Birmingham Post

No Nuclear Waste Dump for Warwickshire, Says Miliband

Environment Secretary David Miliband has moved to quell fears that a nuclear waste dump could be built in the Warwickshire countryside. Mr Miliband said the Government would not "force" on communities deep underground bunkers that would store Britain's nuclear waste.

35,000 Hit by Phones Sabotage

Thousands of homes and businesses in Birmingham were still without phone lines this morning after a BT exchange was sabotaged. Police are considering the possibility that a former BT employee with a grudge was responsible for about 35,000 homes and businesses having their land-lines cut off in the early hours of yesterday.

Fans Gallop in As My Little Pony Gets Big Treatment

Birmingham became Ponyville as My Little Pony fans chomped at the bit in eagerness to take part in the world's biggest ever convention staged around the childhood favourite. The weekend event attracted hundreds of visitors, like Anna Britton who had cherished the plastic pony doll in childhood.

Nhs Crisis Causing Big Job Losses, Say Tories

The row over the true scale of NHS job losses reopened today as Government figures revealed that there were 903 compulsory redundancies last year. Department of Health statistics show that 167 were clinical staff - including doctors and nurses and 736 non-clinical, such as managers and administrators.

March to Protest at Warwick Cutbacks

Campaigners took to the streets yesterday to protest against the loss of vital services at Warwick Hospital. About 50 people marched from Shire Hall, Market Square, Warwick, to the hospital in Lakin Road and released 158 balloons, one to mark each year it has been serving the community.

Horror at Hospital Plans to Treat Pets

Criticism mounted yesterday over a debt-ridden hospital's plans to open its doors to dogs and cats in a bid to raise extra funds. Unison, the UK's biggest union representing NHS staff, joined calls to keep hospitals for humans and not animals after it emerged that Ipswich Hospital is considering using its state-of-the-art radiotherapy equipment to treat family pets with cancer.

Ringing Hope From Tragedies ; an Israeli and a Palestinian Who Have Suffered the Loss of Loved Ones in the Conflict Between Their Nations Are in Birmingham to Encourage a Better Understanding of Each Side. They Spoke to Emma Pinch About Their Personal Tragedies.

Robi Damelin, a 63-year-old former public relations executive from Tel Aviv, lost her son David in a sniper attack when he was performing his reservist duties on March 3, 2002 "You can't imagine what it is to lose a child. You think you yourself are invincible anyway. You can't even begin to understand how everything is affected by the loss. Everything about your whole world is completely different. I'm the sort of person who can fix things, but I can't fix this.

Peace Won't Come If We Don't Understand Each Other

Ali Abu Awwad is 32. His older brother Yusef was shot in the head at a checkpoint by Israeli soldiers on November 16,2000 "My father and all our family had to leave their villages in 1948, becoming refugees and after the Israeli army arrested and jailed our mother for six months, our family started to become active in the struggle for an independent Palestinian state, and I had spent four years in prison because of it.

Half a Century On, There's a New Version of Suez

This weekend marked the 50th anniversary of the Suez Crisis. Half a century on, the Middle East continues to be probably the most volatile region of the world, writes Chris Moncrieff. It is unstable, violent, constantly troubled, a running sore in the eyes of the West.

Brum's Central Fire Station to Close Down

The central fire station in Birmingham city centre is to close this week. The two engines currently based at Lancaster Circus will transfer on Wednesday to Hay Mills and Aston because those areas have been identified as being at greatest risk.

First Tv Star Muffin the Mule Is 60 Today

Muffin the Mule - the UK's first hit children's TV character - celebrates its 60th anniversary today. The mule, which began life as a wooden animal dancing on a piano with host Annette Mills and is still on TV today, was one of the first stars in Britain created entirely by TV and spawned a wealth of spin-off merchandise.

Banned Sport Flushing Out More Supporters

It was 20 months ago that hunting with dogs was outlawed by the Hunting Act, prompting fears of irreparable damage to the rural economy. Instead, hunts across the Midlands are reporting growing membership and increased support from local communities.

Light Relief for Skin Cancer Sufferers

A light-emitting "sticking plaster" for skin cancer has been developed by British scientists. The technology is an adaptation of photodynamic therapy treatment (PDT) already available to skin cancer patients.

'Secret' Lung Disease a Major Killer in Uk

A lung disease kills more women in the UK than breast cancer - but nearly 90 per cent of people have never heard of it, the British Lung Foundation (BLF) said today. The charity found "alarming" levels of ignorance concerning progressive, irreversible Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD). One person surveyed believed COPD - an umbrella term for lung conditions including chronic bronchitis and emphysema - was a character from Star Wars.

Drug Barons' Victims at Birmingham Seminar

Victims of Colombian drug lords are to tell their stories in Birmingham this week in a new initiative to tackle cocaine trafficking to the West Midlands. Five women who have suffered at the hands of the evil drug barons will be at an unprecedented Home Office-sponsored seminar in the city tomorrow.

Students Get Chance to Essay Politics

Tomorrow's top journalists have been invited to enter the official parliamentary writing competition supported by The Birmingham Post West Midlands MPs are also backing the contest, which is open to pupils in years ten to 13.

Fiddles On Welfare Top Pounds 27m

Thieves across the West Midlands are taking more than pounds 27 million a year in welfare benefits to which they are not entitled, according to the latest official figures. Most of the fraud involves people continuing to claim jobseeker's allowance and other benefits after they have found employment.

Uk Post Offices May Go, Warn Mps

Britain's post office network could vanish unless the Government acts to protect it, MPs have warned. Sub-postmasters feel "betrayed" by the decision to axe the Post Office Card Account, which has threatened their livelihood, according to the Trade and Industry Select Committee.

Fulfilling a Dream of Parenthood ; a Staffordshire Mother has Urged Women to Sign Up As Egg Donors and Not Worry About Recent Changes in the Law Which Lift Donor Anonymity. Elaine Eades Told Health Reporter Emma Brady About How She Received Her Own 'the Gift of Life'

Twins Millie and Grace Eades look pretty as a picture and uncannily like their mother and father. This should not be surprising except for the fact they were conceived using eggs donated by a woman their parents have never met.

How Birth Was Only Start of Battle

After a seven-year battle to start their own family, Elaine and Stephen Eades had looked forward to the joys of parenthood. But at 23 weeks, before Millie and Grace were born at Birmingham Women's Hospital in Edgbaston, a scan revealed Grace had a heart- block caused by a rare and undetected condition Mrs Eades had.