BBC Midlands Today

A proposed Clean Air Zone in central Birmingham has been approved by the government, meaning drivers of high-polluting vehicles will in future have to pay to drive around parts of Birmingham.

The city council was given a final warning by the European Commission in 2017 to clean up its air by 2020.

Motorists in petrol cars manufactured before 2006 and diesels before 2015 will have to pay £8 a day, while diesel buses and HGVs face a £50 charge when they drive inside the A4540 ring road.

Analysis by the local authority found air pollution was responsible for shortening the lives of about 900 people a year.

BBC News England

A man aged 19 has been arrested on suspicion of murder after a 16-year-old boy was fatally stabbed in the chest and back in a Birmingham park.

Image source, West Midlands Police

Abdullah Muhammad was found in Sara Park, Small Heath, at about 20:00 GMT on 20 February and died at the scene.

The student, from the Hodgehill area, died after an assault, a post-mortem examination confirmed.

A 19-year-old man from Walsall remains in custody after his arrest, West Midlands Police said., external

Allen Cook
BBC News

Strong winds and rain are hitting the West Midlands this morning as Storm Gareth moves east across the UK.

Image source, Eugene the Jeep

The Met Office has a yellow warning for wind in place until 15:00 today, meaning there could be delays for drivers and people on public transport.

Meanwhile, the Environment Agency has a dozen flood alerts in place across the region,, external with the majority in Shropshire and Herefordshire.

It says in most cases, river levels are rising and there could be flooding on low-lying land.

Sara Blizzard
BBC Weather

It's a very windy start to Wednesday with rain around too - here's how the rest of the day's weather in the West Midlands is looking:

You can get a latest forecast for your part of the West Midlands at any other time by heading to the BBC Weather website.

BBC News Travel

A lane's shut and traffic is queuing for five miles on the M6 southbound due to a crash.

Highways England says the collision's happened near Birmingham, between J6 and J5, and congestion is back to the link with the M5., external

BBC News Travel

Trains between Shrewsbury and Wrexham are facing disruption this morning due to a signalling fault near Gobowen.

National Rail Enquiries says services may be delayed by up to 45 minutes, cancelled or revised and they expect that to continue until at least 08:00., external

Allen Cook
BBC News

Welcome to our live service for Wednesday.

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.

Ex-Fleetwood striker Jordy Hiwula scores a first-half winner against his old club as Coventry beat off their play-off rivals.

Portsmouth breathe life into their League One promotion push with a 3-2 away victory at Walsall.

Nathan Blissett gets the only goal as Solihull beat Gateshead and go second in the National League.

Plymouth playmaker Graham Carey nets an 89th-minute penalty winner as Argyle beat Shrewsbury Town 2-1 in League One.

Lyle Taylor scores one goal and provides another as Charlton defeat Burton to stretch their unbeaten home league run to 13 games.

Port Vale earn a second straight victory in League Two with a comfortable 3-0 win over fellow strugglers Yeovil at Vale Park.

Cambridge United and Crewe play out a goalless draw in a game of few chances.

Three men were injured at Medley's nightclub in Birmingham on Saturday.

Air pollution in Birmingham is responsible for shortening the lives of about 900 people a year, the council says.

Andy Giddings
BBC News

We'll be back with the news, sport, travel and weather from 07:00 on Wednesday.

Plans to remove 120 Shropshire recycling banks will go before councillors next week.

A Shropshire Council report says the move would save the authority £237,000 a year and free up car parking spaces.

Image source, Shropshire Council

Concerns have been raised this will lead to a reduction in recycling and an increase in fly-tipping, leaving five recyling centres in the county - in Shrewsbury, Oswestry, Bridgnorth, Whitchurch and Craven Arms.

But the report said the amount of recycling collected from the bins compared to the kerbside was small and that half of it was believed to be trade waste.

Stoke-on-Trent Live

Here are three of the headlines on the Stoke-on-Trent Live website:

• Businessman found dead at his own gym, external
• Sex beast jailed for 11 years, external
• Firefighters rescue dogs from kitchen fire, external

Jess Phillips is crowdfunding to send children to Westminster to campaign against cuts to school hours.