A £10bn investment programme for the West Midlands will be unveiled at a property conference in the south of France.

Image source, The Wigley Group

More than 25,000 visitors are expected in Cannes for the annual Mipim conference.

Business leaders and councils will be hoping to secure investment for a wide range of regeneration projects across the region, such as housing and infrastructure.

Among projects to be highlighted by West Midlands Mayor Andy Street will be a canal-side development on a Coventry industrial estate.

The funeral of four children killed in a house fire in Stafford will take place later., external

Riley Holt, eight, Keegan Unitt, six, Tilly Rose Unitt, four, and Olly Unitt, three, died in the blaze in Highfields on 5 February.

Image source, Staffordshire Police

The funeral, for family and close friends only, is at Stafford crematorium.

The family have suggested people who might want to show their support put teddy bears or similar children's toys in their windows.

A memorial service is being planned for a future date for the local community.

A chief fire officer has said the incident was the most tragic she had faced in 28 years service.

A 24-year-old woman and a man, 28, who were arrested on suspicion of manslaughter by gross negligence have been released while inquiries continue.

The Staffordshire bull terrier was abandoned a week before Christmas, but the RSPCA helped get him a new owner.

Sara Blizzard
BBC Weather

After a wet and windy morning it should brighten this afternoon with top temperatures of 6C (43F).

Vanessa Pearce
BBC News

Welcome to our live service for Tuesday.

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

Paramedics in the West Midlands say they are having to open up people's chests on the roadside.

That's it for our live coverage for today.

We'll be back from 07:00 on Tuesday, but keep an eye out here for more updates until then.

You can also follow us on Twitter, external and Facebook. , external

Sara Blizzard
BBC Weather

It will turn cloudy and increasingly windy this evening and into tonight with outbreaks of rain and lows of 6C (43F).

Local Democracy Reporting Service

A councillor says there needs to be a "radical" change to the refuse service in Birmingham, after two strikes in as many years.

At Friday's cabinet meeting, Councillor Jon Hunt said the current service was unsustainable.

He proposed to split the service into three contracts centred around the three largest council depots.

He argued that, in doing so, the council would "no longer be held hostage" by the unions.

At the meeting, it was confirmed improved settlements worth £3,500 were to be made to striking workers.

Unite said today its members had unanimously agreed to the terms of the offer and the strike action is off for this week.

Blues fan Paul Mitchell has to pay £100 compensation to Aston Villa captain Jack Grealish.

A new free school for children with special educational needs is to be opened in Shropshire.

Shropshire Council says it will be funded by the government which is now asking the local authority to find an organisation or charity to run the school.

Image source, Getty Images

The local authority area is one of 39 in England selected by government to help provide a total of 3,500 new places across the country.

Coventry Observer

These are some of the Coventry Observer headlines today:

• Man who killed pensioner in Coventry subway attack back behind bars, external
• Police granted more time to question man after 'disorder' , external
• Man fights for life after car crash, external

PC Kevin McClenaghan was also found not guilty of trying to pervert the course of justice.

West Midlands Police says it is working closely with a school and parents during ongoing disputes about its teaching of LGBT rights.

Parkfield Community School in Alum Rock has a programme called No Outsiders which also covers other diversity issues including race and religion, but some parents have claimed it is not age appropriate.

On Friday, the force said it was reviewing footage of protests at the school to see whether offences had been committed.

Officers said meetings have been organised to see how the issue can be resolved.

They are also continuing to investigate reports of graffiti on the school premises and urged anyone with information to come forward.

Warwickshire County Council wants to raise £62,000 towards buying a hoard of Roman coins.

BBC Hereford and Worcester

Priceless artefacts are suffering irreparable damage as thieves target churches, a Herefordshire vicar says.

"Heritage crime" is an increasing problem, with more than 300 incidents reported across Herefordshire & Worcestershire last year - triple the figure from 2016, police say.

Historic coping stones and brickwork are being stolen along with lead.

Rev Nicholas Lowton said in one incident thieves had used a chainsaw to cut around the lock of an ancient oak door to steal the brass and silver in the church.

Police officers in Birmingham have again been granted stop and search powers.

Until 03:00 tomorrow, they will be able to stop and search people without the need to show reasonable grounds.

The force said it would also be stopping and talking to young people in the city, warning them of the dangers of carrying knives.

BBC News Travel

Two lanes are now open northbound on the M40 J13 to J14, near Leamington Spa after the earlier crash involving an HGV and several cars.

The central reservation barrier was badly damaged in the crash at about 14:45 and one lane remains closed southbound

Image source, Highways England

Stoke-on-Trent Live

Some of the headlines on the Stoke-on-Trent Live website today are:

• Man found dead at Stoke-on-Trent gym, external
• Out-of-control car crashes into this town centre bar
• Car boot organisers offer reward to reunite stolen puppy with owner, external

A union says the Severn Trent scheme also used Uber drivers and "has huge safety implications".