Birmingham Post

'Commercial Greed Driving Library Scheme'

The architect who designed Birmingham Central Library believes city council plans to demolish the building are being driven by "commercial greed" rather than genuine concerns about cultural provision. John Madin spoke out yesterday after a council scrutiny committee heard the 34-year-old building would have to be flattened to make way for the redevelopment of Paradise Circus.

Detective Fights for Life

British Student Found Murdered in Italy

A 22-year-old British student on an exchange programme was found murdered in Italy yesterday. The Foreign Office said it was aware of the reports and seeking to confirm the woman's identity. Italian news agency Ansa said she had been found in her bedroom with a deep cut to her throat in the central Italian town of Perugia. Erasmus, the European student exchange programme, said it gave the woman funding to help her study.

Meat Loaf Pulls Out of Nec Gig

Rock legend Meat Loaf was forced to pull out of his planned concert at Birmingham NEC last night, due to acute laryngitis. The cancellation came a day after the singer walked off the stage 70 minutes into his performance at Newcastle's Metro Arena on Wednesday, telling fans: "This is the last show I may ever do in my life."

Byrne Apologies for Phone Gaffe

Birmingham MP and West Midlands Minister Liam Byrne apologised yesterday after he was fined pounds 100 for using a mobile phone while driving. Mr Byrne, the MP for Hodge Hill and a Home Office Minister, pleaded guilty at Sutton Coldfield Magistrates' Court.

Two Arrested Over Illegal Share Sales ; Police

Police have arrested two men in the first criminal investigation by City regulators into illegal share selling, it emerged yesterday. UK investors could have been conned out of more than pounds 5 million, the Financial Services Authority suspects.

Royal Blackmail Suspects Held ; Courts

Ian Strachan, charged over an alleged blackmail plot involving a member of the Royal Family, was refused bail yesterday following an application made by his lawyers at the Old Bailey. A previous application last week was adjourned after a few minutes because the lawyers needed more time to prepare.

'Dead' Son Back ; Police

A mother believed she had cremated her missing son - only for him to turn up alive 24 hours later. Gina Partington, 58, from Urmston, Manchester, had mistakenly identified a dead man as her son and spent almost an hour saying a tearful goodbye before his cremation on Tuesday. Police called the next day to say they had found her 39-year-old son, Thomas Dennison, in Nottingham.

Rapist Jailed ; Courts

'Green' Lifestyle Now More Important to People

Living a "green" lifestyle is becoming increasingly important for many people, according to research published yesterday. But many people are still unclear about the meaning of terms such as "carbon off-setting".

Birmingham Takes Challenge On Emissions

Birmingham yesterday took up the Big Green Challenge to help save the planet - and money - by cutting CO2 emissions. The two-year competition is looking for Midland communities willing to go green to be in with a chance of winning a share of a pounds 1 million prize. Ideas could either be brand new or a fresh way of applying existing solutions but must detail ways to reduce carbon emissions by 60 per cent.

Emergency Landing at Bia As Flybe Aircraft's Gear Jams

An Edinburgh-bound jet was forced to make an emergency landing minutes after taking off from Birmingham International Airport yesterday when its landing gear jammed. The Flybe service had already been delayed for more than two hours due to a mechanical fault before it finally made it into the air.

Man Held for Attempted Murder As Officer 'Critical'

A West Midlands Police officer was fighting for life last night after being mown down by a suspected fraudster as she tried to arrest him. Detective Constable Catherine Corbett, aged 39, was with a team of colleagues in Surrey when she was hit as the suspect fled in a Peugeot car. She was last night in a critical condition.

Nhs Staff Overpaid for Three Years Through Error

A primary care trust overpaid staff by an estimated pounds 200,000 during the past three-and-a-half years, it said yesterday. More than 300 employees at Birmingham East and North Primary Care Trust (BEN PCT) were paid wrongly because of an "input error" by the payroll provider, according to the PCT.

Banderas to Star in M&S Ad

One of Hollywood's leading men is to feature in a glamorous Christmas advertising campaign by Marks & Spencer. Antonio Banderas will star in the Christmas Belles ad which is to be launched next Wednesday.

Brit Deported After Crazy Chase to Catch Us Plane

A British man was deported from the US after he ran across a major highway, through a field, across rail tracks and over a barbed wire fence at an airport in an apparent bid to catch a flight, airport officials said yesterday. The 22-year-old was tackled by a security guard at Detroit Metro Airport, who sat on him until help arrived. Airport spokesman Michael Conway said the man was deported back to Britain on Thursday.

Six Months On, New Kate Mccann Appeal

The mother of Madeleine McCann made a fresh appeal for information about her daughter today, on the six-month anniversary of the four-year-old's disappearance. In a statement, Kate McCann said: "Six months is such a long time for a little girl to be separated from her family.

Home Secretary Urged to Fire Sir Ian Blair

Metropolitan Police Commissioner Sir Ian Blair was under mounting pressure yesterday as the Tories urged Home Secretary Jacqui Smith to fire him. The demand came as he continued to defy calls to quit after his force was found guilty of serious failures leading to the death of innocent Brazilian Jean Charles de Menezes.

Zeppelin Gig Put Off As Page Breaks Finger

Rock group Led Zeppelin have been forced to postpone their reunion concert after guitarist Jimmy Page fractured a finger. Page received the injury at the weekend and has been told he cannot play for three weeks. The Ahmet Ertegun Tribute Concert will now take place at The O2 Arena, London, on Monday December 10, rather than Monday November 26 as originally planned.

The Rise and Call of City's Up-and-Coming Mp, Byrne

Immigration Minister Liam Byrne is a rising star of the Labour Government, who reached ministerial rank within a year of entering Parliament and is strongly tipped for a future seat in the Cabinet. But his guilty plea yesterday to using a mobile phone while driving is an embarrassment to the up-and-coming MP for Birmingham Hodge Hill not only because of his job at the Home Office - where he once had responsibility for the police - but also because he has campaigned for road safety since his a...