:00:00. > :00:00.suitable chairman of the Co-op. That is all from the BBC News at
:00:00. > :00:00.Hello and welcome to Midlands Today. The headlines tonight: Birmingham's
:00:07. > :00:09.Filipino community says there's been an overwhelming response as they
:00:10. > :00:21.prepare to send aid direct to victims of the typhoon.
:00:22. > :00:25.Thereafter a few that I note that have lost 16 members of their
:00:26. > :00:26.family. We'll be hearing from an aid worker just back from the
:00:27. > :00:37.Philippines. Also tonight: It is quite scary
:00:38. > :00:40.working in Birmingham knowing he is around. Is this the man who's
:00:41. > :00:43.carried out 11 terrifying attacks on women with a hypodermic needle?
:00:44. > :00:52.Fears that nursery schools could shut in the Potteries as council
:00:53. > :00:55.cutbacks bite. It is not right spending money on a new building!
:00:56. > :00:58.So many England hopes resting on their shoulders ` the Warwickshire
:00:59. > :00:59.batsmen poised for action as the Ashes get underway down under
:01:00. > :01:03.tonight. And after a hard frost, a lashing
:01:04. > :01:07.from hailstones and showers of sleet and snow ` could it get much worse
:01:08. > :01:17.than it already is? Find out later in the forecast.
:01:18. > :01:20.Good evening. Filipino groups are preparing to send out money and aid
:01:21. > :01:25.they've been collecting to help their country rebuild after Typhoon
:01:26. > :01:29.Haiyan. They say they've been overwhelmed by the response from the
:01:30. > :01:33.public. The plan is to adopt four of the worst affected towns, to be sure
:01:34. > :01:36.help is going directly to those most in need. The operation's being
:01:37. > :01:39.co`ordinated in Birmingham which has one of the largest Filipino
:01:40. > :01:49.communities in the country. Giles Latcham reports.
:01:50. > :01:54.In a community centre in Woodgate, a real community effort. Among the
:01:55. > :02:01.volunteers, Filipino expats thinking of their countrymen back home. My
:02:02. > :02:07.heart bleeds for them and I can really sympathise with how they
:02:08. > :02:13.feel. We are so far so that is one of the things we can contribute.
:02:14. > :02:19.Donations began to come in within hours of the typhoon striking. It is
:02:20. > :02:30.quite overwhelming. This came in from all over, Gloucester, not just
:02:31. > :02:36.Birmingham. The number of dead is put at nearly 4000, the number
:02:37. > :02:42.displaced 4 million. One of the first UK aid workers to travel to
:02:43. > :02:49.the Philippines has just returned. Behind me was once her home to. He
:02:50. > :02:57.filmed his own pictures and is still struggling to comprehend the scale
:02:58. > :03:02.of the disaster. Things were turned upside down completely. Completely
:03:03. > :03:09.decimated. In areas that were not hit, you would hardly know there is
:03:10. > :03:14.a crisis but it is a different world there. Special prayers have been
:03:15. > :03:20.said at this church in Harborne where a collection raised nearly
:03:21. > :03:27.?5,000 for the relief effort. One Filipino worshipper has lost 16
:03:28. > :03:30.members of her family. I have not asked this dear nurse any more
:03:31. > :03:40.questions because I cannot imagine what it is like. One person dead,
:03:41. > :03:46.several thousand miles away but 16? Their families tend to be much
:03:47. > :03:53.closer to them. These supplies are on their way, destined for four
:03:54. > :03:57.nominated towns so we will know who have benefited. There is no quick
:03:58. > :04:04.fix. The Filipinos will need their friends abroad for into the future.
:04:05. > :04:08.Coming up later in the programme: The great M6 mystery ` miles of
:04:09. > :04:13.cones but where are the workers? The answer may surprise you.
:04:14. > :04:16.Police say they're now investigating 11 suspected cases of attacks with a
:04:17. > :04:22.hypodermic needle on women in Birmingham city centre. All have
:04:23. > :04:25.been in the popular and busy Broad Street area. We can go over live to
:04:26. > :04:34.our reporter Bob Hockenhull. Extremely nasty attacks and very
:04:35. > :04:40.worrying for the victims, Bob. Yes, the immediate assumption by those
:04:41. > :04:44.attacked is they may well have been infected by something nasty.
:04:45. > :04:48.Fortunately, that has not proved to be the case but the police are
:04:49. > :04:55.struggling to find a motive for the attacks which have been taking place
:04:56. > :05:00.over a period of many months. It was 4am, Katie Wakeman was trying to get
:05:01. > :05:04.a taxi on broad Street after a night out when she felt a sharp pain in
:05:05. > :05:09.her buttock. She had a puncture wound which
:05:10. > :05:16.needed hospital treatment. I turned round to see who was behind me,
:05:17. > :05:21.there was no one there. The physical is gone but I am still suffering
:05:22. > :05:30.psychologically. I have not been too broad Street since. Police believe
:05:31. > :05:35.the assault may be linked to 11 similar attacks. They have released
:05:36. > :05:41.this CCTV image of a suspect and also want to talk to another man
:05:42. > :05:46.shown on the footage. Many of the offences happened several months ago
:05:47. > :05:52.so there is a lot of work we need to be doing based on the initial
:05:53. > :05:56.descriptions given by the victims. The women attacked have all
:05:57. > :06:01.undergone blood tests for HIV and other diseases. So far they have
:06:02. > :06:09.showed no symptoms but some victims are still awaiting results. It is
:06:10. > :06:13.quite scary working in Birmingham knowing he is around. It is
:06:14. > :06:23.obviously very dangerous and the risk of contracting diseases. They
:06:24. > :06:29.need to be caught. The police say the attacks are causing concern.
:06:30. > :06:34.They say the number of offices patrolling the area have increased.
:06:35. > :06:38.Licensees, doormen and Street wardens have also been put on
:06:39. > :06:47.alert. I am confident the attacks will stop now. Whoever is doing this
:06:48. > :06:50.would be a full to come back. But the victim 's want to see the attack
:06:51. > :06:55.are brought to justice as soon as possible. What else are police
:06:56. > :07:00.doing? The images of the two suspects
:07:01. > :07:04.released were taken on November three, the date of one of the latest
:07:05. > :07:12.attacks but now they are getting news of lots more assaults say there
:07:13. > :07:16.is lots more CCTV footage to work through. That is what the police are
:07:17. > :07:24.doing now, trying to find clues as to who may be responsible.
:07:25. > :07:27.There was severe traffic congestion on the M40 today when a lorry
:07:28. > :07:30.partially overturned, after crashing through the central reservation and
:07:31. > :07:33.trapping a car underneath it. The southbound carriageway was closed
:07:34. > :07:37.for several hours between junctions 16 and 15 at Warwick. The third lane
:07:38. > :07:39.of the motorway was closed in both directions for emergency barrier
:07:40. > :07:44.repair and may remain shut overnight.
:07:45. > :07:48.No decision's been made yet on whether or not the government will
:07:49. > :07:50.take control of children's services from Birmingham City Council. The
:07:51. > :07:53.department's been rated "inadequate" for four years, following a number
:07:54. > :07:58.of high`profile child deaths in the city, including Khyra Ishaq in 2008
:07:59. > :08:01.and Keanu Williams in 2011. Children's Minister Edward Timpson
:08:02. > :08:11.told a committee of MPs one option would be for children's services to
:08:12. > :08:16.be run by an independent trust. What we need to see is more information
:08:17. > :08:21.about the progression within Birmingham and what will be the best
:08:22. > :08:27.way of transforming children's services.
:08:28. > :08:29.Parents are worried a nursery that's been praised for its "outstanding"
:08:30. > :08:32.education and childcare could shut because of council cuts. As we
:08:33. > :08:36.reported last night, Stoke on Trent City Council is making savings of
:08:37. > :08:39.?20 million. It's changing the way pre`school education is funded, but
:08:40. > :08:41.the Chair of Governors at one nursery says the decision would be
:08:42. > :08:54.short`sighted. Here's our Staffordshire reporter, Liz Copper.
:08:55. > :08:58.Arriving at the Grange Nursery in a hailstorm. But these children could
:08:59. > :09:03.be part of a political storm. Changes to the number of hours of
:09:04. > :09:08.nursery care and the charges have led to fears for this nursery's
:09:09. > :09:17.future. It would be a disaster around here. At the end of the day,
:09:18. > :09:22.we are children who need education. They are always moaning they have no
:09:23. > :09:30.money but they can find money to build what they want. Stoke`on`Trent
:09:31. > :09:36.city council is planning to save ?20 million next year. The council's
:09:37. > :09:42.budget stands at around ?500 million. The changes to nursery care
:09:43. > :09:46.are part of wide ranging proposals. The schools have been rated
:09:47. > :09:50.excellent and I can see the impact they are having on children and
:09:51. > :09:54.families. They need to think carefully about the consequences of
:09:55. > :10:00.the withdrawal of that provision, especially when it has been
:10:01. > :10:06.successful. The council says these plans are about harmonising care and
:10:07. > :10:12.will provide equality for children. The council says there will be
:10:13. > :10:18.benefits elsewhere. The council's chief executive said this is about
:10:19. > :10:25.providing equality. Parents do not see this as equitable. It is about
:10:26. > :10:30.providing equality because it ensures that the 15 hour offer is
:10:31. > :10:36.available to all parents no matter where they live and on top of that,
:10:37. > :10:41.will be additional support, targeted support for the most disadvantaged
:10:42. > :10:45.children and families. Parents are being consulted on the plans and
:10:46. > :10:51.final decisions are expected to be made in the New Year.
:10:52. > :10:54.This is our top story tonight: Filipino communities in Birmingham
:10:55. > :10:56.to send aid direct to four towns devastated by the typhoon in their
:10:57. > :11:00.homeland. Your detailed weather forecast to
:11:01. > :11:03.come shortly from Shefali. Also in tonight's programme: the car that
:11:04. > :11:12.can't crash ` how work being done right here could make it a reality.
:11:13. > :11:17.And I am at the German Christmas market with attractions millions of
:11:18. > :11:21.visitors to Birmingham city centre every year.
:11:22. > :11:26.Congestion on the M6 around Birmingham is up to three times
:11:27. > :11:29.worse since major road works began. Not surprisingly, the delays have
:11:30. > :11:33.been leaving drivers frustrated but also confused. That's because
:11:34. > :11:36.there's mile after mile of cones, but often not a sign of any work
:11:37. > :11:45.taking place. So what's going on? Holly Lewis has been investigating.
:11:46. > :11:53.For 18 months, there have been eight miles of road works on the M5 and
:11:54. > :11:57.more heading north. It has caused delays and frustration especially as
:11:58. > :12:02.often there was no worker to be seen. The answer is
:12:03. > :12:06.straightforward. During the day their race snagging work and a small
:12:07. > :12:12.amount of work to complete but all the main resurfacing work, or that
:12:13. > :12:18.has to be done at night when we can get onto the lanes. The works are
:12:19. > :12:24.part of a plan to ease congestion but at the moment they are making it
:12:25. > :12:29.worse. Research shows that in the first few months, the average speed
:12:30. > :12:33.on this section was just 19 miles an hour. In April there were three
:12:34. > :12:41.times as many reports of traffic problems as just before the
:12:42. > :12:45.roadworks started in 2012. The difference is probably due to
:12:46. > :12:52.motorists finding alternative routes. I prefer to use the toll
:12:53. > :12:59.road because it saves me time. The solution is to bring in more toll
:13:00. > :13:05.roads. The roadworks are part of a plan to turn this stretch of the M6
:13:06. > :13:08.into a managed motorway using technology to control speed limits
:13:09. > :13:13.and bringing the hard shoulder into play due in busy times. Birmingham
:13:14. > :13:17.chamber of commerce has said businesses are losing out because of
:13:18. > :13:23.the delays at the government says this brings benefits. Jobs are
:13:24. > :13:28.created through construction, there will be economic benefits for the
:13:29. > :13:33.whole region as people will be able to move around. The improvements are
:13:34. > :13:38.due to be completed by April next year.
:13:39. > :13:42.Just a few of your comments on this story. Mo Awais reckons it could
:13:43. > :13:45.have been done in half the time. Nick Insull says the road works near
:13:46. > :13:49.Spaghetti have been a nightmare in the evenings. Pete Woodcock says
:13:50. > :13:53.he's switching to the A38. Julie Talbot says it's been a complete
:13:54. > :13:58."pain". And Matt Jeffries says in theory four lanes on the M6 will be
:13:59. > :14:05.great, but only if drivers use them properly. Thank you to all of you
:14:06. > :14:09.who got in touch. Staying behind the wheel and could
:14:10. > :14:11.we one day have a car that simply can't crash? Well, some ground
:14:12. > :14:14.breaking technology demonstrated in Warwickshire today could see that
:14:15. > :14:16.become reality. Our Transport Correspondent Peter Plisner reports
:14:17. > :14:26.from MIRA, the Motor Industry Research Association testing ground
:14:27. > :14:31.near Nuneaton in Warwickshire. We are driving along, minding our
:14:32. > :14:41.own business, traffic ahead slows and as we checked the traffic, the
:14:42. > :14:46.closing speed is too fast. Another collision avoided by the car that
:14:47. > :14:53.stops itself. This is not pie in the sky technology. It is available now
:14:54. > :14:57.and was today on show at a special demonstration in Warwickshire.
:14:58. > :15:03.Sensors can tell how close the traffic ahead is. If too close, the
:15:04. > :15:09.brakes are applied automatically. It will not guarantee it. An accident
:15:10. > :15:18.but it will alert the driver if the closing speed is too fast to be
:15:19. > :15:25.comfortable. This is really amazing technology. The car that parks
:15:26. > :15:30.itself. A series of sensors is judging how close the cars nearby
:15:31. > :15:34.are. It is parking the car perfectly. Today there was
:15:35. > :15:39.simulation of a system designed to stop drivers straying out of lanes
:15:40. > :15:45.on motorways. Experts maintain we're not far from the car that
:15:46. > :15:49.effectively can drive itself. We will see these technologies
:15:50. > :15:56.proliferating quickly and by 2020 we will have the core technologies that
:15:57. > :16:02.will drive themselves. That will reduce crashes to protect honourable
:16:03. > :16:08.road users and reduce crashes. That is good news for all drivers
:16:09. > :16:13.including those invited to today's event. It is very impressive,
:16:14. > :16:18.thereon lots of the things I have not experienced before, the
:16:19. > :16:24.automated parking and the brake intervention which is the future of
:16:25. > :16:28.road safety. A glimpse of future motoring but the big question is
:16:29. > :16:38.will drivers be happy to hand over control of their car to a computer?
:16:39. > :16:42.In cricket, just five hours to wait now until the first ball of the new
:16:43. > :16:46.Ashes series is bowled down under in Brisbane. The Warwickshire pair of
:16:47. > :16:48.Ian Bell and Jonathan Trott will be the backbone of the England team.
:16:49. > :16:52.But they're expecting a rough reception from the Australians who
:16:53. > :16:59.are desperate to win back the Ashes. Nick Clitheroe reports.
:17:00. > :17:04.The weather may be hot in Brisbane but the reception has been hotter.
:17:05. > :17:09.The Australian media has wasted no time trying to unsettle the England
:17:10. > :17:16.team. Kevin Pietersen has been their target. I don't live in the bright
:17:17. > :17:20.lights of London, I live in Birmingham so I am very proud of
:17:21. > :17:26.where I have come from and what I am about. England's players seem to be
:17:27. > :17:31.taking the criticism in their stride. They knew what to expect
:17:32. > :17:37.from opponents wounded by three Ashes defeats in a row. We will have
:17:38. > :17:41.to start very well in Brisbane, Australia have a fantastic record
:17:42. > :17:48.there. It is a fantastic challenge for us. As an Englishman in
:17:49. > :17:55.Australia, it is the number`1 challenge. From a nation used to
:17:56. > :18:02.dominating world cricket, the pressure is on Australia. The guys
:18:03. > :18:10.have great memories of playing in Australia. That history we have with
:18:11. > :18:15.the Ashes is great to be involved in. The Australian public are
:18:16. > :18:20.passionate about winning. They expect or their teams to win and
:18:21. > :18:24.they generally do that. England's every move will be closely
:18:25. > :18:28.scrutinised but if Alistair Cooke gets his hands on the tiny and once
:18:29. > :18:35.more, it will all have been worthwhile. With us is someone who
:18:36. > :18:43.played for England in the last test three months ago. Chris Woakes. You
:18:44. > :18:50.have played in Australia and it will be tasty tonight. It will be. That
:18:51. > :18:56.first session will be tasty and the Australians will hope they can stamp
:18:57. > :19:02.their authority early on. You played in an Ashes test match. Does the
:19:03. > :19:08.atmosphere affect the players? Once you get onto the pitch you are in a
:19:09. > :19:13.zone. You definitely are aware of what is going on around you. For the
:19:14. > :19:20.English lads, they will have to try to blank that out. There will be
:19:21. > :19:26.plenty of Australians screaming at them so it will be an interesting
:19:27. > :19:33.first sessions. What about the mentality of the Australians? There
:19:34. > :19:37.is pressure on them to win. Having lost the last three Ashes series and
:19:38. > :19:44.this being in their own backyard, there will be pressure on them. How
:19:45. > :19:54.much do you think breasts on Ian Bell and Jonathan Trott? `` rests.
:19:55. > :20:05.They had a fantastic series in the home series so if they can do that
:20:06. > :20:12.again, that would be great. Can the Australians turn it round? It will
:20:13. > :20:19.be a hard`fought series. I personally think England have got
:20:20. > :20:23.too much for them. The Australians record at the Gabba is fantastic so
:20:24. > :20:30.the first test will be crucial. Thank you.
:20:31. > :20:33.Our canals can be great routes to walk or cycle, taking you deep into
:20:34. > :20:37.the countryside. I'm a big fan myself, but not all towpaths are in
:20:38. > :20:40.good condition. If it all becomes too muddy to cross, then you may
:20:41. > :20:43.well have to go back on yourself. Well, Sarah Falkland's been finding
:20:44. > :20:50.out about some hi`tech help that'll soon be at hand.
:20:51. > :21:01.The flight of locks in Warwickshire, Wolves owner as the
:21:02. > :21:07.stairway to heaven. `` also known. Mapping for Google's canal version
:21:08. > :21:10.of Streetview has begun and Howard Easton is going boldly where no
:21:11. > :21:21.volunteer lock keeper has gone before. It weighs ?40 and it is like
:21:22. > :21:26.a heavy knapsack. The harness is very comfortable and with the sticks
:21:27. > :21:31.it is stable and it is like opening for a challenging walk. Thereafter
:21:32. > :21:38.15 lenses and they each take a picture every two seconds and the
:21:39. > :21:44.software puts the images together into a 360 degrees view you see on
:21:45. > :21:55.Google. This project is about drawing more people onto the canal
:21:56. > :22:01.network. Where did I see that unusual sculpture? Where was that
:22:02. > :22:07.fantastic view? We are doing quite a few sites in the West Midlands and
:22:08. > :22:13.various areas. We are doing Birmingham city centre and some of
:22:14. > :22:18.our lovely legs. Capturing canalside life is not likely to be as quite
:22:19. > :22:24.controversial as Streetview which was criticised for invading people
:22:25. > :22:30.'s privacy and trackers like Howard are in good company. Venice was
:22:31. > :22:34.launched this week on the web as a 360 destination. The Midlands canal
:22:35. > :22:46.view should be online in the next six months. So Howard had better get
:22:47. > :23:02.a move on. Now the weather forecast. The worst
:23:03. > :23:06.is almost over, certainly of Hale, sleet and snow but we have other
:23:07. > :23:11.concerns and that will be in the form of ice, frost and freezing fog
:23:12. > :23:17.by the end of the weekend but also the days will be largely dry. The
:23:18. > :23:23.low pressure brought us today is strengthening winds. This is pulling
:23:24. > :23:30.to the south`east and once it does, high pressure will replace it
:23:31. > :23:34.tomorrow. As I said, right now we have got some showers to content
:23:35. > :23:38.with. The worst is over but it does not look like it from the chart
:23:39. > :23:45.because some of the showers are quite lively. It is only towards the
:23:46. > :23:52.end of the night that they may show signs of easing. Temperatures above
:23:53. > :23:56.freezing for most tonight, too minus four Celsius. In rural spots we
:23:57. > :24:07.could see those values drop low enough for ice and frost tomorrow
:24:08. > :24:13.morning. The eastern half of the region during the morning will see a
:24:14. > :24:20.fuse showers. After they will be cut off by the growing tendency of that
:24:21. > :24:26.high pressure to the north`west. By the afternoon it will be much drier
:24:27. > :24:33.and we will see plenty of water and sunshine taking temperatures up to
:24:34. > :24:38.seven Celsius. The winds still brisk and they will add a wind chill
:24:39. > :24:45.factor making it feel colder. Tomorrow night, the winds on later.
:24:46. > :24:49.But the cloud streams in from the north and will prevent temperatures
:24:50. > :25:00.dropping from two below. For the rest of the week, largely dry with
:25:01. > :25:05.night frosts and freezing fog. We are hoping it is not too bad at the
:25:06. > :25:15.German market. It is really quite chilly here. It is a warm, festive
:25:16. > :25:21.glow generated by the crowds visiting 200 stalls and earlier I
:25:22. > :25:26.joined them. It is festive fun but the German market in Birmingham city
:25:27. > :25:31.centre is positive news for hotels, shops and rushed once. It brings
:25:32. > :25:36.people to Birmingham on short breaks to sample the market and once here,
:25:37. > :25:42.this is where they do their main Christmas shopping. It is the
:25:43. > :25:46.biggest market of its kind outside Germany and Austria and stretches a
:25:47. > :25:56.mile from the ball went all the way down to centenary square. There for
:25:57. > :26:03.big families that one all the stalls. Thereof three generations
:26:04. > :26:09.here, grandmother, daughter`in`law and granddaughter and a return year
:26:10. > :26:17.after year. We share everything, the life here and you feel at home. You
:26:18. > :26:22.do not feel like a stranger. 4 million people visited the market
:26:23. > :26:35.last year. I have come every year for the past four years. It is very
:26:36. > :26:40.expensive. It is a great place. And talking of cold, the ice rink has
:26:41. > :26:46.returned this time after a break of the few years. A chance to let off
:26:47. > :26:52.steam while the market spins off money for the local economy. It will
:26:53. > :26:57.be generating business right up until the 22nd of December. It
:26:58. > :27:02.finishes before Christmas to allow those German stallholders to get
:27:03. > :27:08.back home ready to celebrate Christmas there. For businesses,
:27:09. > :27:13.they have to compete with other cities for visitors so organisers
:27:14. > :27:17.say having a market like this makes Birmingham a destination to visit.
:27:18. > :27:20.Tonight's headlines from the BBC: An inquiry's launched into the scandal
:27:21. > :27:22.that's engulfed the Co`operative bank.
:27:23. > :27:26.Two women and two children are killed in a house fire in Derbyshire
:27:27. > :27:29.in the early hours of this morning. Birmingham's Filipino community says
:27:30. > :27:33.it will send aid direct to four towns affected by the typhoon.
:27:34. > :27:40.And police want to talk to these men about hypodermic needle attacks. Up
:27:41. > :27:44.to 11 women have been targeted. That was the Midlands Today. I'll be
:27:45. > :27:46.back at ten o'clock with the very latest news from around the region.
:27:47. > :28:08.Have a great evening. Goodbye. I'm Nigel Slater, a cook.
:28:09. > :28:12.And I'm Adam Henson, a farmer. all back in touch with
:28:13. > :28:16.where our food really comes from. You asked me to grow some
:28:17. > :28:20.durum wheat to produce your pasta.