Birmingham Post

Evil 'Bully' Jailed for Fatal Attack On Model

Birmingham football coach Ricardo Morrison was described as a "bully" and "dangerous beyond words" by a judge who jailed him for life yesterday for the murder of his model girlfriend Amy Leigh Barnes. The once professional football hopeful was told he must serve a minimum of 24 years before parole for the brutal stabbing of the actress.

Games Plan Is Birmingham's Bid Too Far ; Comment

Plans for stadium - page 14 Birmingham has managed to get through three leisure, sport and culture cabinet members in the space of just five years - but there is no doubting the enthusiasm and commitment Martin Mullaney, the fourth holder of a troubled portfolio, brings with him.

Woeful Plight of Our Brave Soldiers Being Denied Compensation

MoD compensation row - page 15 The appalling sight of a parsimonious MoD dragging two wounded soldiers through the courts to claw back a few hundred pounds in compensation is just another symptom of this Government's shocking record on defence spending.

Sharewatch Who: Glaxosmithkline [ ... ]

SHAREWATCH Who: GlaxoSmithKline Why: The drugs firm reports interims today amid mounting interest in its the sector as the swine flu virus spreads further around the globe, claiming more victims. Glaxo is already working on a vaccination for the virus and experts believe the group will play a pivotal role in the global fight against the pandemic.

In the Spotlight Who: Tony Hayward [ ... ]

Today's Event What: The Lady Boys [ ... ]

0.5% Key Figure the Latest House Price [ ... ]

29.07.2009

BUSINESS NEWS 4-12 Consultants at JLR Consultants are looking into operations at Jaguar Land Rover after being called in by owner Tata Motors to stem losses and drive the group back to break-even point.

Key Words

KEY WORDS It's a very hands-on approach, with discussions every fortnight to reach break-even point.

Has Banksy Been Busy in Birmingham? This Picture,

Cadbury Staff in Pay Protests

Cadbury workers from throughout the UK are taking to the streets of Birmingham today in a bitter pay dispute timed to coincide with the chocolate giant's financial results. The workers, from across Cadbury's UK plants at Bournville, Chirk, Marlbrook and Somerdale, are continuing their fight to get the world-famous chocolate manufacturer to honour the final year of a three-year pay agreement.

Consultants Are Called in to Stem Jlr Losses

Consultants are looking into operations at Jaguar Land Rover after being called in by owner Tata Motors to stem losses and drive the group back to break-even point. Tata said in Mumbai it had appointed KPMG and Roland Berger Strategy Consultants to advise on cost-cutting and cash management at JLR.

Paragon Makes Virtue of Lowest Interest Rates

Buy-to-let lender Paragon Group recorded operating profits of pounds 30.2 million in the last nine months despite constrained market conditions. The Solihull-based group said conditions had not changed in the last quarter, leaving it on course to post a healthy profit in the full year.

Marketing Is a Heady Brew ; City View

It's a tough time for brewers out there. Despite what's been described as a "speck of faint light" in the sales figures, we're still just not drinking enough, it seems. Although the rate of decline slowed, sales still dropped by nearly five per cent in the second quarter of the year from anI already perilous situation.

Charity Blasts Doorstep Lender As Its Profits Climb

Doorstep lender Provident Financial came under fire for charging "extortionate" interest rates after reporting a hike in half-year profits to pounds 53.1 million. The Bradford-based firm, whose consumer credit arm sells small loans door to door, said pre-tax profits rose 3.5 per cent and customer numbers soared to more than two million across the group in the six months to June 30.

New Cash Keeps Aerospace Research Flying

A pounds 40 million investment programme to help the aerospace supply chain speed up the development of low-carbon aircraft engine technology has been announced with Rolls-Royce playing a central role. The West Midlands is home to three Rolls-Royce plants as well as 25 per cent of the firm's supply chain and the company is to take centre stage in the programme, called Strategic Affordable Manufacturing in the UK with Leading Environmental Technology (SAMULET).

Rolls-Royce Tops Pounds 150m Funding and Jobs Lift

Business leaders have welcomed a pounds 150 million funding boost for the manufacturing industry which will see four new Rolls-Royce factories built. Up to 2,400 jobs will be created or safeguarded under the new Government initiative and experts say West Midlands-based production firms could be well-placed to benefit.

Defence Firm Umeco Still Growing As Market Slows

Warwickshire defence firm Umeco has said the firm is still growing, even though the market is slowing down. In an intermin trading statement the aerospace firm said it had seen sales for the three months until the end of June grow 2.8 per cent compared to the same period last year, but a drop compared to the preceeding months.

'Volatile Times' See Oil Giant's Profits Tumble

Falling oil prices and weaker refining margins led to a 53 per cent slump in profits at oil giant BP. The haul of pounds 1.9 billion between April and June was well down on the pounds 4.1 billion seen a year ago, a period when oil prices were approaching record high levels.

New Star Role for Former Birmingham Post Director

The former managing director of The Birmingham Post's regional parent company has taken on a new role at the owners of Wolverhampton's Express and Star. Steve Brown, who was regional managing director at Trinity Mirror in the Midlands and the North East until April this year, will take up the post of group chief executive at the Claverley Group when Graham Evers retires.