A human trafficker who enslaved and forced a woman into prostitution has been jailed for a total of 22 years. Francisc Lazaroiu was sentenced after a re-trial of raping the 19 year old. He and his parents had already each been jailed for eight years for trafficking her for sexual exploitation.

Emma Barton was an English portrait photographer who lived and worked in Birmingham. She is being honoured by a blue plaque from the Birmingham Civic Society. The unveiling will take place on 14th March.

A Birmingham woman travelled more than 1,500 miles taking her pet hamster's ashes on a tour of his "favourite" places - including the Louvre and Buckingham Palace. Lisa Murray-Lang made models of the cities for Spud during Covid. So she decided to take his ashes along to famous locations.