wages grew faster than expected as they outstripped the cost of living for the fourth month in succession. official statistics show that pay rose by 2.9% in the period while unemployment has continued to fall, remaining at its lowest level in over a0 yea rs. remaining at its lowest level in over a0 years. andy verity reports. the firm that runs this construction site in salford has no shortage of work. but a shortage of skilled workers is a growing problem. until this year, its subcontractors could find the staff they needed easily, mostly from the rest of the european union. we've got albanians working on here now but the dry liners, joiners, tilers tend to be eastern european. so, in some instances, when they leave, it gets very, very difficult to entice the british workforce back on to the sites. from the construction firms‘ point of view, the labour market is on fire. even though profits are tight, they have to fight to keep their workers with pay rises of 10% or 20%. if they don't, they may leave before the work is complete. mid—contract, people come along waving their chequebook

and we lose tradesmen. there's a lot of tradesmen work on a building contract. it's an old—fashioned business. and keeping those people on site, on a tight programme, on tight margins, that's the challenge. last year, pay rises fell behind price rises, meaning your money brought you less and less. but, in the spring of this year, inflation dropped and pay improved, as that squeeze on living standards loosened its grip. the supply of new workers is slowing down in other industries, too, and staff asking for more pay can play a stronger hand. there are now more vacancies in the economy than there have been for 17 years, especially in industries like restaurants and hotels. that's one reason workers have been able to push up their pay by an average of ha a week, taking the average wage to £a89 week. that works out at £25,a00 a year. i think there has been a persistent

puzzle why workers have not been able to demand higher wage growth, despite the fact the unemployment rate has fallen to its lowest since the mid—1970s. so, we would have expected wage growth to pick up a lot more than it has done so far. with unemployment at a a3—year low, there are now more than 830,000 vacancies, and many of them simply won't be filled. one side—effect, you may sometimes have to wait a little longer to get served. andy verity, bbc news. now on bbc news, travel show. this week, we're injohannesburg. where i will be taking a lesson with some of the most famous township dancers in south africa. so it's going to be — one, two, one, two. one, two, one, one, two, one, one, two, one. easy! we hit the ibiza clubs in a wheelchair.

i feel myself on the dance floor. i'm not a chair, i'm not a person in a chair, i'mjust...|‘m me. and we had to scotland to catch a glimpse of some rare flying visitors to orkney. we're not entirely sure where the eagles have come from. there is an outside chance they've come direct from norway. first up on this week's programme, we head to ibiza. a balearic island known as much for its nightlife as its idyllic sunsets. but what's it like hitting

the famous dance clubs there in a wheelchair? alex taylor agreed to take us for a spin to find out. alex: ibiza, home to a world—famous nightlife scene four decades strong, and a paradise for clubbers worldwide. as someone who lives for clubbing, parties and a good time, it's no wonder i've ended up here. the only difference is, i'm in one of these. i'm alex, and i'm a bbcjournalist. i've got cerebral palsy and have used a wheelchair since i was young. so i need a carer to help me with lots of day—to—day things. i also happen to be a pretty big clubber. i am myself on the dance floor.

i'm not a chair, i'm not a person in a chair, i'm just... i'm me. last year i went to ibiza for the first time and i had a pretty bad experience in terms of access. this summer, i'm heading back to ibiza to see if things might be changing. i will bejoined by my carers — james and rachel. in ibiza, i am staying in a specially adapted hotel room. it's got the space and facilities i need, but i'm not wasting any time. we're heading straight out to ocean beach for one of their famous pool parties. i had a fantastic time here last year and the access was actually really good. i always find it is a bit odd how much attention

i get on the dance floor. it can be fun to have people always asking me for selfies, but i think it also shows how long we've got to go before seeing a wheelchair on the dance floor is the norm and not a novelty. right, so ijust left ocean beach, had a great time, it's a really good atmosphere. a really good party. i have got loads of stuff on my face, i have no idea what it is. back at the hotel and i'm getting ready for our first night out, and we are heading to pasha. it's a big name on the island, it's been here for years and years. i've heard it is actually quite upmarket, which is ok, i can make the effort and look good — hopefully enough to get in. otherwise, i hope it has access. in my chair, at least, so i can actually have a good time and have a dance, which is what i am there for.

rachel is a private carer. i often ask her to help me on evenings out and if i go out partying, because she likes to party like me. one way in which ibiza has made progress with accessibility is with its taxis. many of which are wheelchair accessible. when we arrive at pasha, it was a good start. a member of security spotted us and guided us through a side door into the garden. we tried to enter the club but were greeted with three steps and no ramp. so we were stuck in the garden. it wasn't until almost half an hour later that someone noticed us and showed us in through a fire exit. after a bit of a dance,

i wanted to check out the toilet. they had no bars or anything that would actually help you to use the toilet as a wheelchair user with mobility issues. so, we are going to call it a night. once james managed to drag me out of bed, rachel and i had a catch—up about last night by the pool. people are willing to sell you a ticket for a0 euros. exactly. to only be able to go into the garden, or, you know, they didn't say to you, "you have to get someone to come and open a fire escape for you to actually get in." it's just all seems a bit...

eugh. since filming, pasha say that they are sorry for the way i was initially treated when i arrived at their club. in a statement, they say... accessibility laws in ibiza are similar to those in the uk, stating that businesses must make reasonable adjustments to cater for those with access issues. but there is also a new clause in local law that aims to initiate fines for clubs that fail to make reasonable adjustments for access. i'm meeting vicente,

a wheelchair user from ibiza. tonight, we are heading to the world—famous amnesia. last year i had a pretty bad experience there and i'm hoping things might have changed. tonight, we are heading to the world—famous amnesia. last year i had a pretty bad experience there and i'm hoping things might have changed. no, i don't have a ticket, i'm with alex. i have the ticket. i have one ticket. so, just like last year, they wanted to charge my carer to enter. so that would add an extra 55 euros on to the cost, and i can't really afford that. there is no way he can go in without me. you need a ticket also. but i'm his carer. it's not fair. it cost a lot of money, you see. so i don't have a choice,

because i have to have her help. if it was you, what would you do? after about five minutes of arguing, the security guard backed down. however, once i was inside, the disabled access was fantastic and i felt really welcome. after filming, we contacted amnesia about my experiences but they did not respond. i wanted to finish my ibiza holiday with a bang, so we are heading to es paradis. it's a place where, despite some access issues, i felt overwhelmingly welcome and that's really half the battle. in my opinion there should be more of accessibility — try and include everyone.

it's refreshing to see somebody in a wheelchair like alex. everybody approaches him, nobody feels like he is in a wheelchair so we distance ourselves from him. i wonder why they're a lot more open in that environment then maybe if i was walking down the high street, well, not walking, but you know, going down the high street. i think it's because it's an environment which is all about enjoyment, acceptance and things like that. i think maybe that's why. but i've often wondered why it can't be extended everywhere, you know. everyone is nice to me always, but there is a different attitude when you are on the dance floor. i don't know if i actually have the answer as to why yet. despite all of this, nothing will stop me from going clubbing, because when i'm on the dance floor, i feel free. still to come on the travel show...

we travel to scotland to track down some rare flying visitors to orkney. and i meet the township dancers here in south africa who have taken new york by storm. one, two, one, one, two, one. one, two, one. yes! so don't go away. we are off to scotland now, where, back in 2016, for the first time in iao years, white—tailed sea eagles returned to orkney. now, to the greatjoy of islanders, two chicks have been successfully hatched. so we went to find out what the historic return means for the island.

white—tailed eagles were persecuted to extinction in the british isles. 2018 is the hundredth anniversary of when the last british bird was shot. so in a way it's quite nice to celebrate with some good news. we're not entirely sure where the eagles have come from. we know that they don't come from youngsters from the east coast. there's an outside chance that they've come direct from norway, which would be quite nice, because there are these links between orkney and norway. and i can see one chick at the moment, but the nest ledge slopes right down at the back. so both the chicks can disappear down into the nest. they're the only white—tailed eagles nesting in orkney. they've tried a couple of previous times and haven't managed to produce any chicks, so it's really lovely to see them growing so well and looking really healthy. our dad found the tomb in 1958.

he found it by accident, looking for stone to make corner posts for fencing. he discovered it was a wall, so he followed the wall through a pile of rubble and eventually he came to a black hole. it was dark, so he got a cigarette lighter, put that in, lit it, and there were between 20 and 30 skulls smiling back at him. along with human remains, there were lots of bird remains, and, in particular, bones of the sea eagle, the white—tailed eagle. there were 70 talons found altogether. one person appears to have five buried with him, another had seven. so the sea eagle was obviously very, very important to these people, 4,000, 5,000 years ago. so this is the life—size outline of the male, and the female is a bit bigger than this. we're really lucky that the birds have chosen to nest right opposite a car park.

so we get a lot of visitors stopping off here who have heard that the eagles are here. so is itjust underneath that? above that and to the right. above, to the right. the islanders have very much taken them to their hearts. yesterday you said that they're bigger thanjess. because we have such a great range of wildlife in orkney, really, the white—tailed eagles are the icing on the orkney wildlife cake. so there are people come from all over the world. nobody really knows what the next step will be for the birds, because nobody who's alive now has seen this before. but there's great potential for this to be the start of a new population. and they really look like they belong, soaring up on the cliffs. visitors have been coming to see the tomb of the eagles for many years now.

it's good now that they can go to hoy and see the real bird. to wrap up this week, i'm in alexandra, a township in south africa's largest city, johannesburg, and home to a sensational form of street dance. combining high—energy routines with eye—popping fashion, this is pa ntsula. this style of dancing is absolutely incredible. it's fast paced, it's energetic... ..and it's technical. but for young south africans, it's so much more than this.

it's a movement that encapsulates storytelling, fashion and social expression. and just look at those dance moves. my mind is just blown! for via vyndal, everything in their act holds a special significance — from their moves to their costumes. and their clothes are the colours of the national flag. pantsula, it's a local culture. you would never get it anywhere in the suburbs. whatever we do, we're telling our stories, background stories, through dance. so, you tailor dance moves depending on how you are feeling, what kind of story you are trying to tell? that's how we create stories. i can even sit home and be watching tv and be like, gents, let's just try this move and be like... all of us, like, you know, like together. can you do that, like all together? just that once.

one, two, one, two. you guys are always ready. yeah. i love that! from growing up in this poor neighbourhood, the group has gone on to international acclaim. position one goes to... applause. in 2017, director danny boyle handpicked them to perform at one of new york's most prestigious venues — carnegie hall. we really killed the stage. it was a peak experience, especially because, to be honest, it was our first time on the plane. and being in new york, it was something different. you could tell that we were far away from home. now, i read that one of you cried tears ofjoy. who was that? you're denying it now. no shame. no embarrassment. the background of the dance is closely tied to the history of the nation. we're on our way to the biggest

township in south africa — soweto. here, the pa ntsula has a deeply political message. soweto has a reputation for activism. it was home to nelson mandela during apartheid in the years prior to his arrest. pantsula has its roots in the same era. it matched contemporary forms with traditional african dance — an act of cultural defiance against the oppressive white government. talk to me about the kind of social and political messages that you express when you dance. the first political message is to be seen as black people. we are powerful, you know. the second is we're trying to tell the world that we're still free, but we're still bearing a lot of problems. we still have to push ourselves. and we have to push ourselves, like, 10 times harder than any other individual.

before i try out some moves with via vyndal, this teacher and performer has offered to show me some beginner steps. i've heard a lot about this train step. i know nothing about it. tell me about it. it is named for the mimicking of the effect that the trains are used. this is the first. and then we go back. that's it. now, you're gonna be fast, because the train is going fast. can't get on the train slow.

you've got it! yes! i think i need a little bit more practice, though. for he and other pantsula performers, they want to see the dance continue to grow throughout their communities. ok, as far as i understand it, pa ntsula is performed with traditionally male groups. but you're reppin‘ for the ladies. i always believed that pantsula is a black people's culture, it's not only for boys. pantsula must be a career, like other dances. pantsula must be taught at schools and it's for everyone. just want to give it to the whole world. teach more people. people who are interested. it doesn't have to just be in south africa. and now, the moment of truth. do i have what it takes to become an honorary member of the troop? ok, stand here. 0k.

it's going to be, one, two, one, two. one, two, one, two. oh, no. yeah. so it's going to be, one, two, one, two. one, two, one, one, two, one, one, two, one. easy! 0k. slow. one, two, one, two. one, two, one, one, two, one, one, two, one. i'm not getting the last bit. come on, focus up here. focus on my feet. i'm not quite there. one, two, one, two, one, two, one, two, one. yes! thanks, guys. i'm not good enough to join the group. but thank you for teaching me some moves. sadly, that's all we've got time for this week. join us next time when... carmen's in australia,

heading to a resort that's going crazy for crypto currency. ok, so we're going to pay by litecoin. thank you. amazing, that was so fast. and don't forget, you can keep up with us on social media. the details are on your screen now. until next time, from me, and the rest of the team in johannesburg, it's goodbye. hello there. a full uk weather forecast coming up in a moment, but first of all, the latest on that massive hurricane that's heading

towards the eastern side of the united states. it is of course hurricane florence. it is a category four hurricane, four out of a five—point scale. sustained winds of iao mph at the moment, but it's forecast to strengthen, with wind gusts getting up to 185mph over the next 2a hours or so. it's going to make landfall friday morning north carolina, but the effects will be felt up and down the mid—atlantic coast, with a risk of flooding, and those damaging winds as well. here in the uk, we've got a cold front sinking its way slowly southwards today, and that's going to have an effect on the temperatures. yesterday we saw highs of 25 degrees in both london and exeter, as well, but today we're looking at highs of around 18 degrees. so a 7 degrees celsius drop in temperature. not that it's going to feel cold, but it will feel a good deal cooler. this is how we have the weather over the next few hours for the early risers. a lot of cloud around and outbreaks of rain. always heaviest across north—west england and the north—west of wales as well, but there'll be plenty of heavy showers working

into north—west scotland over the next few hours, with a slice of clearer weather across northern ireland, northern england and eastern scotland. it's here where we'll have those temperatures dipping down into single figures. mild, though, further south — 15 degrees the low in london. now, looking at the weather picture through the rest of wednesday, our cold front sinks its way southwards, the rain becomes increasingly light and patchy, but there'll probably still be some left over across parts of south—east england well into the afternoon. there'll be some blustery showers for western scotland, but in between, a slice of sunnier weather. but the temperatures a good deal lower in the south, highs expected to reach 18 degrees celsius. now, looking at the weather picture for wednesday evening and overnight, our rain finally clears away from south—east england. heavy rain comes into the north—west of scotland, but there will be some clearer skies for the bulk of england and wales, and it's going to be one of the cooler nights that we've seen so far this september, with temperatures down across eastern parts of england, down to around 3 or a degrees in the coldest areas.

so it will be quite a chilly start of the day on thursday, but there will be plenty of sunshine around here. a band of rain pushes southwards across scotland and northern ireland, weakening as it does so. just a few spots possible into cumbria to take us into the afternoon, but for many of us it's a dry day. showers again affecting western parts of scotland, though. temperatures in the sunshine — about 15 degrees for aberdeen and edinburgh, 21 degrees in london. bit more sunshine, so starting to feel warmer. and reasonable weather, actually, across southern england as we head through the weekend, but there will be some heavy outbreaks of rain across the north and west of the uk this weekend. that's your weather. are are all welcome to bbc news — broadcasting to viewers in north america and around the globe. i'm reged ahmad. our top stories: it's being called ‘a vicious monster and a threat to life'. america's east coast gets ready for the might of hurricane florence we are sparing no expense, we are totally prepared, we are ready. we are ready as anybody has ever been. china's president says the relationship with russia is more

important than ever — as they hold joint military exercises for the first time. brazil's jailed former president, lula da silva gives up his attempt to return to power, in next month's election. and we'll be finding out why this raven has got a lot to crow about.