Birmingham Post

Stop City's Brain Drain

Birmingham University has called for business and civic leaders to do more in helping it train and retain the skilled workers needed to ensure the city's future prosperity. Vice principal Professor Michael Clarke said employers must develop better links with students and do more to keep their talent in the West Midlands.

Redknapp One of Five Held by Soccer Bungs Case Detectives

Portsmouth Football Club manager Harry Redknapp was one of five men arrested last night by detectives investigating corruption in the sport. The club's chief executive, Peter Storrie, was also arrested during the series of raids across the UK, a spokesman said.

Man Faces Rachel Nickell Charge

A man was charged yesterday with the murder of Rachel Nickell on Wimbledon Common in July 1992. The Crown Prosecution Service said Robert Napper, 41, will appear at City of Westminster Magistrates' Court on December 4. He is being held in custody at Broadmoor Hospital.

Police Take Up Case Against Doctor Over Misconduct

A controversial paediatrician is being investigated by police over a claim that he assaulted a child, the General Medical Council was told yesterday. The accusation against Dr David Southall was made by the parents of the boy - a former patient identified only as Child H - to South Wales police.

Streetsmart

As the annual round of Christmas parties begins, Birmingham restaurants are asking you to spare a thought for the city's homeless. Almost 20 of Birmingham's favourite eating places are supporting the StreetSmart scheme, by asking their customers for a donation of pounds 1 on each table's bill.

Manslaughter Charges Threat to Fire Service

Warwickshire Fire and Rescue Service could face corporate manslaughter charges over the warehouse blaze that killed four firefighters, police said yesterday. Police have spent nearly four weeks searching the site of the gutted warehouse in Atherstone on Stour, Warwickshire, and are treating the fire as suspicious.

Legal Action Pledge Over Ambulance Control Centres

Campaigners are seeking a judicial review after West Midlands Ambulance Service bosses yesterday agreed to close two of its five control centres. More than 40 angry staff, local politicians and campaigners attended its board meeting at Walsall Football Club's Bescot Stadium, where the reconfiguration of emergency operation centres (EOCs) was rubber-stamped in a unanimous vote.

Airfield Eco-Town Plan 'Foolish' ; the Sleepy Worcestershire Village of Throckmorton Was Again Thrust Into the Spotlight This Week As Mps Debated Plans to Site an Eco- Town There. Rhona Ganguly Gauges the Opinion of Local Residents to the Controversial Proposals

Visitors to Throckmorton would be forgiven for thinking they were stuck in the middle of nowhere. In fact, this is the view held by its own villagers. The Worcestershire village is like any other in England - picturesque and green, with a small close-knit community featuring only 160 people on the electoral roll.

Disabled Man Found Murdered in His Home

A disabled man was yesterday found murdered in a sheltered housing complex in Birmingham. Police discovered the body of a 45-year-old man, named locally as 'Derek', inside a flat at Fleetwood House, in Trafalgar Road, Moseley, at around 4.10am.

Full Lockdown in Jail Gun Smuggle Probe

Specially-trained search teams have been brought in to scour a Midland category C prison, which was last night under a full lockdown. The Prison Service refused to confirm media reports that the search at HMP Featherstone, near Wolverhampton, was related to two guns smuggled into the jail.

Concern Over Level of Children's Reading Skills

Ministers admitted last night that children's reading skills have "gone backwards" after England plummeted down a major international league table for education. The Government said pupils were abandoning books and spending too much of their free time playing computer games, leading to lower standards of reading among 10-year-olds.

Paedophile Will Be Extradited ; Court

Britain's most wanted paedophile is to be extradited from Ireland to the UK despite a "cynical" attempt by his brother to block it. John Richard Murrell fled to Ireland after serving half of a two- year sentence for sexually assaulting a nine-year-old girl, breaching the terms of his release. The Worcestershire man is wanted by West Mercia Police.

Molecules Could Beat Ageing ; Science

Powerful new molecules developed by biotech scientists could pave the way to drugs that hold back ageing. As well as staving off type 2 diabetes, they mimic the beneficial effects of restricted calorie intake which in animals has been shown to extend lifespan.

'Too Small to Flash' ; Court

A man failed to convince a jury yesterday that his penis was too small for him to be a flasher. Michael Carney (41), claimed he was too embarrassed about the size of his genitals for him to expose himself to women and showed the jury photographs to prove it.

Natwest Three Face Us Court On Cheating Charges

Three Britons dubbed the NatWest Three were due in court in the United States last night on accusations of cheating the bank where they worked out of millions of pounds. David Bermingham, Gary Mulgrew and Giles Darby are alleged to have advised Greenwich NatWest, the subsidiary of Nat-West where they worked, to sell off its stake in an Enron business at well below its market value.

Roger Morgan

Government Defends Above-Inflation Rail Hike

The Government last night defended above-inflation rises in rail fares which drew outrage from passengers, unions, politicians and environmental and business groups. Rail fares such as season tickets will rise by an average of 4.8 per cent in the New Year, while cheap day returns and long distance fares will go up by 5.4 per cent, but some commuters in south east England will see their weekly tickets rise by 14.5 per cent.

Panel to Combat Rape 'Myths'

A panel of experts is to be set up by the Government to combat the "myths" about rape victims, it was announced yesterday. Solicitor-General Vera Baird QC said the group of academics, doctors and judges will meet for the first time next month to examine how to tackle jurors' misconceptions in an "even-handed and non-partisan" way.

Mum Devastated by Sex Abuse

A mother of two from Birmingham has spoken of the devastating effect on her life after a man who sexually abused her was jailed for nine-and-a-half-years. Michael Hopkins (39), of Star Bank Road, Hay Mills, was sentenced by Judge Howard Morrison QC at the city's Crown Court who said he had committed serious offences against young and vulnerable women.

1,000 Terrorist Tip-Offs Over Suspicious Transactions

More than 1,000 reports of possible terrorist activity have been made by UK banks and financial institutions during the past year. The National Terrorist Finance Investigation Unit received 1,088 tip-offs of suspicious transactions from alert financial workers.