Birmingham Post

Midland Home for Top Tata Research Venture

Indian group Tata - fresh from acquiring Jaguar and Land Rover - is now expected to press ahead with a major new multi-million-pound research unit in Coventry. The company's European Technology Centre has long been earmarked for part of the Ansty site alongside Swedish group Ericsson - its R&D complex is currently under construction.

Housing Stagnant - but Not in Midlands

The West Midlands appears to be escaping the housing slump, with new figures revealing the strongest price growth in the country. According to the Land Registry, prices in the region rose 1.3 per cent in February, compared to the South East and London where prices fell 0.7 per cent and 0.4 per cent. Nationally, price growth fell for the sixth month in a row in February to its lowest level since 2006.

Brown Turns Attention to Curry Chef Shortage

British workers could be trained as curry chefs, Gordon Brown said yesterday amid fears new immigration rules could worsen serious staff shortages in the Asian restaurant sector. Restaurant bosses have warned a new points-based system would halt the arrival of Bangladeshi cooks and force closures across the country.

Council to Cut 700 Jobs and Save Pounds 54m with It Boost

Moves to modernise Birmingham City Council IT systems will save pounds 54 million and result in the loss of almost 700 jobs, it emerged last night. Staffing levels are to be slashed over the next seven years as new computer programmes make it easier for human resources managers to control the day-to-day activities of a 40,000- strong workforce and rely less on hiring expensive agency workers.

Airport Move Will Trash the Planet, Claim

Expansion of Birmingham International Airport will contribute to the "trashing of the planet" environmental campaigners warned last night. Friends of the Earth spoke out against plans to extend the runway at BIA by 400 metres to allow long haul planes to land.

Red Route Decision Is Delayed

A decision on whether to make permanent the parking restrictions along a busy Birmingham commuter route will be delayed until after the council elections on May 1. Transportation cabinet member Len Gregory is waiting to be handed the findings of scrutiny committee inquiry before deciding what to do about the A34 Stratford Road red route.

Awm Hits Back at Criticism of Jewellery Quarter Role

Regional development agency bosses have hit back at allegations they are neglecting Birmingham's Jewellery Quarter. Advantage West Midlands said a residents' group's claim that the agency was ducking its duty to regenerate the area was unfair.

Drive to Halt Sick Leave at Council Sees More Off Ill

A four-year campaign to drive down absenteeism at Birmingham City Council has resulted in sickness levels rising, according to official figures released last night. Leaders of the controlling Conservative-Liberal Democrat coalition were red faced after it was confirmed the average number of days taken off sick by each employee had risen to 10.3 per year compared to 9.8 when the partnership came to power in 2004.

Tributes for Midlands Graduate Killed in Crash

Tributes have been paid to a Midlands graduate, the youngest victim of the Kent plane crash, who died just a week after starting his "dream job" in motor racing. Christopher Allarton, who recently left Coventry University to start work with Apex Motorsport, was on board the Cessna Citation I with his boss Richard Lloyd and three colleagues when the aircraft crashed into a house in Farnborough, Kent on Sunday.

Children Find Severed Head While Playing On the Beach

A woman's severed head was discovered hidden inside a plastic bag by children playing on a beach yesterday. Tayside Police said the discovery was made near South Street in the town of Arbroath, Angus, at 10.30am.

Debt Is Greatest Fear for Young People

Debt is the biggest fear for young people in Britain, according to a survey published today. Nearly half (48 per cent) said it was one of their biggest concerns for the future, reflecting the growing significance of tuition fees and student loans in the lives of young people.

Tutor Cleared After Pupil's Lies Are Exposed

A Birmingham science teacher was yesterday starting to rebuild his career after a tearaway pupil's claims that he was violently attacked in class were exposed as lies. Shakil Akhter was this week cleared at a General Teaching Council misconduct hearing of punching the pupil, bringing a two-year nightmare to an end.

Teachers Ready to Take Action After Nut Hold Ballot

Teachers will stage the first national strike in 21 years on April 24, Britain's biggest classroom union announced yesterday. The National Union of Teachers said a ballot of 255,000 members found a majority of those who voted were in favour of a one-day strike.

More Postal Strikes Could Be On the Way

Royal Mail workers have overwhelmingly rejected changes to their pensions, raising the threat of national post strikes, it was announced yesterday. The Communication Workers Union said its members voted by 92 per cent against the closure of the final salary scheme to new entrants as well as other changes.

Google Rapped Over 'Rape' Video ; Politics Internet

Google came under fire from MPs yesterday after admitting it was to blame for a video, apparently showing a gang rape, being watched hundreds of times on the internet. The web giant's head lawyer said it was "clearly a mistake on our part". The clip was not removed quickly this year from the YouTube site, which Google owns. But Kent Walker resisted calls for all submitted content to be pre-vetted, saying it would go against the spirit of the internet.

Damning Report On Government ; Politics Violence

Most Government departments and agencies are still doing far too little to tackle violence against women, a campaign group said yesterday. Whitehall was awarded just over two out of 10 for its efforts in the latest annual survey by the End Violence Against Women coalition.

Trust Issues ; Politics Statistics

Stroke Tests Will Be Rolled Out to Community Centres ; Politics

Pharmacies and community centres could be used to offer a new screening programme for a range of illnesses to increase uptake, Health Secretary Alan Johnson said yesterday. Mr Johnson said there was a "great clinical case" for the scheme offering everyone aged 40 to 74 in England check-ups for heart disease, stroke, diabetes and kidney disease.

Doctors Criticise Health 'Mot' Plan ; Politics

Health "MoTs" for millions of people could help reduce heart disease, stroke, diabetes and kidney disease, but plans for an NHS screening programme to test for killer illnesses are not without their critics. Doctors' groups have warned that the new tests will require a significant expansion in staff numbers and equipment.

Lib Dem Clegg Bedded 'No More Than 30 Women' ; Politics

Liberal Democrat leader Nick Clegg has spoken unusually frankly about his romantic past, admitting to sleeping with "no more than 30" women and revealing how he fell in love at first sight with wife Miriam. In a no-holds-barred interview, Mr Clegg recalled being "pretty gobsmacked" on first meeting the Spanish senator's daughter when they were both studying in Belgium.