20/11/2013 Midlands Today


20/11/2013

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suitable chairman of the Co-op. That is all from the BBC News at

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Hello and welcome to Midlands Today. The headlines tonight: Birmingham's

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Filipino community says there's been an overwhelming response as they

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prepare to send aid direct to victims of the typhoon.

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Thereafter a few that I note that have lost 16 members of their

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family. We'll be hearing from an aid worker just back from the

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Philippines. Also tonight: It is quite scary

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working in Birmingham knowing he is around. Is this the man who's

:00:38.:00:40.

carried out 11 terrifying attacks on women with a hypodermic needle?

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Fears that nursery schools could shut in the Potteries as council

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cutbacks bite. It is not right spending money on a new building!

:00:53.:00:55.

So many England hopes resting on their shoulders ` the Warwickshire

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batsmen poised for action as the Ashes get underway down under

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tonight. And after a hard frost, a lashing

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from hailstones and showers of sleet and snow ` could it get much worse

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than it already is? Find out later in the forecast.

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Good evening. Filipino groups are preparing to send out money and aid

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they've been collecting to help their country rebuild after Typhoon

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Haiyan. They say they've been overwhelmed by the response from the

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public. The plan is to adopt four of the worst affected towns, to be sure

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help is going directly to those most in need. The operation's being

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co`ordinated in Birmingham which has one of the largest Filipino

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communities in the country. Giles Latcham reports.

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In a community centre in Woodgate, a real community effort. Among the

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volunteers, Filipino expats thinking of their countrymen back home. My

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heart bleeds for them and I can really sympathise with how they

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feel. We are so far so that is one of the things we can contribute.

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Donations began to come in within hours of the typhoon striking. It is

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quite overwhelming. This came in from all over, Gloucester, not just

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Birmingham. The number of dead is put at nearly 4000, the number

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displaced 4 million. One of the first UK aid workers to travel to

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the Philippines has just returned. Behind me was once her home to. He

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filmed his own pictures and is still struggling to comprehend the scale

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of the disaster. Things were turned upside down completely. Completely

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decimated. In areas that were not hit, you would hardly know there is

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a crisis but it is a different world there. Special prayers have been

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said at this church in Harborne where a collection raised nearly

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?5,000 for the relief effort. One Filipino worshipper has lost 16

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members of her family. I have not asked this dear nurse any more

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questions because I cannot imagine what it is like. One person dead,

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several thousand miles away but 16? Their families tend to be much

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closer to them. These supplies are on their way, destined for four

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nominated towns so we will know who have benefited. There is no quick

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fix. The Filipinos will need their friends abroad for into the future.

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Coming up later in the programme: The great M6 mystery ` miles of

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cones but where are the workers? The answer may surprise you.

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Police say they're now investigating 11 suspected cases of attacks with a

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hypodermic needle on women in Birmingham city centre. All have

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been in the popular and busy Broad Street area. We can go over live to

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our reporter Bob Hockenhull. Extremely nasty attacks and very

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worrying for the victims, Bob. Yes, the immediate assumption by those

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attacked is they may well have been infected by something nasty.

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Fortunately, that has not proved to be the case but the police are

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struggling to find a motive for the attacks which have been taking place

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over a period of many months. It was 4am, Katie Wakeman was trying to get

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a taxi on broad Street after a night out when she felt a sharp pain in

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her buttock. She had a puncture wound which

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needed hospital treatment. I turned round to see who was behind me,

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there was no one there. The physical is gone but I am still suffering

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psychologically. I have not been too broad Street since. Police believe

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the assault may be linked to 11 similar attacks. They have released

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this CCTV image of a suspect and also want to talk to another man

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shown on the footage. Many of the offences happened several months ago

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so there is a lot of work we need to be doing based on the initial

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descriptions given by the victims. The women attacked have all

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undergone blood tests for HIV and other diseases. So far they have

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showed no symptoms but some victims are still awaiting results. It is

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quite scary working in Birmingham knowing he is around. It is

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obviously very dangerous and the risk of contracting diseases. They

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need to be caught. The police say the attacks are causing concern.

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They say the number of offices patrolling the area have increased.

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Licensees, doormen and Street wardens have also been put on

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alert. I am confident the attacks will stop now. Whoever is doing this

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would be a full to come back. But the victim 's want to see the attack

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are brought to justice as soon as possible. What else are police

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doing? The images of the two suspects

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released were taken on November three, the date of one of the latest

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attacks but now they are getting news of lots more assaults say there

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is lots more CCTV footage to work through. That is what the police are

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doing now, trying to find clues as to who may be responsible.

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There was severe traffic congestion on the M40 today when a lorry

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partially overturned, after crashing through the central reservation and

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trapping a car underneath it. The southbound carriageway was closed

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for several hours between junctions 16 and 15 at Warwick. The third lane

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of the motorway was closed in both directions for emergency barrier

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repair and may remain shut overnight.

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No decision's been made yet on whether or not the government will

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take control of children's services from Birmingham City Council. The

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department's been rated "inadequate" for four years, following a number

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of high`profile child deaths in the city, including Khyra Ishaq in 2008

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and Keanu Williams in 2011. Children's Minister Edward Timpson

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told a committee of MPs one option would be for children's services to

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be run by an independent trust. What we need to see is more information

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about the progression within Birmingham and what will be the best

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way of transforming children's services.

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Parents are worried a nursery that's been praised for its "outstanding"

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education and childcare could shut because of council cuts. As we

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reported last night, Stoke on Trent City Council is making savings of

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?20 million. It's changing the way pre`school education is funded, but

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the Chair of Governors at one nursery says the decision would be

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short`sighted. Here's our Staffordshire reporter, Liz Copper.

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Arriving at the Grange Nursery in a hailstorm. But these children could

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be part of a political storm. Changes to the number of hours of

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nursery care and the charges have led to fears for this nursery's

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future. It would be a disaster around here. At the end of the day,

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we are children who need education. They are always moaning they have no

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money but they can find money to build what they want. Stoke`on`Trent

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city council is planning to save ?20 million next year. The council's

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budget stands at around ?500 million. The changes to nursery care

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are part of wide ranging proposals. The schools have been rated

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excellent and I can see the impact they are having on children and

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families. They need to think carefully about the consequences of

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the withdrawal of that provision, especially when it has been

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successful. The council says these plans are about harmonising care and

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will provide equality for children. The council says there will be

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benefits elsewhere. The council's chief executive said this is about

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providing equality. Parents do not see this as equitable. It is about

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providing equality because it ensures that the 15 hour offer is

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available to all parents no matter where they live and on top of that,

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will be additional support, targeted support for the most disadvantaged

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children and families. Parents are being consulted on the plans and

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final decisions are expected to be made in the New Year.

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This is our top story tonight: Filipino communities in Birmingham

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to send aid direct to four towns devastated by the typhoon in their

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homeland. Your detailed weather forecast to

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come shortly from Shefali. Also in tonight's programme: the car that

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can't crash ` how work being done right here could make it a reality.

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And I am at the German Christmas market with attractions millions of

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visitors to Birmingham city centre every year.

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Congestion on the M6 around Birmingham is up to three times

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worse since major road works began. Not surprisingly, the delays have

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been leaving drivers frustrated but also confused. That's because

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there's mile after mile of cones, but often not a sign of any work

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taking place. So what's going on? Holly Lewis has been investigating.

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For 18 months, there have been eight miles of road works on the M5 and

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more heading north. It has caused delays and frustration especially as

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often there was no worker to be seen. The answer is

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straightforward. During the day their race snagging work and a small

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amount of work to complete but all the main resurfacing work, or that

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has to be done at night when we can get onto the lanes. The works are

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part of a plan to ease congestion but at the moment they are making it

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worse. Research shows that in the first few months, the average speed

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on this section was just 19 miles an hour. In April there were three

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times as many reports of traffic problems as just before the

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roadworks started in 2012. The difference is probably due to

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motorists finding alternative routes. I prefer to use the toll

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road because it saves me time. The solution is to bring in more toll

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roads. The roadworks are part of a plan to turn this stretch of the M6

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into a managed motorway using technology to control speed limits

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and bringing the hard shoulder into play due in busy times. Birmingham

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chamber of commerce has said businesses are losing out because of

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the delays at the government says this brings benefits. Jobs are

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created through construction, there will be economic benefits for the

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whole region as people will be able to move around. The improvements are

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due to be completed by April next year.

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Just a few of your comments on this story. Mo Awais reckons it could

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have been done in half the time. Nick Insull says the road works near

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Spaghetti have been a nightmare in the evenings. Pete Woodcock says

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he's switching to the A38. Julie Talbot says it's been a complete

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"pain". And Matt Jeffries says in theory four lanes on the M6 will be

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great, but only if drivers use them properly. Thank you to all of you

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who got in touch. Staying behind the wheel and could

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we one day have a car that simply can't crash? Well, some ground

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breaking technology demonstrated in Warwickshire today could see that

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become reality. Our Transport Correspondent Peter Plisner reports

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from MIRA, the Motor Industry Research Association testing ground

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near Nuneaton in Warwickshire. We are driving along, minding our

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own business, traffic ahead slows and as we checked the traffic, the

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closing speed is too fast. Another collision avoided by the car that

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stops itself. This is not pie in the sky technology. It is available now

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and was today on show at a special demonstration in Warwickshire.

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Sensors can tell how close the traffic ahead is. If too close, the

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brakes are applied automatically. It will not guarantee it. An accident

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but it will alert the driver if the closing speed is too fast to be

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comfortable. This is really amazing technology. The car that parks

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itself. A series of sensors is judging how close the cars nearby

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are. It is parking the car perfectly. Today there was

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simulation of a system designed to stop drivers straying out of lanes

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on motorways. Experts maintain we're not far from the car that

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effectively can drive itself. We will see these technologies

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proliferating quickly and by 2020 we will have the core technologies that

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will drive themselves. That will reduce crashes to protect honourable

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road users and reduce crashes. That is good news for all drivers

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including those invited to today's event. It is very impressive,

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thereon lots of the things I have not experienced before, the

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automated parking and the brake intervention which is the future of

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road safety. A glimpse of future motoring but the big question is

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will drivers be happy to hand over control of their car to a computer?

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In cricket, just five hours to wait now until the first ball of the new

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Ashes series is bowled down under in Brisbane. The Warwickshire pair of

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Ian Bell and Jonathan Trott will be the backbone of the England team.

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But they're expecting a rough reception from the Australians who

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are desperate to win back the Ashes. Nick Clitheroe reports.

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The weather may be hot in Brisbane but the reception has been hotter.

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The Australian media has wasted no time trying to unsettle the England

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team. Kevin Pietersen has been their target. I don't live in the bright

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lights of London, I live in Birmingham so I am very proud of

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where I have come from and what I am about. England's players seem to be

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taking the criticism in their stride. They knew what to expect

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from opponents wounded by three Ashes defeats in a row. We will have

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to start very well in Brisbane, Australia have a fantastic record

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there. It is a fantastic challenge for us. As an Englishman in

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Australia, it is the number`1 challenge. From a nation used to

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dominating world cricket, the pressure is on Australia. The guys

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have great memories of playing in Australia. That history we have with

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the Ashes is great to be involved in. The Australian public are

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passionate about winning. They expect or their teams to win and

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they generally do that. England's every move will be closely

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scrutinised but if Alistair Cooke gets his hands on the tiny and once

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more, it will all have been worthwhile. With us is someone who

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played for England in the last test three months ago. Chris Woakes. You

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have played in Australia and it will be tasty tonight. It will be. That

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first session will be tasty and the Australians will hope they can stamp

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their authority early on. You played in an Ashes test match. Does the

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atmosphere affect the players? Once you get onto the pitch you are in a

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zone. You definitely are aware of what is going on around you. For the

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English lads, they will have to try to blank that out. There will be

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plenty of Australians screaming at them so it will be an interesting

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first sessions. What about the mentality of the Australians? There

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is pressure on them to win. Having lost the last three Ashes series and

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this being in their own backyard, there will be pressure on them. How

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much do you think breasts on Ian Bell and Jonathan Trott? `` rests.

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They had a fantastic series in the home series so if they can do that

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again, that would be great. Can the Australians turn it round? It will

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be a hard`fought series. I personally think England have got

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too much for them. The Australians record at the Gabba is fantastic so

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the first test will be crucial. Thank you.

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Our canals can be great routes to walk or cycle, taking you deep into

:20:31.:20:33.

the countryside. I'm a big fan myself, but not all towpaths are in

:20:34.:20:37.

good condition. If it all becomes too muddy to cross, then you may

:20:38.:20:40.

well have to go back on yourself. Well, Sarah Falkland's been finding

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out about some hi`tech help that'll soon be at hand.

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The flight of locks in Warwickshire, Wolves owner as the

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stairway to heaven. `` also known. Mapping for Google's canal version

:21:02.:21:07.

of Streetview has begun and Howard Easton is going boldly where no

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volunteer lock keeper has gone before. It weighs ?40 and it is like

:21:11.:21:21.

a heavy knapsack. The harness is very comfortable and with the sticks

:21:22.:21:26.

it is stable and it is like opening for a challenging walk. Thereafter

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15 lenses and they each take a picture every two seconds and the

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software puts the images together into a 360 degrees view you see on

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Google. This project is about drawing more people onto the canal

:21:45.:21:55.

network. Where did I see that unusual sculpture? Where was that

:21:56.:22:01.

fantastic view? We are doing quite a few sites in the West Midlands and

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various areas. We are doing Birmingham city centre and some of

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our lovely legs. Capturing canalside life is not likely to be as quite

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controversial as Streetview which was criticised for invading people

:22:19.:22:24.

's privacy and trackers like Howard are in good company. Venice was

:22:25.:22:30.

launched this week on the web as a 360 destination. The Midlands canal

:22:31.:22:34.

view should be online in the next six months. So Howard had better get

:22:35.:22:46.

a move on. Now the weather forecast. The worst

:22:47.:23:02.

is almost over, certainly of Hale, sleet and snow but we have other

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concerns and that will be in the form of ice, frost and freezing fog

:23:07.:23:11.

by the end of the weekend but also the days will be largely dry. The

:23:12.:23:17.

low pressure brought us today is strengthening winds. This is pulling

:23:18.:23:23.

to the south`east and once it does, high pressure will replace it

:23:24.:23:30.

tomorrow. As I said, right now we have got some showers to content

:23:31.:23:34.

with. The worst is over but it does not look like it from the chart

:23:35.:23:38.

because some of the showers are quite lively. It is only towards the

:23:39.:23:45.

end of the night that they may show signs of easing. Temperatures above

:23:46.:23:52.

freezing for most tonight, too minus four Celsius. In rural spots we

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could see those values drop low enough for ice and frost tomorrow

:23:57.:24:07.

morning. The eastern half of the region during the morning will see a

:24:08.:24:13.

fuse showers. After they will be cut off by the growing tendency of that

:24:14.:24:20.

high pressure to the north`west. By the afternoon it will be much drier

:24:21.:24:26.

and we will see plenty of water and sunshine taking temperatures up to

:24:27.:24:33.

seven Celsius. The winds still brisk and they will add a wind chill

:24:34.:24:38.

factor making it feel colder. Tomorrow night, the winds on later.

:24:39.:24:45.

But the cloud streams in from the north and will prevent temperatures

:24:46.:24:49.

dropping from two below. For the rest of the week, largely dry with

:24:50.:25:00.

night frosts and freezing fog. We are hoping it is not too bad at the

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German market. It is really quite chilly here. It is a warm, festive

:25:06.:25:15.

glow generated by the crowds visiting 200 stalls and earlier I

:25:16.:25:21.

joined them. It is festive fun but the German market in Birmingham city

:25:22.:25:26.

centre is positive news for hotels, shops and rushed once. It brings

:25:27.:25:31.

people to Birmingham on short breaks to sample the market and once here,

:25:32.:25:36.

this is where they do their main Christmas shopping. It is the

:25:37.:25:42.

biggest market of its kind outside Germany and Austria and stretches a

:25:43.:25:46.

mile from the ball went all the way down to centenary square. There for

:25:47.:25:56.

big families that one all the stalls. Thereof three generations

:25:57.:26:03.

here, grandmother, daughter`in`law and granddaughter and a return year

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after year. We share everything, the life here and you feel at home. You

:26:10.:26:17.

do not feel like a stranger. 4 million people visited the market

:26:18.:26:22.

last year. I have come every year for the past four years. It is very

:26:23.:26:35.

expensive. It is a great place. And talking of cold, the ice rink has

:26:36.:26:40.

returned this time after a break of the few years. A chance to let off

:26:41.:26:46.

steam while the market spins off money for the local economy. It will

:26:47.:26:52.

be generating business right up until the 22nd of December. It

:26:53.:26:57.

finishes before Christmas to allow those German stallholders to get

:26:58.:27:02.

back home ready to celebrate Christmas there. For businesses,

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they have to compete with other cities for visitors so organisers

:27:09.:27:13.

say having a market like this makes Birmingham a destination to visit.

:27:14.:27:17.

Tonight's headlines from the BBC: An inquiry's launched into the scandal

:27:18.:27:20.

that's engulfed the Co`operative bank.

:27:21.:27:22.

Two women and two children are killed in a house fire in Derbyshire

:27:23.:27:26.

in the early hours of this morning. Birmingham's Filipino community says

:27:27.:27:29.

it will send aid direct to four towns affected by the typhoon.

:27:30.:27:33.

And police want to talk to these men about hypodermic needle attacks. Up

:27:34.:27:40.

to 11 women have been targeted. That was the Midlands Today. I'll be

:27:41.:27:44.

back at ten o'clock with the very latest news from around the region.

:27:45.:27:46.

Have a great evening. Goodbye. I'm Nigel Slater, a cook.

:27:47.:28:08.

And I'm Adam Henson, a farmer. all back in touch with

:28:09.:28:12.

where our food really comes from. You asked me to grow some

:28:13.:28:16.

durum wheat to produce your pasta.

:28:17.:28:20.

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