BBC Sport

Midfielder Stephane Sessegnon and striker Victor Anichebe leave West Bromwich Albion as their contracts expire at The Hawthorns.

Sessegnon, 31, has scored eight goals in 92 games for the Baggies since joining for a then club record fee from Sunderland in September 2013.

Anichebe, who signed at the same time in a £6m move from Everton, scored nine times in 63 appearances.

Image source, Getty Images

BBC Travel

There's disruption on rail services through Birmingham New Street after an "object" got entangled in overhead wires near Longbridge.

Buses are running between Longbridge and Redditch to replace any cancelled trains, Network Rail reports, external.

CrossCountry and Cross City routes are affected.

Lucy Martin
BBC Weather

Some sunny spells this afternoon before cloud moves in, bringing outbreaks of rain by this evening.

Highs of 17C (63F).

This week's Walsall Advertiser, external front page: Charity to close as parents struggle with "reminder".

Image source, Walsall Advertiser

Here's more on our earlier story about delays to services from Droitwich Spa railway station due to an incident attended by emergency services:

British Transport Police said it was called to the line near Ladywood Road following a report at 05:46 that a person had been struck by a train.

A spokesman said: "Paramedics from the West Midlands Ambulance Service also attended but the man was pronounced dead at the scene. Officers are now working to identify the man and inform his family."

Kathryn Stanczyszyn
Political Reporter, BBC WM

It's been six months since the first Syrian refugees taken in by Birmingham City Council arrived in the city.

The Al-Baarinis are a family of five - mum Samah, dad Abdul Hamid, and three children, Nour, Halil and Maryam. Abdul Hamid worked as a mechanic in Syria but the whole family fled their home city of Homs in 2012 as the fighting worsened.

After that, they were caught up in the Humanitarian System in the Middle East - until the end of January, when they heard they'd be coming to the UK. 

They'd never heard of Birmingham before but they've been helped with the basics by the Birmingham charity Amirah Foundation - including lots of form-filling - and all of them are learning English; a language of which they only knew a few words before.

Three robbers who held up 13 shops over five months armed with swords, hammers and crowbars have been jailed, West Midlands Police says, external.

Coventry gang members Anthony Collier, Darren Irwin and Thomas Rawbone (pictured left to right) struck at convenience stores across Coventry, Solihull and Warwickshire, stealing tens of thousands of pounds in cash and cigarettes.

Image source, West Midlands Police

Among their targets was a shop in Kenilworth which they robbed three times.

All three men admitted conspiracy to rob. Collier, aged 31 – who admitted being part of a three-strong gang that robbed Hatton Country World in July 2014 – was jailed for a total of 18 years, while Rawbone, 26, and 34-year-old Irwin were both handed prison terms of 11-and-a-half years. 

Tamworth Herald

A car with a woman inside was left hanging precariously over a canal, external in Tamworth.

Image source, EpiTog

Two passengers were asked to get off a UK flight to Rome shortly before take-off over reports they were "acting suspiciously".

The men were asked to leave the plane at Birmingham and were questioned by police.

Officers did not find anything suspicious and the men travelled the next day, said West Midlands Police.

Another traveller on the Sunday flight, Marsha De Salvatore, claimed the report made about the two men appeared to be "pure racism". She said the pilot told passengers over the cabin speakers he believed any suspicions had been "unfounded".

Here's more on our breaking story: The discovery of the body was made at about 12:40 on Wednesday at a flat in Thompson Road, Warley. The man, 32, has not yet been officially named.

Forensic experts are combing over the scene, which has been cordoned off for their examinations to take place.

A 28-year-old man has been arrested on suspicion of murder and West Midlands Police said he was "helping police with their inquiries".

A post-morterm is due to take place later today.

The body of a 32-year-old man was found at a flat in Sandwell yesterday, police have revealed.

Samit Patel's brilliant 68-ball century is not enough to save Nottinghamshire from a 53-run defeat by Warwickshire.

Alex Homer
BBC Local Live

Here are the top stories on Thursday:

- Chinese businessman Dr Tony Xia has agreed to buy relegated Aston Villa for £60m

- 'Racism' claim after pair taken off Birmingham plane

- The BBC speaks to a Syrian family among the first 50 refugees taken in from the war-torn country by Birmingham City Council

Chinese businessman Dr Tony Xia agrees a deal to buy Aston Villa for £60m following their relegation to the Championship.

The deal, which is subject to Football League approval, would see Xia take 100% ownership and become chairman.

American billionaire Randy Lerner, who bought Villa in 2006 for £62.2m, put the club up for sale in 2014.

A club statement, external said Lerner "sought the right owner to take care of the club and restore fortunes" and believes Xia is an "excellent choice".

Image source, Reuters

BBC Travel

Emergency services are reportedly dealing with an incident at Droitwich Spa rail station, causing delays of up to 40 minutes on London Midland trains between Kidderminster and Bromsgrove and between Worcester Foregate Street and Bromsgrove.

Alex Homer
BBC Local Live

I'm back with the latest news, sport, travel and weather updates on Thursday.

Comment on our stories or send us your pictures over email, tweet @bbcwm, external or reach us on the BBC WM Facebook page, external.