:00:11. > :00:18.combat alert. The move comes after Russia votes to send more troops to
:00:19. > :00:23.the Crimea. As tension in the region rap etc up, the UN meets in
:00:24. > :00:27.emergency session. -- ratchets up, the UN meets in emergency session.
:00:28. > :00:32.This is potentially a grave threat to the territorial integrity of
:00:33. > :00:36.Ukraine. Live in the Ukraine and at the United Nations.
:00:37. > :00:40.Also tonight, Ed Miliband's plans to reform Labour's historic links with
:00:41. > :00:44.trade unions are approved by an overwhelming majority.
:00:45. > :00:49.And Newcastle's manager, Alan Pardew, is sent off over this
:00:50. > :01:07.incident at Hull. The FA is to investigate.
:01:08. > :01:15.Good evening. The crisis in Ukraine has escalated dramatically tonight,
:01:16. > :01:20.after a day of high tension with Russia. Ukraine's acting president
:01:21. > :01:24.put his armed forces on full combat alert and warned Russia that any
:01:25. > :01:27.military intervention in the country would lead to war. Earlier the
:01:28. > :01:31.Russian Parliament approved the use of its troops in Ukraine. They're
:01:32. > :01:36.already in the semiautonomous region of Crimea. All this prompted an
:01:37. > :01:40.emergency meeting of the UN Security Council this evening. Our first
:01:41. > :01:45.report is from our correspondent, Daniel Sandford, who's in Crimea.
:01:46. > :01:49.As Moscow approved the use of military force in Ukraine, Russian
:01:50. > :01:56.armour was already on the ground. There's been a slow takeover of
:01:57. > :02:00.strategic sites in the Crimean peninsula, something Ukraine has
:02:01. > :02:04.been unable to respond to. These Russian troops are blockading the
:02:05. > :02:11.Ukrainian coastguard base at the end of the world famous Balaclava Bay.
:02:12. > :02:16.There were Russian soldiers at the local Parliament too and at the
:02:17. > :02:20.cabinet of ministers, the seat of the Crimean regional government,
:02:21. > :02:24.which has been taken over by a pro-Russian politician, who started
:02:25. > :02:27.the day by asking Moscow to help. TRANSLATION: With full understanding
:02:28. > :02:33.of my responsibility for the lives and security of our citizens, I call
:02:34. > :02:37.on the president of the Russian Federation, Vladimir Putin, to
:02:38. > :02:42.provide assistance in securing peace of the territory of the autonomous
:02:43. > :02:46.republic of Crimea. As if working to a script, President Putin asked his
:02:47. > :02:51.upper house of Parliament to authorise Russian troops to be used
:02:52. > :02:57.in normalising the situation in Ukraine.
:02:58. > :03:01.TRANSLATION: The Senate passed the request unanimously Despite warnings
:03:02. > :03:03.from America there would be consequences. The justification was
:03:04. > :03:08.the extraordinary situation in Ukraine and the threat to lives of
:03:09. > :03:12.Russian citizens. These riot police, sacked by the
:03:13. > :03:15.Ukrainian government, but today laying flowers at the police
:03:16. > :03:20.headquarters in Crimea, show how little control Kiev has here now.
:03:21. > :03:23.Their leader said he was still loyal to the ousted president, Viktor
:03:24. > :03:27.Yanukovych. TRANSLATION: The people elected
:03:28. > :03:35.Yanukovych. The eleaks were reiate mat. Any other -- the elections were
:03:36. > :03:42.legitimate. The problems are not confined to Crimea. Other parts of
:03:43. > :03:48.eastern Ukraine are getting restive. Pro-Russian demonstrators ejected
:03:49. > :03:59.pro-Kiev protesters from the local office. Simferopol was awash with
:04:00. > :04:03.Russian patriotic perroar. At times, some of it seems strange. A
:04:04. > :04:07.smokesman for President Putin said he had not yet decided to send
:04:08. > :04:14.troops to Ukraine but thousands are already here.
:04:15. > :04:18.So, what are the implications of the Ukraine crisis on the international
:04:19. > :04:23.community and what is the likelihood of any intervention to end the
:04:24. > :04:29.stand-off? Our diplomatic affairs correspondent looks at the options.
:04:30. > :04:34.Ukraine, torn between West and East, now experiencing its gravest crisis
:04:35. > :04:39.since the break up of the old Soviet Union. Pro-Russian troops patrol the
:04:40. > :04:44.streets of Crimea's cities, the region no longer under Ukraine's
:04:45. > :04:49.control, a move towards autonomy aided and abetted by Moscow. It's
:04:50. > :04:54.rattled nerves in Western capitals in. London, the Russian ambassador
:04:55. > :04:56.was summoned by the Foreign Secretary for talks. The United
:04:57. > :05:01.Kingdom is very concerned about the escalation of tensions in the
:05:02. > :05:06.Ukraine, particularly in the Crimea and particularly about the decision
:05:07. > :05:11.of the Russian Parliament this afternoon to authorise military
:05:12. > :05:16.action in Ukraine. And there's been a flurry of diplomatic activity
:05:17. > :05:21.across Europe. TRANSLATION: I've been working on
:05:22. > :05:23.this today with many others, with many phone calls including with the
:05:24. > :05:27.Russian president and those responsible in Ukraine to protect
:05:28. > :05:33.its territorial integrity. What we see in the Crimea is worrying us.
:05:34. > :05:40.Will the West's worry and concern about Crimea really have any impact
:05:41. > :05:44.on Russia? US and European leaders could exert diplomatic pressure by
:05:45. > :05:53.boycotting the G8 summit in Sochi. With burning issues like sear --
:05:54. > :05:58.Syria and Iran there, it's doubtful they would want to miss the meeting.
:05:59. > :06:02.But the West's financial levers on Russia are limited. It's highly
:06:03. > :06:06.unlikely NATO forces would be mobile aislesed to defend Ukraine from --
:06:07. > :06:09.mobilised to defend Ukraine from Russian incursion. Looks to have
:06:10. > :06:15.secured Crimea, protecting its Black Sea fleet, but some diplomats wonder
:06:16. > :06:19.if the success will be short lived. At the end of the day, President
:06:20. > :06:25.Putin will face increasing problems, both in maintaining his hold over
:06:26. > :06:28.Ukraine or even the Crimea and in retaining the trust of the Russian
:06:29. > :06:32.people, in the end. He would have a terrific boost in the meantime, out
:06:33. > :06:35.of the excitement. People will start to ask questions and wonder why it
:06:36. > :06:42.was done and why it was worth it. The flames of pro-and anti-Russian
:06:43. > :06:48.sentiment are being fanned, after Crimea, many wonder if many regions
:06:49. > :06:53.in Ukraine are next. In a moment, we'll speak to Nick
:06:54. > :07:00.Bryant at the UN in New York. First to Daniel Sandford in Sevastopol for
:07:01. > :07:03.us. This crisis is moving faster, potentially extremely dangerous,
:07:04. > :07:07.isn't it? Yeah, the stakes are very, very high. It could be that this is
:07:08. > :07:11.still just a show of strength by Russia but nothing worse, but to
:07:12. > :07:17.give you an idea of how bad things are, in the Kremlin's own record of
:07:18. > :07:24.the telephone conversation between route and -- President Putin and
:07:25. > :07:28.President Barack Obama, it says that President Putin might think about
:07:29. > :07:31.the use of military force if things continue in Crimea, but also eastern
:07:32. > :07:35.Ukraine, which raises the possibility of Russian troops not
:07:36. > :07:39.just being here in Crimea, but also moving into the mainland of Ukraine
:07:40. > :07:43.itself. That would leave the West with a very, very difficult
:07:44. > :07:48.decision, either to do nothing or to take some very, very serious action
:07:49. > :07:53.and neither of those option it's are at all palatable. The North Atlantic
:07:54. > :07:57.Council, the main decision-making body of NATO is due to meet in
:07:58. > :08:02.emergency session, which is a very rare event. Ukrainian forces are on
:08:03. > :08:05.high alert by their president. We are in a situation here where if
:08:06. > :08:11.anyone makes a wrong move, there is a danger that things could Spiral
:08:12. > :08:18.right out of control. Thanks very much.
:08:19. > :08:22.Well, we have lost that link to Nick Bryant at the UN. If we get it back,
:08:23. > :08:23.we will return to him in a short while.
:08:24. > :08:28.28 people were killed today at a railway station in China in what the
:08:29. > :08:31.authorities called a premeditated and violent terrorist attack. They
:08:32. > :08:35.were attacked by a group of men armed with knives in the city of
:08:36. > :08:40.Kunming in the south-west of the country. More than 110 people were
:08:41. > :08:44.injured. Reports say several of the attackers were shot dead by the
:08:45. > :08:47.police. Plans to reform Labour's historic
:08:48. > :08:53.links with trade unions have been approved by an overwhenling majority
:08:54. > :08:57.at a -- overwhelming majority of party members. Ed Miliband proposed
:08:58. > :09:01.a system of one man, one vote in leadership electionses and the --
:09:02. > :09:08.elections. The Labour leader praised the party for having the courage to
:09:09. > :09:13.change. Labour MPs meeting in 1906, the
:09:14. > :09:16.party had only just been set up by the trade unions at the start of the
:09:17. > :09:21.last century to give them a voice in Parliament, but over the years, some
:09:22. > :09:27.leaders felt that voice had become too powerful. It wasn't until 1993
:09:28. > :09:31.that John Smith narrowly succeeded in abolishing the union block vote.
:09:32. > :09:35.The changes I propose today are vital. Today Ed Miliband said he was
:09:36. > :09:39.finishing the job, claiming he was responsible for the biggest reforms
:09:40. > :09:44.to the party's links with the trade unions in its history. It's I ask
:09:45. > :09:49.you to agree the biggest changes to our party since 1918. In future,
:09:50. > :09:53.individual Trade Unionists will have to give explicit consent before any
:09:54. > :09:57.of their money is handed over to Labour and sow porters of the party
:09:58. > :10:01.rather than just members, will have the right to select the next leader.
:10:02. > :10:06.By voting for these reforms, you're not just voting to open our doors
:10:07. > :10:09.and reach new people, you're voting for the biggest transfer of power to
:10:10. > :10:13.our members and supporters in the history of the Labour Party.
:10:14. > :10:17.APPLAUSE Ed Miliband says this is an historic
:10:18. > :10:22.day for Labour, a new type of politics. But his critics, inside
:10:23. > :10:27.and outside the party, argue that his reforms aren't anything like as
:10:28. > :10:31.radical as he'd have you believe. As the Conservatives point out, the
:10:32. > :10:36.unions will still control 50% of the votes at Labour conference. There'll
:10:37. > :10:41.be no cap on union donations. Many of the reforms will be phased in
:10:42. > :10:46.over five years. Some union leaders argue that too much time had been
:10:47. > :10:49.spent already arguing about party structures rather than arguing for
:10:50. > :10:52.the concerns of ordinary Trade Unionists. We want Labour to be
:10:53. > :10:58.standing up for those people, our people, getting them registered to
:10:59. > :11:02.vote, let alone Vote Labour, that's going to be a big job. This is a
:11:03. > :11:07.diversion. At the end of it, none of our traditions will change. None of
:11:08. > :11:12.our rules will change. Doesn't see his reforms as a diversion. Instead
:11:13. > :11:19.he sees them as an invitation to some people to get involved in
:11:20. > :11:23.politics for the very first time. The former Guantanamo Bay detainee,
:11:24. > :11:28.Moazzam Begg, released without charge nine years ago, was today
:11:29. > :11:31.remanded in custody charged with Syria-related terrorist offences.
:11:32. > :11:35.45-year-old Begg denies the allegations. He's accused of
:11:36. > :11:41.providing terrorist training and funding terrorism overseas.
:11:42. > :11:44.The New York City Coroner says the Oscar-winning actor, Philip Seymour
:11:45. > :11:49.Hoffman, died from a combination of heroin, cocaine and other drugs. Mr
:11:50. > :11:53.Hoffman was found in his apartment last month. The Coroner ruled his
:11:54. > :11:57.death was accidental. Tests found heroin in samples from at least 50
:11:58. > :12:00.packets at his Manhattan home. Here, councils in England are
:12:01. > :12:04.warning that the elderly and disabled could lose vital bus
:12:05. > :12:07.services, because of cuts in Government funding. The Local
:12:08. > :12:13.Government Association says support for the free, off-peak bus service
:12:14. > :12:16.entitlement has been reduced by a third since 2010. The Department for
:12:17. > :12:21.Transport says it provides extra funding to bus operators to help
:12:22. > :12:26.meet the cost. Now, with all the sport we go to the
:12:27. > :12:30.BBC Sport Centre. Good evening. We start with an
:12:31. > :12:32.incident from one of today's Premier League games. Match of the Day
:12:33. > :12:37.follows this programme. If you don't want to know the results, it's time
:12:38. > :12:40.to leave the room. This evening, the Football
:12:41. > :12:44.Association has confirmed it will investigate the Newcastle manager,
:12:45. > :12:50.Alan Pardew, after he was sent off for head-butting the Hull player,
:12:51. > :12:57.David Myler. The two game together during neeck's 4-1 -- Newcastle's
:12:58. > :13:01.4-1 win. The FA chairman Greg Dyke told the BBC it clearly looked
:13:02. > :13:04.serious. Andre Schurrle's hat-trick for
:13:05. > :13:08.Chelsea means they have moved four points clear at the top of the
:13:09. > :13:13.Premier League after a 3-1 win over Fulham. Schurrle scored all three
:13:14. > :13:15.goals in the second half. Everton move up to sixth place,
:13:16. > :13:17.where their win over West Ham. Everton move up to sixth place,
:13:18. > :13:21.where their win over West Liverpool are now in second place, after a 3-0
:13:22. > :13:25.victory. Goals from Luis Suarez, Raheem
:13:26. > :13:30.Sterling and Steven Gerrard. Arsenal's defeat to Stoke, means
:13:31. > :13:34.they drop down to third. Celtic's Lee Griffiths scored a
:13:35. > :13:41.hat-trick today as they beat Inverness Caledonia thistle 5-0.
:13:42. > :13:44.Celtic remain 21 points ahead in the Scottish Premiership. ( Ross County
:13:45. > :13:54.and Partick Thistle drew. Northampton have moved back to the
:13:55. > :13:57.top of Rugby Union's Premiership with a bonus point win over
:13:58. > :14:01.Gloucester. In the PRO12 competition, there was a welcome
:14:02. > :14:06.return from injury for a Wales favourite, ahead of next weekend's
:14:07. > :14:10.Six Nations match with England. The arrival of spring can inspire
:14:11. > :14:16.blossoming and wilting in the Premiership. The sunshine seems to
:14:17. > :14:20.get in the defence's eyes early on. Northampton's Pisi had to run
:14:21. > :14:25.through shadows. Gloucester prayers were chasing them. Not long later,
:14:26. > :14:29.Henry Trinder was taking his own unescorted stroll through Franklin's
:14:30. > :14:33.gardens. Northampton's plan to move top of the table wasn't working out.
:14:34. > :14:38.The momentum grew in the second half. Eventually it was unstoppable,
:14:39. > :14:42.carrying Calum Clark over the line. Gloucester are struggling this
:14:43. > :14:46.season. They practically waved Northampton through again ten
:14:47. > :14:50.minutes later. Tom Stephenson's try was followed by two more. The Saints
:14:51. > :14:54.gained a bonus point and top spot in the league.
:14:55. > :14:58.Here's a happy sight for Welsh eyes, Jonathan Davis back from injury in
:14:59. > :15:03.time to face England at the weekend. He wasn't involved in the game's
:15:04. > :15:08.decisive moment, that was all about a Scot. John Barkley stepped up to
:15:09. > :15:12.take the game away from PRO12 leaders Munster. A feel-good moment
:15:13. > :15:18.in a Welsh region in a season that's not had many of them.
:15:19. > :15:23.Andy Murray's bid to reach a first final since Wimbledon came to an end
:15:24. > :15:26.today when he was beaten in the semifinals of the Mexico Open.
:15:27. > :15:29.Murray took the first set against the Bulgarian, but Grigor Dimitrov
:15:30. > :15:32.fought back take being the next two sets on tie breaks. It was the first
:15:33. > :15:39.time Murray had reached a semifinal since last year's back operation.
:15:40. > :15:43.In Dubai, Roger Federer has won the championship for a record sixth time
:15:44. > :15:49.beating Tomas Berdych in three sets. He's now won at least one title
:15:50. > :15:57.every year for the last 14 years. ( 's Joanna Rousal has won her second
:15:58. > :16:02.Gold Medal in Colombia. She upset the five times world champion from
:16:03. > :16:09.the United States to win the women's three kilometre individual pursuit.
:16:10. > :16:12.And Rory McIlroy has a two-shot lead at the Honda Classic with one hole
:16:13. > :16:17.still to play in his third round in Florida. That's all the sport for
:16:18. > :16:22.now. That's it. You can get the latest on
:16:23. > :16:23.the Ukraine crisis on the BBC News channel. From me and the rest of the
:16:24. > :16:45.team here, good night. Good evening. As far as today was
:16:46. > :16:46.concerned, it was the first day of metrological spring, at least on the