Updated 10:55am 12 February 2012:

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James Cartledge

James Cartledge

Birmingham City Council leader Mike Whitby could become mayor and chief executive

BIRMINGHAM City Council leader Mike Whitby could be handed sweeping new powers under new Government legislation.Read

Birmingham businessman tells of Japan earthquake terror

A BIRMINGHAM businessman caught up in the Japanese earthquake said the scene was straight out of a “disaster movie”.Read

Disused Redditch social club gutted in fire

A DISUSED social club has been destroyed in a blaze.Read

Muslim women 'choose' to wear hijab

MUSLIM women are misunderstood and actively choose to wear the controversial hijab head covering, according to the organiser of an awareness week to be held in Birmingham.Read

Crook told to repay £5.5m from Smethwick counterfeit clothes empire

A CROOK serving time over a huge fake clothes scam has been ordered to repay £5.3 million of his ill-gotten gains.Read

NHS cuts impact on West Midland manager numbers

CUTS are hitting NHS manager numbers, according to new figures.Read

Midland unions blast George Osborne's Budget

ANGRY Midland union chiefs accused George Osborne of favouring his “friends” in the City at the expense of ordinary families.Read

HELP for today’s pensioners was in short supply in the budget, according to great-grandmother Maureen Byrne.

George Osborne confirmed plans to replace the current state pension with a simple, flat rate system that would pay around £140 a week.Read

A SENIOR lecturer welcomed George Osborne’s £180 million package to fund 50,000 new apprenticeships over the next three years.

Mother-of-two Nicole Cherry, a lecturer at Newman University College in Bartley Green, also backed the chancellor’s move to grant a £100 million boost to British science to pay for new facilities, maintenance and equipment.Read

THE penny off fuel duty was good news for low mileage drivers but will barely make a dent in haulage firm boss Mark Adams’ £100,000- a-month bill.

The boss of Henley-in-Arden-based R Adams and Sons welcomed the reduction – and George Osborne’s move to postpone next month’s fuel duty increase – but said his industry was “on its knees”.Read

Tipton man gets £6m for NHS error

A MIDLAND man who suffered severe brain damage when his birth was delayed has been awarded a £6 million payout.Read

Lib Dem candidate who stood in Northfield elections jailed for battering cat to death

A FORMER Birmingham General Election candidate has been jailed for battering his family’s cat to death with a walking stick.Read

Brierley Hill man Luke Walker, accused of killing his girlfriend in Crete, faces year-long wait for trial

A MIDLAND man facing charges over the death of his girlfriend on Crete has lost his appeal to await his trial at home in the UK.Read

Shirley teacher who downloaded child porn avoids jail

A TEACHER who downloaded images of child pornography has avoided a jail sentence.Read

Aston Villa star Stewart Downing spent £45,000 on home cinema system

THE millionaire lifestyle of Aston Villa star Stewart Downing – including the £45,000 he spent on a home cinema – has been laid bare before a crown court jury.Read

Police hunt a yob who spat in a pregnant woman's face

POLICE are hunting a yob who spat in a pregnant woman’s face after a row in a supermarket.Read

Revealed: The Birmingham streets where homes sell for £1m plus

THEY are Birmingham’s answers to the Monopoly-money addresses of Park Lane and Mayfair.Read

Rowing coach jailed for abusing girl of nine in Solihull

A FORMER rowing coach at exclusive Eton College has been jailed for 15 months for sexually abusing a girl of nine in the Midlands.Read

Three charged over Midland firefighter deaths

THREE fire service managers are to be charged with manslaughter over the deaths of four Midland firefighters in a warehouse blaze.Read

Rare deer born at West Midland Safari Park

OFF you go deer...Read

Author Profile

Birmingham-born James Cartledge works on the Birmingham Mail's newsdesk. He was previously a reporter at the newspaper.