you are watching bbc news. our headlines. the mayor of the strategic and autumn south ukrainian port says russian forces are now in control stop making it the first major city to be captured in the east. the mayor of the besieged city has said russian missiles have been hitting residential areas. ukrainian officials say more than 2000 civilians have now died since russia was much invasion began. moscow has revealed almost 500 troops have been killed and as the bombardments continue, the united nations says 1 bombardments continue, the united nations says1 million refugees have taken shelter by fleeing to neighbouring countries. the russian billionaire roman abramovich has confirmed he intends to sell chelsea football club, one of the top teams. there have been growing russia for sanctions.

the conflict in ukraine and the sanctions on russia have led to another surge in the cost of gas and oil. traders are said to be struggling to sell russian oil, even at a discount because of difficulties in shipping and the payment process as well. energy experts in the uk warn that the cost of the average household bill could rise by at least £700. by the time the new energy comes in to force in the autumn. further price rises at petrol stations are also expected. hitting home — there was a stark warning today that a conflict 1,500 miles away could have devastating economic consequences here in the uk. energy bills, already set to rise 50% in april, could rise a further 30% or more this autumn. what we're looking at is the price cap for winter moving from the summer level of around £2,000 per year

to potentially 2,700 for winter, even potentially as high as £3,000 a year. it's a message that startled shoppers in sutton coldfield today. it's terrifying that we've had this much at this stage, and we don't know what's to come, we don't know the half of it. it's really scary, it's really hard for some people to cope, isn't it? it'sjust...where do we go, what we do? we've all got to keep warm, haven't we? happily...hopefully, it will be mainly in the summer, so we won't need as much per household, for lots and lots of people. the reason for these grim forecasts is this — it's the wholesale price of gas, which is surging back to all—time highs on fears that russian gas supplies will interrupted or internationally shunned. and to compound the cost—of—living crisis, there's the price of oil, which is at a seven—year high, and that recent spike is yet to make it to forecourts, where it seems likely that petrol and diesel prices will continue to break records. the uk gets less than 5%

of its gas from russia, but prices are set internationally, so we're affected. germany, however, relies on russia for over 60% of its gas, and those payments are helping prevent a total collapse of the rouble. that reliance and support needs to change according to german politicians. we cannot trust on reliable conditions with russia, trade conditions, therefore we have to diversify our energy supply. what we're considering is the extension of the use of coal—fired power plants and of nuclear—fired power plants, because we want to become more independent from russian gas. extending the use of coal in europe was not in the script at november's global climate summit, and it's a measure of the current crisis that it's back in now. shipments of liquid gas are now the subject of international bidding wars in which consumers are the loser. the government has already

announced a £350 assistance package to soften the blow, but with average bills set to rise four times that this year, there will be surely calls for more. simon jack, bbc news. more news from us at the top of the hour. now, it's time for the travel show. this week on the travel show, i'm 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's one of the most romantic cities in the uk, so let's go. and flying high in africa's sub—sahara.

this week we're in serre chevallier to see what the future holds for this stuff. now, 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 and to 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's the equivalent of 85 olympic—sized swimming pools.

0ne snow gun alone can create the equivalent of ten lorry loads in just 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 keep areas like this going in the face of climate change is a delicate balance. and that is why i've come here, in particular, to see what they're 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's 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, we have electric turbine, and we have solar panels and it works very well and we will produce 30% of all the power, the energy we need in serre chevalliers.

the water is coming from the valley. we want to take just what we need, and not more. as winters with unreliable snow become more common, so does artificial snow. 0n 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 is not on the ski industry or visitors to solve this problem on their own, and there is a desire to protect what they have now. but can artificial snow ever be a long—term solution? i think it's always going

to 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 impacts as it leaches back into the soil. so we can make improvements, but let's not misunderstand — artificial snow cannot be environmentally friendly, 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, though, 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 and we need 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's not the solution to everything,

but we are thinking that if everybody did same, it is the beginning of a solution and to the big goals we have to achieve. right, well, if you're heading to the slopes and keen on keeping your footprint small, here's 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. 0mitting 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 reachable by train and is car—free, 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 the ski lifts run on renewable energy. also, hydropower pumps water from the reservoir to the snow cannons. 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's also invested in an 80—megawatt 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. just remind me what year it is? it's 213 a.d.

and flying high in ghana. so, don't go away. welcome back to a very sunny serre chevallier, and you might be wondering why you can see a few brown patches behind me. well, that's because it has not snowed here in almost a month. but that hasn't stopped 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, iam in bath. what do i know about the city? well, it's a spa town and it is famous for its roman baths. it used to get really 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'm told that the perfect way to start my day in bath is with a sally lunn bun. so i've arranged to pick one up with a local photographer who'll help me get my bearings. the actual recipe of the sally lunns bun comes along 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.

cinnamon. 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 its 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 were 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 2000 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 a.d. 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, she is a good match. for your sister, he 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. walking. keep walking, go! go, run.

run. run! wow! yes. whoa! this is so crazy! 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. eastern parts of the uk are going to be turning drier, but it is still going to be a cloudy, misty and murky start to thursday morning. but it should be frost—free as well, and instead we've got some rain coming in from the west. that'll clear away from northern ireland, then we should brighten up here with some sunshine and a few showers. this band of rain, though, moves very slowly eastwards into scotland, eventually into north west england and across wales, towards the west midlands and the west country, allowing some late sunshine in the far south west. and ahead of that ragged band of rain, across eastern parts of england, it'll be a drier day, a brighter day, perhaps even some sunshine in the south east, so a bit milder as well.

by the time we get to friday, the rain is stuck across more eastern parts of scotland, north east england through parts of yorkshire, midlands and the south east, perhaps some sunshine in east anglia. 0ut towards the west, though, we should see some brighter skies. again some spells of sunshine, just one or showers around as well. double—figures at best, but quite chilly if you are stuck underneath the rain and drizzle.

you are watching bbc news. our top stories. as missiles continue to bombard ukraine, the mayor of kherson confirms the strategically important port city is the first want to fall under russian control. officials say more than 2,000 civilians have now died since russia's invasion began. attacks come by land and air. we area we are a nation that broke the enemy's plans in a week, plans written for years, sneaky, full of hatred for our country, our people. more people tried to flee the

fighting. the united nations says1 million refugees have