over its nuclear and missile programme. hosting ambassadors from the security council, he said north korea was a real threat to the world. france has entered a period of intense political campaigning between emmanuel macron and marine le pen — the two remaining candidates for the presidency. marine le pen has announced she's stepping aside as party leader of the national front. the battle against the extremist group, the so—called islamic state, is intensifying in syria as forces move towards the stronghold of raqqa. territory under is control is being retaken, including dabiq which featured heavily in is propaganda videos. the astronaut peggy whitson has broken the record for the number of days spent in space by an american — beating the previous record of 534 days. she's also the first woman to command the international space station on two missions. let's take a brief look now at some of the front pages of the morning papers. and the financial times reports on the positive reaction from the financial markets

to emmanuel macron‘s progression to the final round of voting, in the french election. the i reveals labour's plans for brexit, including assurances for eu nationals living in the uk. the daily express claims a study shows just 45 minutes of exercise a day, can prevent dementia. while the metro says a law firm used legal aid to pay for bogus claims, against british soldiers in iraq. the daily telegraph leads with comments by the head of the university admissions service, that students shouldn't worry about finding jobs straight after graduation. the guardian reports a remain campaign group is targeting parliamentary seats currently occupied by pro brexit politicians with an army of half a million supporters. the times says the uk will face a bill of two billion euros before negotiating the deal to leave the eu afterfailing to control customs fraud. and finally the daily mail features a report that says gps are not spotting cancer symptoms in patients, with some being sent away three times before being correctly diagnosed. now on bbc news it's time for the travel show.

on this week's travel show, we are exploring a secret corner of spain full of places that time forgot. really beautiful round here. it's really quiet. we are tackling the great wall of china, one step at a time. and we're tracking down a wild and secretive creature that's learned to steer well clear of humans. we're looking out at the bottom of the valley here. and that's where the wolves are most likely to get a good breakfast. hello and welcome to the travel show with me, christa larwood, coming

this week from palencia in spain. now, this country is one of the world's biggest tourism destinations. each year over 60 million people arrive on these shores. but they often head for the mediterranean coast and cities like barcelona or madrid. but here in rural spain, many struggling communities are pinning their hopes on becoming the next big holiday hotspot. i've travelled fairly widely in spain, but on this trip i'm heading to a region in the north of the country that i've never heard of before. its name is palencia. only a handful of tourists come

here, which is hard to believe, given the breathtaking scenery. and in the middle of this wild countryside, there are amazing, virtually untouched, medieval churches scattered everywhere. nowhere else in europe has so many of these churches, and they give you a real sense that you've stepped back in time. this area may be beautiful, but for centuries it's also been poor, and traditionally many people had no choice but to leave in search of work, in the hope of a better life. now some of the current generation are hoping that tourism will help bring new life to this region. myjourney begins in the southern part of palencia. one of the medieval pilgrimage routes that led to santiago de compostela goes through this area. in other parts of spain,

camino de santiago trails are packed with pilgrims. but here, i only see a few. this region of palencia is not very well known. have you found that there are lots of tourists here, or has it been a break from the tourists? i didn't see any tourists. it's a little bit crazy, because i'm from germany and there are not places like this where it's nothing. i continue myjourney along the trail of the camino do santiago. it's really beautiful around here. it's really quiet. music. i think i've found all the people. gracias.

just in case? i think i've just ordered a medieval roast. who knows what might come out? this restaurant has been feeding hungry pilgrims for decades. now offering medieval feasts, they are hoping to put the palencia section of the camino de santiago trail in the spotlight. there are no pilgrims here today but a local family is celebrating a birthday. and they are clearly getting into the medieval spirit. thank you. where's. .. what do i do for knife and fork? no? ijust pick this up. it does taste really good though. heading north, i reached

the mountains of northern palencia. these villages are even further off the beaten track. every village here seems to have a medieval church. there are over 250 injust a small area. the architectural style is called romanesque and dates back to the 11th century, and it's rare to see so many of them so close together. elsewhere in europe, these types of churches were often altered and modernised over the centuries. here, they remain untouched. wow, that is a key. that's a key and a half, that. this place really properly is just hewn out of rock. in the 12th century this

area was very important because the centre of power of this area is very close here. and this is one of the most important place of the kingdom of castilla. after this 12th century, the centre of the power go away of this area. and not so rich in the fields, this area became to be a poor area. so when they had more money, in later centuries they would come in and tear down the old churches to rebuild them. whereas because this is poor it's been kept perfectly for us. many people around here have remained poor right up to this day. over the centuries, most of the villages in northern palencia

emptied as people migrated into the cities looking for work. i wanted to see one of these abandoned villages. it's in a precarious condition but i'm safe enough because i'm with an expert on historical buildings who knows this 17th century house very well. this is like a bedroom of a teenager or something. that's michaeljackson. donjohnson. wow! i will tell you what, this is like a time capsule of what was cool when this house was abandoned. donjohnson! because of the recent economic downturn in spain,

youth unemployment in some areas runs at close to a0%. and as people struggle to find jobs in the big cities, here in the countryside the situation is even bleaker. i've seen all around the world how tourism can help to preserve cultures. but there's also something special that's lost the moment the first tourist buses arrive. hopefully the people of palencia

get the tourist numbers they richly deserve. but also fight hard to protect the authenticity of their medieval culture, of which, as i've discovered, they are justly proud. still to come on the travel show, we are snapping up guilty pleasures in new orleans. and i'm falling a little bit in love with a big dog that thinks it's a wolf. the travel show, your essential guide, wherever you are headed. hello, i'm michelle jana chan, your global guide, with top tips

on the world's best events in the coming months. we're starting in the us at the new orleans jazz and heritage festival, orjazz fest, begins april 28, which, in spite of its name will be a hub of blues, r&b, gospel, folk, latin, rock, rap, country and bluegrass. this year there'll be a cuban theme with a conga los hoyos dance parade. food on offer will include creole, cajun and this year also cuban cooking, so you won't be going hungry for crawfish pie or fillet gumbo. meanwhile, in samoa, the five island swim held may 10—13 is a series of open water swims over four days covering a total of 27 kilometres. it's a challenge, no doubt, but even in the heat of competition, don't forget to spot tropical fish among the coral reefs in this polynesian paradise. between april 28th and may 7th,

south korea will be celebrating the birth of the buddah with an extravagant festival of light, the lotus lantern festival. there'll be colourful handmade lantern exhibitions, folk music performances, and parades of dancers, floats and dragons. in italy, the northern city of ravenna hosts a summer music festival in venues including gilded byzantine basilicas, to cloisters, piazzas, to pine forests. it's a celebration of art, classical music and opera but also dance, drama and jazz. the festival runs from may 25 to july 11. in china, the hard as nails great wall marathon takes place on may 20. it's one of the most challenging long—distance runs, drawing thousands of competitors who choose between the full length course, a half marathon, or an 8.5 kilometre fun run. starting a few hours from beijing in the heart of the mountains, the route involves steep climbs

and descents, smooth flagstones to rough surfaces, and over 5000 steps. last year, the fastest speed was three hours, 30 minutes, the time to beat. back in the us, it will be man against machine from may 26—28, when the iron horse bicycle classic takes place in the colorado town of durango. the event dates back to the late 18805 when two brothers raced against each other. the elder was a brakeman on a steam powered locomotive who challenged his younger brother to race the train from durango to silverton. these days, the train takes a shorter route. thousands take part, trying to beat the train before it pulls into its final destination. there are other events around the classic, including mountain biking, bmx races, dual slaloms and team trail rides. at the end of april, yachts from all over the world will be arriving in the caribbean for antigua sailing week. from april 29th there will be five days of competitive racing off the south coast of the island.

if you're not on a boat, the next best place to be is shirley heights lookout, with its sweeping ocean views. and try to get here early. some events have already started, including the antigua classic yacht regatta, when the caribbean sea is dotted with elegant vintage yachts and tall ships. finally, in morocco, the mawazine festival, rhythms of the world, runs from may 12—20 in the capital, rabat. the beats include ragada, musique gnawa and hassani songs, and there'll be more than 100 shows from local moroccan, african and international artists. that's my global guide this month. let me know what's happening in the place where you live, or where you love. we are on e—mail and across social media. until next time, happy travelling. i've come to the mountains in palencia here in northern spain to search for an elusive animal, the iberian wolf.

for centuries, these animals have bred both fear and fascination in humans, and here in palencia they are now flourishing like nowhere else in europe. so i've tracked down the man who is leading wolf safaris, much to the amazement of many of the locals, who have always been taught to fear these legendary predators. but in an ironic twist, the wolves could now help lead the way to the economic salvation that's much needed in this very poor region of spain. tino garcia is the pioneer of wolf tours in palencia. along with his wife, rosa, he's restored a once derelict home and now welcomes visitors who want to catch a glimpse of the local wolves. even though many of his

neighbours were sceptical his business would succeed. if you're not a fan of very early starts, then wolf watching is definitely not for you. good morning, christa. que tal? good morning. i'm tired, that's what i am. living in such close proximity to humans, these wolves have learned to survive by keeping a low profile. so don't expect to hear any hollywood—style howling coming

from up in the hills. is this safe? all right, my life's in your hands, tino. it's kind of amazing, driving in the dark. you look out and it's alljust shades of grey. it's amazing how quickly your eyes become accustomed to not having headlights. we have to be really, really quiet from now on, because these wolves are very used to living with humans who shoot them. so the minute they hear the sound of a human, a car door or a voice, they run for the hills. the iberian wolf was almost hunted to extinction in the 19705. but as the failing economy forced people to move away from the villages, the wolf population started to climb. but wolves are still hunted today.

the culling season only finished two weeks ago, so the wolves are more cautious than ever. but that only increases the sense of adventure when you set out on a trip like this. knowing your guide will have to use all of his skills and training to spot what you've come to see. it's like looking for a needle in a haystack. tino was just telling me that we're looking out in the bottom of the valley here, because that's where the deer tend to come, and that's where the wolves are most likely to get a good breakfast. for tino, it's important to stay at a distance, so the wolves aren't disturbed. that's it. sorry. that's quite all right.

now that we don't have to be quiet, time to take a break and have some fun. it's quite magical to have the whole mountainside to ourselves. wolf watchers are helping to bring money and jobs to the area. but for the few remaining shepherds, living alongside a rising wolf population is more challenging than ever. to help them, they have something that's a real match for the iberian wolf, the spanish mastiff. oh, my goodness! can i take him home, please? so what are these dogs used for and why are they so special? so 30 sheep in one night?

did that make you really hate wolves? shepherds can be compensated when any of their livestock is killed by wolves. but it's a slow and bureaucratic process that doesn't always pay out. tino has got to know wolves individually, after watching the same packs for many years. but there is one wolf who is very special to him. sadly, this isn't the best time of year to see wolves. spring heralds the start

of the mating season, and they like to keep their courtship rituals pretty private. tino likes to bring people later in the year when the cubs have grown up. they cry, they faint. as the day wears on, i'm beginning to lose hope. if i'm going to see a wolf, i'm going to have to get creative. this is a local breed called the wolf dog.

genetically, it's partly domesticated dog, but it's mostly iberian wolf. you are quite wolfie, aren't you? hello. tino says he wouldn't be able to tell the difference between this dog and a wild wolf. that's why the dog is wearing a bright yellow collar, so that locals don't mistake him for a wolf and shoot him. these dogs were bred to protect cattle from wild wolves. they look like and think like the enemy. and the puppies beg forfood from adults, just like wild wolf cubs do. meeting a wolf dog has given me a little glimpse of a wolf's character, and who knows, maybe i will be back someday and be lucky enough to see the real thing, in the hills here in palencia. i think this is definitely the closest i'm ever

going to come to a wolf. well, that's all we've got time for in this week's travel show but coming up next week: ade heads to ghana as the country prepares to mark the 60th anniversary of becoming an independent nation. well, as the country's in party mode, i'm going to have a poke around and see what you can expect from ghana if you travel here. so dojoin us then if you can. in the meantime, don't forget you can catch up with us while we are out having adventures on the road in real time by following us online and on social media. details are on the screen. but for now, from me, christa larwood, and the rest of the travel team here in palencia, it's goodbye. we may be hurtling towards the end of april, but the weather feels

like it has plunged us back into winter. a very chilly feel over the next couple of days. a frosty start to tuesday. plenty of wintry showers around, and this cold air has come all the way from the arctic. it has worked its way southwards across the british isles, brought in our direction by pretty strong northerly winds. notice the tightly squeezed isobars across the north and north—east of scotland, particularly. gales here, at times, and in areas exposed to that northerly wind, we start off tuesday with lots of showers. northern half of scotland seeing a mixture of rain, sleet, hail and snow. most of the snow over high ground, but even to low levels there could be snow for a time. some icy stretches, as well, in some of those showers across north—east england. also some showers feeding into northern ireland. but for south—west scotland, down the spine of england, we start the day with fewer showers, more in the way of dry weather and sunshine.

chilly, though — three degrees in birmingham and coventry, and some showers feeding into cornwall and devon. and as we go on through the day, the showers will gradually become more widespread across the country, so just about anywhere you could catch one. the odd rumble of thunder, some rain, some sleet, some hail, some snow, mostly over the hills. 7—13 degrees on the thermometer, but on the strength of the winds, take aberdeen, for example, it will feel freezing even in the middle of the afternoon. another cold night to come, tuesday night into wednesday. the showers, though, becoming mostly confined to eastern areas. again, some of them will be wintry. these are the temperatures to expect if you live in the middle of our big towns and cities. out in the countryside, we are looking at lows of minus six or minus seven, a widespread frost. but some subtle changes into wednesday. this ridge of high pressure begins to build its way in from the west, and that will cut off the worst, if you like, of that biting northerly wind, so maybe not as chilly on wednesday. still some showers, but most of these across eastern areas. some sunshine, as well, but thicker cloud starting to roll into northern ireland and western scotland.

a few spots of rain. it will mostly be rain, because temperatures will be creeping upwards. 10 degrees in stornoway. and that is the story for the end of the week, the cold air slowly but surely being eroded by some milder air pushing in from the atlantic. so we can expect those temperatures to begin to creep upwards through thursday and friday. there will be fewer showers, often a lot of cloud, but those temperatures returning to something closer to what we would expect at this time of year. this is bbc news — broadcasting to our viewers in north america and around the globe. my name's mike embley. our top stories: president trump warns of new sanctions on north korea over its nuclear and missile tests. with both candidates preparing to contest the final round for the french presidency — the national front‘s marine le pen announces she's stepping

aside as party leader. a special report from syria, from a former is stronghold where the militants are losing ground. and why record—breaking commander peggy whitson is feeling out of this world. a very warm welcome to the programme.