A legendary actor visits Solihull School, reports Simon Hale.

Long-running festival announces award to support new and emerging musicians.

Have your say on Brexit lorry park plan, say Lib Dems.

Made In Brum platform launched for community groups and creatives.

A £200,000 investment drive has seen a Warwick-based PCB assembly specialist secure its best ever year, with sales up 35% and five new jobs created.

Lord Tony Blair of Bollocksville, former king of Inger-lund, talks exclusively to Sir Howard Elston about his totally blameless role in the Iraq and Afghani wars.

Jessica Harris visits the Midlands Arts Centre for a Christmas treat.

Beleza Rodizio to open a new Brazilian steakhouse.

Work begins on biggest ambulance hub of its kind.

£5,000 reward offered for information on attempted murder shooting.

Residents are having their say on how they want to improve their neighbourhood.

Milestone marked by new productions.

A guide to reducing risk and easing concerns.

Sutton Coldfield project will attract employment and training opportunities.

The Balsall Heath Neighbourhood Plan is Going on public display.

Bees in Balsall Heath received a welcome boost last Saturday with a new bee garden opened by local MP Roger Godsiff.

A look at Birmingham suuburb as seen through the lens of American photographer.

Marks and Spencer has today called on the Government to create a Bee Action Plan.

The full line-up for mac birmingham’s ‘new music’ festival for young people ‘One Beat Saturday’ is now available.

'Rat run' fear over decision to open up street to through traffic.

Birmingham Heritage Week celebrates its 10th anniversary in 2024.

CEC celebrates forty years in business with commitment to Net Zero.

FabLab pilots innovative virtual reality programme.

Campaigners produce video in fight to save playing fields.

Turn up and become a rock star.

Safety charity begins arts workshops to teach accident prevention.

Andy Munro talks about last weekend's football, or not.

Brand new restaurant at Dartmouth Golf Course set to tee-off.

Young people feel ignored by power, but would still turn out to vote.

A guide to being safe on your bike.

Pedal power replaces horse power on London 2 Paris charity bike ride.

Latest stage of planned rollout across the West Midlands.

Shreyas Srinivasan, Paytm's Chief Product Officer, has announced his departure from the company after more than ten years. His exit comes after Paytm sold its ticketing platform, Insider.in, to Zomato. Srinivasan played a key role in Insider.in's growth, from its inception to its merger with Paytm.

Amazon's delivery glasses, the people warned, could be shelved or delayed indefinitely if they do not work as envisioned, or for financial or other reasons. The sources said they may take years to perfect. "We are continuously innovating to create an even safer and better delivery experience for drivers," an Amazon spokesperson said, when asked about the driver eyeglasses. "We otherwise don't comment on our product roadmap."

India's food safety regulator directed e-commerce and quick commerce companies to follow shelf life guidelines for packaged food deliveries. The regulator emphasized a minimum remaining shelf life of 30% or 45 days upon delivery. This action follows complaints about companies not disclosing expiry dates. The regulator stressed the importance of clear expiry dates and adherence to labeling regulations.

India's food safety regulator, FSSAI, has revised antibiotic residue norms for meat, milk, poultry, eggs, and aquaculture to combat growing antimicrobial resistance. Effective from April 2025, the new limits aim to ensure safer food products by setting stricter contaminant limits, amid rising concerns over antibiotic misuse in agriculture and healthcare.

The Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) is convening a Central Advisory Committee (CAC) meeting on November 7-8. The meeting will address concerns regarding food safety on e-commerce platforms and strategize ways to enhance food product surveillance and testing across states.

Despite the persistent inflation and sluggish demand, several leading FMCG and retail brands are doubling down on their premiumization strategies, reshaping their approach to appeal to discerning customers.

The Bhartia family and Goldman Sachs are joining forces for a significant deal. They are planning to acquire a large stake in HCCB, the bottling arm of Coca-Cola in India. Goldman Sachs will provide substantial financial backing for this venture. The deal involves a planned future listing of HCCB, allowing Goldman Sachs to exit strategically. This move mirrors PepsiCo's successful strategy with Varun Beverages.

The brand is expecting at least a 30 per cent increase in corporate gift sales during the festive season, with a growing number of corporate clients opting for bulk purchases.

Inter IKEA reported a 5.3% drop in annual sales, partly due to price cuts with lower raw material costs. As inflation impacts spending, more people are expected to host at home this holiday season. More price reductions are planned for 2025 by Inter IKEA starting from September 1st.

Tupperware Brands has been granted approval to sell its assets to its lenders, enabling the company to exit bankruptcy. Unable to find a buyer to pay off its $818 million debt, Tupperware will transfer its brand name and key assets to investment firms Stonehill Capital Management Partners and Alden Global Capital. The company plans a digital-first, asset-light business model post-bankruptcy.

An investigation by India's antitrust body found food delivery giants Zomato and SoftBank-backed Swiggy breached competition laws, with their business practices favouring select restaurants listed on their platforms, documents showed.

Colgate-Palmolive India is experiencing growth in the expanding oral care market. The company reported a 10% rise in revenue. However, it recognizes market difficulties like fluctuating demand and rising costs. Colgate remains dedicated to improving oral health awareness in India. It aims to achieve this through education and product innovation. The company is focused on sustainability and social responsibility initiatives.

Godrej Industries is set to acquire the food additives and emulsifier business of Savannah Surfactants Limited for Rs 76 crore. The deal will see Godrej Industries expand its product offerings to the Food & Beverages segment. Savannah Surfactants Ltd has a manufacturing capacity of 5,200 tonnes per annum of finished products.

Britannia Industries reported a 10% drop in profit for the quarter ended September as surging housing costs and low income growth in urban areas led to a slowdown in demand for fast-moving consumer goods. While rural demand has been stable, urban demand has seen a significant downturn, mirroring global trends of consumer confidence returning but wages lagging behind inflation.

Chinese appliance giant Haier Group has submitted a proposal to the Indian government to form a joint venture with India's JSW Group. The proposed venture represents a significant investment of Rs 1,000 crore and requires government approval due to Haier's Chinese origins. This move comes after JSW's recent joint venture with Chinese automaker SAIC Motor.

Despite severe air pollution in Indian cities, particularly in Delhi-NCR, the market for air purifiers and anti-pollution personal care products remains small. Consumers perceive limited tangible benefits and sales spike only during peak pollution periods. While some growth occurs after Diwali, the overall market remains stagnant, with some companies exiting or scaling back operations.