Summary

  • Teenagers jailed over Watford fan attack

  • Walsall brothers jailed over terrorism funding charges

  • American Airlines drop Birmingham to New York route

  • Four charged with terror offences remanded in custody

  • John Lewis boss applies to stand as West Midlands mayor

  • Updates from Friday 9 September 2016

Live Reporting

  1. Open Doors: Access all areas at BBC WM

    BBC WM

    The West Midlands is full of diverse communities with amazing stories, and we want your help in telling them.

    BBC WM 95.6 wants to work with community groups and charities to share their interesting, emotional or inspiring stories.

    Open Doors is a three-day event (21-23 November) which will offer an insight into how the BBC operates, give you media contacts and put you in touch with local programme-makers.

    It is open to individual members of groups, not-for-profit organisations and charities who support under-represented communities in the BBC WM 95.6 editorial area.

    Find out more by calling 0121 567 6158 (weekdays) and ask for Bernadette Shortt, email: bbcwm@bbc.co.uk or go online.

    Applications close at midnight on 31 October 2016.

  2. Your photos: Spielberg film crews set up for another week of action

    Stephanie Barnard
    BBC Local Live

    Is it Birmingham or is it the US? Street signs for Lionel Street have been replaced with American signs as Steven Spielberg's film Ready Player One is shot in the city.

    Nick Holzherr tweeted these photos as crews set up for another week of filming in the city.

    American street signs in Birmingham as crews prepare to film in the cityNick Holzherr

    Nick says they've added an American flag to the St John's building and the car park now charges $7 per day.

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    Tweet your pics to us @BBCWM if you're in the area... Have you spotted Steven Spielberg yet?

  3. Blues Ladies in Continental Cup final

    Birmingham City Ladies will take on Man City in the Continental Cup final next month. 

    City beat Arsenal 1-0 yesterday after Blues Ladies booked their place on Saturday with a 4-0 win at London Bees in their semi-final. 

    Birmingham City are always the underdogs. We'll never have as much money as Man City, Arsenal, Chelsea. We squeeze every penny, every resource, every ounce out of this football club to make it happen on the pitch for these girls

    David Parker, Birmingham City Ladies manager

    Player Emily Westwood tweets...

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    The final will take place on Sunday 2 October.

  4. Disappointed Pulis to stay at West Brom

    West Brom boss Tony Pulis will not resign despite being disappointed by the club's failure to land some of his transfers targets.

    Read More

  5. Struggling NHS trust merger plan

    A struggling hospital trust will join with another to form a single organisation under new improvement plans.

    Read More

  6. Hospital trusts could merge
    Breaking

    A once-struggling hospital trust will join with another to form a single organisation, under new plans. 

    Heart of England NHS Foundation Trust will combine with University Hospitals Birmingham NHS Foundation Trust.

    The move will affect the QE, Heartlands, Good Hope and Solihull hospitals.

    QE Hospital and HeartlandsBBC / Google

    QE Hospital and Heartlands

    Health regulator Monitor began investigating Heartlands last year when it ran up a deficit of £29.5m in five months.

  8. Birmingham pub bombings: Families head to London to meet home secretary

    Peter Wilson
    BBC Midlands Today Special Correspondent

    The Lord Mayor of Birmingham Councillor Carl Rice wishes the Justice for the 21 families good luck as they head for Parliament.

    The Lord Mayor of Birmingham Councillor Carl Rice

    The families are due to meet up with the Home Secretary Amber Rudd later today.

    Justice for the 21 families in Birmingham city centre

  9. Travel: M6 closed due to police incident

    BBC Travel

    Part of the M6 northbound is also closed and there's stationary traffic between J4, at the M42 (Coleshill), and J5, the A452 (Castle Bromwich), due to a nearby police incident.

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  10. Mayor supports pub bombing families

    The Lord Mayor of Birmingham says he is 100% behind the families of the victims of the Birmingham pub bombings who are due to meet the home secretary later. Councillor Carl Rice spoke to the delegation before they left Birmingham for Westminster. The inquests into deaths of 21 people in the 1974 Birmingham pub bombings are to be reopened. Families and their legal teams will ask the government to fund their continuing campaign.

  11. Travel: M42 exit slip road closed due to police incident

    BBC Travel

    The M42 exit slip road is closed and there's queuing traffic northbound at J7, for the M6 (Coleshill), because of a police incident.

    Congestion goes to J6, for the A45 (Birmingham Airport).

    More details on BBC Travel. 

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  12. Brexit Britain: Rise in hate crime reports

    Louise Hancock
    Newsreader, BBC WM

    West Midlands Police says it is dealing with a rise in allegations of hate crime reported to officers since the Brexit vote. 

    The force says it continues to take a zero-tolerance stance against hate crime and it's currently experiencing an average of 16 complaints a day, compared to 11 earlier this year.

    Union Jack and EU flagsGetty Images

    BBC News will be reporting on Brexit Britain throughout the day with special reports on TV, radio and online.

  13. Football: Baggies lose interest in Chamakh

    Steve Hermon
    Journalist, BBC WM Sport

    West Bromwich Albion won't be pursuing their interest in former Arsenal striker Marouane Chamakh, after he was injured in a friendly on Saturday. 

    The Moroccan had to come off in the 1-0 win against Delhi Dynamos in the friendly at The Hawthorns.

    Former Arsenal striker Marouane ChamakhGetty Images

  14. Graffiti appears for Spielberg movie filming

    Daz Hale
    BBC WM

    Steven Spielberg's new sci-fi film Ready Player One is being filmed in Birmingham on Newhall Street this week. 

    The movie is about a teenager living in poverty with his aunt who takes part in a race for a special Easter egg that, if he finds it, will give him his fortune and change his life.

    Spray painted walls

    A couple of weeks ago crews were in Digbeth filming. This morning I was in Livery Street as they gather in the area, including Newhall Street and Lionel Street in the Jewellery Quarter. 

    Film crews are busy setting up for another week in the city - and as you can see, graffiti is being put up which is set to feature on the set.

    Graffiti artist in Birmingham as part of the film Ready Player One

    They will be filming here all week. Director Steven Spielberg was spotted a couple of weeks ago - will we see him again? I'm not sure but I'll keep an eye out.

  15. Men continue to be questioned on suspicion of murder

    Two people arrested on suspicion of murdering a man who was found in a Wolverhampton street with multiple stab wounds continue to be questioned by police. 

    Paramedics tried to save the 23-year-old man, who was found in Carter Road on Saturday morning, but he was pronounced dead in hospital. 

    Police at Carter Road in Wolverhampton where a man was found stabbed

    Police said the men, who are 36 and 33, were arrested at different locations in the Whitmore Reans area.

  17. Birmingham pub bombings: Families to meet home secretary

    Relatives of the 21 victims of the Birmingham pub bombings are due to sit down with Home Secretary Amber Rudd later. 

    Families of those killed in bomb blasts in November 1974 have been campaigning for government funding for their continuing legal bid for answers. 

    Aftermath of Birmingham pub bombing in 1974

    In June, a coroner ruled there should be fresh inquests into the killings after "significant" new information came to light.  

  18. Latest headlines: Birmingham pub bombings families to meet with home secretary; men questioned on suspicion of murder

    Stephanie Barnard
    BBC Local Live

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

    • Families of those who lost loved ones in the Birmingham pub bombings in 1974 have been invited to meet the new home secretary
    • Two men arrested on suspicion of murdering a man who was found in a Wolverhampton street with multiple stab wounds continue to be questioned by police
    • West Bromwich Albion won't be pursuing their interest in former Arsenal striker Marouane Chamakh, after he was injured in a friendly on Saturday

  19. Video: Today's weather forecast

    BBC Weather

    What does the weather have in store today?

    And you can catch up throughout the day on the latest forecast, on our website

    Latest weather for the West Midlands

  20. Travel: Road blocked in Birmingham

    BBC Travel

    The A34 New Town Row, in Birmingham, is blocked inbound at the A4540 New John Street West junction, because of an accident. 

    For the latest disruption on the roads, visit BBC Travel.