Teenage boy arrested after stabbingpublished at 11:04 Greenwich Mean Time 22 February 2019
A 17-year-old boy is arrested after a 33-year-old man was attacked, police say.
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Updates from Monday 18 February to Sunday 24 February 2019
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Teenage boy arrested after stabbingpublished at 11:04 Greenwich Mean Time 22 February 2019
Youths admit city centre robberypublished at 10:56 Greenwich Mean Time 22 February 2019
A man, 20, who has not been named, was seriously injured near Holliday Street on Sunday.
Read MoreCoventry to be lit up in memory of brotherspublished at 10:55 Greenwich Mean Time 22 February 2019
Coventry city centre will be lit up in red this evening in memory of two young brothers who died in a crash a year ago today.
Corey and Casper Platt-May, who were six and two, were killed while on the way to a park by a speeding driver who was high on drugs.
Image source, Family photoThe city council will switch on red lights across the city centre this evening to symbolise football-loving Corey's affection for Manchester United.
Quitting MP Ian Austin 'ashamed' of Labour Partypublished at 10:43 Greenwich Mean Time 22 February 2019
BBC WMThe Dudley North MP, Ian Austin, says he's quit the Labour Party today because he's "ashamed" of the party.
Image source, AFP/Getty ImagesHe's become the ninth MP to leave Labour this week and told the BBC that he never believed he "would be leaving the Labour Party because of racism".
Mr Austin has also spoken to the Express and Star newspaper, external and told them he was quitting because of the party's "lurch to the left" under Jeremy Corbyn and the failure to tackle anti-Semitism in the party.
But he said he had no plans to join the new Independent Group of former Labour and Tory MPs.
Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn has previously said he was "disappointed" MPs had left, but defended his polices as having "huge public support".
Quote MessageThis has been a really difficult decision, the Labour Party has been my life. I've been in the Labour Party for 35 years and I would never have expected to have to take a decision like this."
Ian Austin, Dudley North MP
Funeral for Australia death couplepublished at 10:27 Greenwich Mean Time 22 February 2019
BBC Midlands TodayA joint funeral will be held later today for a couple from Shropshire who died within hours of each other in Australia in December.
Image source, FacebookJason Francis, 29, was hit by a car in Perth on 22 December and Alice Robinson was later found dead.
She was said to have been heartbroken by the death of her partner.
A service of "celebration and thanksgiving" is due to be held at Telford Crematorium this morning.
Dudley MP rejects by-election calls after quitting Labourpublished at 10:12 Greenwich Mean Time 22 February 2019
Ian Austin has ruled out calling a by-election in Dudley North after announcing this morning that he was quitting the Labour Party.
Image source, Getty ImagesThe MP told BBC WM the leadership had failed to tackle anti-Semitism and turned the party into a "narrow sect".
He also said he had no plans today to join the new Independent Group of former Labour and Tory MPs.
A Labour spokesman expressed "regret" over Mr Austin's decision but called on him to face a by-election.
Quote MessageJeremy Corbyn and the people around him have turned what was a mainstream party into something very different. I think they have created a culture of extremism and intolerance.”
Ian Austin, Dudley North MP
Woman, 73, dies after muggingpublished at 10:00 Greenwich Mean Time 22 February 2019
Three men and three boys are arrested on suspicion of manslaughter, robbery and assault.
Read MoreCall for 'togetherness' by Aston Villa boss for Stoke gamepublished at 09:45 Greenwich Mean Time 22 February 2019
BBC WM SportAston Villa manager Dean Smith says his squad are sticking together after a run of frustrating results.
Image source, Getty ImagesVilla go into tomorrow`s game against Stoke City with just two wins from 13 games in the league.
Quote MessageIf you want to be successful, you've got to have a togetherness and a culture at that club, whether it's supporters, owners, staff, players, everybody has to be on the same wavelength."
Dean Smith, Aston Villa manager
In the papers: Cost of council roles revealedpublished at 09:34 Greenwich Mean Time 22 February 2019
Birmingham LiveA few of the stories making the headlines on the Birmingham Live website:
Call to cut school exclusions after fatal stabbingspublished at 09:21 Greenwich Mean Time 22 February 2019
BBC Midlands TodayThe West Midlands Police and Crime Commissioner (PCC) has called for fewer youngsters to be excluded from schools, following the fatal stabbing of a 16-year-old boy at a park in Birmingham.
He was found in Sara Park, Small Heath, at about 20:00 on Wednesday and died at the scene.
The latest fatal attack came seven days after Mohammed Sidali, 16, was stabbed outside Joseph Chamberlain College in Highgate.
There have also been two other stabbings in the West Midlands since 13 February.
Office for National Statistics figures, external show West Midlands Police saw a 72% rise in knife crime between April 2013 and the year ending March 2018.
Quote MessageWe've got to look at other things that we do for young people. We've got to stop excluding young people from our schools, very often they are the ones that are getting involved in violence. We've got to look at other activities for young people to take on as well."
David Jamieson, West Midlands Police and Crime Commissioner
Dudley MP Ian Austin resigns from Labour Partypublished at 09:11 Greenwich Mean Time 22 February 2019
Breaking
Allen Cook
BBC NewsThe MP for Dudley North, Ian Austin, has announced he's left the Labour Party.
Image source, Labour PartyMr Austin has been a vocal critic of leader Jeremy Corbyn on Twitter, but said he had no plans to join the new Independent Group.
Capita to pay damages to family of woman denied benefitspublished at 08:56 Greenwich Mean Time 22 February 2019
Michael Buchanan
Social Affairs Correspondent, BBC NewsA family whose daughter died after being denied the main disability benefit have been awarded £10,000 in damages.
Image source, Family handoutVictoria Smith, 33, of Market Drayton, passed away last July just weeks after being told she was not eligible for Personal Independence Payments (PIP).
Her family sued Capita for making inaccurate statements on Ms Smith's health assessment.
Capita told the BBC it stood by the original decision.
Manslaughter arrests after woman dies following robberypublished at 08:40 Greenwich Mean Time 22 February 2019
Three men and a boy have been arrested on suspicion of manslaughter after an elderly woman died 11 days after she was mugged in Birmingham., external
West Midlands Police says the 73-year-old fell to the ground and dislocated her shoulder as a man tried to take her handbag on 5 February on Petersfield Road, Hall Green.
Image source, GoogleShe was treated for her injuries and released from hospital at the time, but, on 15 February, she was readmitted and died the following day.
Officers say they are still trying to determine why she died.
They said a total of six people have been arrested in connection with this robbery, as well as two others in the city.
The suspects - three men aged 18, 20 and 22 and a 15-year-old boy - have been arrested on suspicion of manslaughter and robbery.
In the papers: Council defends organ disposalpublished at 08:29 Greenwich Mean Time 22 February 2019
The Express and Star has these headlines this morning:
Unite ballots bin workers over more Birmingham strikespublished at 08:18 Greenwich Mean Time 22 February 2019
BBC Midlands TodayBin workers are going to be balloted today on whether to take further strike action.
More than 300 Unite union workers started a series of one-day strikes on Tuesday over claims of "secret payments" made to non-striking GMB staff after industrial action in 2017.
The council has reiterated the payments were made as compensation for its failure to consult the GMB union properly during the talks that ended the 2017 dispute.
The new ballot is over "grave concerns" for workers' safety, the Unite union said.
It claimed the council was ignoring an agreement that lorries would not be sent on rounds without a waste reductions collections officer worker, as part of the crew.
Fresh strikes could take place in the spring if workers vote in favour of action.
Arrest after woman's body foundpublished at 08:04 Greenwich Mean Time 22 February 2019
Vicky Norton
BBC Radio StokeA man's been arrested after a woman's body was found at a house in Stoke-on-Trent., external
Image source, GooglePolice officers made the discovery yesterday afternoon on Sneyd Street.
They haven't revealed how she died, but say the 61-year-old man is still in custody.
Police search for gun after man arrestedpublished at 07:54 Greenwich Mean Time 22 February 2019
A building's been searched for a gun in Coventry after police arrested a man earlier in the day. , external
They say their firearms warrant was carried out in the Keresley area at 22:10 last night.
West Midlands Police says officers carried out the search after stopping a car near Griff Island, Nuneaton.
Toddler among suspected illegal immigrants found on M6published at 07:41 Greenwich Mean Time 22 February 2019
A family including a toddler have been arrested at a motorway service station on suspicion of being illegal immigrants.
Image source, Central Motorway Police GroupThe Central Motorway Police Group says they were found at Hilton Park Services, near Cannock, on the M6 last night.
An 18-month-old child was among the group and officers say they're been taken to a place of safety.
Legal action taken over Storm Doris deathpublished at 07:32 Greenwich Mean Time 22 February 2019
Legal action is going to be taken against the building management company for the Mander Centre in Wolverhampton on the day a wooden panel was blown off a water tank, killing Tahnie Martin, from Stafford.
Wolverhampton City Council said it was taking the action against Cushman and Wakefield Debenham Tie Leung Limited under the Health and Safety at Work Act, accusing the company of failing to ensure the safety of the public.
Image source, FacebookIt said the company was due to appear at Wolverhampton Magistrates' Court on 4 April.
Fog warning for driverspublished at 07:21 Greenwich Mean Time 22 February 2019
Allen Cook
BBC NewsDrivers in parts of Warwickshire and Worcestershire are being warned there could be thick fog around this morning.
Image source, Met OfficeThe Met Office has issued a yellow weather warning which is currently in place until 10:00 this morning., external
