

A private ambulance ended up on its roof, external with two people trapped inside after overturning on the M6 near Cannock.  

Image source, Cannock Mercury

BBC WM Sport

Warwickshire take on the West Indies later in the first of two warm up games in Dubai., external

Batsman Laurie Evans has been praising new skipper Ian Bell's influence on the side ahead of the new campaign.

The Bears' William Porterfield scored 75 not out as Ireland beat Hong Kong in their opening warm-up fixture for the World 20/20.

Two women from Birmingham who discovered their old school friend was homeless after seeing her briefly on BBC Midlands Today have been reunited with her. 

Lisa Moore (pictured) had been sleeping rough for three months in Birmingham. 

Amanda Philips trawled Birmingham streets with another school friend, speaking to homeless people in a bid to find Lisa.

They had no luck, but The Red Bag Company, external tracked her down and put the friends in touch.

Great Barr Observer

The front page of the newspaper, external includes "Watchdog slams hospital for showing 'lack of care'".

Image source, Great Barr Observer

Stephanie Barnard
BBC Local Live

There are severe delays on the Cross City line due to a broken-down train and signalling problems.

BBC Travel reports delays on London Midlands services between Aston and Witton, Birmingham New Street and Duddeston and University and Five Ways.

For the latest follow #CrossCity on Twitter., external

Ged Scott
BBC Sport

Huddersfield striker Jordy Hiwula rejoins League One promotion-chasers Walsall on loan for the rest of the season.

Image source, Empics

The Saddlers are looking to improve their record of just two goals in the past five matches.

Hiwula, 21, was a Manchester City player when he scored nine goals for the Saddlers on loan last season.

Adrian Goldberg
Presenter, BBC WM

A Bromsgrove woman whose two youngest sons died after heroin overdoses says she wants to see the drug legalised and regulated to make it safer for addicts.

Rose Humphries says she thinks allowing people to inject drugs in a legal, government-controlled environment would also save lives.

But the Home Office says decriminalising drugs would not eliminate the crime committed by their illicit trade, or address the harms and destruction associated with drug dependence.  

A speeding driver from Smethwick's been jailed for a year for lying about who was behind the wheel, external, police say.

Mattansar Mahmood (pictured), 32, from Marshall Street, blamed the offence on a Polish man from Dudley who'd lost his licence in West Bromwich in 2014. 

Mahmood had been caught speeding on two occasions last year but when filling out the prosecution paperwork he blamed the 52-year-old man whose driving licence he found.

Image source, West Midlands Police