this is bbc news, the headlines: leading democrat, nancy pelosi, has accused donald trump of trying to cover—up the details of a controversial phone call to the ukrainian president. in the call, which has triggered an impeachment inquiry, the president pushed for the ukrainian government to help smear his main rivaljoe biden. he's dismissed the impeachment proceedings as ‘another witch—hunt‘. borisjohnson says tempers need to come down after furious scenes in the uk parliament on wednesday. but despite strong criticism, the prime minister has refused to apologise for his own controversial language. france has paid tribute to its former leader, jacques chirac, who's died at the age of 86. in a as—year political career, he served as president, prime minister and mayor of paris. internationally, he was best known for opposing the us—led invasion of iraq, but his later years were marred by scandal.

the health secretary, matt hancock, says he won't "rule out" bold action to protect children, after new figures show a fall in the take up of all routine vaccinations, for the under—fives in england, in the last year. coverage of the measles, mumps and rubella vaccination, or mmr, are also down, for the fifth year in a row. our health editor hugh pym has more details. vaccines work best when 95% of children have them, which stops the disease spreading. but that isn't the case just now in england with mmr. there wasn't a care in the world for these youngsters at a play centre this afternoon, but for their parents, plenty to think about, including whether to get their children vaccinated. some are having second thoughts. but mothers i spoke to were clear it was the right thing to do. i, honestly, am 100% for vaccinations. i believe that putting a child's health and happiness is always more important. what you think is behind the fall in vaccination rate?

i think probably social media has a lot to do with it. a lot of people post on social media and a lot of people believe what other mums to say. so if you've got a mum that has a big following group, on instagram or something, and she says that she is against it, unfortunately i think a lot of people will then go and follow that. there was a fall in uptake of the first mmr dose last year in all but one of the english regions. the only area where the vaccination rate remained unchanged was the north—east, which had the highest level of coverage, at 94.5%. london was the worst, with onlyjust over eight out of ten children receiving the inoculation. our message is very clear, particularly for parents taking their children back to school this autumn. make sure they've had all the vaccines they're due, because these diseases can be very unpleasant and can even lead to death. so it's important that everyone gets all the vaccines they're eligible for. measles is a serious illness which can lead to infection

in the brain. cases are on the increase across europe. health officials say they're very concerned. these boys have had their vaccinations. the question now is whether parents of those who haven't had the jabs should be told it's compulsory if their children are to be allowed into school. health authorities say that would be a step too far at this stage. but ministers haven't ruled it out. hugh pym, bbc news. now on bbc news, the travel show. this week on the travel show: i take to the sky here injapan to check out one of the country's latest world heritage sites. our global guru has tips on how to help fund your travels while you're away. and alex goes on board a unique tall ship that's been adapted so everyone can be part of the crew. they're so close!

we start this week in osaka. a modern city totally rebuilt after the devastation of the second world war. but among the street crossings and skyscrapers, you can still find artefacts from its past. you mightjust not be able to spot them from the ground. made it to the top. it's a little bit of a view, it's not bad, a lot of trees here. not really that much to see. to get the best view of these historic wonders,

you really have to take to the sky. taking off... let's go. dotted across the city, there are nearly 50 grassy hills, —— dotted across the city, there are nearly 50 grassy hills, some of them built in a distinctive keyhole shape. the japanese call them kofun, burial mounds built over 1500 years ago. these man—made structures hold the remains of some of ancient osa ka's most powerful figures. and this summer, these memorials were recognised as the city's first unesco world heritage site.

yoshizawa—san has been studying the tombs for decades and was involved in the successful unesco bid. ah, i see, we're standing here right now. wow, this is so big. 425 metres. the size and shape of a burial mounds depend on the person's status. the sites were decorated with haniwa, clay figurines that were used in the funeral ceremony.

ok, let's go. so once they're cleaned, what's the next step? like a jigsaw puzzle? yeah. haniwa take on a lot of different forms and meanings. a house like this is thought to have symbolised the person's lifestyle. reassembling these figures can take as long as a year.

wow, i wouldn't know where to start with a puzzle like this. i guess...maybe? no. here? maybe. she laughs 0k. tourists visiting the mounds can also have a go at crafting their very own haniwa. a nearby arts centre called okuraya offers classes.

make it smaller? 0k. 0h, get smaller at the top, i see, 0k. he looks a bit surprised, doesn't he, this guy? is that all right? ah, 0k, even down there. wow, your attention to detail is amazing. i couldn't really tell you what my haniwa is supposed to represent. they laugh they're just being kind.

and when you compare it to the ancient figurines that yoshizawa—san and his team are restoring, it's a humbling reminder of the craft and skill that went into building osaka's extraordinary burial mounds. next, we're off to spain where a railway station high in the pyrenees holds a secret that stretches back to the dark days of the second world war.

still to come on this week's travel show: simon has tips on the best way to earn money while you're abroad. and alex heads off to sea on a specially adapted tall ship. how are they going to get us up there? i'll be on that mast, are you serious? so don't go away. now, while i've been in osaka, i've noticed that the burial mounds that we featured earlier in the show are just about everywhere, and i'm not just talking underground. check out this place. wow!

well, i have never had a burial mound—shaped quiche before. let's hope it doesn't taste any different. here goes. it's very thick. looking good inside. tastes good, just like a regular quiche. thank goodness! hello again, this week the theme is southeast asia on a budget. i've advice on some hidden gems in singapore and kuala lumpur. and the prospects for picking up casual work as you travel

around the region. but first, it's 500 years since leonardo da vinci died, and to mark the visionary and artist, a new blockbuster exhibition is opening at the louvre in paris on the 24th of october. the show is running until february next year, but it is expected to prove so popular that admission is only by timed tickets — you must book ahead. back to southeast asia, and on instagram @passedport asks: hi, simon. i'm looking for some hidden gems in singapore or kuala lumpur, especially cultural sites or museums. in singapore i have two favourites, both of which seem to be under—visited. the first is fort siloso, on sentosa island, now a military museum, including the surrender chamber, depicting the events when british defenders surrendered to the japanese in 1942, and three years later, when the occupying army itself surrendered.

the other is the treetop walk, which takes you high above the tropical rainforest of the heart of the island. kuala lumpur also has some urban rainforest with high altitude access, the forest eco park. miraculously preserved in the heart of the urban jungle, it gives splendid views of the skyscrapers. my other highlight is the capital's old railway station, which when the current building opened in 1910, was one of the most spectacular buildings in the young city. fred nurgles is off to thailand and vietnam in november and december. fred, i've not much experience of renting wheelchairs on sand, so i've sought some expert advice. in terms of the swimming, there are actually equipment available in some beaches, like where i was last week. they have the amphibian chair. so that's actually a chair with much

bigger wheels that can go over both the sand and then it can go on the sea and float. definitely look out for amphibian chairs. as you know, fred, they're difficult to find, so i think your best bet is to contact one of the specialist accessible travel companies. in terms of thailand and vietnam, i've been asking around and come up with phuket as an option for you. patong beach in particular has been recommended. and a quick search shows there are hotels nearby with good wheelchair access. an alternative on phuket might be karon beach. it's got a pavement running along its length that allows easy access onto the sand. finally, simon lusted wonders: i have been working my way around the world intermittently for a number of decades — picking fruit in australia, making radio commercials in california.

but finding unskilled work in a reasonable rate of pay in a country with relatively low wages and a large supply of labour is both difficult and morally questionable. earn at home, spend abroad. i think that's the best way to go. do keep sending in your questions, and i will do my very best to find you the answers. from me, simon calder, the global guru, bye for now and see you next time! now, finally this week we're heading to the port city of cardiff in the united kingdom. the welsh capital was once one of the largest docklands in the world, made up of a bustling community of seafarers. and now it's the starting point for the travel show‘s alex taylor, who's in for a unique sailing experience. this is tenacious, the only tall ship of its kind in the world, designed and built so it can be sailed by a truly mixed—ability

crew. wow, how are they going to get us up there? i'll be on that mast? are you serious? this was the largest wooden ship to be built in the uk for over a century when it was completed in 2000. thejubilee sailing trust is a registered charity running the ship, which focuses on people can do instead of what they can't. with my ginger biscuits in my bag, i was hauled aboard to spend a week with my new shipmates. on board i'll be part of the ship's watch, hoisting the sails and getting stuck in. what you've got here is you've got your bunk. 0k. and you've also got lockers. right. i think we are expecting some pretty

choppy weather as we leave here, down to lands end. fun. but i guess the captain will explain it. ginger biscuits are good, right? you got it! you are the crew, not guests or passengers or any of that nonsense, you guys are here as crew, you're the ones that are going to do all the bits and pieces to move the ship, to make it all happen. now, to do that, we have to do a little bit of training. these are permanently rigged in position. so we've got two evacuation routes, this is one of them, and all that we ask for our wheelchair users or those people that are with them, is that for an emergency, the wheelchair user is in their wheelchair. nice and gently, guys, hand over hand. south—westerly, four or five,

occasionally six at first. heave! two, six! it's lovely, actually it's part of a team already. learning things, so yeah, it's a really new experience, really. i've got mark imprints from where all of the ropes were. i brought these, because otherwise your hands would be in pieces. our final destination will be poole in dorset. chris, my watch leader for the journey, tells me

how he started. i came along with no experience with disability. i came on board, and i was buddied up with a guy who'd had a stroke when he was in his 20s. and he was such a lovely guy, we had such a really good time, it was just a nice atmosphere on board. everyone kind of pitches in, and it's a great equalising environment. i don't like the distinction of able—bodied and disabled. i don't either. i hate it. and the more time i spend with a wider range of people, the more i dislike it. because you come on ships and you suddenly find that people have got all sorts of strengths and weaknesses, talents and abilities, irrespective of the way they are.

wow, that's amazing! look! that's beautiful! that's ridiculous! they're so close! as the sun sets on my watch and the dolphins, it was my turn to take the helm of the 700—tonne ship. a bit more to the right. you're actually spot—on at the moment. absolutely spot—on. only on camera. off camera, i'm terrible. you're doing what you should be doing, which is stop, look at it, what's it doing? which way do i need to turn the wheel? and you turn it exactly the right way. my first time ever behind the wheel of a tall ship like this.

it's huge, and it's quite powerful and big. as night falls, i finally get time to reflect on today's challenges and look ahead to tomorrow. i'm exhausted and tired, and i don't know how everything started and where it ended, so i'm a bit lost. look at that! it's been a good time. i've been seeing things which i would never see. dolphins especially, i never thought i'd see them. we're going to go up a mast hopefully, and i've met people which is amazing, who i wouldn't normally have met. we've all got on well as a team, so yeah, it's been a bonding moment i think for everyone. well, that's all we've got time for this week.

coming up next week: cat is in iceland, learning about the effect climate change is having on the country's glaciers and ice fields. ifeel like i'm dancing here. and we rejoin alex as he takes on another tall ship challenge at sea. hang on, i'm stuck! well, i hope you canjoin us for that if you can, and don't forget, if you want to follow the travel show team on theirjourneys on the road in real time, you can catch us on social media. but until next time, from me, carmen roberts, and the rest of the travel show team in japan, it's goodbye.

morning. ooh, it's been autumn proper this week, hasn't it? we started off on monday with some very heavy rain. it was a miserable start to a new working week, some places seeing a month's worth of rain injust 2a hours. the middle of the week's not been too bad — sunny spells and scattered showers, so if you've dodged the showers, well, it's been reasonably pleasant. however, there's more wet and windy weather to come, and it's this system here that's waiting out in the atlantic. it's going to push its way steadily eastwards towards the uk for the weekend. ahead of it, though, circulating around an area of low pressure, a rash of showers driving their way in. so sunny spells and scattered showers continue today, some of them merging together in the south—west for longer spells of rain, driven in by strong, gusty winds. there'll be some sharper showers across north—west england and north wales as well. the best of the drier, brighter, sunnier moments perhaps

across scotland, and not looking too bad into northern ireland as well. highs of 14—18 celsius. now, as we move out of friday, that area of low pressure will drift its way eastwards off into the north sea, and things will quieten down still across the country. it'll be a breezy day on saturday, but saturday starts off relatively quiet. a few scattered showers around, but there will be some lengthy sunny spells as well. not a bad afternoon for many. we do need to keep a close eye on the rain gathering into the south—west. the timings of this could change and affect the story for the second half of the weekend. but ahead of it, dry, 14—18 degrees the high. so, overnight saturday into sunday, looks likely that we'll see some very heavy rain — 2—3 inches falling across england and wales, accompanied by some strong, gusty winds. gales in places in excess of 40—50 mph, and as the low drifts away, maybe 60 mph for a time across eastern england. so sunday could start off wet, but have a long lie—in, lazy morning, and you never know, that rain could clear away and things could be a little better.

the wind direction starting to change, still a blustery afternoon, and coming from the north in scotland, so that will make it feeljust that little bit cooler. there will be a scattering of showers here, top temperatures of about 13—18 degrees the high. so, just in case you haven't already got the message at the moment, it looks likely that saturday will be a case of sunny spells and a few showers. sunday will start off wet and windy, but that will ease away. take care.

this is bbc news. welcome if you're watching here in the uk, on pbs in america or around the globe. i'm mike embley. our top stories: as congress hears claims from a whistleblower that the white house tried to cover up donald trump's phone call with ukraine's leader, a furious response from a president facing an impeachment inquiry. what these guys are doing, democrats, are doing to this country, is a disgrace and it shouldn't be allowed. there should be a way of stopping it. tackling britain's toxic politics. boris johnson suggests tempers should cool over brexit but refuses to apologise for his own language. gunfire. and we report from libya,