Birmingham Post

Don't Blame Islam for All That's Wrong - Cameron

Riots in Birmingham were caused by poverty and the failure of multiculturalism, Conservative leader David Cameron said today. Writing in The Birmingham Post, he said blaming Islam for extremism and tensions in British society was "dangerous and wrong".

Jag Factory to Be Sold to Arlington

Jaguar's former Browns Lane car factory is set to be bought by business park group Arlington. And the former Peugeot plant at Ryton could be the home to new jobs as early as 2009.

Region May Still Get a Big Casino

Major new casinos could come to the West Midlands despite the failure of plans for a "super-casino" at the NEC. Solihull, Dudley and Wol-verhampton councils will learn tomorrow whether their proposals for new gambling attractions have been successful.

Doctors' Gambling Fears

Doctors fear the spread of casinos in Britain will fuel a rise in problem gambling. A report from the British Medical Association warned that more children and women could become hooked as betting laws are relaxed.

Betting On New Jobs

Union leaders have been pressing for more than one super-casino to be built because of the number of new jobs that could be created, providing a much needed economic boost to areas with higher-than- average unemployment. The GMB has urged Labour to allow a minimum of four, arguing they had the potential to regenerate areas and provide good quality jobs. The union said it wanted to see schemes approved which had proven regeneration impacts, run by operators with a good track record of creating...

Bia Boss to Be Buried in Private Ceremony

The funeral of Richard Heard, managing director of Birmingham International Airport, is to take place this Thursday. Business leaders, politicians and airline executives last week expressed their shock and sadness after Mr Heard died when a tree branch smashed into his car windscreen on the B4373 near Bridgnorth.

Ba Talks Continue As Chaos Looms

Talks aimed at averting a strike by thousands of British Airways cabin crew resumed yesterday with time running out on avoiding travel misery for tens of thousands of passengers. The airline's chief executive, Willie Walsh, was leading the company's negotiators in the meeting with Transport and General Workers Union officials including its general secretary Tony Woodley.

News Digest: Shetty Wins Bb

Bollywood star Shilpa Shetty was last night voted the winner of Celebrity Big Brother. Shilpa was the firm favourite to win the contest, considered the most controversial in the show's history after she became the victim of alleged racist bullying by fellow contestant Jade Goody.

News Digest: Rail Is Good

The majority of Britain's rail passengers think the service they receive is "good". A survey by independent rail watchdog Passenger Focus of more than 25,000 commuters, found 81 per cent thought the service was "good" and only seven per cent rated it as "poor".

News Digest: Duchess Dazzles

The Duchess of Cornwall dazzled Philadelphia's high society and rocker Rod Stewart yesterday as she stepped out in an elaborate ruby and diamond necklace. Camilla joined the Prince of Wales at a glitzy white-tie gala at the US city's Academy of Music for its 150th anniversary where Stewart was the star act.

News Digest: Road Deaths

Five people have died, and one is seriously ill, following a road crash near Methven, Perthshire, on Saturday night. Another person is said to be seriously ill following the crash.

Housing Chief Quits in Row with City Council

The chairman of a housing liaison board has resigned and accused Birmingham City Council of unreasonable behaviour after it charged elderly residents in three tower blocks pounds 21,500 each for repairs to the outside walls. John Spooner, who is threatening to complain to the Parliamentary Ombudsman, alleges that the council is ignoring provisions in the Commonhold and Leasehold Reform Act which sets out guidelines for "reasonable" maintenance charges.

Tenants Facing a Bleak Future in Leasehold Row

Kathleen Vale, aged 81, who has lived at Frog-moor House since 1959, believes her financial future is now bleak. She and her husband, Ron, aged 87, bought the leasehold for their flat 20 years ago believing it would be a nest egg to buy a bungalow with in their later years.

Major Fraud Across the Midlands Is Up 20 Per Cent

Major frauds in the West Midlands multiplied last year. A total of 46 cases, worth pounds 47,853,100, were prosecuted in the region compared with 36 last year - an increase of more than 20 per cent.

Comedy Creation Among Top 20 Most Powerful Men in Uk

Borat has made it into a list of the most powerful men in Britain. The comedy character - aka Sacha Baron Cohen - is ranked 19th in an annual top 100 power list.

News Digest: Robbery Appeal

Police were today appealing for witnesses following an armed robbery at a Birmingham jewellery shop. Three or four masked offenders armed with crowbars raided The Gold Centre in Alum Rock Road, Washwood Heath on Friday afternoon.

News Digest: On the Job

Supermarket bosses are investigating after "skiving" staff allegedly posted film clips of their worktime antics on the internet. Somerfield said it was "looking into the incidents" after clips of uniform-clad staff appeared on the YouTube website.

News Digest: Shrek Tops Poll

Shrek 2 has been named Britain's favourite movie sequel - beating classics in the Godfather and Star Wars series. The 1991 return of Arnold Schwarzenegger in Terminator 2: Judgment Day, came second.

News Digest: Jet-Ski Death

News Digest: Save the Ant

A conservation charity is mounting a campaign to save a rare species of ant from imminent extinction. The Zoological Society of London (ZLS) has been awarded nearly pounds 50,000 from the Heritage Lottery Fund to prevent the red- barbed ant (Formica rufibarbis) from dying out.