In the papers: Licence decision after immigration raidpublished at 15:51 Greenwich Mean Time 15 March 2019
Here are some of the stories making the headlines on the Hereford Times website today:
Summary
Updates from 11 March to 17 March
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In the papers: Licence decision after immigration raidpublished at 15:51 Greenwich Mean Time 15 March 2019
Brothers killed in crash namedpublished at 15:37 Greenwich Mean Time 15 March 2019
Two brothers who died in a hit-and-run crash in Wolverhampton have been named.
Image source, West Midlands PoliceSanjay Singh, aged 10, and Pawanveer Singh, 23 months, from Dudley were in a BMW being driven by their mother when it crashed with an Audi S3 on Thursday evening.
The driver of the Audi left the scene and police have urged that person to come forward.
Sanjay and Pawanveer's family said: "Our family are grieving over the tragic deaths of our two beautiful children, as well as dealing with the shock of the horrific crash.
“We appeal to the general public to come forward as witnesses in order help police find the perpetrator who fled from the scene and to bring him or her to justice.
Bishop expresses 'deep outrage' at shootingspublished at 15:20 Greenwich Mean Time 15 March 2019
The Bishop of Coventry has written to express his "sense of deep outrage at the appalling desecration of human life inflicted on innocent Muslim people" after the shootings in New Zealand.
In a letter to Dr Abdullah Shehu, Chair of the Coventry Muslim Forum, the Rt Rev Christopher Cocksworth said: "The scale of the tragedy is appalling and the hatred behind and during its perpetration is truly shocking".
Forty-nine people have been killed and at least 20 wounded in shootings at two mosques in Christchurch.
"With other religious leaders across the world and in our city and wider region, I stand with you in your condemnation of such violation of humanity, grief in the loss of your brothers and sisters, and in prayer for those who suffered injury to their bodies, minds and spirits, and those who suffered the loss of their dear ones."
Fatal hit-and-run crash: Speed of cars investigatedpublished at 15:04 Greenwich Mean Time 15 March 2019
The speed of the vehicles involved in a fatal crash in Wolverhampton last night is being investigated, police say.
A taxi driver said two cars had passed him at a "very, very fast" speed about a mile away from the scene.
Describing how two cars had sped past him, taxi driver Tanveer Hussain said: "I was further up the road, by McDonald's, and two cars overtook me. If I am doing 35 to 40, they were doing much more."
He said he then pulled over when he came upon the crash site.
"I got out of my car and other lads tended to the children. What I saw was terrible," Mr Hussain said.
"It was too much. The mother was just in shock."
Children join climate change protestpublished at 14:53 Greenwich Mean Time 15 March 2019
Vanessa Pearce
BBC NewsChildren have been protesting on the steps of Coventry's council house.
They're among thousands worldwide who have abandoned classrooms for a day of protest against climate change.
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End of twitter postThe day of action is expected to include about 100 countries. They are inspired by Swedish teenager Greta Thunberg, who protests weekly outside Sweden's parliament.
Nine-year-old Lola (left), from Leamington Spa, said it had been left to the children to protest, "because the grown-ups aren't doing anything".
"If we don't stop it, [climate change], really bad things will happen to our planet," she said.
Friend, Erin, 10, said it was important to protest "to keep our future alive".
River flowing at eight times normal ratepublished at 14:42 Greenwich Mean Time 15 March 2019
The Environment Agency has said many rivers were already full and with more rain forecast this weekend, it could be "quite significant".
Spokesman Chris Bainger said 160 tonnes of water a second was passing down the River Severn in Shrewsbury at the moment - eight times the normal amount.
There are now three flood warnings, external affecting the rivers Severn and Vyrnwy in Shropshire and the Environment Agency is warning river levels are expected to be high throughout the weekend.
There are also a number of flood alerts affecting rivers in Shropshire, Staffordshire and Herefordshire and the temporary flood barriers have been erected at Frankwell in Shrewsbury.
Quote MessageThat river is flowing eight times greater, so it's eight times the number of rivers that are in there at the moment than there would normally be. So there's 160 tonnes a second or 160 cubic metres per second is whizzing past us in Shrewsbury right now."
Chris Bainger, Environment Agency
'No stone left unturned' in police shooting investigationpublished at 14:30 Greenwich Mean Time 15 March 2019
The Independent office for Police Conduct (IPOC) said a "thorough" investigation would be carried out after a man in his 50s was shot dead by a police officer in Birmingham.
Image source, PAIt is the second fatal shooting by West Midlands Police this year.
The IOPC is investigating the death of Sean Fitzgerald who was killed by armed police in an operation in Coventry in January.
IOPC regional director, Derek Campbell said "no stone will be left unturned" in its investigation to "ensure public confidence".
"It concerns everyone when we have a fatal shooting," he said.
Until January, the previous fatal shooting was in 1996, the force said.
Your photos: Fade to grey skiespublished at 14:22 Greenwich Mean Time 15 March 2019
The grey skies this week are continuing this morning across the West Midlands, from the look of the photos from our BBC Weather Watchers.
These three are from users Pete at Hanley in Hanley, Stoke-on-Trent, Ken M in Lydbury North, Shropshire and Snapshot Emma in Stourport-on-Severn, Worcestershire:
Image source, Pete at Hanley
Image source, Ken M
Image source, Snapshot EmmaIn the papers: Man sentenced for ticket assaultpublished at 14:10 Greenwich Mean Time 15 March 2019
The Worcester News is covering these stories today:
Body of man shot by police recoveredpublished at 14:00 Greenwich Mean Time 15 March 2019
The body of a man, shot dead by police has been recovered from a property in Lee Bank, Birmingham.
Image source, PAThe shooting happened in Wheeleys Lane close to the city centre just before 05:00 during an "intelligence-led operation", West Midlands Police said.
The case has been referred to the Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC).
IOPC regional director, Derek Campbell said investigators were still at the scene, with forensic evidence being collected and analysed.
The officers involved have been taken to an independent police station where they're being debriefed, he said.
"Body-worn footage has been downloaded," he said, "and we're currently analysing that footage as we speak."
"It allows us to see the facts, the circumstances of everything leading up to it, and will inform my investigation going forward."
Man avoids jail as thousands of tonnes of waste foundpublished at 13:49 Greenwich Mean Time 15 March 2019
Allen Cook
BBC NewsA man's been given a suspended jail sentence after admitting running three illegal waste sites in the West Midlands.
The Environment Agency says Sidney Nicholls kept about 2,500 tonnes of waste in two areas in Kidderminster and one in Worcester without the right permits or permissions., external
Image source, DefraAt one site, the Environment Agency says local residents complained of rat and fly problems and the stench from rotting food waste. It said two of the sites were at high risk of fire.
They add that Nicholls eventually abandoned the sites, leaving the landowners and the agency to clear them.
The 57-year-old of Stanford House, Stanford Bridge, Worcester, pleaded guilty at Worcester Crown Court to three charges of contravening the requirements of an environmental permit.
He was given a one-year prison sentence, suspended for two years, and told to pay costs of £30,000.
Image source, DefraYoung people strike again in climate change protestpublished at 13:40 Greenwich Mean Time 15 March 2019
BBC ShropshireSchoolchildren across the West Midlands have joined youngsters across the planet in abandoning classrooms for a day of protest against climate change.
Strikes are taking place today in more than 2,000 towns and cities, in over 100 different countries.
The globally co-ordinated children's protests - promoted through posts on social media - have been going on for several months.
In Shrewsbury, the demonstration happened at the Quarry with Hannah, 18, saying “I believe there’s no point of us getting an education and planning for the future if there is going to be no future”.
Also at the protest was 18-year-old Salvie: “I believe that as individuals we have a moral obligation to do something about our changing climate and put pressure on the government to regulate corporations on their pollution and the lack of sustainable resources.”
Drug, robbery and human trafficking arrests in dawn raidspublished at 13:34 Greenwich Mean Time 15 March 2019
Allen Cook
BBC NewsEight people have been arrested and drugs and weapons seized in early morning raids today in Telford.
West Mercia Police says officers searched several places in Brookside.
Three people were arrested on suspicion of possession with intent to supply drugs and five people were arrested on suspicion of robbery, conspiracy to robbery and human trafficking.
'Racing and car cruising' banned from fatal crash sitepublished at 13:10 Greenwich Mean Time 15 March 2019
The fatal crash in Wolverhampton, in which two children died, happened on a road covered by an injunction forbidding people from so-called car cruising, it has emerged.
Image source, PAProhibited activities include speeding, driving in convoy, racing and performing stunts between the hours of 15:00 and 07:00.
The force has confirmed that the speed of the vehicles involved is one line of enquiry.
Flags flown at half-mast after New Zealand mosque attackspublished at 13:00 Greenwich Mean Time 15 March 2019
Allen Cook
BBC NewsCouncils across the West Midlands have tweeted their support to New Zealand following the mosque attacks today.
Forty-nine people have been killed and at least 20 wounded in shootings at two mosques in Christchurch.
Councils including in Wolverhampton and Shropshire say their thoughts are with the people of New Zealand:
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End of twitter post 3In the papers: Inquest verdict into Stoke-on-Trent deathspublished at 12:51 Greenwich Mean Time 15 March 2019
Stoke-on-Trent LiveA few of the stories from the Stoke-on-Trent Live website today:
Man arrested after police car rammedpublished at 12:40 Greenwich Mean Time 15 March 2019
A man has been arrested after a police car was hit by a vehicle in Coventry last night.
The driver of the car failed to stop for officers at about 21:30 on The Moorfield, in the Stoke area of the city, and went on to hit a police car at the junction of Bulls Head Lane and Siddley Avenue.
A 23-year-old man was arrested for possession of a controlled drug, failing to stop and dangerous driving.
He remains in police custody, said West Midlands Police.
Teenager 'attacked with hammer as he slept', inquest hearspublished at 12:29 Greenwich Mean Time 15 March 2019
Jennie Aitken
Reporter, BBC Radio StokeAn inquest has concluded a teenager was attacked in his bed with a hammer while he slept.
At the time, Staffordshire Police confirmed the deaths were linked and Mr Bates's death was being treated as murder while Mr Goodwin's death was unexplained.
The inquest in Cannock heard how Nathan was sleeping in his bed at home and was hit with a hammer repeatedly by an intruder.
Detectives said they weren't looking for anyone in connection with the deaths and a verdict of unlawful killing was recorded for Mr Bates.
Mr Goodwin's inquest is due to take place next week.
Du Preez back after 'horrific' injurypublished at 12:23 Greenwich Mean Time 15 March 2019
Worcester's Cornell Du Preez returns ahead of schedule from the "horrific" throat injury he suffered on his debut in September.
Read MoreMosque asks for police presence for Friday prayerspublished at 12:19 Greenwich Mean Time 15 March 2019
Security is being stepped-up outside mosques in Birmingham following the shootings in New Zealand.
Image source, GoogleThe Green Lane Mosque and Community Centre (GLMCC) in Small Heath has asked for an increased police presence, external during prayers this afternoon.
It described the attacks, in which 49 people have died, as a "barbaric and extraordinarily twisted act of extremism".
There is "no increase to threat" said West Midlands Police.
Quote MessageFor those that may be worried about attending Friday prayers at the Masjid today, GLMCC has contacted the police for additional security this Friday. We are expecting additional presence from them and the general message to the community is to stay calm but vigilant."
Green Lane Mosque and Community Centre, Statement
