Lorry drivers jailed for fatal minibus crash
Family jailed for ammunition supply ring
Men murdered dad after 'money row'
'Frenzied' double stabbing knifeman jailed
Three teens stabbed outside school
Ambulance abuse note woman evicted
Tumour survivor breaks Atlantic record
HS2 payments still unclaimed
Arrest after knifepoint taxi robberies
Updates on Friday 23 March
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Here are some of the stories making the headlines in the Express & Star this morning:
Inspectors have found "serious failings" in West Midlands Police's ability to protect vulnerable people from harm, according to a report published today, external.
The force has been rated as "requires improvement" overall and in one area was rated "inadequate" by the HM Inspectorate of Constabulary (HMIC) watchdog.
Image source, West Midlands Police"We identified some cases in which victims were at significant risk of harm, including victims of domestic abuse, children, and people threatened with serious violence," the report says.
The report also raised concerns about high levels of open incident logs and response times.
Deputy Chief Constable Louisa Rolfe responded saying they was "disappointed" but that the force had managed to be "highly efficient" with falling resources.
Quote MessageWhen a force with an intensive policing need, graded as highly efficient and with below national levels of funding, is struggling to manage its demand then there is an obvious inference to be drawn on resources. It is unfortunate that this inspection focused more on the scale of demand rather than why it was challenging to manage."
Deputy Chief Constable Louisa Rolfe, West Midlands Police
The government says Birmingham is within its rights to not include shooting in the 2022 Commonwealth Games.
Birmingham announced it will be staging basketball, judo, gymnastics, table tennis and wrestling from the optional list of sports at the 2022 games - meaning shooting will not be contested for the first time since Edinburgh 1970.
Image source, Birmingham City CouncilIn a Parliamentary debate several MPs criticised the decision.
The Democratic Unionist Jim Shannon, giving the opening speech, said there would be an "outcry" if there was no athletics, and he believed "the same outcry should happen" because of concerns for shooting sports.
The Sports Minister, Tracey Crouch, said while she accepted the arguments, she wouldn't step in.
Quote MessageShooting is and always has been an optional sport, and this status was reaffirmed by the Commonwealth Games Federation general assembly in 2015. That motion was voted on by the federation's members in line with its constitution and it's not a decision with which any government can or should interfere."
Tracey Crouch MP, Sports Minister
A Hereford church is looking for new ideas to help tackle the problem of homelessness in the city.
Image source, GoogleSt Peter's already houses a winter shelter which has beds for 16 men and three women.
A public meeting at the church today will explore ways to get more people off the streets and into housing.
West Mercia Police has been rated "inadequate" for the way in which it handles serious and organised crime and "requires improvement" overall.
The report from HM Inspectorate of Constabulary, external says the force needs to improve its protection of the vulnerable and the way it tackles anti-social behaviour and seeks to prevent crime.
However, it's doing well when it comes to investigating crime and reducing reoffending.
Chief Constable Anthony Bangham said the force accepted it was "not where we should have been last year in respect to the areas inspected" and was "confident that significant focus" has been given to addressing the areas highlighted.
Quote MessageWest Mercia Police is committed to ensuring we are a highly effective police force and we clearly accept there are areas where we can strengthen our approach."
Anthony Bangham, Chief Constable, West Mercia Police
BBC Midlands Today
Peaky pentathletes Becky Wood and Richie Anderson will be embarking on the fourth day of their 125-mile challenge along the Midlands canal towpaths for Sport Relief.
Yesterday the duo took to the canal in kayaks, before they were forced to hop on bikes - or not - as they headed towards Atherstone.
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BBC Midlands Today
A Wolverhampton business that transforms old wood into products is being praised for creating training and job opportunities.
Wood Saints has turned a disused industrial unit into a depot where wood normally dumped in skips is upcycled into new goods that are sold on.
The social enterprise also aims to create work and teach new skills for up to 30 disadvantaged people every year.
Birmingham's Dom Cunningham narrowly missed out on a medal at the Gymnastics World Cup in the city last night.
He was third after four of the six apparatus but eventually edged out for bronze by his British teammate James Hall.
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Staffordshire Police has been praised for its work in bringing reoffending levels down in the county.
The force has also been rated "good" for crime prevention and investigation as well as tackling serious and organised crime.
However the report by Her Majesty's Inspectorate of Constabulary, external warned the force has to improve the way it protects vulnerable people.
BBC Sport
Walsall suffered a third successive home defeat as high-flying Wigan gave their chances of automatic promotion a kick-start.
The 0-3 defeat leaves the Saddlers just four points clear of trouble with eight games left.
Image source, Getty ImagesThree goals in nine first-half minutes ruined former Saddlers midfielder Keates' first game in charge back at Bescot.
Michael Jacobs' far-post finish, Jay Fulton's 20-yarder and Chey Dunkley's close-range effort did the job.
From the survivors of mass shootings to gun owners, Newsbeat speaks to four different people about gun control in the USA.
Read MoreA new £1m MRI scanner is being handed over to the Royal Shrewsbury Hospital today.
The scanner is one of only a handful in operation across the UK.
It can take cardiac imaging scans for which patients in Shropshire previously had to travel out of the county.
The money for the new scanner has been raised by the League of Friends at the hospital.
Alex Hamilton
BBC Weather
A mainly dry day with some bright or sunny spells, but cloud around at times too, with highs of 10C (50F).
Latest weather for the West Midlands
Vanessa Pearce
BBC News
Welcome to our live service for Thursday.
We'll be bringing you all the news, sport, travel and weather for the West Midlands.
We love to hear from you so share your news, thoughts and photos of the area with us via email, Twitter, external and Facebook., external
Stephanie Barnard
BBC News
We'll be back with the news, sport, travel and weather from 07:00 on Thursday, but keep an eye out here for more updates before then.
This video showing 50 mums and their children with Down's syndrome singing in a car has been seen by millions of people.
They include Rebecca Carless from Coventry.
The women are all part of a Facebook group called Designer Genes which was set up to support parents born with Down's syndrome born in 2013/14.
They said they made it for today's World Down Syndrome Day to "show the world just how ordinary and fun life with the condition is".
It features a sign language known as Makaton, which many in the group have used to help their children communicate.
A Karaoke video involving a Coventry woman has been seen by millions
Some of the top stories to feature on the Birmingham Mail's website today include:
More than £1,900 has been raised for a special constable from Worcestershire who has had to have part of his right leg amputated after attending to a 999 call.
Ben Perry, from Droitwich, was struck by a car on the M42 earlier this month while he was helping the victims of a crash.
The police commissioner described his actions as "selfless".
Image source, Just GivingQuote MessageHe's in remarkably good spirits. He's enjoying his time in hospital more than I probably would. He's doing well and he's got an incredible network of friends, family and colleagues - it's come quite a shock to all of them."
Adam Court, Friend of Ben Perry
Sarah Bishop
BBC Midlands Today
Today I'm taking a look around Shugborough Hall which is one year on from being taken over by the National Trust, after it was bought from the council.
The number of people visiting the stately home has increased by a third, with more than 170,000 passing through the gates.
The trust is now rediscovering some of the lost buildings on the estate, known as the "lost follies".
From the outside this tower looks withered and tired but inside, the so-called Tower of the Winds is beautiful.
The building, which features stained glass windows and ornate gold painted ceilings, is thought to have been used as a gentleman's banquet room.
See more on Midlands Today at 18:30 on BBC One.
Shrewsbury boss Paul Hurst wants to see a better video angle before passing judgment on skipper Abu Ogogo's red card.
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