Updates on Monday 13 June 2016
News, sport, travel and weather updates to resume at 08:00 on Tuesday
Close economic links should be forged between mid and west Wales and the West Midlands, according to Wales' economy secretary.
Read MoreYep you read that right - according to BBC Weather it will be hotter in the Midlands than Hawaii, Jamaica and the Maldives.
But wait - it'll start cooling down tomorrow so don't cancel your holiday just yet.
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Adrian Goldberg
Presenter, BBC WM
A former UKIP MEP for the West Midlands says she hasn't worked since losing her seat two years ago because she was accused of expenses fraud.
It took four years to bring the case to court and Nikki Sinclaire was cleared of the charges last week.
Quote MessageI feel quite angry that two years of my professional life has been stolen and seemingly there is no way that I can have any redress about that and that is not fair
Nikki Sinclaire, Former UKIP MEP
Temperatures across the West Midlands are expected to soar to 33C (91F) today, prompting warnings from health bodies urging people to take care in the sun.
The hot weather began over the weekend and is expected to continue tomorrow.
Quote MessageThe heat can kill particularly for older people, young children and babies. What we're saying is when you go out wear your hat, your sunglasses, loose clothing, sun screen and take some water.
Dr Lola Abudu, Public Health West Midlands
Police hunt a man who waved plastic faeces in the face of a young child and her grandmother in a reportedly racially motivated incident.
Read More
David Gregory-Kumar
Science correspondent, BBC Midlands Today
More than 1,000 farmers from the Midlands have headed to the Royal Welsh Agricultural Show this week, their first chance to gather in numbers since Britain voted to leave the EU.
I've been speaking to them to gauge what the mood is like among farmers.
You can see my report on Midlands Today from 18:30 on BBC One.
Water restrictions are not on the cards during the hot weather, say Severn Trent, but the company is encouraging customers to be careful with consumption.
Severn Trent say they've been able to balance out supplies by moving water across the region, helped by last month's rainfall, which filled local reservoirs back up to healthy levels.
Image source, GoogleIt looks like it's going to be a difficult night for sleeping - warm and muggy.
What are your tips for sleeping in a heatwave? If you want, check out this article from a couple of years ago when our colleagues looked at tips to tackle the issue.
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The Met Office says hot weather could bring severe thunderstorms to the West Midlands on Tuesday and Wednesday., external
It says there's a risk of flash flooding, frequent lightning, hail and strong winds, with disruption to power also possible.
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Joanne Malin
BBC Midlands Today
The parents of a baby girl from the West Midlands who died from an infection contracted during birth want all mothers to be tested for the bug.
Image source, KAYLEIGH & COLIN GRIFFITHSPippa Griffiths was just a day old when she fell ill with a Group B Strep infection - the biggest cause of meningitis in newborns.
The NHS currently doesn't offer routine testing for the bacteria - we'll have more on BBC One from 13:30 in Midlands Today.
It was too good to last.
The Met Office says we're due a couple of days of July weather, before the rain returns.
Enjoy it while you can.
Image source, The Met OfficeVery high UV levels across the Midlands today. Pollen levels remain high too across the region.
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West Midlands MEP Bill Etheridge announces he is running for UKIP party leadership
Bill Etheridge becomes the third UKIP MEP to join the race to succeed Nigel Farage as party leader.
Read MoreNearly one month on from that epic referendum result, I've been sounding out opinions in the part of Britain which voted more enthusiastically than anywhere else for the UK to leave the EU.
Read More
Rob Mayor
Political Reporter, WM
MEP Bill Etheridge announces he is to stand as leader of UKIP.
The leadership race was sparked by the resignation of Nigel Farage, who quit following the EU referendum vote.
Many of UKIP's best-known faces have been blocked from contesting the leadership after the Eurosceptic party's ruling National Executive Committee (NEC) said all candidates must have been a member for at least five years.
Police say the M5 northbound is likely to remain shut between J3 and J2 "for some time".
Highways England duty operations manager Martin Stott said its staff were working hard to support the emergency services and thanked drivers for their patience.
The condition of a motorcyclist who hit the crash barrier is not yet known.
Delays northbound now stretch from J4 for Bromsgrove and southbound from M6 J8.
Image source, Highways EnglandFormer Glasgow and Cheshire forward Danny Huffor becomes Worcester Wolves' fourth new signing in three days.
Read MoreWorcestershire's teenage paceman Josh Tongue signs a new three-year contract at Worcestershire.
Read MorePolice investigating the alleged murder of Cardiff man Lynford Brewster charge a third man.
Read More