Driver jailed for nine years for brothers' hit-and-run deaths
Sports coach convicted of child sex offences
Mosque hit-and-run 'may be terror-related'
GP jailed for assaulting patient
Labour expels activist over remarks to MP
Wolves reveal details of promotion celebrations
Taxi driver fined for refusing to pick up disabled passenger
Jackknifed lorry blocks M5 for several hours
Click on Related Stories for more from your area
Updates from Friday 27 April
A 31-year-old man has died after two cars crashed on Kingstanding Road in Birmingham.
Two other people involved in the collision were taken to hospital and remain in a serious condition, police say., external
Emergency services were called to the scene at around 18:45 last night.
The road is expected to be closed for the rest of this morning, with motorists being asked to avoid the area.
A burial mound, similar to those used to house the dead in Stone Age times, is being built in Shropshire.
Long barrows date back to the early Neolithic period, some 10,000 years ago, but one is now being built on a farm just outside Wem, using 400 tonnes of earth.
It's based on traditional designs with space for people to store the ashes of loved ones.
Designers say the aim is to create a peaceful place, offering something for the whole community.
Quote MessageThey become a very intimate space for whatever reason you want. We use them for storytelling, we use them for performance and we use them, of course, for funeral and commemorative events."
Toby Angel, Sacred Stones Ltd
Kathryn Stanczyszyn
Political Reporter, BBC WM
Election experts say boundary changes mean it’s impossible to predict how Birmingham will vote in next week’s council elections.
The city has been divided into new smaller wards with the number of councillors being reduced from 120 to 101.
It’s also the first time in 14 years that every seat on the council has been up for election at the same time.
Quote MessageWe can't compare any previous election results to what's going to happen on May the third. It makes it very difficult to predict the behaviour of an electorate which has chosen all three parties to govern it in the recent past and has been concerned about the bin strike and council services."
Prof Matt Cole, University of Birmingham
Alex Hamilton
BBC Weather
Sunny spells and one or two showers today with the chance of rain later and 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
Mental health and avoiding exclusion are among reasons given for removing children from classrooms.
Read MoreThe footage appeared to show prisoners at HMP Birmingham smoking drugs and using mobile phones.
Read MoreThe broadcast on the live video app was recorded inside HMP Birmingham.
Read More
Monica Rimmer
BBC News
We'll be back with our usual mix of news, sport, travel and weather from 07:00 on Thursday.
Keep an eye out here for more updates this evening.
Ged Scott
BBC Sport
Former champion jockey Bob Davies is going to retire as general manager of Ludlow Racecourse in the next couple of weeks.
Davies, who rode Lucius to win the 1978 Grand National (pictured), stepped down as clerk to the course in 2014, following his retirement as a jockey in 1982.
Image source, Getty ImagesHe's a three-time champion jockey and will retire when the current season ends.
Speaking to BBC Sport earlier this month about his life in horse racing he said: "I've been very lucky that I have done my hobby all my working life."
Here are a few of the stories making the headlines on the Hereford Times website this afternoon:
James Pearson
Political reporter, BBC Hereford & Worcester
A local Labour constituency party says it would not have picked an activist as a candidate in the next general election if it had known about her controversial comments.
Mandy Richards, who had been chosen to fight the Worcester seat, cast doubt on the evidence for the Manchester bombing and the murder of Labour MP Jo Cox.
Following a meeting on Tuesday, a Labour party spokesperson confirmed Ms Richards would no longer run.
Ms Richards has not yet commented. However, her Twitter account has been updated to describe herself as "Former @UKLabour Parliamentary Candidate for Worcester".
A statement this afternoon from the Worcester Constituency Labour Party, external says if its members had had "the relevant facts", the selection process would have had "a different outcome".
It says there were failures to share information and it is now reviewing the selection process before re-running it.
Matt Sandoz
Stoke City commentator, BBC Radio Stoke
Manager Paul Lambert says Stoke City should never have ended up in a relegation battle.
Image source, Getty ImagesThe Potters have just three games left to try and save their season and face an uphill battle, being four points from safety.
But Lambert says the fans have really backed their fight and he'd not given up yet.
Quote MessageI think this football club is built on real hard work and, if you get a little bit of sprinkling of gold dust up top, then it's a brilliant place to play your football because of the size of the fan base."
Paul Lambert, Stoke City manager
Shefali Oza
BBC Midlands Today
There have been scattered showers around the West Midlands this afternoon but should be clearer tonight and tomorrow - here's your forecast:
Shefali Oza
Head to the BBC Weather website at any time to check out the forecast for where you live.
The Windrush Army veteran's British passport application was refused.
Read MoreWest Midlands Fire Service has voiced its disappointment over a planned Fire Brigades Union (FBU) ballot that could lead to industrial action.
We told you earlier of the plans by the FBU to ballot its members over an ongoing row over new contracts.
The fire service has "reaffirmed" its commitment to reaching a resolution through continued discussions and consultation.
Phil Loach, Chief Fire Officer, said: "I am disappointed by the announcement of a ballot by the FBU, however I am very hopeful that we will be able to arrive at joint solutions and I want to continue working with the FBU to resolve these issues and avoid industrial action."
Lee Thomas
Newsreader, BBC Radio Stoke
An elderly woman in Newcastle-under-Lyme has been tricked into handing over thousands to scammers posing as police officers, external.
Image source, Getty ImagesStaffordshire Police says a man phoned yesterday, claiming to be from Manchester Police, and said there had been unusual activity on her credit card.
He told her she needed to withdraw money and convert it into Euros to help with the investigation.
More than £4,000 in Euros and pounds were then collected from her home by a man claiming to be a courier.
BBC Sport
Image source, PAChampionship winners Wolves have had their relationship with super agent Jorge Mendes approved by the EFL, who deem him as not a "relevant person".
Wolves were invited to meet with the EFL over the close bond between club owners Fosun and Mendes, following criticism from some Championship rivals.
But the EFL have reviewed details provided by Wolves and concluded that "there is no requirement" for Mendes to submit to the owners' and directors' test.
People being moved from their homes will be given new accommodation, a council says.
Read More
Local Democracy Reporting Service
Carmelo Garcia
A health centre in Hereford has shut for the final time as health chiefs look to treat more people in their own homes.
Image source, GoogleHerefordshire’s Clinical Commissioning Group said in November closing the 22 beds at the Hillside Rehabilitation Centre on Pentwyn Avenue would save £500,000.
It said the money would be used to treat people leaving hospital in their own homes.
