Kenya Uncovered

Sweet wine, proverbs stitched into clothes, a 90km road race: Katy Dutko, an educational aid officer in Africa, offers a page from her Kenyan notebook

A date to remember

Dave Woodhall on Villa’s 2-1 win over Sunderland and other affairs of the day.

Pheww….

Andy Munro breathes a sigh of relief as Blues beat Nottingham Forest.

What the stones remember; what you will never know

Richard Lutz gets down and dirty to come up against history in the raw.

Ask Howard- the big bonanza quiz

Sir Howard Elston, confidante of rock’n’roll stars everywhere, responds to the big issues.

Are we reaching our critical state?

Will Mapplebeck asks if we are observing the end of politics.

Wall of Sound

Dave Woodhall talks to music writer and now raconteur Mick Wall.

Youth reigns supreme at CBSO

Richard Lutz takes his pew for a CBSO concert infused with youth.

Howard’s Big Quiz Bonanza – answering the questions that will change the world (maybe)

Sir Howard Elston, ennobled man of the people, fields a query about macro-finance and those funny little islands which Britain owns and uses as tax fiddles.

Artrix announces new winter season

Music, comedy and family fun in Bromsgrove.

Blankety blank

Andy Munro on Blues’ defeat at Barnsley.

Lord Howard: How my totally legal tax avoiding offshore accounts will help our nation

Our financial editor Sir Howard Elston talks candidly about where he stows his billions.

Screengrab: The disunited state of America

Richard Lutz turns his attention to a TV documentary that stands out.

We’re going down with the… (insert any two clubs here )

Andy Munro can finally talk about Blues’ midweek defeat at the hands of Brentford.

In the steps of an angel and other tales

Richard Lutz trawls through the wreckage of another week.

Julian Lloyd Webber announced for-Wards project

Conservatoire Principal endorses community music project.

Saying farewell to Marshal

Richard Lutz sits down to celebrate the life of a friend who died a decade ago.

Screengrab: An ungentle word in The Duke’s ear

Richard Lutz spins your dials to offer the best movie on the box this week.

New Stockholm-Birmingham air route announced

New destination for city airport.

Core Issues

Richard Lutz harvests the last remnants of the past week.

Jewellery jazz

Birmingham Jazz homecoming for Birmingham saxophonist.

Birmingham airport praised for city centre transport links

Birmingham ranked third in Europe’s most convenient airports study.

Steak out in the Warwickshire countryside

Visiting Marco Pierre White’s new incursion into Meriden.

Ladies’ football star’s inspiring speech to Solihull School pupils

Blues & England star returns to former school.

New grants available for regional artists and dance professionals

Dance Hub Birmingham announces funding opportunities in the West Midlands.

May day – not a car crash but a pile up

Will Mapplebeck witnesses more whacko politics at one crazy Tory knees-up.

The men behind the Madness

Talking to Suggs from Madness and writer Tom Firth about musicals and the middle of our street.

Boost for cancer support charity

Breast Friends Solihull donate £20,000 to new cancer support centre.

Coriolanus review: When mother knows best

Richard Lutz takes his pew for a story about power and the inability to compromise.

Blues no longer an empty Vassall

Andy Munro watches Blues win at home to Sheffield Wednesday.