04/02/2012 BBC Weekend News

Russia and China are accused of letting down the Syrian people,

after vetoing a UN resolution condemning the violence there. It

comes after one of the worst days since the uprising began, with

scores of people killed in the city of Homs - from where we have an

exclusive report. We have just arrived in Homs and people have

told us of a relentless artillery, mortar, tank and heavy machine

tkpupb attack overnight. They're getting off the streets now,

fearing that tonight there will be more of the same.

A severe weather warning across much of the country, as heavy snow

affects roads and airports. And, England beat Scotland in a

rare win at Murrayfield, as the Six Good evening. After one of the

bloodiest attacks since the uprising in Syria began 10 months

ago, a UN Security Council resolution condemning the Syrian

regime has tonight been vetoed by Russia and China. Anti-government

activists say at least 60 people were killed by security forces

around the city of Homs, others have put the figure even higher.

President Obama called it an unspeakable assault. But this

evening, Russia and China voted against a resolution which called

for an immediate end to the violence. We'll have the latest

from the United Nations in a moment, but first our reporter Paul Wood,

and cameraman Fred Scott, were smuggled into Homs, from where they

sent this exclusive report. Syrian activists are calling it a

massacre. The number of dead isn't certain, but if what people say

here is true, this is the revolution's bloodiest day.

Oh, my God... Suddenly, maybe three hours ago, started, this shelling.

The attack began in the early hours. It was a punishing assault on those

parts of Homs that have slipped from the regime's control.

Underground clinics were overwhelmed. The dead and wounded

were brought to the mosques. Homs is bleeding, said one resident.

And terrified. Parts of the city are virtually cut

off. This was the view that greeted us after we were smuggled in. We

have just arrived in Homs and people have told us of a relentless

artillery, mortar, tank and heavy machine gun attack overnight.

They're getting off the streets now, fearing that tonight there will be

more of the same. Why now? The regime is under

pressure as never before. From these men, the Free Syria Army.

We followed one attack on a base outside Homs.

GUNFIRE. After months of being shot at,

people are starting to shoot back. They have just a few Kalashnikovs

against the tanks and artillery. The attack failed. Perhaps

predictably. They could not breach the base. And had to run.

GUNFIRE. Still the Syrian Government is rattled and Homs is

paying the price. Tonight, Britain and the United

States have sharply criticised Russia and China for vetoing the UN

resolution. The American ambassador to the UN, Susan Rice, said her

country was disgusted that the Security Council was being held

hostage by two of its members. Our United Nations Correspondent

Barbara Plett reports. Anger over the killings erupted in

a number of capitals. Here in London demonstraters clashed with

police outside the Syrian Embassy. They held protests in Jordan, also.

And in Turkey they took aim at the Syrian President, Bashar al-Assad.

Tensions came to a head at the UN Security Council. For days

ambassadors have worked on a resolution supporting an Arab plan

calling for violence to end and for Assad to transfer power so

elections can be held. Up to the last minute there was hope a

consensus could be reached. But it wasn't to be. Russia, Syria's

closest ally here, cast a veto, supported by China. Russia's

ambassador said the resolution was unbalanced and promoted by powers

whose real goal was regime change. The United States was outraged.

United States is disgusted that a couple of members of this council

continue to prevent us from fulfilling our sole purpose here,

addressing an ever deepening crisis in Syria, and a growing threat to

regional peace and security. The British ambassador was dismayed.

The reality is that Russia and China have today taken a choice, to

turn their backs on the Arab world, and to support tyranny, rather than

a legitimate aspirations of the Syrian people. At the route of all

this is a fundamental difference of opinion on this question: How far

should the Security Council go to prevent a Government from

inflicting violence on its own people and that divide has not been

bridged. With diplomacy blocked, the real

fear is that only greater violence is left.

Let's return to Syria itself and join our correspondent Paul Wood

still in Homs tonight. How would you assess the mood, the feeling

there, Paul? Well, we are hearing a little bit of gunfire now which

people say is the Syrian army firing in to parts of Homs, we

can't confirm that. The effect of the bombardment last night was to

push the rebel fighters out of one part of Homs and they've now fallen

back to another part of the city. I have just come from seeing some of

the Free Army commanders, some of the rebel commanders as they

describe themselves who say they have seen and their men have seen

tanks moving up and artillery moving up to surround this part of

Homs and they also claim they have informers within the Syrian

military, people who want to defect but haven't been able to, they say

there will be an attack on this last part of Homs outside of

Government control. No way of confirming that, but there is

certainly a sense of a collective holding of breathe here. -- breath

here. Many thanks for that, Paul Wood in

Syria. Heavy snow has fallen across large

parts of the UK, causing disruption on roads and there are warnings of

worse to come. The Met Office has issued a severe weather warning for

much of the country, and about a third of tomorrow morning's flights

from Heathrow airport have been cancelled. Our correspondent Robert

Hall is in Oxfordshire. Yes, indeed. The weather men and

traffic people talked about a dangerous cocktail of snow and ice,

that is mixing nicely this evening. It's started pretty well on

schedule and followed the track that everybody predicted late this

afternoon. It's been falling ever since. It's emptied the roads, but

that wasn't the case earlier on. Slithering home on a Saturday

afternoon that grew more trying by the hour. We all knew the snow was

on its way, but as the first flakes turned to a steady downfall, the

landscape changed, drivers fell prey to unexpected hazards on

familiar routes. We encountered one of many

accidents on untreated country roads. The cold snap was still

catching drivers out. Many reached their destinations with tales of

journeys cut short. Car going too fast into the trees, a car at the

top of the hill there the same. A truck around the corner trying to

go up the hill, went sideways. the snow set in disruption spread

to the motorways. This was the M54 this evening.

He is calling on the ground staff... Sport has also been hit, despite

the valiant efforts of ground staff. During the game with Manchester

City and Fulham the ref had to halt play so snow could be cleared from

markings. In Lichfield Christopher and Emma Bailey found themselves at

the whitest of weddings but it never dampened their day. It's

amazing. Very cold, though. Can't wait to get in. Matthew Jenkins was

repaying the kindness of a local resident who offered hot drinks by

personally gritting the high street. I knew it might snow and no one

else is doing it, why not? The mild temperatures earlier have preserved

salt stocks which are healthier than this time last year, and crews

will be working through the night as temperatures fall again.

Tomorrow promises perfect winter photos, but the risk of further

travel difficulties. The advice to drivers: Spend your Sunday at home.

Indeed. And you mentioned the airports there, Heathrow Airport

and Gatwick Airport have expected disruption, passengers - it's

suggested they talk to their airlines to make sure that things

are running or what cancellations there are. As to the roads, well,

people with any sense tonight are staying off them and that is the

advice as I said, the advice beyond that is if you really have to get

about and you saw in that report that we put together, you need to

carry a shovel or something to help you get up the tricky bits of road

or perhaps to help other people get out of trouble. The watch word, as

ever, be prepared. Tens of thousands of people have

marched through Moscow in a protest against the Prime Minister,

Vladimir Putin, who is standing for the presidency next month.

Demonstrators say the parliamentary elections in December were rigged

by Mr Putin's United Russia party and they're calling for a re-run.

Here's our Moscow correspondent, Daniel Sandford.

Today's opposition protests was quiet, steelly, determined. Lacking

the passion of December's demonstrations, but the numbers

were still huge and the message very clear. We want Russia to be

free and we want to have democracy. Something has changed in Moscow.

Until recently many of these protesters reluctantly put up with

the unfair elections, the flawed legal system, and the corruption.

Now they have lost their fear and found their voice. They have shown

that even in the departments of a Moscow mid-winter they won't go

away until they get what they demand, fair elections.

Across Moscow a second huge rally, this one in favour of Vladimir

Putin who is aiming to return to the presidency in elections next

month. There appeared to be genuine support for him. Though some state

companies had ordered employees to go. I am here to support Putin

because without him the country will collapse. We should show our

support so we came along. On our day off.

The man himself insisted the crowd were behind him. It's completely

obvious that people simply keen to express support for what we are

doing and that is very important to me. I am very grateful.

But tens of thousands who turned out again against Vladimir Putin

know he will probably become President again but they are

keeping up the pressure for a fairer, more honest Russia.

The Duke of Cambridge has spent his first day on duty in the Falkland

Islands, as an RAF search-and- rescue pilot. The Prince will be

providing search-and-rescue cover during a six-week posting, which

comes amid rising tensions between the UK and Argentina over the

sovereignty of the islands. Now the Six Nations started today,

let's catch up with the sport. There was a winning start for a new

look England, beating Scotland 13-6 to claim the Calcutta Cup. But

whilst it was a first victory with interim coach Stuart Lancaster and

captain Chris Robshaw at the helm, it was old hand Charlie Hodgson

with the only try of the game. Andy Swiss reports from Murrayfield.

It was a day when even the hardiest kilt-wearer must have longed for

the thermals, but Scotland's fans flocked to Murrayfield with rare

optimism. They are traditionally the underdogs against England but

against an England with a new coach, a new skipper and three new caps,

what an opportunity. In a scrappy first half it was England that took

the lead through Owen Farrell, but Scotland that took control. Time

and again they forced England into retreat and into mistakes and two

penalties booted them into a deserved lead. But all their

promise unravelled in a flash. Parks kick charged down by Hodgson

and seconds after the break England were back in front. For Scotland,

it was an all-too familiar story of what if. What if the video referee

had awarded a close touchdown decision. What if they had shown

more composure with several gaping chances, but they didn't and

Farrell made them pay with another penalty. It wasn't pretty, it

certainly wasn't convincing but for England's youngsters it was a

victory to savour. We have come to Murrayfield, won away from home. I

think we have to enjoy the moment. Equally, you know, there's been a

lot of talk and a lot of things gone on behind the scenes and it's

just great. Great for us to get off the mark. Not exactly a classic

then, but England won't mind that. Their Six Nations campaign and

their new era off to a winning start.

New France coach Philippe Saint Andre got his tenure off to a

winning start as well, with victory over Italy. It was Les Blues' first

game since defeat in the World Cup final to New Zealand and they

scored four tries en route to a 30- 12 win at the Stade de France in

Paris. If you're waiting for Match of the

Day to find out how your team fared this afternoon, now's the time to

make a sharp exit as I go through the Premier League results.

Leaders Manchester City produced a comfortable 3-0 win over Fulham to

move three points clear of Manchester United, who play Chelsea

tomorrow. Arsenal picked up their first win

of 2012 in some style, with captain Robin van Persie grabbing a hat-

trick to help his side to a thumping 7-1 win over Blackburn. So

Rovers stay in the relegation zone. And they're joined by Bolton, who

were beaten by Norwich. Bottom side Wigan picked up a valuable point

against Everton. And there were wins for Wolves, Sunderland and

Swansea. It's the turn of viewers in

Scotland waiting for Sportscene to turn away now, as we go through

what happened in the 5th round of the Scottish Cup.

Holders Celtic booked their place in the quarter-finals with a 2-0

win over Inverness Caledonian Thistle.

Aberdeen and Queen of the South have to do it all again after a 1-1

draw. Hibs went through at the expense of Kilmarnock. And St

Mirren were held by Ross County. Ayr against Falkirk was postponed.

Pakistan have the advantage over England after day two of the third

and final Test in Dubai. England fell to 141 all out after their

first innings and then struggled to repeat the success of yesterday

with the ball. An unbeaten century from Younus Khan helped Pakistan to

222-2 by the close. That's a lead of 180 heading into day three as

England look to avoid a series whitewash.

Finally, some good news for Britain's ladies tennis players, as

they completed a successful four days in the Fed Cup, making it

through to the play-offs for the World Group 2, with victory over

Austria. That's all for now. You can see more on all today's stories

on the BBC News Channel. And tomorrow morning John Major will be

Andrew Marr's guest on BBC1 at 9.00am. From everybody here in the

Good evening. It's all been going according to plan, which is great

news for the kids amongst us, not such good news if you have to

travel this evening across a large spwaeut of England where it

continues to snow. We still have anam pwer warn -- amber warning in

force. It will continue to snow into the

early hours. Already a good covering and widely we see 5-10