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Birmingham - latest news, breaking stories and comment - The Independent
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Only 3.4 per cent of the Solihull area is covered by housing

How town planning can make us thin and healthy: Architects show that more green space and less housing density has a clear effect on public health

It isn’t hard to find an architect who will tell you that vast swathes of the British urban landscape are ugly, grey and unappealing – nor would you struggle to find people who agreed with them. But could it be that the look and the layout of our cities is actually bad for our health?

Benefits Street residents charged with drug offences

Seven people have been charged following raids on the now-famous James Turner Street in Birmingham - including one of the stars of the Channel 4 documentary series

50 years after the passage of the Civil Rights Act, how have things changed on Martin Luther King Day in Birmingham, Alabama?

Matthew Wood, on a year abroad at the University of Alabama, discusses what life is like today in one of the major battlegrounds of the 60s

‘Toilet-papered’ Alabama home burns down after family try to clear away mess with fire

Attempt to tidy up following prank from local children ends in disaster

Mark Thomas and Becky Howe, both 23, are 'fuming' over their presentation in Benefits Street

Benefits Street: Ratings rise again as record 5.2m tune in to third episode

The show has added almost 1m viewers since the first episode two weeks ago

Frank Skinner believes he 'made the right decision' to refuse a job on Benefits Street, despite never having seen the show

Benefits Street: Comedian Frank Skinner turned down narrating job

The comedian did not want to offend residents dependent on benefits

TV firm Love Productions benefits – all the way to the bank

The television company which produces the controversial Channel 4 documentary Benefits Street and the BBC's hit The Great British Bake Off has seen its annual revenues leap by a third to £13m.

Benefits Street: House for sale in James Turner Street, Birmingham

It's the street that’s split opinion all over Britain... and now you can buy your very own house on it.

Dee and Caitlin from Channel 4's 'Benefits Street'

Thousands sign petition urging Channel 4 to drop Benefits Street

The series has prompted a police probe and complaints from viewers

Silhouette of clubber dancing Hacienda nightclub

Top ten places people are most likely to have a one night stand in the UK

Survey reveals Swansea is the place people are most likely to have casual sex

Channel 4's series claims to shed light on life on benefits for residents of the street, including Smoggy pictured here

Benefits Street Twitter reactions: The angry, the idiotic and the defensive

Viewers took to social media to voice their opinions on C4's new documentary

Mark Thomas and Becky Howe, both 23, are 'fuming' over their presentation in Benefits Street

Benefits Street residents subjected to death threats after Channel 4 show airs

Viewers posted abusive messages online when the documentary was broadcast

Security firm G4S is tackling an incident at Oakwood Prison. The G4S spokesman said:

'Incident' at Oakwood prison has been resolved says G4S

An incident lasting more than five hours at the country's largest prison has been resolved, security firm G4S has said.

Childhood obesity rates are rising fast

10-year-old girl weighs 22 stone as Birmingham faces obesity epidemic

A 10-year-old Birmingham schoolgirl has highlighted the obesity epidemic facing the city - weighing in at 22 stone 11 lbs.

An operation at The Queen Elizabeth Hospital, Birmingham, the institution where a surgeon has been suspended.

Surgeon suspended from Birmingham hospital over allegedly 'branding' his name on a patient's liver

A surgeon has been suspended over allegations that he “branded” his initials onto a patient’s liver.

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Breakthrough in solar panel manufacture promises cheap energy within a decade

Solar energy breakthrough: new panels will be cheaper and safer

Technical advance based on edible salt overcomes need to use toxic agents
A History of the First World War in 100 Moments: A glorious dawn for Britain’s women

A History of the First World War in 100 Moments

A glorious dawn for Britain’s women
Glastonbury 2014: Music, pints and even the loos are going hi-tech at the festival this summer

Music, pints and even the loos are going hi-tech at Glastonbury this summer

This year's festival will be more connected than ever, with 4G coverage and phone charging
'Community of top Welsh talent' sign up for rival adaptations of Dylan Thomas’s 'Under Milk Wood' to mark the poet's centenary

Dylan Thomas centenary

'Community of top Welsh talent' sign up for rival adaptations of 'Under Milk Wood'
Hannah Arterton steps out of sister Gemma's shadow with Walking on Sunshine starring role

Hannah Arterton steps out of sister Gemma's shadow

Hannah is set to star in 1980s-pop-soaked musical Walking on Sunshine, which is aiming to be this summer's Mamma Mia!
Nerds are the new jocks: US university offers athletics scholarships to skilled video game players

Nerds are the new jocks

US university offers athletics scholarships to skilled video game players
Real-life Game of Thrones

Margaret Beaufort: Real-life Game of Thrones

The story of Henry VII's mother might not be well known, but without her, the Tudors would never have come to power, says Livi Michael
US lawyer's test case to gain legal status for four chimpanzees could have far-reaching results

Should chimpanzees have the same rights as humans?

Steven Wise claims that certain intelligent animals have similar cognitive abilities to humans and should be treated accordingly
Andy Coulson's chance remark in phone-hacking trial revealed how much astrologers can earn

Just how much do astrologers earn?

Andy Coulson revealed that the News of the World paid Mystic Meg more than £200,000 a year to read the cosmic runes
How to help your child do well at school: 'Helicopter parents' and 'tiger mothers' should back off, say researchers

How to help your child do well at school

Researchers in the US came up with the astonishing finding that parental involvement in children's schooling makes no difference at all to test scores and exam grades
If there's one cure for an early World Cup exit, it's watching another country go through the exact same thing

Archie Bland on World Cup 2014

If there's one cure for an early exit, it's watching another country go through the exact same thing
Nick Bollettieri's Wimbledon 2014 Files: Watch Rafa Nadal go wham-bam past Lukas Rosol – but remember that he will not be able to keep up his all-action style for ever

Nick Bollettieri's Wimbledon Files

Watch Nadal go wham-bam past Rosol – but remember that he will not be able to keep up his all-action style for ever
A History of the First World War in 100 Moments: Campaign for peace turned former hero into public enemy No 1

A History of the First World War in 100 Moments

Campaign for peace turned former hero into public enemy No 1
Laurie Lee: As I walked out one Midsummer morning

As I walked out one Midsummer morning

A century ago saw the birth of Laurie Lee, whose most famous work, Cider with Rosie, immortalised the countryside of his youth
The Bunker Diary: Should books have happy endings?

Should books have happy endings?

Doom-laden tales such as 'The Bunker Diary' may impress prize juries, but books that offer hope are the ones that children remember with love [spoiler alert]