president zelensky accuses russia of bombing residential districts in kharkiv, calling it a war crime. he said there were eyewitness accounts of civilians being deliberately targeted. he called for the whole of ukraine to become a no—fly zone for russian aircraft. reports suggest a convoy of russian military vehicles seen advancing on kyiv is substantially longer than earlier reported. the company which provided the images says the convoy actually stretches much further than the 27 kilometres originally thought. half a million people have left ukraine since the invasion began, with some cities witnessing a frantic scramble to escape.

vladimir putin puts russia's nuclear_ vladimir putin puts russia's nuclear weapons forces on high alert. _ nuclear weapons forces on high alert, leading to concern over what — alert, leading to concern over what could happen next. how serious — what could happen next. how serious in _ what could happen next. how serious in his nuclear threat? an ominous order yesterday from vladimir putin, telling military chiefs to move to deterrent weapons, including nuclear bombs, to a special mode of combat duty. the look on their faces gives some sense of their reaction. but just how serious are the risks? just before its invasion, russia carried out a very public exercise involving nuclear weapons. this was seen as a warning to the west not to get directly involved in ukraine. and putin's latest statement is also being interpreted as a warning rather than a real sign of intent. he is clearly wanting to get people's attention

distracted from what is going on on the ground, and he's had that... you know, to some extent, he's successfully had it. but at the moment, this is a battle of rhetoric that president putin is deploying, and we just have to make sure that we manage it properly. western intelligence has long kept a close eye on russian nuclear sites for any warning signs. and today, us officials say they've not seen any changes in behaviour. the us has also given no indication of changing its own nuclear alert status. we have not changed our own posture. what we are trying to do is reduce the tension, take the tenor of the rhetoric down. this is not to say there are no risks. look at how isolated putin is even from the top officials he gave the order to. one fear is that he may not act rationally, but he also might be encouraging that idea. this is sort of a known tactic of politicians -

to try to convince potential - adversaries that they might not be entirely rational- and that that will, in turn, make the threat of nuclear use even more credible. . nuclear weapons, like those on britain's submarines, are supposed to deter conflict. all sides know that their use would be catastrophic for everyone, and the hope is that this logic will still hold. gordon corera, bbc news. this week on the travel show. i am in the alps, where the debate over these continues. vast energy use, vast water use. typical impacts of artificial snow. we are day—tripping in historic bath. i think it is one of the most romantic cities in the uk. and flying high in africa's sub—sahara.

this week we're in serre chevallier, to see what the future holds for this stuff. it may not look it right now but snow is becoming a real problem. and here in the alps they are warming faster than the global average and with tourists and skiers like myself demanding better quality snow and longer seasons, resorts here have to turn towards artificial snow to extend their seasons into guaranteed better quality ski days.

beijing was the first winter olympics to be 100% reliant on the creation of artificial snow. 222 million litres of water were needed to create the snow conditions and that is the equivalent of 85 olympic—sized swimming pools. one snow gun alone can create the equivalent of ten lorry loads injust one hour. but artificial snow is not new. back in 1980, lake placid was the first olympic games to use the stuff but the growth and reliance at sochi and pyeongchang showed that this is a growing problem for winter sports and ski resorts alike. snow cannons essentially create artificial snow and since the 1980s, ski resorts noticed that the snow was coming later and there was less of it and it melted sooner so to adapt to that they started to create artificial snow to sustain their business, essentially. so noise pollution, abstraction of water from natural river

systems, vast energy use, vast water use are the typical symptoms or impacts of artificial snow. so, of course, alpine resorts rely on the ski season, especially now after a rough couple of years. but to keeps areas like this going in the face of climate change is a delicate balance. and that is why i have come here, in particular, to see what they are doing about it. the alps has 35% of the world's ski resorts and attracts around 120 million tourists each year. here on the french side of the mountains in serre chevallier they say it is important to direct skiers to areas where there is natural snow, rather than relying on creating it. we think that if we adapt us, we will be able to ski for a long time and for us the solution is not to do more

and more snow, it is to make a good choice. to understand that we have one earth, wind turbine, electric turbine, and we have solar panels and it works very well and we produce 30% of all the power, the energy we need in serre chevalliers. we want to take just what we need, and not more. as winters with unreliable snow become more common, so does artificial snow. on the other side of the alps in ischgl, austria, they see the use of machines as essential to supplement demand.

the beijing winter olympics have promised to be 100% renewable in the energy used, and in ischgl, like other resorts, they are turning to renewables for snowmaking.

it's not on the ski industry or visitors to solve this problem on their own, and there's a desire to protect what they have now. but can artificial snow ever be a long—term solution? i think it will always require vast amounts of water, always, because that is what snow is, after all, and sure, the shift to renewable energy is welcome but we will still need ways to make sure that the artificial snow does not melt and that will cause impact as it leaches back into the soil. so we can make improvements but let's not misunderstand — artificial snow cannot be environmentally friendly and never will be. i see the resorts that are often dependent on expensive polluting artificial snow needing to diversify into other forms of tourism. a great opportunity in summer tourism for them. but for now with the spirit of adaptation in mind, some resorts are putting rivalries aside and working with competitors to help spread best practice

across the industry. of course we are very happy to welcome other ski resorts, even if they are not from the same company as us, to explain what we did and to give them all the figures. it is not the solution to everything but we're thinking that if everybody did same it is the beginning of a solution and the goals we have to achieve. and if you are heading to the slopes and keen on keeping your footprint small, here are some things you can think about. this season saw the launch of the travelski express train. you can take the train direct from london to moutiers and st maurice in france. a shuttle service is then provided as part of the package to take you to six nearby resorts. omitting the need to fly or rent a car.

now who wouldn't want to ski under the looming matterhorn? well, good news. the swiss ski village of zermatt is car—free and reachable by train but they do have horse—drawn sleighs and electric buses get around. plus when the ski lift system needs new cables, the old ones are recycled to make bridges for remote communities in myanmar. next up is kaprun in austria, where all of the ski lifts run on renewable energy. also hydropower pumps water from the reservoir to the snow cannons and when it melts the water goes back to the hydro station, producing more energy. finally, over in america, park city in utah is working on being carbon neutral. running on 100% renewable electricity for all of its city operations this year. it is also invested in an 80 megawatts solar farm due to be completed in 2023.

stay with us because still to come, we are day—tripping in bath. my name is marcus alfridius maximus. very pleased to meet you. remind me what year it is? it is 213 ad. and flying high in ghana. so don't go away. welcome back to a very sunny serre chevallier and you may be wondering why you can see a few brown patches behind me? that is because it has not snowed here in almost a month. that does not stop the skiiers and snowboarders coming out in full force. next this week we are in the uk with a new series looking at how some of the country's biggest attractions are planning to come roaring back in 2022. and we're starting in the south—west of england.

as restrictions relax again, i am travelling across the uk to see how ready the country's top attractions are, to meet the people getting us excited about travel again and hear their plans for the new normal. my first stop is a couple of hours train ride from the capital. so i am in bath. what do i know about the city? it is a spa town and it is famous for its roman baths. it used to be busy with coach tours from london and i think it is one of the most romantic cities in the uk, so let's go. i am told that the perfect way to start my day in bath is with a sally lunn bun. so i have arranged to pick one up with a local photographer who will help me get my bearings.

the actual recipe of the sally lunns bun comes with the deed of the house itself so you can only get the recipe if you own the house. and they have been making them since the 1680s. i cannot wait to try. i have lemon curd. i have the classic. it is really good. they are really good. so what was bath like during covid and the pandemic? it was weird, to be honest, because bath is known for tourism so we're used to seeing the streets for the people and visitors from all over the world. as a photographer, for me, it had a silver lining because it meant i could go out and get really amazing photos of the city that was just impossible to do before. are you ready for things to go back to normal now? definitely. i've had the bit where it was quiet and i am ready for people to come back. so i have one day in bath, what are the main spots to hit? the roman bath and the thermae bath spa and it is what bath got its name for. the architecture here is also really famous. i would recommend going up

to royal crescent and bath abbey. have a walk around and taking in the city because it is really pretty. clearly i am spoilt for choice. but i know where i want to hit first. the ancient roman bathhouse which has been on this site for 2,000 years. check this out. see the water bubbling up? that is water coming straight from the king spring which runs under the city and the thermal waters go straight into the roman baths. the year before covid, 1.3 million people visited the site, but during the pandemic, numbers fell by over 70%. things are beginning to pick up again, however, when the centurions come back in town. what is your name? i am marcus alfridius maximus, pleased to meet you. what brings you here? i am here recovering, primarily, from my wounds i suffered north of the frontier.

and what year is it? 213 ad. ok, so with the exception of my new roman friend, you cannot swim in the great bath any more. but across the road, you can still experience the same natural spring — with a dash of chlorine. well, this is certainly a step up from how the romans did it! am i right that this is rainwater that fell in 8000 bc? yes, that's correct, and it fell about 10,000 years ago and permeated through to the hot rocks about 2km and it is gushing out at about a million litres a day. and have you had to adjust how many people come in, compared to before? certainly, during sort of the earliest restrictions, we can only welcome half of the guests that we would normally be able to welcome. and i think the interesting thing about the restrictions and changes during covid — some of the measures we've kept in place because they actually

improve the customer experience. well, after a relaxing spa, i need to step up the pace, so i've hired an electric bike to get me to my final spot in time. this packs a punch, this electric bike! the 18th—century royal crescent is a must—see destination in bath. it was even a central location for the recent smash hit netflix series bridgerton, bringing a renewed screen tourism here. but the restrictions of the pandemic have not made things easy for the museum at number one royal crescent. thomas, my dear, as i assured you, the house would not be so dusty... we have talking mirrors. now, modern technology melds into this georgian house for a completely new visitor experience. here, a georgian family were having breakfast and we got to hear a little bit of their conversation. for your sister,

it is a good match. so, what adjustments have you had to make since reopening? well, the impact of the pandemic meant that we lost 90% of our income overnight and also had to completely transform the way in which the museum operates. we used to rely a lot on volunteers. 0h! my hands are shaking! sister! so, these projections, how did they come about? we were lucky, we secured a cultural recovery grant and that funding enabled us to bring in new technology to create this film and soundscapes through the house. and the other important thing about what we've created here is the infrastructure investment means we can create lots more different stories. either go and live with your bluestocking idol or stop talking so much of her! i did not mean that. hamlet is to be - performed later in life. one of the things that was really important to us is that we think about georgian life, that luxury, that wealth but also, being very open and honest about where it came

from and, really, the reality of the transatlantic slave trade, what that meant for bath, what that meant for the people that were living here and make sure that we were being very transparent about those connections and then enabling our audiences to form their own opinions about that. it seems bath is more than ready to have its visitors back. with high hopes that this summer will see at least half of their international tourist numbers return. well, my whistle—stop tour of bath is complete. it's been beautiful, it's been historic, it's been delicious, but the sun's setting so it's time to catch my train home. cat moh, day tripping in bath. right, for something totally different now, and we are off to west africa. ghana is known for its superb countryside, beaches and wildlife, but it is not necessarily associated with adventure sports. well, one man is trying

to change all of that and he's doing it mid—air. we've been to meet him. as tourism to west africa booms, ghana is reaping the benefits. the first country in sub—saharan africa to gain independence, ghana is often described as one of the most accessible countries on the continent. drawn in by its vast beaches, rich culture and abundant wildlife, it welcomed over1 million visitors in 2019 alone. adventure sports, however, are not what ghana is commonly known for. but partly thanks to one man, that image is changing. so my first paragliding experience was around 2003-2004. jonathan was one of the first ghanaian paragliding instructors. i think adventure sports comes to me naturally,

so i would prefer to be in the wild than to in the city. and i feel more at home and i feel more alive if i'm doing this kind of sport. someone else who has taken to the outdoors is maria. she came back to ghana two years ago as part of ghana's year of return. the aim of this action—packed year was to commemorate the 400th anniversary of the arrival of the first recorded enslaved africans in the united states, and to encourage the ghanaian diaspora to return to their roots. i was born in ghana but at the age of six, my parents moved me to the us. and i called atlanta, georgia my home for over 28 years. so, when i came and saw the people, the culture, the richness and the beauty of this country, i knew that i had to find a way to move back.

returning to ghana allowed maria to discover a new side to herself. i never knew there was an adventure side to me until i moved here and realised that i actually want to be out. i've discovered a whole new side to adventure while living here and it's actually now become my way of life. rappelling off of suspension bridges, quad biking, climbing some of the highest peaks and mountains, the beautiful views — breathtaking! everything is so new to me! up until recently, the only place you're likely to see paragliders in ghana is at the kwahu easter festival. the paragliding festival has been taking place for about 15 years now. every child in kwahu will you they have seen a paraglider before. it's the only part of the country where children have seen paragliders — no other place. it is so popular to the extent

that the whole street will be choked with more than thousands of people. as well as boosting the local economy, the festival provides good exposure for the sport. but up until recently, all of the pilots travelled from america and europe to fly in the festival. when you fly over the houses and you getting closer — around 300, a00m — you could hear the children shutting your name. seeing a ghanaian doing it gives them an inspiration that they could do also this at one point in their lifetime. over the years, the perception of people to adventure sports and paragliding in general has been like, "oh, this is not something for us". but that trend is changing. you have more ghanaians coming in to fly. there's a demand for it. it has the landscape for it. today, i am going paragliding and i'm nervous, i have to be honest! and i actually did not know that that was something that was offered here until i learned ofjonathan's

story, which is that he is the first ghanaian to have a licence here in ghana, and that made me want to support his business more. are you excited? i'm excited! walking. keep walking. keep walking, go! go, run. run. run! wow! yes. whoa! this is so crazy!

crash! iwas scared — i'm not even going to lie. when he said, "go," i — my heart was, like, about to jump out of my chest. but as soon as we got into the sky and i sat down and felt the calmness of the wind, my whole energy changed. i honestly feel like if i can do this, i can do just about anything! right, well, that's it for this week. coming up next time — rajan is in ireland to celebrate the centenary of arguably the country's most famous and notoriously challenging novel. and finding outjust how you move an entire library of very old and very fragile books. whoa! look at this! the ceiling is incredible!

and it goes on and on for a long, long way — this must be at least 60 metres or something? you can catch more of our recent adventures on the bbc iplayer. and don't forget, we are on social media, too. you can find us on facebook and instagram — just search "bbc travel show". but until next time, from all of us here in the french alps, it's bye—bye. hello there. monday was a bit grey, wasn't it, for many of us, with outbreaks of rain at times. in fact, this is leek in staffordshire, and a fairly typical shot through monday afternoon. as the rain eased, it turned quite misty and murky. and the rain is sitting across the far south east

as we speak, but it is allowing this area of high pressure to build in behind. so, quite a contrast with the feel of the weather first thing tuesday morning. perhaps lows down to —3 where we keep those clear skies, but where the cloud and the rain lingers, it will be a relatively mild start, 7—8, maybe even nine degrees. there will be some outbreaks of showery rain to begin with across the far south coast, but as we go through the afternoon, that rain may welljust nudge a little bit further north. so, if we draw a line from the bristol channel over to the wash, outbreaks of rain quite possible. further north, after that chilly start, that's where we'll keep the sunshine through scotland, northern ireland, northern england. highs generally between 8—10 celsius. now, that weather front actually drifts its way steadily north and east. a little ridge of high pressure builds in, though, across scotland, so it does look likely that first thing on wednesday morning, could be quite a chilly start here. again, “4, —5 degrees not out of the question. where we keep that cloud and rain, it will be relatively mild, but again a grey, drab start to wednesday.

that cloud will continue to push its way steadily northwards throughout the day, perhaps brightening up a little in the south. but top temperatures through the afternoon between 7—11 degrees. there's more rain to come moving in from the west, as you can see. that weather front will gradually drift its way steadily eastwards, so it is going to bring some outbreaks of rain with it from the west on thursday and a freshening wind for a time once the rain moves through. so, it may well start off dry in sheltered eastern areas. not set to last. the cloud and the outbreaks of rain will start to move in from the west throughout the day. temperatures once again ranging from around 7—12 degrees. now, once we've got thursday out of the way, fingers crossed, it looks likely that the weather story will quieten down just a little with an area of high pressure building in. so, just in time for the start of the weekend. so, as we move through friday, potentially into saturday, it's drier, settled, with some springlike sunshine to look forward to.

take care.

you're watching bbc news. our top stories: president zelensky accuses russia of bombing residential districts in the city of ukraine, calling it a war crime. yet the mac russian forces have fired from rocket artillery. a huge convoy advancing as much longer than earlier thought, reports suggest. half a million people have left the country since the invasion began with