:00:00. > :00:00.has fallen into the hands of militants.
:00:00. > :00:08.the six year old Birmingham boy who's been stranded in Syri`
:00:09. > :00:17.Also tonight, Unemployment falls by 19,000
:00:18. > :00:34.in the region ` its lowest level since before the financial crash.
:00:35. > :00:39.And we doing more than thred and we doing more than special day out
:00:40. > :00:42.And I has to be said, we got off to a fairly disappointing start today
:00:43. > :00:46.but we can do better ` more sunshine please ` will we get it ` fhnd out
:00:47. > :00:57.A six year old boy from Birlingham has reached safety
:00:58. > :01:02.after being trapped for thrde years by Syria's civil war.
:01:03. > :01:05.He was stuck in a rebel held town with his lother.
:01:06. > :01:07.Muadh Zain's father, who's back in Britain, has been
:01:08. > :01:15.Quentin Sommerville has this exclusive report.
:01:16. > :01:21.spent half his life trapped by war. Birmingham`born, he and his mother
:01:22. > :01:29.recently escaped from three years in Syria. It was hell, she tells me.
:01:30. > :01:34.His school was at the edge of the village. Barrel bombs were dropped
:01:35. > :01:37.from aeroplanes. They exploded near his schoolyard. He was inside but
:01:38. > :01:46.there was a girl outside. Hd knew her. She was wounded but thdn she
:01:47. > :01:53.died. Now he barely speaks, but he whispers a single word. It's the
:01:54. > :02:00.name of his dead classmate. He has a British passport but his mother
:02:01. > :02:08.whose side he rarely leaves, doesn't. She needs a visa. This is
:02:09. > :02:15.what they fled ` abandoned homes and daily bombing. They returned to
:02:16. > :02:21.Syria after his mother and father became separated. It was ne`r here
:02:22. > :02:25.on the border that he and hhs mother made their escape from Syria.
:02:26. > :02:28.It was dark, they were travdlling on foot and they were alone. It was
:02:29. > :02:32.also their third attempt, btt this time they were lucky. They lade it
:02:33. > :02:39.to Jordan. They are safe here but this isn't their home. In London,
:02:40. > :02:50.the boy's father has been campaigning for them to rettrn
:02:51. > :02:53.together to the UK. He needs his mother, he says. He?s seen things
:02:54. > :02:58.that adults would get traum`tised over. His uncle was killed right in
:02:59. > :03:00.front of him. Slowly, he is readjusting. The family are grateful
:03:01. > :03:03.to the Foreign Office for gdtting this far, but it's not far dnough.
:03:04. > :03:15.Parents who are angry at thhs week's Ofsted reports into the so`called
:03:16. > :03:17.Trojan Horse affair are holding a protest meeting tonight.
:03:18. > :03:19.They're starting a campaign to restore
:03:20. > :03:25.They've all been placed in special measures after criticism th`t not
:03:26. > :03:28.enough was being done to protect Muslim pupils from extremisl.
:03:29. > :03:31.Speaking today about events in Birmingham,
:03:32. > :03:41.the Prime Minister accused the city council of failing parents.
:03:42. > :03:43.Our reporter Giles Latcham hs in Small Heath.
:03:44. > :03:48.So there's a fight back unddrway, Giles?
:03:49. > :03:58.That's right. Denied's meethng has been organised by Hands Of Our
:03:59. > :04:03.Schools. They say this has been politically motivated. David Cameron
:04:04. > :04:08.raise the issue of the Ofstdd reports. He took the opporttnity to
:04:09. > :04:11.have a sideswipe at the citx council.
:04:12. > :04:14.It is worth making the point that Birmingham City Council failed
:04:15. > :04:19.And indeed when we look at what it was that caused action to h`ppen,
:04:20. > :04:22.it was only when the Departlent of Education was contacted that
:04:23. > :04:38.The city council would say that most of the schools under scrutiny are
:04:39. > :04:46.academies, and therefore out of their control. Was it shockhng
:04:47. > :04:50.reading for you to find that the academy school has broken down, but
:04:51. > :04:56.they are not preparing your daughter for a multi`faith life in Britain?
:04:57. > :05:00.Yes, it was shocking. It was more shocking when I heard the
:05:01. > :05:04.allegations in March. Mondax morning, I was expecting those
:05:05. > :05:08.results. I still have faith like everyone. The governing bodx is
:05:09. > :05:14.fantastic. What about the future must remark
:05:15. > :05:17.you funding is now under threat A new leadership team could bd imposed
:05:18. > :05:25.upon you. We have good parents. We have an
:05:26. > :05:30.association which I am readhng. We are going to challenge what is going
:05:31. > :05:35.on. We have four weeks to rdspond to the EFA funding. We must be`r in
:05:36. > :05:39.mind that the original allegations in March it will haven't bedn
:05:40. > :05:48.proved. Lots of doubts for use still.
:05:49. > :05:50.Another school who are constlting lawyers are preparing for a judicial
:05:51. > :06:20.review against Ofsted's findings. 7.5% of the population is
:06:21. > :06:26.unemployed. Dill above the national average. In Stoke`on`Trent, jobs are
:06:27. > :06:42.being created. We have been to one part of the city where work can
:06:43. > :06:48.still be hard to find. When it closed in 1976, the decline
:06:49. > :06:53.was rapid. It has been referred to as the
:06:54. > :06:56.sickest area. Today the community centre has been
:06:57. > :07:01.tasked with restoring pride to one of the hardest places in
:07:02. > :07:06.Stoke`on`Trent to find work. A lot of our volunteers strtggle
:07:07. > :07:13.because everyone wants experience. Meet Gemma, Simon and staff. Gemma
:07:14. > :07:17.is volunteering on reception. She's struggled to find paid work for six
:07:18. > :07:20.months. It is frustrating when you know you
:07:21. > :07:24.have done your hardest to apply and then no one bothers getting back to
:07:25. > :07:29.you. In the garden outside, Simon tends
:07:30. > :07:33.to the centre's plans. It's the closest he has come to a career in
:07:34. > :07:38.horticulture. I have been out of work for eight
:07:39. > :07:43.months. It places a big str`in because you want to provide for your
:07:44. > :07:49.children as best you can. Ghve them a better chance in life.
:07:50. > :07:51.At the local mums club, Steph wants a job that says employers don't
:07:52. > :07:56.recognise her needs as a single mother of top young act thex have
:07:57. > :08:01.always asked me to work weekends and because I haven't got the childcare,
:08:02. > :08:06.I have had to say no. People here are motivating dach
:08:07. > :08:12.other. After years out of work, bringing up a child, Hannah has
:08:13. > :08:18.finally found work in a crash. I love it. I can support my little
:08:19. > :08:22.girl better. I am also at college. I am going to be level two in
:08:23. > :08:28.childcare. I will be qualifhed by December. It has done me thd world
:08:29. > :08:32.of goods. Unemployment in Stoke on Trdnt is
:08:33. > :08:36.around the national average, but this is one area needing more
:08:37. > :08:40.support. The community centre almost closed this year because of a lack
:08:41. > :08:45.of funding. But they secured a last`minute lottery grants.
:08:46. > :08:47.In the shadow of the colliery, this is a centre where people just won't
:08:48. > :08:53.believe in rejection. And we're joined now by
:08:54. > :08:55.our Political Editor Patrick Burns. So some places often seen as
:08:56. > :08:58.areas of high unemployment But there are still towns and cities
:08:59. > :09:12.where the jobless figures rdmain Yes, Birmingham has 14%
:09:13. > :09:22.unemployment. That is twice the UK average. That puts it at thd wrong
:09:23. > :09:26.end of the unemployment table. The jobs market and skills base in our
:09:27. > :09:32.region is permanently being dumbed down. What are our leaders proposing
:09:33. > :09:36.to do about it? The government's work progr`mme
:09:37. > :09:42.offers as much as ?14,000 worth of assistance to the individuals they
:09:43. > :09:46.say need the most help. Labour is extending its jobs guaranted which
:09:47. > :09:51.offers six months tax funded employment for 18 to 24`year`olds.
:09:52. > :09:56.In the potteries, Port Vale Football Club has been the venue tod`y for a
:09:57. > :10:01.jobs fair organised by a major local employer. The ceramics firm Steelite
:10:02. > :10:05.have changed their employment policies to encourage up mobility
:10:06. > :10:09.among their workforce, which frees up opportunities for other people to
:10:10. > :10:15.join them. We have been talking to an electricity who is optimhstic
:10:16. > :10:20.about his prospects. I did a search this morning and
:10:21. > :10:25.found 150 jobs. Not all jobs that I can do but this seems to be plenty
:10:26. > :10:32.available. I constantly apply, probably two or three jobs per day.
:10:33. > :10:36.Most days, anyway. We have also been talking to another
:10:37. > :10:40.employee who has been with the firm for a quarter of the centurx. Only
:10:41. > :10:44.recently has she been rifling through the ranks.
:10:45. > :10:48.We have had a drastic culture change. Everyone is valued. They
:10:49. > :10:53.recognise that different people have different values. We all have
:10:54. > :10:59.something to contribute. It is a very good company to work for.
:11:00. > :11:02.What have the politicians h`d to say about the figures?
:11:03. > :11:07.Esther McVeigh is delighted with the figures and points out that we are
:11:08. > :11:10.cutting in `` unemployment twice as fast as the UK average.
:11:11. > :11:14.Thank you. In just two days
:11:15. > :11:16.the greatest footballing show England's first game in the
:11:17. > :11:20.World Cup is in Manaus, deep in the Brazilian jungle, where the climate
:11:21. > :11:22.will be seriously oppressivd. The players were prepared
:11:23. > :11:25.for the hot and humid conditions in Staffordshire, where Dan Pallett's
:11:26. > :11:30.been getting acclimatised too. On Saturday night in the
:11:31. > :11:38.Arena Da Amazonia England whll face This heat chamber at their St
:11:39. > :11:47.George's Park training base was the Today I had the dubious ple`sure
:11:48. > :11:54.of trying it out. 20 minutes cycling
:11:55. > :11:57.in conditions identical to Lanaus. 32 degrees Celsius and, crucially,
:11:58. > :12:16.70 per cent humidity. Seven minutes in and I'm getting
:12:17. > :12:18.sweaty. Once you get hard, you can't cool
:12:19. > :12:18.down. After 15 minutes my hands wdre
:12:19. > :12:21.so sweaty I could hardly hold The last 5 minutes were hard `
:12:22. > :12:24.very hard. I was told the humidity was
:12:25. > :12:33.the problem ` The only thing stopping me pouring
:12:34. > :12:39.this over my head is the eldctronics I was told the humidity was
:12:40. > :12:41.the problem ` The only thing stopping me pouring
:12:42. > :12:43.this over my head is the eldctronics it stops your sweat evaporating
:12:44. > :12:54.which means you can't cool down the body have to work reallx hard to
:12:55. > :13:02.control its core temperaturd. That puts strain on the hearts, the blood
:13:03. > :13:07.vessels and the internal organs Humidity chamber, things like that,
:13:08. > :13:08.really allow athletes to become acclimatised to those environments.
:13:09. > :13:11.The former Birmingham City captain Lee Carsley also took part today `
:13:12. > :13:16.and he's not worried about Dngland in the heat.
:13:17. > :13:24.I think they will cope fine. I think they are fit lads. He acclilatised
:13:25. > :13:29.it and that they have done will be enough. They have already bden out
:13:30. > :13:33.there a couple of weeks. I can see the heat being a problem. `` I
:13:34. > :13:34.cannot see. So if you're heading to the
:13:35. > :13:37.Amazon Jungle anytime soon ` you could do worse than spend some time
:13:38. > :13:47.in the Staffordshire countrxside. the six year old Birmingham boy
:13:48. > :13:52.who's been stranded in Syri` Shefali will be here shortlx with
:13:53. > :13:57.your detailed weather forec`st `` Music made in the Midlands `
:13:58. > :14:09.so which tracks would make And hardly the Himalayas
:14:10. > :14:18.but a challenge nonetheless ` one man's mission to scale everx hill
:14:19. > :14:32.in Staffordshire topping 1000 feet. Well back to our top story tonight
:14:33. > :14:35.and the continuing saga of the It's dominating the politic`l
:14:36. > :14:41.and media agenda in this cotntry, but it's also a story that's gone
:14:42. > :14:44.around the world. It's the story that's put
:14:45. > :14:57.the heart of this country, We live in the age of the internet,
:14:58. > :15:07.when news becomes global a quick search on google for
:15:08. > :15:13."trojan horse and Birminghal" throws So no surprise then that it's
:15:14. > :15:36.been picked up around the world Since 911 and the perceived change
:15:37. > :15:37.of attitude towards Muslims, this story was very much important in the
:15:38. > :15:40.Arab media. Sometimes the complexity of this
:15:41. > :15:52.story is lost in translation. Whether it's food or schools is
:15:53. > :15:53.advancing in Britain. Islamhc wants to conquer the UK.
:15:54. > :15:56.For Birmingham, a city that's spent decades quite literally building
:15:57. > :16:02.itself an international repttation, it could be a PR disaster.
:16:03. > :16:08.There are no winners here, not the children of Birmingham. We `re
:16:09. > :16:14.trying to draw investment into the city, so this will really ilpact on
:16:15. > :16:14.us. Especially the way the story is being reported internationally.
:16:15. > :16:19.Perhaps it's just a case of riding the storm.
:16:20. > :16:26.Birmingham is much bigger than what is going on right now. Our
:16:27. > :16:30.communities are very cohesive will stop I am hoping that Team
:16:31. > :16:35.Birmingham will continue to be an international player.
:16:36. > :16:38.After all the city's most f`mous schoolgirl ` Malala Youfsezh `
:16:39. > :16:41.who came here ironically to escape the Islamist extremists who tried
:16:42. > :16:44.to kill her, is proud to be, as she calls herself, a Brulmie
:16:45. > :16:50.It is a great honour for me to be here in Birmingham, the beating
:16:51. > :16:53.heart of England's. It is vdry special to me.
:16:54. > :16:55.The world will move on from Trojan Horse.
:16:56. > :16:59.But the fallout here will be felt long
:17:00. > :17:07.And for more on the lessons of the Trojan Horse affair, do go online.
:17:08. > :17:12.Our political editor Patrick Burns has written a blog on the challenges
:17:13. > :17:18.facing a city that's been ddscribed as "the Britain of the Future".
:17:19. > :17:21.A day out is something we all love but, for children with poor health
:17:22. > :17:24.or other issues, a visit to somewhere such as
:17:25. > :17:28.The KidsOut charity has been organising trips for disadv`ntaged
:17:29. > :17:33.Its largest gathering took place today with three and
:17:34. > :17:37.a half thousand children invited to Drayton Manor Park near Tamworth.
:17:38. > :17:50.What rights are you hoping to go on?
:17:51. > :17:55.Lauren is looking forward to a day out she can't often enjoy. Her
:17:56. > :18:00.autism means busy being parks can be unsuitable.
:18:01. > :18:05.Children with autism find it hard with waiting in queues. It's
:18:06. > :18:10.something we don't do often, but when we take them out on a day like
:18:11. > :18:16.today, where they all have similar disabilities.
:18:17. > :18:22.I'm getting excited! Today Lauren went to Drayton Manor
:18:23. > :18:27.Park Park, with other children with similar needs and disabilithes. It
:18:28. > :18:37.was organised by the KidsOut charity.
:18:38. > :18:40.It can be as a result of disabilities, bereavement, learning
:18:41. > :18:45.difficulties. Everywhere you look, there hs a sea
:18:46. > :18:50.of yellow T`shirts. That was the favourite colour of the man who
:18:51. > :18:57.started this event is 25 ye`rs ago. George Brian opened the park with
:18:58. > :19:01.his wife Vera. The couple dhed within weeks of each other last
:19:02. > :19:08.year. They started posting this event a quarter of a centurx ago.
:19:09. > :19:14.Their son Colin `` for their son Colin, today was an emotion`l day.
:19:15. > :19:18.Today has been very emotion`l. I just meant another child who just
:19:19. > :19:24.can't believe his father is not here. It will go on.
:19:25. > :19:31.That's great news for youngsters like Lauren who we saw earlher.
:19:32. > :19:34.What is lovely about today hs that they are on the rides, having lots
:19:35. > :19:39.of fun and she's got friends with her.
:19:40. > :19:43.25,000 children have been enjoying days out like these across the
:19:44. > :19:45.country. Here was the biggest and one in which childhood memories are
:19:46. > :19:54.being made. The search is on to find 20 songs
:19:55. > :19:57.that represent Birmingham and the West Midlands ` tracks with
:19:58. > :20:00.their roots in this region. They'll form a 'virtual albtm'
:20:01. > :20:02.playlist to celebrate I'm sure just about everyond
:20:03. > :20:05.will have an opinion. The top 20 will be made avahlable
:20:06. > :20:08.as a download on music sharhng websites, as our Arts Reporter
:20:09. > :20:11.Satnam Rana's been finding out. From the past to the present,
:20:12. > :20:20.soul to ska, rock to reggae, our region's musical hertiage
:20:21. > :20:28.covers just about every genre. But which song would you sthck
:20:29. > :20:43.on an album to represent thd There's one called My Peopld. It's
:20:44. > :20:52.positive, not about guns or anything.
:20:53. > :20:54.Duran Duran I'll go for. I Ly Darling Clementine would go for a
:20:55. > :21:03.great bands called. Now we're being asked to nolinate
:21:04. > :21:06.tracks that could end up on B Side Birmingham ` a virtu`l album
:21:07. > :21:17.which is being championed Music is the most abstract of all
:21:18. > :21:19.art forms. If you want to fdel sad or happy or listless, it makes you
:21:20. > :21:23.feel any way you want to fedl. These are just some of
:21:24. > :21:26.the songs that've been suggdsted. The final 20 will be chosen
:21:27. > :21:45.by 12 panellists with music`l I will come to it from a vidwpoint
:21:46. > :21:51.of listening for certain chord progressions and how musically a
:21:52. > :21:59.song has been put together. But I think, more than anything, ht's just
:22:00. > :22:03.that feeling you get from a song. We want to at least instigate
:22:04. > :22:07.conversation and debate. I'l sure people will go mad asking, why is
:22:08. > :22:08.that on it? That's rubbish! But that's part of it.
:22:09. > :22:11.The campaign has been put together by Tourism group Visit Birmhngham.
:22:12. > :22:14.So from now until the end of June, we're being asked to put
:22:15. > :22:24.our suggestions forward by voting online.
:22:25. > :22:28.50% of all concerned visitors are music to risk. That's higher than
:22:29. > :22:35.the national average of 41%. Or
:22:36. > :22:37.if you're a tweeting music fan. you can do this ` nominate your
:22:38. > :22:40.favourite track by posting ` selfie. The final album playlist will be
:22:41. > :22:45.available online next month. We've had loads of suggestions
:22:46. > :22:47.on our Facebook page and can I stress we're talking about the
:22:48. > :22:50.West Midlands, not just Birlingham. So Slade are in there,
:22:51. > :22:53.a number of shouts for them, Black Sabbath, Ocean Colour Scene,
:22:54. > :22:55.MoD, Moody Blues, the Streets, Roy Wood with Wizzard and the Move,
:22:56. > :22:58.founder of ElO, of course...I No mention of Polly Brown
:22:59. > :23:03.of Pickettywitch or the Applejacks ` Nepal has the Himalayas,
:23:04. > :23:12.Switzerland the Alps. But outdoors enthusiast Jeff Kent
:23:13. > :23:14.looked closer to home While Staffordshire may be short
:23:15. > :23:17.on mountains, Jeff calculated that his native
:23:18. > :23:20.county has 65 hills over 1000 feet. And he's been telling Bob Hockenhull
:23:21. > :23:23.about becoming the first person to On the remote hills of Staffordshire
:23:24. > :23:30.you're a world away Jeff Kent grew up
:23:31. > :23:35.in industrial Stoke`on`Trent. But bus trips out
:23:36. > :23:39.into the countryside stayed with him and recently inspired
:23:40. > :23:53.a unique challenge. Everest has been, for `` conquered,
:23:54. > :23:53.but the hills of Staffordshhre happens.
:23:54. > :23:56.When walking, Jeff took me to one of his favourite
:23:57. > :23:59.The ninth highest in the cotnty at 1,512.14 feet.
:24:00. > :24:07.A landscape of weathered pinnacles shooting skywards.
:24:08. > :24:15.There is such a variety of landscapes here. Beautiful valleys
:24:16. > :24:15.as well as the peaks, so it's a wonderful place.
:24:16. > :24:18.Jeff had to endure heavy downpours on some of his climbs
:24:19. > :24:21.but completed all 65 in nind months ` now he's written a book about his
:24:22. > :24:36.All 65 of the peaks are in the northern county. We have picked a
:24:37. > :24:42.fairly clear day for filming, so you can see some of them here.
:24:43. > :24:50.Magnificent views enjoyed bx walkers from as far as the Canadian Rockies.
:24:51. > :24:56.Absolutely beautiful. It is different from the Rockies. It's a
:24:57. > :24:57.totally different landscape. During his many ascents, Jeff also
:24:58. > :24:59.met several wonderful characters including Doug Moller, the so called
:25:00. > :25:04.Lord of the Roaches, who was reputed Jeff's challenge may be dond
:25:05. > :25:17.but he says he'll go on clilbing all the hills he's discovered,
:25:18. > :25:20.never tiring of the stunning views And in case you're wondering
:25:21. > :25:28.the highest point in Staffordshire is Cheeks Point
:25:29. > :25:31.near the border with Derbyshire I am LOVING this weather
:25:32. > :25:57.at the moment. The prospects for the weekend are
:25:58. > :26:01.taking a slight turn for thd worse. It will be cloudy but it sedms like
:26:02. > :26:06.there will be more in the w`y of clouds holding those temper`tures
:26:07. > :26:11.back. They won't rise as high as we had expected. The high pressure is
:26:12. > :26:16.still above us at the moment. Either weekend, it starts to pull `way into
:26:17. > :26:20.the Atlantic. This will allow for that frontal system to pull down
:26:21. > :26:26.from the north, bringing thd odd shower. That will be by Sattrday and
:26:27. > :26:31.possibly Sunday. For this morning, we had quite a bit of clouds and a
:26:32. > :26:36.spot of rain, but that brokd nicely through the afternoon. Tonight,
:26:37. > :26:42.largely clear skies. Temper`tures down to about nine Celsius. It
:26:43. > :26:48.touched with other last night but I hardly think you can call that cold!
:26:49. > :26:52.Temperatures in some places could be still around 12. Tomorrow morning,
:26:53. > :26:56.we will hopefully get more hn the way of sunshine. Tomorrow should be
:26:57. > :27:00.the best day of the week. It certainly starts to develop widely
:27:01. > :27:06.during the afternoon and it is a dry day. The badgers will nudge up a
:27:07. > :27:14.degree or so higher to around 2 or possibly 23 Celsius. In the north of
:27:15. > :27:18.the region, it is getting qtite decent temperatures tomorrow. Light
:27:19. > :27:22.winds from the Southwest. Tomorrow night, cloud thickening as that high
:27:23. > :27:25.pressure starts to pull awax to the west. That will keep those
:27:26. > :27:31.temperatures higher tomorrow night. Slightly milder affect Frid`y it
:27:32. > :27:35.out. Friday is dull but dry. Continuing that way into thd
:27:36. > :27:44.weekend, but there could be the odd shower on Saturday and Sund`y.
:27:45. > :27:48.That's all from us. Goodbye.