Updates from Monday 2 September to Sunday 8 September
A cyclist has been taken to hospital suffering leg injuries after a crash involving a car in West Bromwich.
Emergency services were called to Black Country New Road shortly before 05:50, police say.
The rider, in his 50s, was treated at the scene before being taken to Sandwell Hospital.
The eastbound road remains partially blocked with drivers being diverted away from the area.
Patrick Burns
Political editor, Midlands
Dame Caroline Spelman has announced her intention to retire as MP for Meriden at the next general election.
The MP and former secretary of state sided against the government by backing Wednesday's bill aimed at avoiding a no-deal Brexit.
Image source, UK ParliamentDame Caroline was not among the original 21 Tory MPs to rebel against the government and the government said she would not be forced out of the parliamentary party, unlike local colleagues Margot James and Antoinette Sandbach.
A woman has been threatened with a hammer and assaulted by masked men during a car-jacking in Staffordshire.
Image source, GoogleThe victim was dragged from her car close to the Co-op store in Norton Canes at about 14:45 on Monday.
She was not seriously injured during the attack, said Staffordshire Police, but left "very shaken".
A motorcyclist suffered serious injuries when his bike crashed with a car in Oswestry.
The 17-year-old was airlifted to hospital after the collision on Glyn Road, Selattyn, at about 14:30 on Wednesday.
The road was closed for a short time.
Police are asking for any witnesses to come forward.
From the Express and Star:
Two bodies have been found in a property in Staffordshire.
Officers were called to a house on Henhurst Hill, Burton-upon-Trent, just after 23:00 on Wednesday.
A man and a woman were found dead inside, Staffordshire Police said.
A two-year-old child was found safe and well in the house and is being cared for by relatives.
BBC News Travel
Virgin customers affected by rail disruption between Coventry and Rugby are being advised to use alternative services.
Passengers are being warned of delays of up to an hour, with disruption expected until 12:00.
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BBC News Travel
Rail lines are blocked between Coventry and Rugby, with journey times extended by up to an hour.
Disruption is expected until 12:00, says National Rail.
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BBC Politics
Boris Johnson has faced a double defeat in the Commons after MPs turned down his motion for a general election.
Previously, MPs had backed a bill aimed at blocking a no-deal Brexit if the PM hadn't agreed a plan with the EU ahead of the 31 October deadline.
During debates in the Commons on Wednesday night, the Labour MP for Birmingham Yardley, Jess Phillips, explained why she would not be voting for a general election and accused her Conservative counterparts of being cowardly.
'You've sat by silently while your colleagues have been marched out' - Jess Phillips MP
Alex Hamilton
BBC Weather
It will be a dry and fine day with highs of 17C (63F).
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
How police and lawyers worked with dozens of victims to bring down a highly-organised slavery network.
Read MoreA gang that lured victims from Poland to the UK is believed to have enslaved around 300 people.
Read MoreAn HGV carrying 32,000 litres of gin is leaking its load over the carriageway following a collision.
Read More
Andy Giddings
BBC News
We'll be back with the news, sport, travel and weather from 07:00 tomorrow.
BBC Politics
Boris Johnson has given "a guarantee" that the rebels who had the Tory whip removed for voting against the government will not be able to return, according to the Conservative MP for Shrewsbury.
After the PM addressed the 1922 Committee of backbench Tory MPs, Daniel Kawczynski said: "I pleaded with the prime minister not to restore the whip to any Conservative member of Parliament who has undermined him in these negotiations with the European Union and he's given me an assurance that the whip will not be restored.
"These people cannot stand for the Conservative Party again."
Pressed on what the PM said to him, Mr Kawczynski said: "He gave me a guarantee."
The haul is only the sixth hoard of Roman hacksilver found in Britain and is declared treasure.
Read More
Local Democracy Reporting Service
A developer has been granted a lease to build a four-star hotel in Coventry.
City councillors voted to back the move, which will mean land being set aside in the Friargate area for a 100-bed hotel near the railway station.
The Labour-run local authority plans to spend £1m to develop the area around the hotel, £685,000 on infrastructure and an undisclosed sum to buy the plot of land.
Image source, Friargate LLPThe hotel will be built by the Castlebridge Group and will include a restaurant and bars.
A planning inspection is expected in the autumn and if it's approved, work could start early next year and it could be open by 2021 - in time for the city to take on the City of Culture crown.
David Gregory-Kumar
Science correspondent, BBC Midlands Today
A no-deal Brexit could devastate the brewing industry in the West Midlands, business leaders have claimed.
Burton-upon-Trent is a centre for the malting process, which sees barley grain prepared for brewing and is protected by high tariffs applied to any imported malted barley coming into the EU.
But, under the government's plans for no-deal, the current tariff would be cut to zero.
Dr Julian South, from the Maltster's Association of Great Britain, told the BBC the move could see the industry in Staffordshire exposed to "unfair competition from other parts of the world, places like Russia, Ukraine and China".
The government said earlier this month it would "provide direct support to boost some sectors in the unlikely event this is required".
Local Democracy Reporting Service
Plans for two new schools in the Bowbrook area of Shrewsbury have taken a step forward after getting the backing of Shropshire Council's cabinet today.
The full council will now vote on 19 September on whether to negotiate a land transfer for one mainstream and one special school.
Councillor Ed Potter, the portfolio holder for children’s services, said a five-classroom expansion was also planned at the existing Meole Brace School.
