Days cooling trade. And the crystal blue caribbean sea. Nonstop flights are available from most major airports. More information for your vacation planning is available at the rubric dot com. And now abc world news. This is bbc world news america reporting from washington im john obrien. A fire to Chemical Plant near houston poses a new threat to an already battered region. Where on the scene this flood waters continue to endanger lives and times . Im in richmond texas where people have rights but even more flooding is the sweater and read that hey will soon reach its peak. The u. S. Vice president and key cabinet secretaries all the latest to visit the ravaged cities promising help for those in need. And it may be built on ancient traditions but voodoo is still thriving today in the african nation of benin. Where it remains the official religion . Welcome to our views on Public Television in america and around the globe. Is it the residents of houston needed anything more to worry about concerned today was centered around a flooded Chemical Plant which caught fire. It comes as the white house announced that President Trump will be donating one Million Dollars of his personal money to relief efforts. And as weve seen the cleanup and recovery will be massive the bbcs Orchard Valley and its in the hard hit town of richmond texas for us tonight laura. Again you might think that the flood waters here should soon be receding as they already are in houston. But unfortunately you would be wrong and thats because the rifat brown sauce behind me has yet to christ and smile and search and reached its peak that one hundred. Until tomorrow off too numerous to jesus christ of fifty six feet so that means the flooding half is still going to increase in people have had to abandon. That mobile homes here in this pub will they can do is watch and wait anxiously to see just how more damage how much more damage. Will be done now to find out whats going on in the wider situation has my colleague james could cool site has the latest on that chemical far in that factory. It is an unsettling sight of fire smoldering in the wate. This plant makes organic peroxides which must be kept cool. But when the hurricane hit the power fails and now they will explode. They planned for this but not well enough. Police have a simple message gets out now. Already fifteen officers have been to hospital for checks amid fears of fumes in the air or no they got all kinds of chemicals and i just dont know which ones is in the water here and coming down and. Came to my house means i got water in the house right now so its going to be be pretty nasty. Specialist teams brolin the messages coming out to confusing and contradictory reports of explosions are now being denied. Federal Officials Say the smoke is incredibly dangerous the firm tells a different stor. This isnt a chemical release what we have is a fire. And when you have a fire that where hydrocarbons these chemicals are burning. A sometimes you have incomplete combustion. And you have smoke. The company which operates this plot says theres only one thing to do now and that is to let this fire burn itself out. In the meantime people are being warned to stay back as the maybe for the explosions. Very cool indeed down the collar in houston with the floods receding Frank Rodgers is heading home to camp the cost. What about . When he escaped the water in here was up to his chest and this scene is being repeated today and thousands upon thousands of homes. Yup say that all the work we gotta do to get back up. This is number you know is coming along trying time. Long trying time in. And still the storm is not stopping. To the east the rain on the rescues are continuing on the border between texas and louisiana. Saving civilians is now a military operation. Trapped by the flooding and running out of food dozens of residents had to be rescued from this care home in port arthur. Tensions were at a very high level when i came in this facilit. From the relatives and even from some of the. The volunteers who have come to try to take these people out. The weakening storm is still capable of inflicting miser. She wants to know Everyone Wants to know. When this will and. James cook bbc news crosby and texas. And for more on the situation head in richmond texas i spoke cut it to the marrow of this community added more. And i began by asking how just how much once the flooding is going to get. Well itll get a little bit worse but. Not dramatically not. What the what impact is it having on the people head already do you think . Well they were given a warning. Several days ago and they packed up and they moved and so. Theyre displaced right no. When they come back theyll have to redo their homes. And that that is a really a sad thing they had just finished redoing their home. From last year when we had a flood. And so. Hopefully theyll all be back soon. But its a difficult situation head this is a Mobile Home Park people here all finding it hard to get by is it is. Will they be receiving additional assistance from the government. Somewhat well be but some wont be able to move back into the house. And there were several homes last year that we did have to move out. Now youve lived here most of your life your husband who was previously the mavericks when it was the longest serving elected official in the United States with sixty three years. So what effect does that have on you personally when you see the flooding in the devastation not just hit across this county. Well it just breaks my heart it really does up what ive never seen floods like last year and now this one this year which is even higher than last year. And its its. It hurt you it really does. National elected official do you think youre just gonna have to prepare for more events like this is we have more moisture going into the ad with the gulf of mexico being hold sir and hurricanes feeding a flap. Of well we may but i hope not. I had never seen a flood like the one last year and now this one thats. Twice in in two years of but thats not necessarily to say that they will be. Of something that. Up happens every year. Are you going to stop think about something about perhaps Planning Commission being different and not having. People being close to rev as if they can swell and floodlight base of what we will start looking at that yes. And do you personally feel that youre receiving all the federal assistance here in this town that you could be. Well the assistance is just a started to be talked about. It is being talked about right now and. Once we get through this then we will start to get the assistance. From fema and other people. And that was mad aveline mold the matter of richmond texas speaking to me just a little better idea and jane i spent two one. Grandfather head who was with his granddaughter looking at that home which is gradually flooding even more. And he cant top person said to me im worried that were going to lose everything that weve worked for oval levy is its a very emotional time half. Completely heartbreaking nor is there anything that they can do to prepare for when the river peaks or do they just have to ride it out at this point. At this point old people can do is white they took as many of that possessions as they could some people paul possessions up high. But at this point you know the mortars again a peak tomorrow afternoon then they have to wait for them. To receive so it may be accused day. All for the Labor Day Holiday before they can go in and really find out what the scale of the destruction is so. Its an incredibly difficult sometimes i sleep inducing time for people who are already living on the margins even to begin with jan. Nor a trevally in that first in richmond texas thank you very much indeed. And a brief time ago i spoke with congressman John Culbertson who represents the seventh district of texas which includes part of west in houston. Congressman thank you very much for joining me just how bad is the damage that you know will put this point. We know from for our local authorities of Pierce CountyFlood Control district that about seventy percent of harris county. Was flooded during this catastrophe we have. Tens of thousands of homes but ive been flooded most who have never played befor. And unfortunately thousands of those homes will be under water for an extended period of time a week perhaps two weeks. Which means the structures will fail and they will be total losses its a catastrophe. Of epic proportions. But the people of houston and texas are looking after each other. Helping each other to get ourselves back on our feet. As quickly as possible. Where all these people going houstonians are taking . And. Obviously Family Friends neighbors. My in laws for example lost in their home theyre totally on their home is a total loss. Will be taking them in my brothers home was flooded out totally his gas lines burst. Any believe just houses probably burned to the waterline this point. We have a terrific shelter set up here in houston couple different big shelters for all of us in houston. Doing our best to help one another its an all volunteer army of texans jumped up and louisianans. To help our fellow attractions its a bit like dunkerque it reminded me a lot of dunkerque because people just showed up. By the thousands. To help each other to support each other the longest line in houston have been volunteers. Signing up to help their neighbors and friends. Whats the priority here right now what do people need most. We would welcome donations to the red cross to use gender help from her cane victims get relocated sales. Their family their paths. And a few precious possessions perhaps but most families have lost everything. All the scale of this tragedy is still not completely understood and we will when courage are people who are Near Southeast texas louisiana. If i can do so. To come down and help our volunteer a long road ahead congressman culberson thank you very much indeed for joining me. We thank you very much we appreciate the people Great Britain just enough to help us in this tragedy. But as far as the federal response guys today key members of the Trump Administration were in texas to see some of the hard hit areas and land that support. Vice president mike pence in numerous cabinet secretaries were on hand to be briefed by officials on the ground. Off more i spoke a brief time ago with on north america editor john cycle. John it seems that that that there in force trying to get a very different message to the one that president bush. Made during Hurricane Katrina yeah i mean i guess youve got to. Kind of ways of playing this one is you stay out of the way you say its a tragedy with any distract attention. All you become vile the muscular and energetic and say i want to be there. And be shown to be supporting the people who are sufferin. That is exactly what we are seeing from donald trump and his Administration Im just gonna reach you list. The Vice President mike pence a section of labor alex on the cost of the sector transportation elaine chao sexually finishing rick perry secretary of Veterans Affairs david chilton. Acting secretary herman security in lane do you. Have old bean that today and we had the kind of add the. And tumble so its. Kind of one of the seniors in that Department Head of security addressing the press briefing today as wel. I think this administration wants to show. That they are not asleep at the wheel. They are pulling every federal lever they compulsively pull to show that they all across what the needs are. That they are liaising with the state that theyve mobilized the National Guard that theyve got the marines on stand by. That everything that could be done is being done. But you still get criticism well i was going to say its also getting very personal donald trump giving a Million Dollars of his own money. Very nice gesture but is it going to be seen as anything more than that well i you know i think theres a time when the politics you can be damned if you do and youre damned if you dont. And i think donald trump so thought youd have to say has played this very well but did he have a state what he saw when he went to Corpus Christi boom. We were traveling with him and. We were in austin as well that. Quite possibly thats total trump but he went there. And if he had gone to houston. Where there was massive suffering that people decide your destruction youre getting in the way you are blocking the efforts that were making . To rescue people so he took that route still gets criticized them show there is those in the white house to just throw their hands up in horror and say. You know what we call wait actually i think that for the American People so far here have been seen to have done a good job on this and you think thats the case in texas you. Weep but that just as he said recently i mean of they. Convinced that the government will be there for them in the long term wants that with this high profile visit to save all of that remains to be seen in that requires. The government in the administration to have a very long Attention Span dollar trumpets been said in the process go short Attention Span. And you know crises come. In large numbers when youre sitting in the white house so you know im sure theyre going to be plenty things to destructive said. Yes thats going to be just that would be judged by the rebuilding efforts as well. I am struck having been a harken katrina twelve years ago. Way you sore work full organization. So suddenly they all the death toll is far lower and they do seem better organized so. Called touch the future but so far so good jones type hope thank you very much indeed. Quick look at some other news now the United States has ordered russia to close one of its main Diplomatic Missions by saturday. The state Department Said it was shutting the russian consulate in San Francisco was one of the. Foundation. Go six should have some. U. S. To. It takes effect tomorrow. At least twenty one people have been killed and a similar number injured after a building collapsed in indias biggest city mumbai. The Residential Property which was more than a century old and diva demolition. Was situated in a crowded bazaar area. About forty people were inside when it fell off the days of heavy rains. The iraqi Prime MinisterHaidar Al Abadi has announced that the city of tallinn fall has been fully re captured from the Islamic State great. The last few days have seen fist fighting by iraqi forces to take advantage mitau the fall. Westlifes militants have taken refuge. Bangladesh coast guards have found the bodies of twenty people mostly children who drowned freeing me and all. The un said that more than twenty seven thousand drain to muslims all thought to have fled across the border into bangladesh in the past week. Following a military crackdown in villages and in the rockin state. Watching bbc world news america still to come on tonights program the french president faces a key test in his young presidency plans unveiled to move a whole the countrys labels. More than forty one Million People believe to be affected by devastating floods across south asia with aid agency struggling to reach many of those who are in need of assistance. More than twelve hundred people are believed to have died. Its thought to be the worst mom seen season in decades with tens of thousands of people forced from their homes. In india nepal and bangladesh aid agencies according the floods one of the worst regional humanitarian crisis in years. Weeks after the worst flooding in decades. A third of bangladesh still under water. Many villages in the northern part of the country still cutoff. Aid agencies are desperately trying to reach those affected. Similar situation across large parts of south asia. The eastern indian state of bihar has been hit the hardest. Heavy rain and overflowing rivers have left large areas under water. More than five hundred people have been killed here in the past few weeks. Tens of thousands of people have lost their homes. And not staying in temporary camps. Theres still a lot of water is a lot of damage theres a lot of people go out of their homes. Paperless surviving and getting on with things as they can. And indias Financial Capital mumbai a city of more than twenty million. Was brought to a standstill. The torrential rain hit the city on wednesday. Transport Services Ground to a halt. Forcing many. Simply wait hold. Theyre in the middle of the annual monsoon season then been raining intensity. Across india but also neighboring nepal and bangladesh for the past several weeks. Its because the worst flooding in decades. I have led to a massive humanitarian crisis. Across the entire region. Somethings you is not in use to floods. The scale of the disaster at this time round. Has meant that the authorities have struggled to cool. Thunder majumdar bbc news daily. Nnova. Now its only been in office for months but france french president emmanuel not crohns poll ratings are taking a beating. Now hes young Government Faces a key test after it unveiled controversial plans to overhaul the countrys labor laws. Reforms include coping the power of the unions and giving companies more flexibility to hire and fire workers. You see williamson reports from paris. Theres nothing like electing a startup politician as president to change the economic atmosphere. Last month emmanuel macro mocks the transformation of an old Paris Railway station into a fost campus. A port startup entrepreneur. Its the kind of thing the new president wants france to do more of. And companies here so his election as part of a wider shift in mood. Youre allowed to fail this is something thats changing the past few years and even more in the past few months. And. The fight thats. Please go michael support slots. De interpreters. Shows thats. Youre not alone when youre injured gonna. Todays labor reforms have meant to help French Companies become more flexible with the election of president mccrone seen by his government as a mandate for change will rule. Thats unusual to you. Nobody can seriously say that our labor laws help people get jobs will help Companies Grow sustainably. For a boss or for a Foreign Investors are lay below the rib break on unless. If you just know. Mr micron is not the first french president to attempt this kind of reform. The last time it was tried a year ago. This was the response. Only the hardline cgt union has so far called for a strike again. But others say the door is still open if the reforms dont add up. Of the economy is improving. Doesnt give her a real sense to. Those reforms. If in fact its only a matter of asking old people do to tighten their belts. I went at the same time and the economy is improving. Of scottish people wouldnt understand. What is going on . The close is coming all froze his new pro business president s in the months since his election a shop for an approval among voice. As expose the tensions over his reforms. As president emmanuel mackerel wanted to remain aloof above the fray of daily politics. But embodying the wishes of voters from both left and right is becoming harder. As his Campaign Vision gives weight to concrete choices. Between reforms that please business or protections that pacify his left wing suppor. We see williamson bbc news paris. No voodoo has taken on many different forms around the world but its generally rooted in the belief that the living and the dead exist side by side. And in benin its an official religion so how has this ancient belief in a small country in west africa stayed alive in the molten world. Who suffered on the has been to find out . Nnova. Leader of the home of voodoo. Rooted in the worship of nature and ancestors it celebrated across the world and is an official religion here in benin. The world is changing and old traditions often pushed out. But voodoo is thriving. The. This is the annual to pluck plug ritual. A cleansing ceremony. Divers hes come together to communicate with their gods by singing dancing and making sacrifices. Its been a long day for the blue do do both teams have been performing rituals since this morning. Its not six pm and thats part of the so many has all the bots purification. This group avoiding the rings. If you went on your finger. In the fresh blood of goats and chickens. They believe this process will bring attention to ever have with the rings. Voodoo is often misunderstood because of what people have seen in harlem movies. The high priest insists its not harmful. Moving. Away via. Voodoo is not even. Its not the dalin call if you are a believer and someone thinks badly of you. Wont do we defend you. Some say. It is a definite no. Even if it ever exhausts hes not here at work. They know figures for the number of devotes hes but everyone in benin is connected to the murder. Even those who follow at the fates often rely on it in the hour of need. This is the dole of no return. It was from this point to thousands of african slaves was sold off to work in the americas. They left with nothing except they believe in voodoo. Which they clung to as a reminder of home. And thats why it is as popular in new orleans as it is here and rita. For many from the diaspora of the west african like regime remain. Voodoo has become a connection to a neglected identity. Theres a shift in vibration the younger generation. Want to loudly proclaim it be a part of the tradition in a way that few. Of the previous generations were more intimidated and more afraid. And in the sacred forest on the edge of town an ancient place of worship. The government has made a monument to remind the locals unveiled voodoo heritage. Its seen as a sign of the commitment to upholding the practice. The flaming part. Climax of the ritual. Fire is believed to give followers a surge of power. Face the year ahead. With the government supporting it at home. And the descendants of slaves embracing it abroad the ancient including the tradition has found a place in the modern world. Put old critiques often struggle for relevance. Rooms and hearing the bbc news in the. What a fascinating reports and of course you can find much more all the days news at our website . And do checkout facebook im john obrien thank you very much for watching bbc world news america. With the bbc news out. Of vertical videos designed to occur in your life. So you can swipe your way. Stay up to date with the latest headlines. Download now for. It does. Funding of this presentation is made possible by. The freemen foundation. And coal Fuller Foundation pursuing solutions for americas neglected me. Planning a vacation escape thats relaxing inviting. And exciting. Is a lot easier than you think. You can find it here in aruba. Families couples and friends can all find their escape on the island with warm sunny days cooling trade. And the crystal blue caribbean sea. Nonstop flights are available from most major airports. More information for your vacation planning is available at a real dot com. Bbc world news was presented by casey team loss and captioning sponsored by newshour productions, llc obrien good evening. Im miles obrien. Judy woodruff is away. On the newshour tonight wading into the wreckage. As flood waters recede in houston, rescue crews move doortodoor, and an explosion at a Chemical Plant fuels fears of the challenges ahead. Then, returning home after harvey. We join texans as they see the damage to their neighborhoods for the first time. And, rise of the robots. Making sense of what a future with Driverless Cars and automated lawyers might mean for your job. Almost every profession i look at where you require human labor or you require intelligence, i see computers being able to do better than us within the next ten years. Obrien all that and more, on tht