Birmingham Post

House Prices Set to Fall by Five Per Cent

House prices could slip five per cent this year and transactions by 40 per cent unless there is an easing in the credit crunch, the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (RICS) has warned. In the West Midlands prices are falling at double the UK average but the region is in a better situation than some.

Funding Pulled On Wind Turbine Manufacturing Scheme

The head of a Birmingham organisation which promotes business opportunities in green markets expressed his disappointment yesterday when the plug was pulled on a scheme to help Midland companies tap into the lucrative wind turbine market. The Wind Supply Project, run by the British arm of the Business Council for Sustainable Development, aimed to revitalise the declining manufacturing and engineering sectors by setting up supply chains in wind energy.

Campaigners Mark Ten Years On From G8 Human Chain

More than 2,000 campaigners descended on Birmingham yesterday to commemorate the tenth anniversary of the city's human chain, during the G8 summit in 1998, to urge politicians once again to 'drop the debt' faced by many Third World countries. Delegates at the Journey to Justice conference, at the International Convention Centre which staged the original event, formed a new chain of more than 10,000 paper links, to be presented to world leaders at this year's G8 summit in Japan.

Women Hit by Lorry and Car ; Accident

Two pedestrians suffered life-threatening injuries when struck by a lorry and car on a motorway, emergency services said yesterday. Staffordshire Police said the women were knocked down on the northbound M6 near Keele services on Saturday.

Council Leader Remembered ; Memorial

A memorial service for former Birmingham City Council leader Sir Richard Knowles will be held at St Philip's Cathedral this morning The service of thanksgiving will take place at 11am and will be conducted by the Dean of Birmingham, the Very Revd Robert Wilkes, in the presence of the Bishop of Birmingham, the Rt Revd David Urquhart. Members of the public are invited to attend and should be in their seats by 10.45 am.

Shot in Stomach ; Police

A man is in serious condition after he was shot in the stomach, police said. Officers found the man, 28, after they were called to a block of flats in the Newtown area of Birmingham on Friday.

Eco-Town Protesters Claim Plan Breaks Official Rules

Lawyers for the Long Marston anti ecotown protesters say the Government's plans for 6,000 new homes could be breaking planning guidelines. They have submitted a Freedom of Information request for details about eco-town plans, saying villagers have been left in the dark by the Government and developers.

Now You Can See How Noisy Neighbourhood Is

Maps showing the level of environmental noise from industries, airports, road and rail networks, including Birmingham, Coventry, The Potteries and West Midlands, have been published online. The Government hopes the maps will help reduce unwanted noise pollution and protect designated quiet areas in England.

New Approach the Only Hope for British Wildlife

Much of England's most precious wildlife could be lost in the face of climate change and development unless there is a new approach to conservation, Natural England warned today. In its first State of the Environment report, the Government advisory body said the country's natural environment was much less rich than 50 years ago.

The Stories of the Light Brigade Survivors Told ; the Midland Men Who Survived the Charge of the Light Brigade Might Have Lived As Heroes, but a New Book Charts How Some of Them Died As Paupers.

It was one of the most daring moments of British military history, but few at the time knew this. Three weeks after the disastrous calvary charge that became known as The Charge of the Light Brigade, dispatches from the front started to appear.

Lack of Top-Rank Ethnic Police

A police chief has called for fairer selection procedures to increase the number of top-ranking black and Asian officers. Peter Fahy, Chief Constable of Cheshire, said people could have a problem with their "face not fitting" in traditional organisations such as the police and more work needed to be done to challenge the prevailing culture.

Registrar Shuns Gay Weddings

A Christian registrar is taking a council to an employment tribunal over her refusal to perform civil partnerships for gay couples. Lillian Ladele says she cannot carry out same sex unions "as a matter of religious conscience".

Authorities Quiz Bae Executives Over Deal

Two top BAE Systems executives have been detained by US authorities probing corruption allegations, it was revealed yesterday. The defence firm's chief executive, Mike Turner, and a senior colleague are understood to have been held as they arrived in America.

Harrods Owner Will Go Scottish ; Al-Fayed Politics

Harrods owner Mohammed Al Fayed said yesterday he would move to Scotland if the country became independent. Mr Al Fayed owns the 65,000- acre Balnagown estate in Easter Ross, in the Scottish Highlands.

Clegg Arrives in Afghanistan ; Lib-Dems Politics

Nick Clegg warned failure in Afghanistan would be "devastating" as he arrived for his first visit to the troubled country. The Liberal Democrat leader said the fate of the Nato military campaign was "hanging in the balance" and "tough questions" needed to be asked.

Miliband Eu Role ; Germany Politics

David Miliband yesterday played down claims he was set to abandon the Government for Brussels. A spokeswoman for the Foreign Secretary expressed surprise at the report in a German newspaper, insisting: "This is the first we've heard of it."

Labour Labelling Tory Crewe Candidate 'a Toff' ; Politics

Labour was braced for another ballot box bashing last night as deputy leader Harriet Harman criticised its campaign in a crucial by- election. With polls indicating the party faces defeat in Crewe and Nantwich this week, Ms Harman surprised many by admitting tactics were "not the most positive".

Boe Deputy Lomax Abandons Ship ; Politics

Gordon Brown's economic woes deepened yesterday after it emerged the Bank of England's second-in-command was stepping down. Highly-regarded deputy governor Rachel Lomax will be leaving when her five-year term ends next month.

Defence for Hybrid Use ; Politics

Gordon Brown staged an impassioned defence of human-animal embryo research yesterday, insisting it could save millions. As the Commons prepares for a crunch vote, the Prime Minister said developing "hybrid" techniques was an "inherently moral endeavour".

Incapacity Claimants Cost More Than 2012 Olympics ; Politics

The annual cost of benefits to people "on the sick" is higher than the cost of staging the London Olympics, it was reported today. Figures by the Department for Work and Pensions show the annual bill for incapacity benefits, including associated housing benefit and council tax benefit, has reached pounds 16 billion. The cost of staging the 2012 Olympics is estimated at less than pounds 10 billion.