Influenced the east midlands in inside out east midlands. On tonights programme. After his brothers murder, the inspiring story of how jar chose life over a gang life. If youve got a dream, if youve got a vision, theres steps its not going to come overnight. Youve got to work hard, youve got to believe in yourself, and youve got to be focused, this is bbc news. And thats what i try and instil im reged ahmad. Our top stories in all these kids that walk through the door. Pressure on the white house. Whats next for the mercians . The special representative local soldiers reflect to ukraine, kurt volker, on their service and has resigned after being named sacrifice in afghanistan. In a whistleblower report. Friend isnt a Strong Enough word to describe the relationship that we have. And in congress, the us secretary of state mike pompeo is given a week i think we are absolutely brothers. To hand over documents and talking about their generation relating to ukraine, as the democrats step up the trump the mods are back in town. Talking bout my generation. Impeachment investigation. Just because we get around. Nigerian Police Rescue nearly 500 men and boys from whats well, first tonight a deeply being described as a house of torture. Personal story from a nottingham and walking in his mothers footsteps. Prince harry visits a landmine musician and youth worker called clearance site in angola made famous jar digger. By princess diana. He was 15 when his brother remi was murdered, on september 22 2002. Now, it was a time of unprecedented violence in the city, and also when jar decided to turn his own life around. Its a sprawling estate on the edge of the city centre. You dont have to look hard to see many of the signs of todays recession. Its a place where yesterdays intentions didnt turn out the way they were meant to. Above all, saint annes is an area where it appears everyone knows someone whos been a victim of crime or whos seen it happen in front of them. Growing up in saint annes in the 90s was. It was home, you know . Im a mummys boy, and the youngest out of five. Ive got a big family, like, cousins, ive got hella cousins. My mother was a single mum. Like, even when times are hard and scrimping and scraping, she always put her youths first, and thats just my mums character. Little dan dan. He didnt give me no trouble. None whatsoever. He was a kid you could put down to play and hed just play. But where remi was concerned there was just boys just. Out of my brothers, we was, like, kind of the closest. At times we were inseparable, you know . We were always together, remi and dan dan. We were kind of ahead of our time. We were, like, eight, nine, like, conversing with the 16 year olds. He wasnt a saint in the community. He was mischievous. Dan dan started playing football, remi was into cars. And as they got older, dan dan went the football way but remi took the road way. And started getting into trouble. We had to go to Court One Day with remi. And he came up and he said, mum, i will never put you through this. I got a knock on the door, its one of my brothers friends. Your brother, somethings happened to your brother down at the pub. Ive seen people, like, just in tears and sobbing. They have that kind of look, like, what do i say . Ive got inside the pub, i can just see everyone just like in a panicked state. And then, boom, ive just seen my brother on the floor, like. Like, blood allaround him. It was almost like he was sleeping, it was like he was just sleeping. Just covered in blood, though. And im like. Iwas numb. Like, i didnt even know what to do. The place just went silent, and it wasjust me and him in there. I was there for about 20 minutes, then finally the ambulance has come, got to hospital, flatline, you know im saying . The doctors saying, yeah, he didnt make it. From then, thats the beginning of, like, yeah, your brothers gone, your brothers dead. Just seeing remi on a slab, it. I cant even explain. The whole the saint annes was in mourning. It hit us like a ten pin. When you play bowling, all the skittles are knocked down. But it brought the boys and me really, really close. Throughout the day, shocked friends and relatives have been laying floral tributes and laying photographs in memory of the dead teenager. Remi samuels was only 17 years old. There is always going to be a hole within the family structure. People were coming to my mums house, giving the family condolences, just genuinely upset. Ive learnt to sit in the sadness now and just embrace the sadness. Because its temporary, isnt it . Its not going to be here forever. How do you bounce back as a family, as a family unit . And that shows the strength and that shows the character, that we were able to bounce back after such a tragic time. There is no limit on the grieving, it is timeless. After the time my brother passed away, i got kicked out of school and it was, like, i needed a bit of guidance and a bit of direction at this point in my life. The yip, standing for the youth inclusion project, it was a provision for kids that got kicked out of mainstream school. Young people go and get creative. They had an internet caf, they had like a classroom, they had. It was a space where people could go, like a hub. Flipping heck ill never forget. You know you were. Dan dan was the most difficult young person that i worked with at that point. If yip wasnt here, what would i be doing . Id probably be on the streets everyday, slanging drugs. Because of dan dans reputation, and his family at the time, we got told under no uncertain terms, what are you doing working with him . You cant change him anyway. Youre not going to be able to do anything. And furthermore, if you are seen with him youre likely to get attacked or shot, anyway. So what they said to me, they said, your best bet is to not work with him. But they didnt know we had no choice because he used to come every day, so we couldnt just lock the doors on him. So what do we do . How can we get these young people that are selling drugs or have that opportunity, into legal sort of stuff . At that time there was kind of a war going off and them lot was in some serious beef. He seen something in man that man didnt see. He was a massive character in the community. He was so talented, but obviously, you know, he was troubled. So my role was to come in and provide diversionary activities and projects in a deprived area to try and address some of the issues that some of the young people faced. Through the yip we got to go to jamaica on a football camp. We stayed there for about two weeks, played for our mothers and ourfathers and grandparents national side. Jamaica was like my first time going abroad and seeing different cultures. And the kids just took to me straightaway. I can remember one incident, i had a cup of ice because it was hot, and about six youths surrounded me saying, give me a piece of ice, give me a piece of ice. And i gave them the cup and they cheered. They celebrated. These kids, these kids are happy with a cup of ice why am i going to be sad in nottingham, privileged nottingham, saint annes, and these kids are in the ghetto happy, smiling, dancing, music thumping from the car . And that for me was, like, a shift in my energy. I can remember it like it was today. That was a shift in my energy that was like, you know what . Im being happy, i want to be like these kids, justjolly. They aint got much but, yo, theyve got love. We need to have places like yip, places that are going to welcome these young people and invest time into those young people. Never give up on these children. Because everybody deserves an opportunity. Everybody. There was a shift. The music side was coming out more than the football. Envelopes, papers, writing. I hooked up with my close friend called glenda, and he was early on making the beats. He had a radio set on a pirate radio station. We used to go on there, and from then itjust grew. People were like, youre hard still. Local promoters used to, like, book us. We used to run up on them shows and just tear it down. It was just that, and it felt good. I didnt want to have to have beef, rolling in a car and doing the madness. It didnt feel good, i didnt want to do that. Crs. The Community Recording studio, that is a musical hub in saint annes. I thought, like, we could up quality on the sound, and nick and trev, they had that quality down that crs. This is jar diggs, aka dan dan. He raps. Beef is watching our mothers grief. Funeral eulogies leave communities weak. So over a period of time ive seenjar kind of, like, ultimatelyjust accept who he is as a person. I got offered a job as a mentor, mentoring some of the young people that attend crs today. Crs is like a development centre. We help develop Young Artists into becoming what they want to be on theirjourney. If youve got a dream, if youve got a vision, theres steps its not going to come overnight. Youve got to work hard, youve got to believe in yourself, and youve got to be focused. And thats what i try and instill in all these kids that walk through the door. Over the past couple of years weve built relationship with prince harry and the royal foundation. The hard work and the impact weve had on our community is getting recognised by people in big places. It feels amazing to look at me and my friends and see them becoming entrepreneurs, becoming family men, becoming writers and poets and rappers, and they followed their dreams and they are still following their dreams and doing exactly what they wanted to do, you know what i mean . Kids need to be listening to someone who has been through a lot of turmoil. But hes put his knowledge into a peacemaker. For me, ill tell anyone just to be yourself, man, and dont be afraid to be yourself. Step out into this world, because there is only one you. You know what . For me, it has been incredible being a part ofjars journey. The first thing that hits you is his smile, he just kind of lifts the room. I think he is most comfortable with a pen and pad in his hand. Teachers told me, you are going to prison. You are going to prison, that is what a teacher said to me, you are going to prison. I am here now, you get me, to prove wrong. Thanks to jar and film maker luke radford for helping us to tell his story. And if you have been similarly affected there is plenty of information about organisations offering advice and support, as ever, online at bbc. Co. Uk actionline. Now, thousands of soldiers from across the east midlands fought in the war in afghanistan. The mercian regiments second battalion saw some of the british armys toughest front line action there. Jeremy ball has been following them for a decade, from their homes to the front line, to see how it changed their lives. This is the mercian regiment the largest recruiter of front line soldiers across the midlands. Friend isnt a Strong Enough word to describe the relationship that we have. I think we are absolutely brothers. Theyre being welcomed back to their base after their recent tour of afghanistan. The 2nd battalion were in the thick of some of the armys bloodiest fighting since world war two. It only takes a split second for things to change out there. You know youve got to run out in the open while youre getting shot. They won more battle honours than almost any other british Army Battalion but theyve paid a high price. If i dont laugh and joke about my injuries im going to sit down and cry and most probably never stop. Ive been out to afghanistan five times to report on the mission there a mission that went from winning hearts and minds in the countrys bombed out capital kabul to some of the fiercest fighting against the taliban down in helmand province. I wanted to ask some of those soldiers ive met along the way about the sacrifices theyve made and how war has changed them. Kyle smith is from nottingham. He joined the army in 2005 when he just turned 17. I first met him when he was training to go to afghanistan. Five years later kyle was awarded the conspicuous gallantry cross, one of britains top battle honours, for running into heavy gunfire to save two wounded comrades. You see mates getting shot, you got rounds whizzing past, you can hear the crackling tjhumps going above your head and you know theyre close, but youve just got tokeep moving. How was i not another statistic . H0w wqaws i was not injured, or how are you still alive . Exactly, and the only thing i can put that answer is im really short. Thats the only thing. The mercians had to face countless dangers in afghanistan. I first saw aaron back home in derby. He was giving evidence at his friends inquest. Theyve both been blown up by a roadside bomb in 2007. The blast shattered aarons leg and killed drummer thomas wright. I knew tom for some years. So that hit me hard. When it happened i was shouting, screaming, crying, bawling, trying to find a way out of it. So that night hit me hard when after no shouting, screaming, crying, bawling, trying to find a way out of it. Its hard to see what future youve got, at that point where you can see metalwork sticking out your legs. We meet again. Today aarons futures with his wife callen and their son bobby. Both reminders of the friend they lost. The couple met at toms funeral. The reason we got together was because of tom and theres not a day that doesnt go by that toms never in our thoughts. Life has moved on for aaron and his family. But the explosion in afghanistan changed everything. It was december 2008 i had the amputation. Its whats called an elective amputation. The way i dealt with it was i had a goodbye leg party, itjust eneded up me being very drunk and saying goodbye to my left leg. So you can. The you say you can use the bank baton gonna get getting forward orjust shut up and then rapid advance. Mike brigham from birmingham is one of the armys youngest Company Commanders at 34. He first went to afghanistan with the mercians ten years ago. The taliban nicknamed him the special infidel. Partly my skin colour my heritage the abilities to communicate with the afghan army it mustve made a mark with them. Skirmishes like this one on a patrol, are routine for the mercians. But theres one that stands out for mike. It led to the toughest battlefield decision hes ever had to make. The soldier was really young, 18 years old, and he just snapped, and it was too much for him. The young soldier dropped his weapon and ran off towards the enemy. The enemy were firing in an apex to keep us away from him. But i knew that if he got close enough they would capture him and they would undoubtedly kill him. But capture would also risk Sensitive Information falling into enemy hands. It left mike with an impossible decision. So i told my platoon sergeant that if he got within 200 metres of the junction that he was to fire atjohnson to stop him. Its definitely the hardest decision ive ever made in my life. Thankfully that shot was never fired. One of mikes men got to the young soldier first. The patrol commander from there actually dived off the top of his vehicle and robby tackled all out to the ground, undoubtedly saving his life. Tackled our lad. Theres no doubting the closeness of this band of brothers. Kyles brought some of the mercians to an old friends gym in derby. Matt fought side by side with kyle on one of the mercians most horrific nights. We was extremely outnumbered and we didnt know how many taliban there was going to be. But we basically, practically got hammered and people were going down left, right, center. I thought i was dying. Two of their friends did die that night. Sergeant craig brailsford and privatejohan both. Botha. I remember seeing botha from the floor and he was still in the firing position, so he died actually firing, and putting his body on it on the actual wagon seemed more to me, thats the reality that was. Thats when it hit me hard, you know . That was the last time i was going to see him. And that was quite hard to take for an 18 year old. For matt, it was the last straw. He left the army the next day, but the trauma stayed with him. I felt really suicidal, but i knew that i was never going to. I knew that i was never going to try and end my life. But i wasnt far from actually going through with it. Support from family and Close Friends has helped matt and many like him to heal and start again. For the mercians, a new chapter awaits. For now its away from afghanistan. At their current base in cyprus, this is riot training mercian style. I think i value life more for going through afghanistan than i ever would have, because of seeing and taking of of lives. So honey were to actually have to say goodbye, but these two willjust keep talking forever. So say goodbye and i love you. Afghanistan has changed me dramatically. I think loves a bit taboo in the armed forces. You know, its not something that a big masculine organisation talks about. Its really important, and its about loving thejob youre doing. Loving the people that you are doing thatjob for, le. Our nation, but also loving the enemy that youre fighting as well. It changed me quite a lot, i went into afghanistan as a boy but i came back as a man. You could tell we had aged. It is nearly two years i spent out there, so it is nearly my second home is wet as it sounds. It will always have a place in my heart, really. We have certainly heard some truly Life Changing Stories from the east midlands tonight. For ourfinalfilm, we go back to an area which era which changed music and fashion for a generation. Style, without a doubt. Freedom, because we like to kick against the norm. If there were three words to sum up mod culture cool, stylish and excitement. Sharp suits, scooters and club life mod culture exploded in britain in the early 60s. A time of freedom and newness. It may have kicked off in london but there was a huge scene in the east midlands. Now the Untold Stories of those mods are being put in the spotlight and young people today are helping tell them. From fashion and music to the old haunts how the mods paved the way way for the next generations. Oh, look at the clothes it may have been an exciting new era, but young mods were also experiencing the highs and lows of teenage life. Ann barry grew up in nottingham and kept a diary of the time. From school and family life to meeting her now husband eddie. November 1966, ive been 16 since may. Read that teenagers have a depression period and go all moody and feel awful. June, 66, met g, went to an all nighter at the burlesque in leicester. Met some londoners. Wish a new club would open up in nottingham. Well have to open our own. July, 1966. Mum and me kept rowing, she sloshed me. Im sick of it, i want to leave home. Theres no denying anns teenage angst but life seemed to get better when she was at the dungeon. It was one of the biggest mod hang outs in the midlands. Where friends became family and music was everything. You knew you were approaching the dungeon by turning the corner at the top of the street and you could see there were always people outside. Sometimes people didnt go into the dungeon, you could hear the music outside, it was loud. You were hearing all this music for the first time, like the who, the kinks played there in 64, they played early. Little stevie wonder. The dungeon is now a Solicitors Firm but one nightclub that still stands in nottingham is the former hippo club now coco tang. Come on, you dungeoneers. This is where we are going down to now. Ann and a group of former dungeon members are taking a trip back down memory lane. They all started like this, downstairs. Fond memories of the dungeon faces stories that will be part of the big exhibition. I would never have streamed in the 60s this would be happening now. But there was never a better era to be a teenager. Give it some attitude. In leicester one of the inspirations to the exhibition isjohn knapp. From supporting the who to designing clothes john was known as a face one of mods you wanted to be. It was a great time to pose, really, you had your nice new scooter. Today his younger brother shaun and photographerjoe are capturing leicesters answer to carna by street. This used to be the il rondo nightclub. The exhibition at the new walk museum is organised by the pair. And its personal. My father was a mod he was known as one of faces around town. He was quite a superstylish guy. A lot of the stories you read about mods, its usually focused on london and the south coast and no one is really concentrating on the inner cities, so i wanted to make sure its all recorded before its too late. As well as collecting stories, the project is about connecting with the next generation. Here at soft touch arts young people are getting to grips with the fashion, music and culture. Making their own garments, all of which will be on display. You know the raf symbol, ive based the dress on that. Learning about it now you can apply that same mentality to what is applied now, it is the same mentality but it manifests itself in different forms of being. There is a was going to be a rebellious nature to humans. Ive learnt it was more about expressing yourself and identifying yourself from others, and i sorta found that empowering and inspiring at the same time. The day has finally arrived. The mods shaping a generation exhibition is about to be seen for the first time. From authentic memorabilia to original costumes, from the cult movie quadrophenia, the museum in leicester has been transformed into a mod haven. And getting a sneak preview of the former dungeon mods. Look at you in your uniform my face on a poster who would have thought it, if someone had said to me all those years ago, they are going to get your photos and put them on a display, you would never have believed it. She would be saying, at least your spots of cleared up. She would be saying, well, actually you married eddie barry yay with that, the doors are open to the public. After months of planning it seems like sean and joes dream is coming true. Its absolutely incredible. From the guys that were there, it is bringing back all sorts of memories for them, and for the people who were not there they are actually learning a lot from it as well which is really good. We didnt know it was a special time, it wasjust our time. And then looking back, so many of us realise it was just a one off. It is certainly worth checking out at exhibition online archive. That is it for tonight. With up to 100 millimetres of rain during the summer over the weekend we are concerned about flash flooding in riverflooding. It has been wet enough through the small hours that rain is moving across central areas, showery to the north, mr log central areas, showery to the north, mrlog fog central areas, showery to the north, mr log fog clears away, the showers of the go through the afternoon, increasing to dry and bright weather during the day on saturday, suddenly the afternoon will feel pleasant enough in the sunshine with the light winds, but looming large by the end of play, the next band of intense rain, tropical air mixed in with that low pressure will give us really quite heavy rain for quite a length of time, particular england and wales, parts of scotland and Northern Ireland too, along with that some really strong and gusty winds, coinciding with high tides could lead to some coastal flooding, not just through saturday night but into sunday as well, as the northern north westerly satin across wales and later england. Again it will feel colder in the north, particularly with that northwind setting in, it looks like a very u nsettled setting in, it looks like a very unsettled weekend. The warnings are 00 28 11,238 4294966103 13 29,430 on the website