Birmingham Post

Morrisons Pumps Up Petrol War

The petrol price war stepped up a gear last night as supermarket giant Morrisons cut the cost of a litre of unleaded to 89.9p across the country. Tesco, Sainsbury's and Asda are expected to follow suit, taking petrol below pounds 4 a gallon for the first time since March.

Brum Mp On Blair's Hunger for Power

Tony Blair is clinging on to power because he is "psychologically flawed", a Birmingham MP claimed yesterday. Lynne Jones (Lab Selly Oak) accused the Prime Minister of putting his personal feelings before the needs of the party or the country, claiming he did not "give a damn about the future of the Labour Party".

Junction 6 South to Reopen On Monday

Motorists frustrated by weeks of roadworks on the M6 through Birmingham have at last been given some good news. The southbound out of city centre slip road at Spaghetti Junction, which has been closed since June, will re-open from 6am on Monday.

News Digest: Drax Protests

Two women have been charged with aggravated trespass following a demonstration at Britain's biggest coal-fired power station. North Yorkshire Police said one more protester was arrested at a camp located close to the Drax power station yesterday morning, bringing the total number to 39.

News Digest: Nike Fakes

Customs officers have seized 11,000 pairs of fake Airmax Nike trainers at Harwich Docks in Essex. The haul was seized from a container driven by a Hungarian national and had travelled from Austria, across Holland before arriving in the UK, a HM Revenue & Customs (HMRC) spokeswoman said.

News Digest: Robbie Robbery

Police issued a warning to music fans after more than 500 tickets for Robbie Williams concerts were stolen. The tickets went missing while being sent to fans and may have since been sold on by touts, police said.

News Digest: Race Arrests

Two teenagers have been arrested after police were called to defuse tensions which built up between white and Asian youths. Officers were called to the Tomkinson Road area of Nuneaton to deal with the tensions, which are believed to be connected to an incident of criminal damage and a subsequent assault in nearby Duke Street earlier this week.

Pop Moguls Share Love of Kylie - and Saddlers

Pop guru Pete Waterman yesterday spoke about his love for Walsall Football Club at an exhibition marking the achievements of an old friend and fellow music mogul. Waterman was speaking at Walsall Museum, in Lichfield Street, where he was attending an exhibition called 'Kylie, Justin, Britney and Me'. The Walsall Council-backed exhibition charts the career of Bloxwich-born Steve Jenkins.

Gloomy Outlook for Energy Prices

Millions of residents have been warned to brace for a gloomy September as gas price rises take effect, nearly doubling the average household fuel bill in just three years. British Gas owner Centrica told its 16.5 million customers in July that gas bills would go up by 12.4 per cent and electricity bills by 9.4 per cent from this Monday.

Drink Drive Charge for Horse and Carriage

A 21-year-old traveller appeared in court yesterday charged with being drunk in charge of a horse and carriage under a 134-year-old law. William Royles, of The Willows, Sandhurst Lane, Gloucester, was stopped by police in the city after he was spotted driving a carriage drawn by his horse, Dipstick, in the dark.

Mcflurry of Midland Activity to Protect the Hedgehog

McDonald's ice cream is officially hedgehog friendly - following a campaign by a Midland-based charity. After years of pressure the firm announced it has redesigned cups and lids for its McFlurry dessert so they no longer pose a danger.

Family's Turkey Bomb Ordeal

A Birmingham man fought back tears yesterday as he described the moments he and his family were injured in the Turkish tourist resort bombings which killed three people. Alex Beckford and his family had enjoyed a day shopping and were on their way back to Marmaris after a meal when their "worst nightmare" struck.

Judge Orders New Look at Life-Extending Drug Refusal

A High Court judge yesterday ordered a health trust to look again at its decision to refuse a lung cancer victim a potentially life- extending drug on the NHS. Mother-of-two Linda Gordon, aged 47, took legal action to seek a judicial review of the refusal of Bromley NHS Primary Care Trust (PCT) to provide the drug Tarceva.

Manager to Sue Over Rooney Comments

Everton Football Club manager David Moyes is to sue a newspaper over comments made by England striker Wayne Rooney in his autobiography. The book, entitled My Story So Far, accuses Moyes of being overbearing, controlling and ultimately responsible for Rooney's pounds 27 million transfer from Everton to Manchester United in 2004.

Potter Works Magic with Exam Results

Publishers have been forced to correct an error in one of JK Rowling's Harry Potter blockbusters, it was confirmed yesterday. The hard-back edition of the sixth instalment of the schoolboy wizard's adventures, Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince, said swotty Hermione Granger had scooped 11 top results in her Ordinary Wizarding Levels (OWLs).

Trust Apologises Over Blunder Delaying Treatment

A hospital trust has apologised after a blunder with test results delayed treatment for three brothers diagnosed with the same terminal illness. Callum Smith, six, and siblings Connor, nine, and Jack, five, all have the rare genetic condition adrenoleu-kodystrophy (ALD), which could claim their lives in just a few years if a cure cannot be found.

Crucial Stage for City's Rotary Convention Bid

Birmingham's bid to host the 2013 Rotary International Convention reaches a crucial stage next week. A team of Rotary inspectors will visit the city to check out hotels and restaurant facilities before deciding whether to bring the money-spinning annual conference to the National Exhibition Centre.

Beckett Uk's Most Powerful Woman

Foreign Secretary Margaret Beckett has been named Britain's most powerful woman by business magazine Forbes. Forbes also named her the 29th most powerful woman in the world in its third annual list, released yesterday.

Critics Fear Blair Making Mugs of Labour Party

The mug clasped in Tony Blair's hand bears an unsubtle message to his critics: "You're a man who's in charge, others follow your lead". It is an analysis of the name Anthony, but the claim seems increasingly less accurate as far as Tony Blair is concerned.

Cameron Pushes Green Message

Conservative leader David Cameron yesterday refused to be drawn on controversial plans for the party to reintroduce an "escalator" for fuel duty. Former Conservative London mayoral candidate Steve Norris, who leads a working group on transport for the party, has said he is sure the fuel duty escalator will be reintroduced.