England’s largest local authority district and a city of the West Midlands
Mohammed Alfatih has been found guilty of a knife attack on a bailiff outside his Birmingham home. The 40-year-old, linked to Hamas, is also facing extradition proceedings in Germany and will be sentenced in January 2027. German prosecutors allege Hamas members planned attacks in Europe around the anniversary of the 2023 Israel-Hamas conflict.
Adria Solutions owner says AI is speeding candidate screening and raising questions about recruitment fees. Industry leaders note AI reduces time spent on admin, potentially preserving or increasing fees as value shifts to relationship-building and expertise.
West Midlands residents have welcomed a surge of vibrantly colored mandarin ducks, native to East Asia, as populations rise across Britain. Sightings in Sutton Park and other beauty spots have drawn wildlife enthusiasts, with experts noting numbers have grown sixfold since the mid-1990s.
Conservative leaders have pledged to abolish the so-called 0,000 childcare cliff edge, extending free childcare to higher earners and promising to fund the move by cutting other spending. The policy is framed as pro-work and pro-growth, with officials arguing it would remove disincentives to work and boost economic activity. The plan follows earlier proposals to reform taxation and stamp duty.
Two Edinburgh plays revisit 18th-century culture: Brian Logan's Douglas explores Enlightenment tensions, while Jordan & Skinner's Do Not Pass Go tells Lizzie Magie's story and Monopoly’s contested origins. Both shows, in Edinburgh and Aberdeen, mix historical drama with a sharp eye on gender and power, running through October.
The Guardian reports that MP Blake Stephenson has claimed parts of Luton are no-go zones for white people, a barb echoed by far-right figures. Police dispute the claim, saying no such zones exist. The comments have intensified scrutiny of migration rhetoric and political framing.
The 70th London Film Festival has opened with Simon Stone’s biographical drama Elsinore, starring Olivia Colman and Andrew Scott, about Ian Charleson’s final Hamlet performance. The director has discussed Day-Lewis’s reaction to revisiting the exit from the 1989 production. The festival runs for 12 days, featuring world premieres and a roster of international talent.
Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch has outlined plans to abolish inheritance tax on the family home and to allow a further £1m tax-free for couples. The policy, pitched as strengthening home ownership, would cost the state around £6bn a year and is expected to primarily benefit wealthier households. Critics warn it would hit public services and fail to help ordinary families.
Reform UK has published an internal inquiry finding no laws were broken over alleged foreign donations and polling arrangements. Police investigations are ongoing, with critics branding the report a whitewash. The party has suspended two officials and says it will tighten donor procedures while pursuing legal action against undercover reporting.
Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch has pledged to abolish inheritance tax on family homes and allow an additional £1 million tax-free pass-through for couples, if the party wins power. She frames the next election as a battleground for the nation’s future economics, stressing tax cuts, spending restraint and growth.
A mix of housing and social projects is unfolding across several UK locales. In Lewisham, officials propose handing public land to community groups to build social housing, backed by land trusts and streamlined planning. Other reports cover rural housing affordability, library-housing projects in Boston, and displacement risks from recent developments in Charlton.
Three London sisters have died by drowning in Brighton after an overnight trip to Birmingham to visit their late mother’s home, with inquests confirming suicide amid unclear motives. They were last seen alive in the early hours of May 13, having travelled from Greenford to Birmingham and back to Brighton before entering the sea in darkness and adverse weather.
ITV's undercover investigation has exposed Reform UK councillors and candidates making racist, misogynistic and violent language ahead of local elections. Several members have resigned or been suspended as Nigel Farage defends vetting. Police are examining party finances amid the fallout.
Undercover ITV footage has surfaced showing Reform UK councillors and candidates using racist, violent and sexist language. The party says it is investigating those involved and has stressed there is no room for racism, while critics accuse the party of weak vetting. The broadcasts have intensified scrutiny ahead of local elections.
European 1500m champion Ciara Mageean has died at 34 after a battle with stage four bowel cancer. She had announced her diagnosis in 2025 and married weeks before her death. Tributes pour in from across Ireland and sports bodies.
News on how cost-of-living pressures are driving Christmas charity appeals across the UK, including Barnardo’s warnings, local hampers and shoebox drives, and the experiences of families during the festive season.
Fog has affected transport and travel this week, with warnings for dense low visibility across large parts of southern and central England, Wales and Northern Ireland. Forecasters expect fog to clear gradually, but delays and cancellations persist for flights, roads and rail as conditions evolve.
Tom Brady has departed Birmingham City Football Club after three years as a minority owner and advisory board chair, with the club top of the Championship on 29 points from 15 games. The club did not disclose reasons for his departure.