Lichfield Mercury

The National Memorial Arboretum is to mark the centenary of the Battle of the Somme , externalwith an “inspirational" five-month programme.

Sarah Falkland
BBC Midlands Today

Staff at Dudley Zoo are saying farewell to their most popular resident today - Makalu the snow leopard. 

He's off on a 5,000 mile (8,000km) journey to Darjeeling where he will take part in a global breeding programme. 

You can see more on this story on BBC One at 13:30 and 19:15.  

Stephanie Barnard
BBC Local Live

The latest stories for Birmingham and the Black Country which we're looking at right now include:

- A criminal prosecution brought against football veteran Paul Gascoigne after comments he made at a stage show in Wolverhampton has been adjourned until next week

- A series of street art dedicated to Muhammad Ali has been left across Birmingham

- It's day three of Warwickshire's County Championship match against Lancashire - listen to coverage online

A rare 18th Century Chinese vase that was used as a door-stop could be sold for £1m.

BBC WM Sport

At Old Trafford, Warwickshire go into the third day of their county championship match with Lancashire on 202 for 6, that's 106 runs behind. 

Despite a half century from Varun Chopra, the Bears slipped to 94 for 6, only for Keith Barker and Tim Ambrose to make an unbeaten hundred partnership to rescue the situation.

Image source, Getty Images

Kathryn Stanczyszyn
Political Reporter, BBC WM

The number of voters registered in the West Midlands for the EU referendum stands at 4,116,119. 

This is a rise of 153,842, or 3.9% since December.

Polls are set to open in less than 24 hours and both the Leave and Remain camps are using the dying hours of the campaign to get their messages across.

If you missed the BBC's Great Debate last night, find out how the two sides got on in front of a live audience of 6,000 at Wembley Arena.

Tamworth Herald

An air ambulance has been called out to Tamworth after a woman collapsed, external at a supermarket this morning.

There are delays on the M6 southbound after a vehicle caught fire earlier this morning - fortunately nobody was injured.

Fire crews from Ward End and Erdington , externalare attending to the blaze between junctions 6 and 5.

BBC Travel reports that two lanes are now closed, with severe delays in the area. 

Image source, CMPG

The fire service says nobody was injured in the blaze., external

Newcastle kick off the 2016-17 English Football League season with a Championship trip to Fulham on Friday, 5 August.

Stephanie Barnard
BBC Local Live

There are delays on the M6 southbound between junction 6 and 5 due to a vehicle fire.

Traffic England advises that one lane is closed.

BBC Weather

Another bad day if you suffer with hay fever. Levels are very high today.

Tissues at the ready.

Warm June sunshine, but showers never too far away... Matt Taylor has the long range forecast.  

Giles Latcham
BBC Midlands Today

A street artist has caused a bit of a stir with his latest work across Birmingham. 

He's been leaving murals of the late, great Muhammad Ali across the city, along with some of the legend's inspirational sayings. 

We've tracked him down and you can find out more in our programme at 19:15 this evening.  

Steve Hermon
Journalist, BBC WM

The first derby match of the new campaign is Blues v Wolves at St. Andrews on 20 August.

We've got to wait until 29 October for the first second city derby, when Villa go to Blues.  

BBC Sport

BBC Sportsday has a breakdown of the opening fixtures for the Championship, League One, and League Two.

You can check out all the fixtures now on the BBC Sport website:

Full Championship fixture list for 2016-17

Full League One fixture list for 2016-17

Full League Two fixture list for 2016-17

Steve Hermon
Journalist, BBC WM

The Football League fixtures are out with Aston Villa starting life in the Championship away to last season's beaten play-off finalists Sheffield Wednesday. 

The game has already been moved to Sunday, 7 August for TV, while on the Saturday, Birmingham City host Cardiff and Wolves go to Rotherham. 

In League One, Walsall will host newly promoted AFC Wimbledon on the opening day. 

Stephanie Barnard
BBC Local Live

The top stories in the BBC WM newsroom this morning include:

- Police continue to question a 40-year-old man arrested on suspicion of murder after a fatal stabbing in a Birmingham park

- Lecturers at Wolverhampton University will be on strike today over pay and conditions

- Villa fans will find out who they'll be playing and when in the Championship when the Football League fixtures are released this morning 

BBC Midlands Today

Lecturers at Wolverhampton University are going on strike later in a dispute over pay and conditions. 

Members of the University and College Union are protesting against a proposed 1.1% pay rise, claiming staff have seen a pay cut in real terms of almost 15% over the past seven years. 

Staff at Coventry University were on strike last week and union members at Warwick University are expected to walk out on Friday.  

Steve Hermon
Journalist, BBC WM

Life in the Championship will become even more real for Aston Villa from 09:00 this morning, when the Football League fixtures are released. 

They're in the second tier for the first time in 29 years and we'll find out when they face Blues and Wolves in the new season.

We'll also find out Walsall's fixtures in League One.

BBC Travel

- One lane is closed on the M5 southbound between J3, A456 (Halesowen) and J4, A38 (Bromsgrove), because of an accident involving car and a lorry. There are queues to J2, A4123 (Oldbury)

- Winson Green Road in Birmingham remains closed in both directions between the B4135 Heath Street junction and the Aberdeen Street junction because of repairs to a burst water main

- There's slow traffic on A452 Chester Road in Erdington, Birmingham, at the Orphanage Road junction

For the latest on the roads visit BBC Travel. 

Rather cloudy through much of the morning with rain in some parts. 

Skies may become brighter into the afternoon but there will be showery rain for some areas later on, with highs of 22C (72F).