James Brindley murder: Two arrests madepublished at 11:22 British Summer Time 13 July 2017Breaking
A man and a teenager have been arrested on suspicion on suspicion of murdering Aldridge man James Brindley.
Image source, Police handoutSummary
Jail for gorilla mask rapist
Two accused of murder over Aldridge stabbing
Fatal school bus crash investigation "to take months"
Weekend serves Spaghetti closure
Refuse workers on strike
Updates from Friday 14 July 2017
James Brindley murder: Two arrests madepublished at 11:22 British Summer Time 13 July 2017
Image source, Police handoutWillenhall teachers on strikepublished at 11:15 British Summer Time 13 July 2017
Willenhall's E-Act Academy is closed today because of industrial action by teachers.
A letter posted on the school's website, external, says the school will be closed to pupils in years 7-10 and 12.
The Year 11 prom will go ahead tonight as planned.
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End of twitter postMembers of two unions are taking strike action at the trouble hit school, where Ofsted inspectors said in May they were pelted with food by pupils.
The school says it's very disappointed that the unions have decided to go ahead with the walkout, further disrupting students' education.
Villa need to produce now - Hourihanepublished at 10:52 British Summer Time 13 July 2017
Aston Villa midfielder Conor Hourihane says the Championship club "need to produce" next season.
Read MoreFootball gossip: Pulis planning swoop for two United playerspublished at 10:50 British Summer Time 13 July 2017
BBC SportThe Baggies get two mentions in BBC Sport's transfer gossip page today.
Image source, BBC SportStoke City will beat West Brom to the signing of Chelsea defender Kurt Zouma on a season-long loan, but will pay £7m for the 22-year-old. (Sun), external
West Brom boss Tony Pulis is planning a double swoop on Manchester United for defenders Chris Smalling and Phil Jones. Smalling, 27, and Jones, 25, both have two years left on their contracts at Old Trafford. (Daily Mirror), external
Football: Teams in friendly actionpublished at 10:23 British Summer Time 13 July 2017
BBC WM SportWest Bromwich Albion lost 2-1 to Slavia Prague in their pre-season friendly played in Austria.
Wolves beat the German side Werder Bremen 1-0 in the first game of their tour of Austria.
While Aston Villa played simultaneous friendlies with different squads and won them both; 4-0 at Telford, and 3-0 at Kidderminster.
Swimsafe scheme to launchpublished at 10:00 British Summer Time 13 July 2017
BBC Midlands TodayHundreds of schoolchildren are getting a taste of open water swimming this week in an effort to keep them safe over the summer holidays.
The Swimsafe initiative usually takes place near the coast, but for the first time it's taking place in Birmingham's Aston Reservoir.
Pupils from across the Midlands, are being given lessons by the RNLI and Swim England as many children have never swum in open water before.
Grape expectationspublished at 09:27 British Summer Time 13 July 2017
Former Ivory Coast international Olivier Tebily has forged a new career away from football - as Africa's first maker of Cognac.
Read MoreJames Brindley murder: Community support keeping family goingpublished at 09:18 British Summer Time 13 July 2017
BBC WMThe parents of an Aldridge man stabbed to death almost three weeks ago say the support of the local community is keeping them going.
James Brindley, 26, died on 23 June and police have launched a murder enquiry.
Image source, Police handoutPeople living in Aldridge have organised a community meeting for tomorrow night because they say they're worried about crime going up in the village.
Two days ago detectives released CCTV of two men they want to trace over the stabbing.
Woman in 'critical condition' after motorbike crashpublished at 08:47 British Summer Time 13 July 2017
A man has been arrested after a woman was left with serious injuries when she was hit by a motorbike, police said.
The crash happened on Birmingham Road, Sutton Coldfield, just before midday yesterday.
Image source, GoogleImage caption, A stretch of Birmingham Road
Video: What's the weather got in store today?published at 08:20 British Summer Time 13 July 2017
Charlie Slater
BBC Weather presenterThere will be some showers around this morning before a dry and bright afternoon with top temperatures of 21C (70F).
You can find a detailed forecast for your area on the BBC Weather site.
Media caption, Latest weather for the West Midlands
Live updates for Birmingham and the Black Countrypublished at 08:00 British Summer Time 13 July 2017
Monica Rimmer
Journalist, BBC OnlineWelcome from the live team this grey Thursday morning.
I'll be bringing you the latest news, sport, travel and weather updates for Birmingham and the Black Country between now and 18:00.
If you'd like to get in touch, you can reach us on Facebook , externalor tweet @BBCWM, external.
Virtual reality taking you back to 1839published at 21:13 British Summer Time 12 July 2017
Visitors to Waterhall Gallery in Birmingham can step back to the dawn of the photographic era.
Read MoreOur coverage across the daypublished at 18:02 British Summer Time 12 July 2017
We'll be back with our usual mix of news, sport, travel and weather from 08:00 tomorrow.
Keep an eye out here for more updates and breaking news before then.
Erdington MP challenges government over tower block costspublished at 18:01 British Summer Time 12 July 2017
Councils will have to prove they "can't afford" new safety measures recommended following the Grenfell Tower tragedy to receive Government money, Damian Green, The First Secretary of State, has said.
Labour's Jack Dromey Labour MP for Birmingham Erdington told Mr Green: "Birmingham has 231 tower blocks.
"The city council has rightly decided it will retrofit sprinklers in all of those blocks. That will cost £31m in a council that has suffered £700 million of cuts to their budget.
"Will the Government unequivocally commit to funding all necessary safety measures, pending the outcome of the inquiry?"
Mr Green replied: "I'm sure all local authorities will want to follow the fire service's recommendations on this.
"If the local authority can show it can't afford it, then obviously central government will step in."
West Midlands second highest for animal air gun attackspublished at 17:56 British Summer Time 12 July 2017
The West Midlands has the second highest number of calls to the RSPCA for air gun attacks on animals.
Second only to London, the RSPCA is calling for stricter regulations around the use of air guns.
Since 2012, the charity has received 257 calls reporting that an animal has been shot with an air gun in the West Midlands.
Image source, ThinkstockQuote MessageOften it isn’t until the X-rays reveal the pellets still lodged in the animal’s body that it becomes clear what they have been subjected to. It often leaves the victim with life-changing injuries, such as the lost of an eye, or even requiring the amputation of a limb."
Dermot Murphy, Assistant Director of the RSPCA Inspectorate
Woman suffers serious head injuries in crashpublished at 17:43 British Summer Time 12 July 2017
A woman in her 50s was left with a serious head injury after she was hit by a motorbike in Sutton Coldfield.
The crash happened on Birmingham Road just before midday.
West Midlands Ambulance Service said when they arrived the motorcyclist had gone.
Willenhall E-Act Academy to be closed tomorrowpublished at 17:36 British Summer Time 12 July 2017
Rob Mayor
Black Country Political Reporter, BBC WMStrike action is closing Willenhall's E-Act Academy tomorrow.
In a letter posted on the school's website, external, it said the school will be closed to pupils in years 7-10 and 12. The Year 11 prom will go ahead as planned.
Members of two unions are taking strike action at the trouble hit school, where Ofsted inspectors said in May they were pelted with food by pupils.
Image source, Willenhall E-Act AcademyWatch: Your 50-second weatherpublished at 17:30 British Summer Time 12 July 2017
Shefali Oza
BBC Midlands TodayIt will remain dry overnight with largely clear skies and light winds leading to a cooler night than of late, especially in rural parts - lows of 15C (59F).
Media caption, Weather for the West Midlands.
'Organised, sophisticated plan' says judge in insurance scam casepublished at 17:27 British Summer Time 12 July 2017
A Walsall woman has been jailed for attempting to defraud an insurance company in an "organised, sophisticated" plan.
Arafa Nassib's son Adil Kasim, 18, sent a claim to Scottish Widows claiming his mother had died from a severe head injury.
Insurance investigators travelled to Zanzibar and found that a doctor who was reported to have treated Nassib was not working, or even in Tanzania, on the day of her alleged death.
It was then uncovered that Nassib had flown back to Birmingham on a flight and travelled on to Canada.
Nassib, 48, was jailed for two-and-a-half years, while her son, an art and design student, was given a 12-month community order.
Image source, PAImage caption, Adil Kasim
Quote MessageThis was an organised, sophisticated, carefully-designed plan that came close to working. Had Tanzania not been flagged as a high-risk country (for insurance fraud) it is reasonable to suppose you might have got away with it. Honesty in the insurance claims process is imperative, else the whole insurance system is at risk.
William Edis QC, Recorder
Your pictures: Blue skies, fields and flowerspublished at 17:21 British Summer Time 12 July 2017
It's been a lovely day across the patch.
Here's one taken in Wishaw by outwiththedog.
Image source, outwiththedogThis picture was taken in Badger by PJ's, the field looks like it stretches on for miles and miles.
You can sign up here to become a BBC Weather Watcher.
Image source, PJ's
