Grace Emery is able to hold six-month-old Xander now Covid lockdown rules have been relaxed.

Birmingham Live

Today's Birmingham Mail is reporting on the following stories:

• City taxi driver fears CAZ will ruin trade after taking just £22 on one day in pandemic, external
• Murder inquiry launched after woman, 83, dies in Balsall Heath arson attack, external
• AJ Tracey makes surprise visit to Birmingham - on tour that ends in Covid fines, external

Niagara Falls and Millennium Bridge were illuminated for Azaylia Cain, who has leukaemia.

The 83-year-old jumped from a window to escape the deliberate blaze at her home on Sunday.

The Herbert Art Gallery has revealed its first exhibition for Coventry City of Culture will explore the links between art and science in the natural history world.

'UnNatural History' will open on 28 May and run until 22 August, featuring works by more than 20 international artists.

"The artists consider the past and future of the deeply felt relationship between art and science of the great collections of natural history," said artistic director, Alice Sharp.

Image source, Rags Media Collective

Visitors will see a life-size sculpture of a rhinocerous sculpture, reimagined as an out-of-place carousel animal.

The artists took inspiration from Albrecht Dürer's Rhinoceros from 1515, where he painted it with a horn on its back as, having never seen the creature before, the image was speculative and based on description.

Staffordshire Police said stalking offences in the county have more than doubled in a year, rising from 823 in 2019, compared to 2,088 in 2020.

The force puts this increase down to more people coming forward to report crimes, rather than an increase in offending.

"On the whole it means less stalking is going unreported and more victims are being protected," Det Insp Victoria Ison, from the force, said.

"A lot of work has been done to increase general understanding and awareness of this crime, so we believe more victims now recognise the behaviours and are reporting them to the police," she added.

A 64-year-old man died after being hit by a car in Birmingham on Sunday, police say.

Stoke-on-Trent Live

Some of today's top stories from Stoke-on-Trent Live include:

• Man dragged partner to the floor during row about money, external
• Tenth bus timetable shake-up since start of lockdown, external
• Families say old hospital demolition works 'shakes' their houses', external

A 27-year-old man has been arrested after handing himself in at a police station following a fatal hit-and-run in Birmingham.

Image source, Google

A pedestrian, a 64-year-old man, was killed after being struck by a car opposite the Shell garage on Station Road, Stechford, on Sunday afternoon.

West Midlands Police said the suspect was being held on suspicion of causing death by dangerous driving and remained in custody.

The car involved has since been recovered and is being forensically examined.

The new Congleton link road has officially opened to traffic this morning.

The 3.4 mile (5.5km) link road, which cost £90m, connects the Sandbach and Macclesfield roads and is aimed at easing congestion through the town centre.

It opened to pedestrians and cyclists over the weekend after works lasting 10 years.

A High Court judge has questioned if Herefordshire Council's children's services are fit for purpose.

A taskforce is being set up to tackle baby deaths in Birmingham, after a report revealed infant mortality rates are nearly twice the national average.

Image source, Getty Images

Birmingham City Council found that seven babies in a thousand die in the city before they reach their first birthday.

The report found deprivation, ethnicity and health inequalities were key factors.

"That's two babies a week, over a hundred babies a year don't make it to their first birthday, it's a tragedy in the city and we've got to do something about it," Councillor Rob Pocock said.

The council agreed recommendations in the health and social care overview and scrutiny committee's report to form a taskforce to address the issue and set a goal to half infant mortality in the city by 2025.

A 46-year-old man has been arrested on suspicion of murder after a house fire in Balsall Heath, Birmingham, on Sunday.

An 83-year-old woman had to jump from the burning building on Lapworth Grove just before 09:30 BST. She was taken to hospital but died from her injuries last night, police said.

A 52-year-old man was also seriously injured and is receiving treatment in hospital for burns.

"This is a really tragic case, where a woman has sadly died after her own home, a place that should be safe, was set on fire," Det Insp Wes Martin, from West Midlands Police, said.

The area remains cordoned off while police and the fire service continue their investigations.

Express and Star

Here are some of the top stories from the Express & Star today:

• 3,000 care home staff not vaccinated across Black Country and Staffordshire, external
• New homes lined up for old Walsall factory site, external
• Work set to begin on major new ambulance base in Black Country, external

Former Villa and Sky Blues footballer Dion Dublin has said he thinks plans for a new European Super League are "absolutely disgusting".

Six English clubs are among 12 in Europe who have agreed to join a new European Super League in a move that has been largely condemned.

"What is football nothing without? The fans - and they're not even thinking about fans," he said.

"I just think this is all about, 'right, I don't care about anyone else... let's get some more money, we'll be OK. Forget the players, forget the staff, forget the fans'.

"I think it's bang out of order."

Police are looking for the driver of a BMW in connection with a fatal hit-and-run crash in Birmingham.

Image source, Google

A 64-year-old man died after he was struck by a car opposite the Shell garage on Station Road in Stechford, Birmingham, on Sunday afternoon.

West Midlands Police said the car involved was thought to be a white BMW 1 Series.

The victim was treated by paramedics, but was confirmed dead soon afterwards.

More than 500 cannabis plants have been seized after a police raid at a former British Legion club in Birmingham.

Image source, West Midlands Police

Officers were called to reports of suspicious activity at the club on Bells Lane in Kings Norton on Saturday morning.

West Midlands Police said two people were arrested after the discovery was made at the venue, which is permanently closed.

An elderly woman is in a critical condition in hospital after jumping from a window to escape a fire which police are treating as arson.

Image source, Google

The 83-year-old leapt from the house fire on Lapworth Grove, Balsall Heath, Birmingham, on Sunday morning, West Midlands Police said., external

A man, 52, was also taken to hospital with burns and his condition is said to be serious.

A 46-year-old man has been arrested on suspicion of arson with intent to endanger life and remains in custody.

The latest news and updates from across the West Midlands and south Cheshire.

A new ambulance hub that will house about 350 staff has been given the go-ahead by planners in Sandwell.

Image source, West Midlands Ambulance Service

The 76,000 sq ft (7,060 sq m) building will be the largest of its kind in the country, said West Midlands Ambulance Service.

The project will open in time for the Birmingham Commonwealth Games in 2022 and be used as a staging point for the event, said the trust.

It will be based on derelict land off Shidas Road in Oldbury.