he's arrived in the flood—hit state of louisiana — to see the damage first hand. earlier he met survivors in houston, texas — and helped volunteers distribute aid. he's promised to seek nearly eight billion dollars in federal aid to help flood victims. flooding in south asia has left more than 45 million displaced. more than 1,400 people have died across india, bangladesh and nepal after torrential monsoon rains. the red cross says its one of the worst regional humanitarian crises in years. several hundred volunteers have joined the search for a nine—year—old girl who vanished during a wedding in the alps a week ago. two magistrates have opened a case into the suspected kidnapping in south—eastern france. prosecutors say the priority remains finding the girl, named as maelys de araujo. the metropolitan police has confirmed, it's paid compensation, to the former british, chief of the defence staff, field marshal lord bramall, and the family of the late former home secretary, lord brittan.

both men had been falsely accused of child sexual abuse by an informant, who's now being investigated, for allegedly perverting the course of justice. here's tom symonds. they were claims which seemed to go right to the heart of power in britain — child sexual abuse and murder. after a ill—month investigation, which went nowhere, a review concluded the claims were false. but not before police had raided the homes of lord bramall, one of britain's most senior former military figures, lord brittan, the former home secretary, who had died, and harvey proctor, once a conservative mp. names among those offered by this man, known as nick, who still can't be named for legal reasons. a retired judge found police had failed to properly assess his credibility, applications for search warrants contained inaccuracies, and the investigation went on too long. it is thought lord bramall and lord brittan‘s family have

received around £100,000 each in compensation from the police. i've never complained about being investigated. it was only the heavy—handed and the very unintelligent way that they went about it. i mean, i think they could have said... well, look, if they'd taken any trouble to put their effort onto questioning the so—called victim, i think they would have found that it was very unlikely. but harvey proctor has not settled. he lost hisjob and his home when he became embroiled in operation midland. negotiations between mr proctor‘s lawyers and the police continue. the man who made the original allegations is himself being investigated, to see whether he deliberately misled the police. tom symonds, bbc news, scotland yard. now on bbc news it's time for the travel show. this week on the show,

we're on colombia's unspoilt island of providencia. but where are all the tourists? henry heads to turkey to try his hand at painting on water instead of canvas. it's going everywhere. great. is it ok? yes. plus — we're in a medieval city in belgium for our whacky race, where bathtubs rule. one that looks like a shed on a bathtub. it is unbelievable. and i'm having a cracking time in northern japan. that really doesn't look appetising. we start off this week on the remote caribbean island of providencia, with its breathtaking scenery and golden sand beaches.

—— we start off this week on the remote caribbean island of providencia, with its breathtaking scenery and golden sand beaches. it's a slice of paradise you won't have to share with the package holiday crowd, because up until now, there's no major tourism development here. it's mostly untouched. but all that could be about to change, as james clayton discovered. basking in the south of the caribbean sea lies providencia, known throughout its history as an island that's harboured pirates like captain morgan. a place where traditions live on. people still speak english creole here, even though it's been part of colombia for 200 years. the island is a paradise,

but there's something missing. on one of the most idyllic beaches on one of the most idyllic islands in the caribbean, why are there no tourists here? the lack of holidaymakers seems almost bizarre, but it didn't happen by accident. getting to providencia is actually really hard. for example, if you're coming from the uk, you have to get a flight from london to bogata, then get a flight to a little caribbean island called san andreas. then either get a rickety flight or a catamaran to providencia. and it's not surprising as a result that there really aren't many tourists here. it's just too much of a hassle. providencia's isolation is nothing new. it was established by english puritans, in part, seeking isolation to practise their religion. elkin robinson is one of providencia's biggest pop stars.

he proudly traces his ancestry back to his english relatives. in the history, this island had been english always. the spanish always try to take over the island. he says there's a danger of providencia losing its identity to the neighbouring mainland. colombia is a country with a lot of different culture. everywhere you go is different. different climate, different food, different music, different people. but providencia's isolation from the mainland has also hit its economy. food and drink are, for example, much more expensive than on the mainland. and so colombia has committed to extending providencia's airport so it can take international flights. many of the locals are up in arms.

it's not going to happen. we're not going to permit it. sophia huffington is leading protests against the expansion. she fears what happened in san andres sets the precedent. they opened the airport there in 1953 and started pulling away the territory from the people. we have an example for them not to come and make the same mistake again. 60 years after san andres got its international airports, there are now high—rise hotels, casinos and a0 times more tourists than providencia. crime is now a problem and the locals are in a minority. however, other people in providencia are more realistic about the benefits of visitors. manuela rents out a spare room to tourists. as soon as the government tried to open more to the tourists,

people right away it's like a strike. they all get together and they say no, this is not what's going to happen here. it's not like the big tourist companies haven't tried to get into providencia. this spa hotel was built by a prospector. but it lies empty. locals never allowed it to be opened, claiming it breached planning permission. they will lose all those roots, all that culture. they are just preserving it. in san andres the island has changed completely. the children are not even speaking the language any more. it's spanish. providencia is afraid that the same thing will happen. although work has begun on the airport, locals have, for now, stopped the expansion. but providencia's conundrum is a microcosm of the challenges that communities face from globalisation across the world. opening the island up would undoubtedly boost its economy. but the overdevelopment of the island of san andres means many providencians simply don't

believe it's a price worth paying. tourism is important. but i don't feel it will live from tourism. i feel like the tourism will live from us. james clayton reporting there from the untouched island of providencia. now we head to istanbul for a spot of ebru painting — a turkish art form that involves marbling or painting on water. ebru has been around for centuries, growing in popularity under the ottomans and then spreading to europe. we sent henry golding to give it a go. we're going to make a daisy today.

0k. first we have to choose colours. which colours do you want to use? i like the blues. maybe this one. daisies are usually white with yellow. there's a white here. you start with the base? yes. how do you do it, what's the technique? we first mix it. and we start sprinkling. 0k. it's going everywhere. i'm not sure it's as good as yours. it's great. is it ok? yes. the reason why the paint sticks on the top here is because the canvas we're using is made of water and starch. it's a lot thicker than the paint. this is almost like a chopstick. yes. we are using them to make these shapes.

now we're making the daisy. first we're going to start with the leaves. this takes a little more control that the flicking. like a teardrop. we're going to do this to the leaves. more of a blob than a flower. a little bit of colour. stick this in the middle. that looks like an egg rather than a daisy. this is where we print it out on paper. yes. lay the paper here. you lay it down. we just wait. just pull it. shall i show you? how is it? you think it's pretty good for a first time? yeah, it's great! you're really talented.

do you think i'll be able to keep the turkish tradition of marbling going? yes! still to come on the travel show... we're in belgium for the annual international bathtub boat race, trying to keep the travel show‘s reputation afloat. i'm soaking wet! and my mission begins in the first part of a new series as i travel throuthapan, taking on some of its most daunting dishes. so don't go away. the travel show — your essential guide, wherever you're heading. now we're off to dinant in belgium. the town's an hour's drive south of the capital, brussels, and is known as the birthplace of the saxophone. but in more recent years it's become famous for its very unusual summer festival.

we sentjoe along to take part in one of the world's wackiest races. the river meuse flows for nearly 1000km through france, belgium and the netherlands and has been an important trading route since medieval times. but in more recent decades, a stretch of the river here in dinant in southern belgium has become better known for its epic water fights that happen each year as part of la regate de baignoires — the bathtub regatta. alberto came up with the idea for the regatta 35 years ago. he shows me the one kilometre route where the boats will race. the race was intended

to be a one—off. but 35 years later, it's still going. 0riginally, each competitor had their own bathtub. but now people create huge, elaborate floats. the only rule is that somewhere the design must incorporate a bathtub. people spend months secretly constructing their boats. i'm heading to meet one crew who are putting the finishing touches to the raft i'll be racing on. bonjour.

hello. 0h, these are amazing! yes, thank you. nice to meet you, i'm jo. nice to meet you. emmeline. they're enormous. yes, but it's not the biggest. come with me. 0k. wow! ready for you. you are very prepared. is this our boat? yes. the theme this year is famous people in dinant. emmeline has chosen to represent the town's doctors. the sign is like gray's anatomy. yes, it's my name. that's very clever. i can see a bathtub there. people sit in here? yes, me. just here! where will i go? you can go here. emmeline and herfamily have been taking part in the regatta for the past 20 years. it's all hands on deck to finish their fleet of three boats. you must have a fancy dress.

0k. here are my scrubs. very nice. fully kitted out in my doctor's scrubs, all that's left to do now is launch the bathtubs. just making it nice for the trip! iget in? and we're off. in what i think is the wrong direction. which way are we going? further down the river, we join the rest of the tubs on the start line. it's absolute chaos. there's a lot of shouting, a lot of chanting. have we started now?

yes, i think. this is the race? i start rowing as hard as i can. but i get the impression it's more about showcasing the bathtub designs than how quickly you can complete the race. there is some seriously impressive contraptions on this river. one guy over there is barbequing on his bathtub. further down the river, there's something that looks like a shed. i don't know. i'm just going to keep rowing. soon, it becomes clear that splashing the opposition is the aim of the game. you aren't allowed to try and sink other boats. but it seems that anything else goes. i'm obviously soaking wet! and the thousands of people who've come to watch aren't safe either. the town's bridge marks the end of the race. but no—one seems to be too bothered about hurrying towards it.

for us, the regatta ends in the same chaotic way it started as we haphazardly paddle past the finish line. what a day. i'm not sure there were any winners or losers there. but it was so much fun. they've told me this is the only way to finish the race. after i've dried off from my dunking there's an anxious wait to see if we've won a prize. an award for the team's creative bathtub design. it might seem silly, but i'm actually really excited about this,

because it was an intense race and i think i've earned it. to end this week, japan's food can be justjaw dropping and most people new to the country make a bee line for the yakitori joints or sushiers that you'll find everywhere. i've lived here in tokyo for over three years now and i love japanese food. but there's still some ifind quite intimidating. with a little help from my translator, yoko, i'm taking my tastebuds on a trip through this country to try and understand what i'm missing out on. hokkaido is japan's northern island. it's wild and craggy.

in the winter, it's a snowy wonderland. after the thaw, the islanders are left with alpine meadows and crystal clear seas. we're in the port city of 0taru. i'm told this is one of the best places in all of japan to find the best uni. this is japanese sea urchin, or to be more exact, its reproductive glands. it's a fairly pricey delicacy, which you normally eat with soy sauce on top of a bed of rice. carmen... uni — you found it. yes. this is quite a big pack of uni. how expensive is this? 4,500 yen. wow! that's just less than $45, around 30 quid. expensive.

why is it so expensive? because the fishermen can only fish for it at certain times. so this is the best uni injapan, is that correct? collecting them is hit—and—miss. the sea has to be perfectly still for the fishermen here to head out onto the water. either they all go or none do. luckily, i'm here at exactly the right time of year. do you like uni? ilove uni. it's expensive. i cannot eat every day. we can reallyjust try uni out here? you don't have to cook it or anything? sterilise it? no.

open it. put it in your mouth. this man has been fishing here for years. if anyone‘s ever earned the title mr uni, it's him. what's that black container do? it's a goggle. to look under the sea. wow! i love this, it's so amazing. japan is such a hi—tech country and the way he's finding the uni is by using some massive goggle and a net. amazing. wow, that's a lot! it looks really spiky. that really doesn't look appetising. so you scoop it out like this.

eurgh, it looks like a soggy dish sponge. here we go. it smells horrible! 0k. bleugh! a bit like an oyster, really salty, but the consistency of eurgh! hokkaido is also famous for its dairy. they say about half of alljapan‘s dairy cow population live out their days up here. another thing people eat when they come here to hokkaido is ice—cream. this is a seven—tower rainbow ice—cream. check it out.

my goodness, it's grape, strawberry, green tea, melon, chocolate, milk and lavender. i can't wait. this is your ice—cream. right, let me guess, this is uni ice—cream, right? well, i love ice—cream. maybe this is one way i might actually enjoy uni. it's not so bad. it does taste a little salty and a little bit seafoody. but i think this is the best way to enjoy uni, really. for me, anyway. uni may not necessarily be for me, but it's a genuine passion for some of the people who live here. and if you're looking for a proper, authentic taste of northern japan, this is most definitely it. you're sure i can't have that one back?

i want to keep this, so no! i got it back. that's all we have time for this week. coming up next week... ade travels through sweden to find out about stockholm's plans to become the most futuristic city in the world. this microchip implant sits right here under my skin. i would never know it was there. he also heads to the far north of the country to experience a chilly night on a block of ice. it's so cold! it's cold, man! don't forget, you can join in our adventures on the road by following us on social media. in the meantime, from me and this melting ice—cream on the japanese island of hokkaido, it's goodbye. hello.

most of us enjoyed some picture perfect weather to start the weekend on saturday. these are the pictures to prove it. a load of sunshine around but quite warm in that sunshine. is set this was the weather on saturday, this is the weather on sunday. click cloud and rain moving in and the wind picking up as well. this is how it looks the early risers in the morning. rain across ireland edging into scotland and parts of wales as well is south—west england. further east, you may be greeted with early morning sunshine that will turn increasingly hazy quite quickly. there will be heavy bursts in the west, windy as well with dale

through the irish sea and again, dry weather from the midlands eastwards across much of the east of england into eastern scotland with the early sunshine. early rain to the west again heavy bursts in brisk winds. it will feel quite cool. persistent rain edging away from ireland as it turns patchy and pushes into south—west scotland were in the east it looks dry. the weather system will try to take the rain eased during the day but it is a slow process and eventually see it edging towards north—west england and parts of the midlands. more of northern ireland will be dry. easternmost parts cling on to some dry weather but cloud will increase in the breeze will pick up. the longer you have sunshine, and you may see 19 or 20 underneath the cloud and rain may be only 15 or 16 degrees. quite a contrast. were stage either the bulk of the day in the evening, a greater chance of seeing light and patchy outbreaks of rain working eastwards.

the weather system stopping in its tracks as we look at the picture for monday. that means an monday, to begin the day, a lot of cloud around with extensive hostel hill fog, it mist the murky damp and drizzly. more rain across scotland and into northern ireland but for england and wales some will brighten up. if it is muddy and you see sunny spells it will turn out to be quite warm temperatures in the low 20s. tuesday and wednesday we returned to a more showery and breezy weather pattern. by showery and breezy weather pattern. by the end of the week it looks quite wet and windy. welcome to bbc news. donald trump has praised the recovery effort in texas during a visit to houston, where he's been meeting people who've been affected by storm harvey. the president and the first lady have now travelled to neighbouring louisiana, which was also badly hit by the storm. james cook reports from houston. americans look to their president.

he is expected, required, to show empathy, leadership and unity. today, donald trump did deliver hugs and handshakes,