: rain and cloud behind this band of rain and temperatures are still on the mild side but not as high as they were. some clear spells of the night. that rain will be lingering across south—east england for a time. showers pushing into western and southern areas. we could see some fog developing particularly across north—east england and may be north—east england and may be north—east scotland, too. in some of these clear skies, the lowest temperatures. a cold start the day tomorrow. dry with sunshine and across north—east scotland. showers to parts of wales, some coastal counties and temperatures in range of 9-12 c.

hello, this is bbc news, i'm ben brown. the headlines... anti—government protests in china against strict covid restrictions are spreading with some demonstrators calling for the country's leader,

president xi, to go. two 16—year—old boys have died after being stabbed about a mile apart in south—east london. police say they are trying to establish if the two deaths are linked. people who use social media posts to encourage self—harm will face criminal prosecution under new government proposals. rescue efforts are underway to find survivors after a mudslide triggered by heavy rains swept away homes on the italian island of ischia. now on bbc news, the travel show. coming up on this week's travel show: looted, traded and trafficked, italy's museum of stolen art. lucy has her hands full over the english channel.

the most popular animal companion that we like to travel with, man's best friend. who doesn't love a dog? and omar climbs into the city of caves. the eternal city of rome. one of the most visited places in europe. every time i come here, i am blown away by the food, the history, la dolce vita and the amazing art you can find here.

there are just over 100 known works by the artist caravaggio. this is one that tourists can come and see and you can understand why he is able to make a name for himself. this one is just so explicit. but what's really cool is that you can also see his masterpieces in everyday spaces all around italy, like in churches, for example. but, sadly, making artworks more readily accessible also leaves them vulnerable to theft. one of the most famous examples in history is the disappearance of a massive caravaggio from a sicilian church. so this is how the story goes. the year is 1969. it's 17th october, we are in sicily. there is a huge rainstorm and the skies are illuminated by lightning and the sound of thunder. once all the locals are asleep,

thieves are breaking into a church through a side window. they enter the church and they steal one of italy's most famous paintings, caravaggio�*s nativity. it's rumoured that they cut the painting out of the frame and roll it into a carpet, and steal off into the darkness of the night. it was also rumoured that this painting was stolen by one of sicily�*s biggest mafia bosses. the painting was also said to have turned up somewhere in switzerland. but over 50 years later and still nobody knows what has happened to caravaggio�*s nativity. it is estimated that around $6 billion worth of plundered art is being treated on the global black market every year. so much so that a special breadth of italy's military police, or carabinieri, is dedicated to tracking down the stolen treasures.

over the years, they have retrieved millions of pieces, and now, for the first time, these recovered artefacts are on display in a brand—new museum. some of these pieces are amazing! soon, all these relics will be sent back to their original homes across italy whilst a new hall comes in. how many antiquities do you have in the museum? some of which have been trafficked thousands of miles right across the globe.

so it's a business — you've got people in italy, people in switzerland, people in the united states, all getting paid, and they are all part of this system? and i couldn't resist one last question. nobody knows where the caravaggio is. do you know where it is? have you got it? laughs. no, no, not here. tracking down the movements of these

stolen items isn't easy. but not to be beaten, the carabinieri are adopting ever more sophisticated techniques, and a change in law means they can punish criminals more severely. in this battle against these criminals, do you think you are winning? laughs. the carabinieri's cultural protection heritage squad have retrieved more than 14.5 million stolen artefacts and relics over the past 50 years.

and i have come to their hq here because i have been given special access to the vaults where they keep all the stolen treasures that they've managed to recover. could you take me on a tour? i'd love to see more. it feels a bit like an aladdin's cave in here, with lots of strange and wonderful things to look at, and the paintings, rows and rows of them. what's the story behind this piece of artwork? looks incredible.

so they will just take a little section of the artwork and make money from that? yes. but there is some success stories. i am heading an hour north of rome to cerveteri and the town's museum. this 2,500—year—old pot its most famous artefact. looted, trafficked, traded and found, it was eventually negotiated back. these artefacts are about more than just their physical beauty. i feel they are about the link that they have with the land of their origin and the connection that they have with the people from those areas. that's where the real history lies. it's good to see it back. who knows, maybe, just maybe,

a certain caravaggio painting will make its way back home too one day. right, if you're thinking of going to rome anytime soon, here is some travel show tips on some things to maybe see or do while you are here. for something festive this december, go to the capuchin church in via veneto for an atmospheric christmas concert. don't forget to go down below the church into those famous crypts, decorated by the famous bones of 4,000 capuchin monks. ok, maybe that part isn't quite so festive. for a complete change of pace, it's not too late to register for the rome marathon that takes place in march. it's probably one of the most historic and scenic routes you'll ever do. starting and ending

by the colosseum, there is even the option to complete it as a group of four so you just run or power walk part of the race. now, any guesses on how old rome is? well, let me tell you. next year, the city will celebrate its 2,776th birthday. natale di roma takes place on 21st april and it is essentially a massive birthday party. the city is filled with parades, shows and games, plus all the museums will be free to enter. finally, if you appreciate the good glass of wine, like i do, consider checking out vino forum. the ten—day festival injune will be celebrating its 20th year, and visitors will have the opportunity to try some of 2,500 different types of wines available. wow!

hopefully, you'll find something cool there something cool there that maybe you'd like to try out if you ever come here. and here is a fascinating fact for you. did you know that rome has more water fountains than any other city in the world? yes, that's right. their water bill must be absolutely horrendous! ok, still to come on week's programme: lucy tests out the latest gadgets. as she takes a trip with some four—legged friends. 5—star luxury? think that's a yes. and omar goes underground exploring in turkey. you can tell that's the star of david. what do we look for in a travel companion? does it matter if they are four—legged, extremely furry and have a wet nose? more than ever before, we are travelling with our pets

and furry, four—legged friends, and the most popular animal companion that we like travel with is man's best friend. who doesn't love a dog? in recent years, the demand for dog—friendly hotels, beaches and attractions has been on the rise. p&o ferries have launched this new vip pet lounge as part of its dover to calais service. and for clarity, that's vip as in very important pooch. it means pets no longer have to stay below deck, giving you a chance for some pet pampering while you are there. we are checking out some of the latest pet gadgets hitting the stores. if you're short of space on your trip but need somewhere for your dog to get some rest, help could be at hand. this is the dog bag rucksack by day and pop—up kennel by night, with loads of handy pockets for your dog's luggage, and makes a brilliant portable home from home. in theory it should pop out of the bag. hey! boom. easy. it didn't take long at all.

let's see what ben thinks. 5—star luxury? i think that's a yes. the good thing about this is it's comfier than a plastic or steel crate, or doggy prison, as i call them. it's very sturdy, easy to carry, and you can buy accessories to line the bed with, depending on the outside temperature. if you're worried about your dog running wild at a camp site, or looking for an easy way to transport your dog around, this isn't a bad solution. i am surprised that something like this fits into a rucksack, so the real test will be seeing how easy it is to get it back in the bag. i'm not quite getting the last fit. i've gotta admit, putting it back is not anything like as easy as setting it up. but maybe with a little practice, it could get a whole lot easier. that's the best i can do. a recent survey showed 78% of pet owners are driving and flying together, the highest percentage

ever recorded. if you're planning a road trip, it's important you have the right kit to keep you and your dog safe. here is a quick round—up of some of the best in—car tech for your pet. if you have a puppy, you need to have a crate for travel. but this is also ideal for smaller dogs. it's crash tested and doubles as a dog bed when you are away. if your dog wears a harness on their walks, this one can also be used in the car and is crash tested to the standards of child restraint systems. this gadget you've got to love. ben is an old man and not quite as good atjumping as he used to be. but help is at hand. with this portable dog ramp for older dogs and dogs with mobility issues. lots of us love wearable smart technology, it makes life easier and can be a lot of fun. there is fitness trackers for humans and there is this — the pawfit 2, which is kind

of like a fitness tracker but for dogs. it connects to an app on your phone and you can make sure your dog is getting their steps in too and gather fitness data from their walks. and if your dog is a bit of an escape artist, it has an alarm and light to help find them. and check this out. you can also create a virtual alert to let you know if they leave the area. this device proves that dog trackers aren'tjust about locating dogs or finding their favourite hangouts, they're brilliant for tracking your dog's daily exercise and the fact you can set activity goals means it's really helpful as a weight management tool as well and could prevent them from putting on a few extra pounds and everything is personalised to your dog's breed, age and weight. it is waterproof and if your pet has a habit of splashing around in streams or rivers and you don't need to spend hours searching around for an excitable dog that has gone off in the park, it has live location tracking. but my best feature has got to be the audio id tag which broadcasts the dog's id to anyone

who presses the button. it's not very loud and it's quite muffled, but who knows when it will come in handy. thank you, lucy, and also thanks to our four—legged friends, ben, ollie and ladybaby for helping us out with that too. before we finish this week's show, we're going to head to turkey and a place called midyat, it's in the east of the country not far from the syrian border. recently, loads of films and tv series have been shot there because it looks so stunning but, if you head underground, you will discover a whole different world. so we sent omar there to explore. welcome to midyat, a town in south—eastern turkey close to the border with syria. it's a place steeped in history and has been home to the many civilisations that passed

through this area over the last 3,000 years. they've all left their mark up here on the surface but also underground. during a restoration project to midyat�*s older buildings back in 2020, someone from the team discovered a doorway that leads to one of these caves, the more they dug, the more they found. these underground spaces under each house were known to people and used for storage because it's quite cold, but what they didn't know was that they were all connected. and, my, what an incredible sight! i happily got lost in this network of caves, thought to be at least 1,900 years old, and estimated to have once been inhabited by over 70,000 people. a lot of this is quite weathered now, but you can see there's clear stairs and paths into different rooms. it's thousands of years old.

what i'm fascinated by is the stone is solid but, look, it's soft at the same time. listen to that. this is limestone, so its texture is like a soft cheese underground and hardens magnificently outside in the open air and the sun, it is what a lot of houses in the district are made of and something midyat is famous for as well as the caves themselves. and these cool caverns have attracted a lot of attention since their discovery. with this potential massive size possibly rivalling the famous cappadocia cave dwellings elsewhere in turkey.

this is like the first time i don't mind being short. 2,000 years ago, the average height might have been 5 foot 4. i was amazed by the level of detail in some of what i was seeing. why are there crosses on the wall? even still, thousands of years, hundreds of years, detail is still amazing. though the historians here were figuring out what rooms have what purpose, some were more obvious than others. the first christians lived here to live their religion freely, without any problem, during the rule of the roman empire. and these places, we can say they are to bury their dead people. here, we can find some marks, it might be a falcon or the hawk, it is a symbol of the bird, but it is very old and damaged. what did that signify? it might be the tomb of a soldier.

tomb of a soldier? yeah, tomb of a soldier. they are be buried here. even though it's been thousands of years, i know it's damaged, this is still incredibly preserved, for you to be able to tell what animal it was. the eagle is probably a symbol of a soldier. it might be an eagle or a hawk, we are not sure yet. we must leave them to rest, go somewhere else. so we go to another cave they have discovered. a little bit of a tighter fit. that's a tight space. have a look, have a look. those are small holes. throughout the dig they found many artefacts — candlesticks, coins, bracelet pieces, rings and more valuables, dating back to roman times in the first or second century. but it's thought the caves could be even older.

and then we came back across a rather big clue that points to this room possibly being a very old jewish synagogue. if you look here, it is the star of david, still quite defined and quite detailed, because, wow, they are telling me this is, what, 1,600 years old. soldier on a horse? oh, yes. i can kind of see it. that is about the size of my hand. atiny hand. look, right there, it is my handprint. how did they get up there?

so far, they've only uncovered 5%, 10% of the caves, and it will be a while before the truth of midyat�*s underground past is properly bought to light. i'm dusty. i'm tired. but it was worth it. this will attract people, it is a wonder to see, and there's still so much more to discover. thank you, omar. and, you know, it's amazing to think, of all the amazing history that you'll find out there, which is a little bit like here in rome — mind blowing. well, that's it from us this week, make sure you look out for us next week, when... ibiza versus type 1 diabetes. dj reece parkinson tests out whether you can take on the party island whilst managing your blood sugar levels.

until then, you can find loads of other amazing travel content from the bbc online by using the tags on your screen. but for now, from me, ade adepitan, and all of the travel show team here in rome, it is ciao for now. recently we have seen the more unsettled side of autumn with strong winds, heavy rain, areas of low pressure pushing across, but as we move into meteorological winter things will turn dry and cold but we will have issues with lingering fog.

we have issues this afternoon with lingering rain, heavy thunderstorms and showers pushing into western areas but this frontal system is giving us some problems and we could see localised flooding across sussex through this afternoon with further rain. hang back of cloud behind that rain. hang back of cloud behind that rain but behind it sunny spells for many in the wind is not quite as strong as they have been recently, still quite gusty, particularly for the western isles. temperature —wise, 11—13 c the top temperature this afternoon. that band of rain will cling to east anglia and south—east england through tonight, clearer skies behind it but showers pushing into western areas, fog developing through parts of north—east england. it will be a cold night. so we start monday morning on a colder note than recently but a good deal of sunshine for many all that fog could linger across north—east england, showers

developing, if you across north—west england and scotland, but we will keep some going through wales, south—west england and southern coastal counties. temperatures down compared to the weekend so high of 9-12, compared to the weekend so high of 9—12, may be the week ahead, high pressure becomes more of a dominant feature, and that high pressure generally keeping frontal systems at bay, but with high pressure comes light winds which means that overnight fog link in some areas through tuesday, there will be bright or sunny spells, particularly the further west you are, but where we have the lingering fog it will have an impact on temperatures and in places not much higher than four orfive celsius. back in places not much higher than four or five celsius. back to in places not much higher than four orfive celsius. back to high pressure, a dominant feature across the east of europe, and that will feed in an east or south easterly wind, so we will see colder air gradually filtering across us. it is not really colder but it will feel colder than it has done recently, and particularly the eastern coasts

with the winds of the north sea we will notice the difference compared to recent days. for the week ahead, much drier with high pressure in charge, lighterwinds much drier with high pressure in charge, lighter winds but problems of fog and turning colder as well.

this is bbc news, i'm ben boulos. the headlines. anti—government protests in china against strict covid restrictions are spreading, with some demonstrators calling for the country's leader, president xi, to go. two 16—year—old boys have died after being stabbed about a mile apart in south—east london, police say they are trying to establish if the two deaths are linked. the families are aware, and we are asking that their privacy is respected at this unimaginably difficult time. with further rail strikes expected before christmas, the transport secretary says reform

is needed to fund wage rises. what has to happen is we have to agree on a set of reforms.