BBC WM Sport

The new season kicks off this weekend with Wolves at Rotherham - the featured game here on BBC WM. It'll be former Italy goalkeeper Walter Zenga's first game in charge of the Midlands outfit.

Blues begin their season at home to Cardiff tomorrow. Yesterday they gave a new contract to teenage striker Jack Storer. He only returned to the club from Stevenage in May on a short term deal but scored seven goals in pre-season.

A woman has been subjected to a serious sexual assault in Rowley Regis, West Midlands Police says, external.

The 19-year-old girl was walking in Britannia Park at about 23:00 on Monday when a man grabbed her from behind and threw her to the floor.

She was then sexually assaulted, but after fighting back, she managed to free herself and run to safety. It is believed the attacker may have suffered minor injuries as she got away.

Detective Inspector Michelle Thurgood, said: "At present it is understood that the woman asked a group of people for a cigarette outside the Britannia Inn before the attack. We are appealing for these individuals to get in contact as they may have vital information about what happened.”

A Wolverhampton hairdresser who stopped looters ransacking her shop in the riots of 2011 has said she'd do the same again.

Tom Turrell
BBC Midlands Today

A 44-year-old man, a woman aged 36 and a 16-year-old boy have gone on trial accused of murdering a music shop owner at Birmingham Crown Court.

The prosecution has told a jury that Tanveer Iqbal was strangled to death at an address in Bartley Green using a blue nylon rope before being put into a cardboard box and bundled into the boot of his car. 

Mr Iqbal's body was found by a police officer on 1 February. 

All three defendants deny the charge. A fourth, a 17-year-old girl, stands accused of perverting the course of justice. The case continues. 

Birmingham Mail

Traffic around Birmingham airport was halted by demonstrators, external belonging to the ‘Black Lives Matter’ movement.  

Two dry cleaners who sold their brother's BMW and his wife's wedding dress to raise cash for him while he was fighting for so-called Islamic State in Syria are facing jail.

Walsall men Mohammed Hussain, 26, and Mohamed Rohaman, 32, collected a total of £10,000 for Musadikur Rohaman - including his wife's maternity pay.

Musadikur and his wife Zohura Siddeka, both 27, left for Syria in December 2014.

In addition to the car - sold for £4,000 - and wedding dress, his two brothers sold £1,200 worth of family gold. Their distraught mother was forced to lock up valuables in the family home to try to stop them.

They also arranged for Siddeka's maternity pay from her job as a teacher to be sent out to Syria. They have been convicted after a trial at the Old Bailey of terrorism funding offences between November 2014 and June 2015.

Two men from Walsall have been found guilty of funding terrorism by sending money to their brother who was fighting in Syria, West Midlands Police says, external.

Mohammed Iqbal Hussain, 26, and Mohamed Suyaubur Rohaman, 32, transferred £10,000 to Musadikur Rohaman, 26, who travelled to Syria in 2014.

Mohammed Atiqur Khan, 27, from Buckle Close, Walsall, was convicted of two charges of funding terrorism, selling items to raise money after being recruited by one of the brothers.

Sentencing is due to take place on 9 September.  

Image source, West Midlands Police

Black Lives Matter says it was behind this morning's "shutdown" of roads in English cities including Birmingham.

Five people were arrested in connection with a protest that stopped traffic on the A45 near Birmingham Airport.

UK Black Lives Matter said: "We have chosen today for our action to commemorate the fifth anniversary of Mark Duggan's death at the hands of the Metropolitan Police."

It added: "We take action because justice has not been delivered through conventional means: the police, the IPCC, the courts or the legislature." 

Sara Blizzard
BBC Weather

A much nicer day today and looking rather settled.

Birmingham City sign defender Ryan Shotton from Championship rivals Derby County for an undisclosed fee.

A supporters' group says fans of EFL clubs are "angry" away ticket costs, with some paying 40% above Premier League prices.

Stephanie Barnard
BBC Local Live

Police have arrested four women and a man after a protest was held in the middle of a road near Birmingham Airport this morning.

West Midlands Police said officers were called to the A45 near Solihull at about 07:00 and arrested five people on suspicion of obstructing the highway and failing to comply with section 14 of the public order act.

Video of police and demonstrators has been posted on social media that claims the footage reflects a Birmingham protest in solidarity with the Black Lives Matter movement.  

BBC Coventry & Warwickshire Sport

Warwickshire's bowlers have one wicket to take when they start day two of their county championship match against Yorkshire at Headingley.

The Bears were frustrated by the home side's last pair of batsmen, who so far have accounted for 48 runs of Yorkshire's 252. 

Director of Cricket, Dougie Brown, says he's nevertheless pleased with how the game has gone.

Play is under way at 11:00 this morning. You can follow all the commentary on our website.

BBC Travel

There's queuing traffic on the B4217 Edgbaston Road in both directions in Edgbaston, Birmingham, between the A441 Pershore Road junction and the Russell Road junction, because of drivers heading to the third day of the Third Test at Edgbaston Cricket Ground.  

There are also delays on the A441 Pershore Road outbound in Edgbaston, Birmingham, between the A4540 Belgrave Middleway junction and the B4217 Edgbaston Road junction.

Mikey Burrows
BBC WM Sport

West Bromwich Albion have announced details of a takeover.

This morning's news brings to an end 14 years of Jeremy Peace being in control at the Hawthorns - he's stepping down as chairman to be replaced by former Blackburn Chief Exec John Williams.

The deal still has to be agreed by the Premier League and the financial conduct authority but today's announcement is being described as a historic day for the club. Not a huge amount is known about Guochuan Lai. He's 42 and the head of a company described as China's largest landscape design and construction company, worth £1.8bn.

Following this summer's acquisition of Villa and Wolves, Albion are the third of our clubs to be taken over by chinese investors, with Blues set to be owned by a new Hong Kong-based company from October.

Tamworth Herald

A man died after a Transit van and then a Fiesta drove over him as he was lying in the middle of an unlit country road in the early hours of the morning., external

West Brom says it agreed the sale of the club on 24 June. Since then "both parties have waited for regulatory and approval processes in China to be completed before making the agreement public," said the Baggies on their website., external

"Completion is expected on approval of the FCA and Premier League, whose reviews are currently underway." 

Image source, Getty Images

Police are making a fresh plea for witnesses to a crash on the M5 in which a man from Wolverhampton was seriously injured. 

Peter Smith, 57, remains in hospital where he is being treated for multiple fractures. His motorcyle hit the central reservation between junctions 3 and 2 on 14 July. 

Image source, Smith family

Anyone who saw what happened is asked to contact police.  , external

The new owner of West Brom Guochuan Lai writes an open letter to supporters of the club:, external

Read the letter on the club's website..., external

West Brom announce they are to be taken over by Chinese investors., external

Albion chairman Jeremy Peace agreed the sale of the parent company which owns 88% of the club.

Former Blackburn Rovers chairman, John Williams, will take over with immediate effect , externalwhile the deal is finalised. Jeremy Peace will stay on in an advisory capacity.

Image source, West Brom