01/03/2014 BBC Weekend News

combat alert. The move comes after Russia votes to send more troops to

the Crimea. As tension in the region rap etc up, the UN meets in

emergency session. -- ratchets up, the UN meets in emergency session.

This is potentially a grave threat to the territorial integrity of

Ukraine. Live in the Ukraine and at the United Nations.

Also tonight, Ed Miliband's plans to reform Labour's historic links with

trade unions are approved by an overwhelming majority.

And Newcastle's manager, Alan Pardew, is sent off over this

incident at Hull. The FA is to investigate.

Good evening. The crisis in Ukraine has escalated dramatically tonight,

after a day of high tension with Russia. Ukraine's acting president

put his armed forces on full combat alert and warned Russia that any

military intervention in the country would lead to war. Earlier the

Russian Parliament approved the use of its troops in Ukraine. They're

already in the semiautonomous region of Crimea. All this prompted an

emergency meeting of the UN Security Council this evening. Our first

report is from our correspondent, Daniel Sandford, who's in Crimea.

As Moscow approved the use of military force in Ukraine, Russian

armour was already on the ground. There's been a slow takeover of

strategic sites in the Crimean peninsula, something Ukraine has

been unable to respond to. These Russian troops are blockading the

Ukrainian coastguard base at the end of the world famous Balaclava Bay.

There were Russian soldiers at the local Parliament too and at the

cabinet of ministers, the seat of the Crimean regional government,

which has been taken over by a pro-Russian politician, who started

the day by asking Moscow to help. TRANSLATION: With full understanding

of my responsibility for the lives and security of our citizens, I call

on the president of the Russian Federation, Vladimir Putin, to

provide assistance in securing peace of the territory of the autonomous

republic of Crimea. As if working to a script, President Putin asked his

upper house of Parliament to authorise Russian troops to be used

in normalising the situation in Ukraine.

TRANSLATION: The Senate passed the request unanimously Despite warnings

from America there would be consequences. The justification was

the extraordinary situation in Ukraine and the threat to lives of

Russian citizens. These riot police, sacked by the

Ukrainian government, but today laying flowers at the police

headquarters in Crimea, show how little control Kiev has here now.

Their leader said he was still loyal to the ousted president, Viktor

Yanukovych. TRANSLATION: The people elected

Yanukovych. The eleaks were reiate mat. Any other -- the elections were

legitimate. The problems are not confined to Crimea. Other parts of

eastern Ukraine are getting restive. Pro-Russian demonstrators ejected

pro-Kiev protesters from the local office. Simferopol was awash with

Russian patriotic perroar. At times, some of it seems strange. A

smokesman for President Putin said he had not yet decided to send

troops to Ukraine but thousands are already here.

So, what are the implications of the Ukraine crisis on the international

community and what is the likelihood of any intervention to end the

stand-off? Our diplomatic affairs correspondent looks at the options.

Ukraine, torn between West and East, now experiencing its gravest crisis

since the break up of the old Soviet Union. Pro-Russian troops patrol the

streets of Crimea's cities, the region no longer under Ukraine's

control, a move towards autonomy aided and abetted by Moscow. It's

rattled nerves in Western capitals in. London, the Russian ambassador

was summoned by the Foreign Secretary for talks. The United

Kingdom is very concerned about the escalation of tensions in the

Ukraine, particularly in the Crimea and particularly about the decision

of the Russian Parliament this afternoon to authorise military

action in Ukraine. And there's been a flurry of diplomatic activity

across Europe. TRANSLATION: I've been working on

this today with many others, with many phone calls including with the

Russian president and those responsible in Ukraine to protect

its territorial integrity. What we see in the Crimea is worrying us.

Will the West's worry and concern about Crimea really have any impact

on Russia? US and European leaders could exert diplomatic pressure by

boycotting the G8 summit in Sochi. With burning issues like sear --

Syria and Iran there, it's doubtful they would want to miss the meeting.

But the West's financial levers on Russia are limited. It's highly

unlikely NATO forces would be mobile aislesed to defend Ukraine from --

mobilised to defend Ukraine from Russian incursion. Looks to have

secured Crimea, protecting its Black Sea fleet, but some diplomats wonder

if the success will be short lived. At the end of the day, President

Putin will face increasing problems, both in maintaining his hold over

Ukraine or even the Crimea and in retaining the trust of the Russian

people, in the end. He would have a terrific boost in the meantime, out

of the excitement. People will start to ask questions and wonder why it

was done and why it was worth it. The flames of pro-and anti-Russian

sentiment are being fanned, after Crimea, many wonder if many regions

in Ukraine are next. In a moment, we'll speak to Nick

Bryant at the UN in New York. First to Daniel Sandford in Sevastopol for

us. This crisis is moving faster, potentially extremely dangerous,

isn't it? Yeah, the stakes are very, very high. It could be that this is

still just a show of strength by Russia but nothing worse, but to

give you an idea of how bad things are, in the Kremlin's own record of

the telephone conversation between route and -- President Putin and

President Barack Obama, it says that President Putin might think about

the use of military force if things continue in Crimea, but also eastern

Ukraine, which raises the possibility of Russian troops not

just being here in Crimea, but also moving into the mainland of Ukraine

itself. That would leave the West with a very, very difficult

decision, either to do nothing or to take some very, very serious action

and neither of those option it's are at all palatable. The North Atlantic

Council, the main decision-making body of NATO is due to meet in

emergency session, which is a very rare event. Ukrainian forces are on

high alert by their president. We are in a situation here where if

anyone makes a wrong move, there is a danger that things could Spiral

right out of control. Thanks very much.

Well, we have lost that link to Nick Bryant at the UN. If we get it back,

we will return to him in a short while.

28 people were killed today at a railway station in China in what the

authorities called a premeditated and violent terrorist attack. They

were attacked by a group of men armed with knives in the city of

Kunming in the south-west of the country. More than 110 people were

injured. Reports say several of the attackers were shot dead by the

police. Plans to reform Labour's historic

links with trade unions have been approved by an overwhenling majority

at a -- overwhelming majority of party members. Ed Miliband proposed

a system of one man, one vote in leadership electionses and the --

elections. The Labour leader praised the party for having the courage to

change. Labour MPs meeting in 1906, the

party had only just been set up by the trade unions at the start of the

last century to give them a voice in Parliament, but over the years, some

leaders felt that voice had become too powerful. It wasn't until 1993

that John Smith narrowly succeeded in abolishing the union block vote.

The changes I propose today are vital. Today Ed Miliband said he was

finishing the job, claiming he was responsible for the biggest reforms

to the party's links with the trade unions in its history. It's I ask

you to agree the biggest changes to our party since 1918. In future,

individual Trade Unionists will have to give explicit consent before any

of their money is handed over to Labour and sow porters of the party

rather than just members, will have the right to select the next leader.

By voting for these reforms, you're not just voting to open our doors

and reach new people, you're voting for the biggest transfer of power to

our members and supporters in the history of the Labour Party.

APPLAUSE Ed Miliband says this is an historic

day for Labour, a new type of politics. But his critics, inside

and outside the party, argue that his reforms aren't anything like as

radical as he'd have you believe. As the Conservatives point out, the

unions will still control 50% of the votes at Labour conference. There'll

be no cap on union donations. Many of the reforms will be phased in

over five years. Some union leaders argue that too much time had been

spent already arguing about party structures rather than arguing for

the concerns of ordinary Trade Unionists. We want Labour to be

standing up for those people, our people, getting them registered to

vote, let alone Vote Labour, that's going to be a big job. This is a

diversion. At the end of it, none of our traditions will change. None of

our rules will change. Doesn't see his reforms as a diversion. Instead

he sees them as an invitation to some people to get involved in

politics for the very first time. The former Guantanamo Bay detainee,

Moazzam Begg, released without charge nine years ago, was today

remanded in custody charged with Syria-related terrorist offences.

45-year-old Begg denies the allegations. He's accused of

providing terrorist training and funding terrorism overseas.

The New York City Coroner says the Oscar-winning actor, Philip Seymour

Hoffman, died from a combination of heroin, cocaine and other drugs. Mr

Hoffman was found in his apartment last month. The Coroner ruled his

death was accidental. Tests found heroin in samples from at least 50

packets at his Manhattan home. Here, councils in England are

warning that the elderly and disabled could lose vital bus

services, because of cuts in Government funding. The Local

Government Association says support for the free, off-peak bus service

entitlement has been reduced by a third since 2010. The Department for

Transport says it provides extra funding to bus operators to help

meet the cost. Now, with all the sport we go to the

BBC Sport Centre. Good evening. We start with an

incident from one of today's Premier League games. Match of the Day

follows this programme. If you don't want to know the results, it's time

to leave the room. This evening, the Football

Association has confirmed it will investigate the Newcastle manager,

Alan Pardew, after he was sent off for head-butting the Hull player,

David Myler. The two game together during neeck's 4-1 -- Newcastle's

4-1 win. The FA chairman Greg Dyke told the BBC it clearly looked

serious. Andre Schurrle's hat-trick for

Chelsea means they have moved four points clear at the top of the

Premier League after a 3-1 win over Fulham. Schurrle scored all three

goals in the second half. Everton move up to sixth place,

where their win over West Ham. Everton move up to sixth place,

where their win over West Liverpool are now in second place, after a 3-0

victory. Goals from Luis Suarez, Raheem

Sterling and Steven Gerrard. Arsenal's defeat to Stoke, means

they drop down to third. Celtic's Lee Griffiths scored a

hat-trick today as they beat Inverness Caledonia thistle 5-0.

Celtic remain 21 points ahead in the Scottish Premiership. ( Ross County

and Partick Thistle drew. Northampton have moved back to the

top of Rugby Union's Premiership with a bonus point win over

Gloucester. In the PRO12 competition, there was a welcome

return from injury for a Wales favourite, ahead of next weekend's

Six Nations match with England. The arrival of spring can inspire

blossoming and wilting in the Premiership. The sunshine seems to

get in the defence's eyes early on. Northampton's Pisi had to run

through shadows. Gloucester prayers were chasing them. Not long later,

Henry Trinder was taking his own unescorted stroll through Franklin's

gardens. Northampton's plan to move top of the table wasn't working out.

The momentum grew in the second half. Eventually it was unstoppable,

carrying Calum Clark over the line. Gloucester are struggling this

season. They practically waved Northampton through again ten

minutes later. Tom Stephenson's try was followed by two more. The Saints

gained a bonus point and top spot in the league.

Here's a happy sight for Welsh eyes, Jonathan Davis back from injury in

time to face England at the weekend. He wasn't involved in the game's

decisive moment, that was all about a Scot. John Barkley stepped up to

take the game away from PRO12 leaders Munster. A feel-good moment

in a Welsh region in a season that's not had many of them.

Andy Murray's bid to reach a first final since Wimbledon came to an end

today when he was beaten in the semifinals of the Mexico Open.

Murray took the first set against the Bulgarian, but Grigor Dimitrov

fought back take being the next two sets on tie breaks. It was the first

time Murray had reached a semifinal since last year's back operation.

In Dubai, Roger Federer has won the championship for a record sixth time

beating Tomas Berdych in three sets. He's now won at least one title

every year for the last 14 years. ( 's Joanna Rousal has won her second

Gold Medal in Colombia. She upset the five times world champion from

the United States to win the women's three kilometre individual pursuit.

And Rory McIlroy has a two-shot lead at the Honda Classic with one hole

still to play in his third round in Florida. That's all the sport for

now. That's it. You can get the latest on

the Ukraine crisis on the BBC News channel. From me and the rest of the

team here, good night. Good evening. As far as today was

concerned, it was the first day of metrological spring, at least on the