Birmingham Post

R&D Could Be Key to Aid That Will Save Jlr

Jaguar Land Rover's multi-billion pound investment in green automotive technology could be the trump card that secures Treasury backing for a government support package, insiders have told the Birmingham Post. Talks between officials and the luxury carmaker's Indian owner Tata almost stalled in the days before Christmas when the Government refused to put in place short-term finance to tide the firm over into the New Year. Tata eventually found the necessary cash, which will keep it going unti...

Pound Plunges to a Record Low

The pound's relentless slide towards parity with the euro picked up pace yesterday after it plunged to another record low against the single European currency. At one point yesterday, the latest fall saw sterling worth just 1.022 euros amid expectations for European interest rates to remain higher than in the UK for some time yet as the Bank of England slashes the cost of borrowing.

An Optimistic View of the Rollercoaster ; City View

If there were a prize for honesty among stock market soothsayers - there is not, for such honesty is rare - Brewin Dolphin's Mike Lenhoff should surely win it. Before Christmas he sent out a "Case for a rebound in 2009", prefaced with a wry reminder that this time last year he predicted that the Footsie 100would end 2008 at 7200. The real number looks like being more like 4300.

Hair-Raising Experience in Seoul for Woodhall ; John Bright's 2008 Review

Good tale from Ritchie Woodhall, the former Super Middleweight Champion of the World, from Telford, at a Ron Gray promotion at the Copthorne Hotel in Birmingham. There he was at the Seoul Olympics, about to win a bronze medal, when he goes for what he thinks is a straight forward haircut.

Care Home Fees Will Not Be Cut, Says Council

Nursing home owners are at the centre of an extraordinary mix-up over claims that Birmingham City Council is cutting the amount of money it pays for infirm elderly people to be looked after in private sector residential care. The Birmingham Care Consortium, representing most city privately- run homes, accused council bosses of helping to plug a pounds 10 million social services overspend through a three per cent reduction in fees in April, followed by a further four years of zero increases in...

Woman Clung On to Bonnet

A woman risked her life when she desperately clung to the bonnet of her car as a thief raced along a road trying to shake her off, it has emerged. The 34-year-old driver held on for several minutes as the thief sped along the road before being thrown off a short distance away.

Protesters Vent Anger at Israeli Military Strikes

Angry demonstrators last night burned an Israeli flag in front of Birmingham shoppers in protest at the bombing of the Gaza Stripwhich has left dozens of civilians dead. The rally drew a crowd of up to 700 placard-waving supporters calling for a halt to the violence, chanting "free Palestine" and waving the state's flag. They held aloft a bloodied doll representing the deaths of children during three days of air strikes by Israeli jets.

Regional Agency Denies Blowing Pounds 18,000 Entertaining Politicians

A claim that regional development agency Advantage West Midlands wasted more than pounds 18,000 on wining and dining politicians at the 2008 party conferences backfired after the organisation levelling the allegations was accused of getting its figures wrong. The Tax Payers Alliance (TPA) accused AWM and other RDAs of taking part in a "gross waste of taxpayers' money" by paying for drinks, meals and accommodation for delegates in an attempt to attract political support.

Kitchens Are Not On the Menu for Superhospital

Patients at Birmingham's new pounds 559million hi-tech superhospital look set to be served up airline-style ready meals - because bosses have not got the budget to build kitchens to cook food on site. Millions is being pumped into creating the first new hospital in Birmingham for more than 70 years, but it has emerged that no hot meals can be cooked in the building and will have to be bought in.

Trust Impresses After Mrsa Visit

Health watchdogs have praised the work of a Birmingham hospital trust in cutting the risk of superbugs from MRSA to clostridium difficile. The Healthcare Commission said it was impressed with Heart of England Foundation Trust after making unannounced inspections on its three hospitals, Heartlands, Solihull and Sutton Coldfield's Good Hope.

Dentist Who Took On the Government Wins Award

A Birmingham dentist who won a landmark victory against the Department of Health over unfair working contracts has won a national award. Dr Eddie Crouch scooped the UK Outstanding Achievement award at the Dentistry Awards Ceremony.

Sea Cadets Determined to Meet Leader's Dying Wish

Sea cadets mourning the loss of their inspirational leader are determined to make her dying wish come true. Birmingham-born Angela Dolan, the chairman of Tamworth & Lichfield Sea Cadets, died last month only four weeks after being diagnosed with cancer.

Teenage Pair Die and Another Is Injured in Horrific Car Smash

Two teenagers were killed and a third is in hospital after their car crashed into another vehicle, police said. The 17-year-old driver of a Volkswagen Polo and his 15-year-old female passenger were both pronounced dead at the scene of the accident near Leek, Staffordshire Police said.

City Leads Learners Table in the Region ; Education Matters

Birmingham is top of the league in learning - more people per square mile in the city are choosing to improve their skills than anywhere else in the region. Research released by national training agency learndirect shows Birmingham has the highest density of learners in cities in the West Midlands, with 255 people per square mile improving their knowledge in subjects like literacy and numeracy through online learning.

Leading Figures to Be Honoured ; Education Matters

The University of Warwick is to award Honorary Degrees to leading figures in medicine, museums and the science of climate change at its Winter Degree ceremonies next month. Those to be honoured on January 21 and 22 include the President of the General Medical Council, Sir Donald Irvine, British Museum director Robert Neil MacGregor, and climate change researcher Rajendra Kumar Pachauri.

Academy Exclusions 'Affect Other Schools' ; Education Matters

Birmingham's proposed network of academies willwork with "sister" schools to ensure difficulties in other parts of the country do not happen in the city. A report by the Institute of Education, commissioned by the independent Sutton Trust, claimed academies are not doing enough towork with other schools in their neighbourhoods and therefore not fulfilling one of their objectives.

Prue Leith Calls for Investment in Healthier Lunches in Schools ; Education Matters

Food expertand restaurateur Prue Leith has called on councils to plough more money into school meals and catering facilities to ensure that all children are given healthy lunches. Prue Leith, the chairwoman of the School Food Trust, said there had been "massive improvements" in school food but that progresswas "patchy" in places.

Labour Pm's 'Malicious' Delight in Delaying Election Was Mistake He Lived to Regret ; National Archives

Labour prime minister James Callaghan abandoned plans for a snap general election out of a "malicious" delight in confounding the Tories. In the autumn of 1978, Callaghan was in a similar position to Gordon Brown last year, toying with the idea of an early election as Labour picked up in the polls following a long spell in the doldrums.

Queen's Cold War Tour Hard for Diplomats ; National Archives

Officials planning the Queen's visit to Germany during the Cold War had to walk a diplomatic tightrope, according to documents. The monarch went to West Germany and Berlin. After the country was divided at the end of the Second World War, East Berlin became the capital of East Germany while the west part of the city - which the Queen's tour included - became a western enclave surrounded by the Berlin Wall. The Soviet Union, which controlled East Germany, and the Federal Republic of West Germa...

Callaghan's Fear of Soviet Attack ; National Archives Uk's 1970s Defence Systems Revealed As Deeply Inadequate

Britain's Cold War Armed Forces were so run down by the end of the 1970s that they would have been overwhelmed in the event of a Russian attack, according to secret files made public today. Papers released by the National Archives at Kew, west London, under the 30-year rule, reveal that RAF Phantom jets had enoughammunition for just two days' fighting, air defence missile batteries could only be fired twice, and the Navy could not match the Soviet submarine threat.