Hereford Times

From the Hereford Times today:

• Eight fire engines called to Herefordshire house fire, external
• Herefordshire's coronavirus case numbers continue to rise, external
• Delay for decision on new homes in Herefordshire village, external

Stoke-on-Trent has the highest coronavirus infection rate in the West Midlands.

Image source, Reuters

In the seven days to 12 November, the area had a rate of 543 cases per 100,000 population after 1,394 people tested positive for the virus.

Rates of infection are also rising in Dudley, with 542 people per 100,000 testing positive, followed by Sandwell with 494.

A majority of areas in England - 238 out of 315 - have seen a rise in case rates during the same seven-day period.

Hull has the highest rate in England, with 2,017 new cases recorded - the equivalent of 776 cases per 100,000 people.

A man is found not guilty of murdering Leneto Kellengbeck who died from multiple stab injuries.

Coventry Live

From Coventry Live:

• Man caught with more than 200 indecent images of children on his phone, external
• Around 3,000 trees to be planted at ancient Coventry woodlands, external
• Demands for action on accident blackspot in Ash Green, external

Newsnight

White applicants are offered places to study for a PhD at a higher rate than black, Asian and ethnic minority candidates, data obtained by BBC Newsnight has found.

Dr Suriyah Bi grew up in Alum Rock, Birmingham, one of the most deprived areas in the UK. She attended a local comprehensive school and - against all expectations - made it to Oxford University, and an academic career as a lecturer.

Dr Bi feels her background as a working-class Muslim Kashmiri woman was a block when trying to get into academia. "The word 'PhD' was not in my vocabulary until I was an undergraduate at Oxford", she told BBC Newsnight.

You can read more on the story here.

Birmingham Live

These are some of the Birmingham Live headlines:

• Police swoop on street after man stabbed in head and stomach, external
• Academy trust criticised over some of the £1.2m contracts won by private firms, external
• Pub in Wolverhampton fined £1k over Diwali celebrations, external

Two men have been arrested after stolen cars were found in an industrial unit in the West Midlands.

The two, aged 20 and 29, were detained from the unit on Station Drive in Brierley Hill on Monday after four stolen cars and vehicle parts were recovered.

The pair remain in police custody for questioning said West Midlands Police.

Shefali Oza
BBC Midlands Today

It will be dry but with plenty of cloud and the possibility of some bright spells.

It will feel very mild for the time of the year however with highs of 15°C (59°F).

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

Ross Ball allowed dealers to "take advantage of him" and use his flat as a base, a court hears.

The stage manager was hit on the head by a counter-balance weight which fell from 11 metres.

Our live coverage has now ended for the day.

We'll be back with you with all the latest news, sport, weather and travel from 08:00 on Tuesday.

Officers are searching for the driver of a car that mounted a footpath in Rugby before hitting a pedestrian.

The driver failed to stop after the incident on Leicester Road, Rugby at about 19:20 on Saturday, Warwickshire Police said.

The victim, in his 40s, sustained an ankle injury.

Officers are asking for any witnesses to come forward.

Officers investigating the theft of three post boxes in Staffordshire say another one has been stolen. , external

Image source, Staffordshire Police

Three post boxes and a property sign were taken from Yoxall, Woodmill and Rugeley last week, said Staffordshire Police.

Now the theft of another post box from Stockwell Heath in Rugely has been reported.

A property sign has also been taken from Hadley End, Yoxall and a length of metal chain stolen in Abbots Bromley.

The force said it had received reports that a dark coloured pickup truck-type vehicle may be involved.

A hospice group says it expects to see losses of at least £2m this year as a result of the coronavirus pandemic.

Image source, Myton Hospices

The Myton Hospices, which provide services across Coventry and Warwickshire, says it has already made cost savings of £1.5m by streamlining services.

It said it was continuing to run services from all three of its sites in Coventry, Rugby and Warwick. While much of this is being done remotely, it is still offering some face-to-face appointments.

Coventry Live

These are some of the Coventry Live headlines today:

• Coventry's coronavirus rate rockets as more than 1,000 new cases found in a week, external
• Elderly couple found dead inside house in Nuneaton, external
• How the University of Warwick will play a role in Leamington's coronavirus megalab, external

Birmingham City first-team coach Craig Gardner leaves the Championship club.

Worcester MP Robin Walker has paid tribute to Cecil Duckworth calling him a rugby "hero"

Mr Duckworth has died at the age of 83, the club said.

The Warriors benefactor funded the development of Sixways and inspired Warriors' rise to the Premiership for the first time in 2004.

Conservative MP for Worcester, Robin Walker, said he was a "figure of inspiration, kindness and wisdom," who had "helped so many thousands of people around Worcester”.

“There can be few people in Worcester’s history who have done so much good across so many different fields," he added.

The Regent Theatre's Robinson Crusoe is to go ahead with some changes to support social distancing.

A man has died after the motorcycle he was riding crashed with a 4x4 vehicle in Warwickshire.

Image source, Google

The crash happened at the junction of Knights Lane and Loxley Road near Stratford-upon-Avon shortly after 11:00 on Sunday, police said.

The motorcyclist, a man in his 20s, died at the scene said Warwickshire Police.

Officers are asking for any witnesses to come forward.