A disgraced Worcestershire gynaecologist whose techniques were criticised by a string of women can keep his place on the medical register, a tribunal ruled.
Dr Andrew Gbinigie, from Barnt Green, was found guilty of serious professional misconduct by the General Medical Council in March 2003 after he botched an abortion, pulling out a woman's ovary and part of her bowel.
The GMC chose to let him carry on practising, but 15 more women came forward to complain about his treatment and the consultant once again found himself suspended.
Following a hearing in Manchester behind closed doors, a GMC Fitness to Practice panel ruled that Dr Gbinigie was able to continue working.
Nicki Evans-Young, one of the women who brought the case against Dr Gbinigie, said she was "devastated" at the result and vowed to challenge the GMC's decision.
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West Midlands firefighters' union officials have urged the Government to rethink its plans to create a "two-tier" pension scheme in the service as the spectre of fresh strikes loomed.
The annual conference of the Fire Brigades Union is to be recalled next month to decide whether to sanction a vote among thousands of firemen and women for a campaign of industrial action in a row over the pension proposals.
The union is confident of a huge "yes" vote because of growing anger over Government plans to raise the retirement age for firefighters from 50 to 55.
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A Birmingham man is believed to be one of two British Muslims killed in a stampede at the Hajj pilgrimage in Saudi Arabia.
The pair were among the 345 pilgrims who died during the crush, which also left about 1,000 people injured.
One of the men has already been named by the British Hajj delegation as Fiaz Haque, aged 38, from Uxbridge, Middlesex.
The delegation, which acts as a support network for British Muslims making the annual pilgrimage to Mecca, said several Britons had also been injured.
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John Hemming's dream of leading the Liberal Democrats has ended - for now.
The Birmingham MP announced he was pulling out of the contest to succeed Charles Kennedy after commissioning an opinion poll which found he lacked the support to win.
But Mr Hemming (Lib Dem Yardley) suggested he might try again once he had more experience as an MP.
He said: "Now is the end of this particular campaign."
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Hundreds of mourners turned out to pay their last respects to a devout Christian who was stabbed in the chest during riots in Birmingham three months ago.
Police said Isaiah Young-Sam, aged 24, became an innocent victim of racial tension after he was murdered just yards from his home in Lozells.
He was on his way back from the cinema with friends when he was attacked during the October riots, in which a police officer was also injured.
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A Birmingham hospital has apologised for releasing the body of a woman to the wrong undertakers.
The body of pensioner Brenda Taylor was mistakenly given to funeral company, Ian Hazel Funerals Ltd, by mortuary staff at Good Hope Hospital, in Sutton Coldfield.
The alarm was raised when undertakers A Hazel and Sons, who had been booked by the family, arrived later and staff realised the 70-year-old's body had already been taken.
The hospital contacted Ian Hazel Funerals and Mrs Taylor's body was returned to Good Hope before being passed on to the correct funeral company.
See Saturday's Birmingham Post for more on these stories
