05/01/2012 BBC News at Ten

Tonight at Ten: President Obama announces the biggest change in US

military strategy in a generation. After a decade and more of war in

Iraq and Afghanistan, there will be budget cuts and thousands of job

losses, but the President, flanked by military leaders, also signal as

change of American focus to Asia. The question that this strategy

answers is what kind of military will we need long after the wars of

the last decade are over? We are asking what this mean force

America's principle allies, including Britain. Also: A new

arrest at the Stockport hospital where the police are investigating

the poisoning of patients. The Labour MP, Diane Abbott,

accused of making a racist remark on Twitter apologises for any

offence caused. A controversial report for people

with advanced terminal illness to be allowed medical help to end

their life. Who owns their life? Who owns their

body? Surely they do. Why does the Government think think they have

control over what they do? And the future for Katherine as she defines

her role in the years ahead. Coming up on Sportsday, the

Football Association comes under fire from the QPR manager, Neil

Warnock, who describes the disciplinary process as Scotland

-- as scandalous. Good evening. After a decade of war

in Iraq and Afghanistan, the Americans are embarking on the

biggest change in military strategy for decades. President Obama

announced a defence review, involving cuts of half a trillion

dollars, a clear shift also to Asia. As we report here, the changes will

have thousands of changes for US allies, including Britain.

Since the Cold War, America has fought with overwhelming power

backed by enormous budgets. In Afghanistan and Iraq over the last

decade, the US fielded huge armies. Military might projecting hard

power across the globe. Now this vast machine faces its greatest

challenge, economics. Three years ago... President Obama

says that huge Government deficits are a chance to reprioritise. Still,

he admits that defence cuts of up to $450 billion over ten years, and

possibly up to a trillion, will hurt.

Yes, the situation will make us leern, but the world must know that

we have to go forward with armed forces that aragile, flexible and

ready for the full range of contingencies and threats.

The army and the Marines are to bare the brunt of the cuts with

large reductions in numbers. The rise in China mean as shift of

focus from the European security to the Asia-Pacific region. There will

be continued investment in high- tech weapons, like the drones used

in Afghanistan. America's military future is being watched closely in

places like Annapolis, Maryland, a town with a history of training new

recruits. In this diner we found most of the regulars were worried.

A smaller military means bigger risks.

We are more likely to have terrorist activity for one thing.

If there are no consequences for their actions. We can't do this,

not at all. Why not? Why not?! Because of what

China is doing. They want to conquer the world.

I don't think we should be spending trillions on war, especially, why

do we have to be the world leaders? So you welcome the cuts? Definitely.

When the world's dominant power and the biggest military spender

announces considerable budget cuts, it is not just towns here that take

notice, there are also consequences for America as allies. What does it

mean for NATO for? It relied on US ships here off the coast of Libya

recently. It is a question I put to the US Defence Secretary here in

Washington overseeing big defence cuts.

Not all NATO members have an equal level of enthusiasm to engage, even

though in theory we have access to large numbers of deployable troops.

It is about translating the near et call capability into actual

deployable frontline capability. Some of our allies could do more in

that department. Even after the cuts, America's military will be

the biggest and best-funded on earth, but wars like the one just

ended in Iraq may become a thing of the past.

So what does this tell us about America's own view of its place in

tomorrow's world? Our North America Editor is no Washington. Mark

Mardell, how do you see it? This is important. It is about abandoning

the long ambition of America, to be able to invite to land wars at the

same time. Now they will go down to fight one war and cause a nuisance

elsewhere, the critics say that they want to diminish America's

presence on the world, they will seize on this.

But let's face it, the experience of fighting two wars was not happy.

It is unlikely that America will want to do that in the future.

President Obama is smart, projecting American power in the

Pacific, where many allies are worried about the rise of China. It

is America saying that they are there, there for us. You have to

put it in the context that America spends, even after the cuts will

spend eight times as much on its mairl as its nearest rival which

just -- on its military as its nearest rival with happens to be

China. A male nurse's been arrested and accused of tampering with med

kol records at Stepping Hill Hospital. There is a separate

police investigation into the deaths of a number of patients.

There were three deaths there last summer. It emerged today that a

fourth death that happened on New Year's Eve is now being

investigated. A nurse who was meant to care for

patients here is now accused of trying to harm them. The 46-year-

old man was arrested on suspicion of tampering with medical records.

But today, the police said that this latest arrest is not yet being

linked to the suspicious deaths at Stepping Hill Hospital.

This is a search for the truth into the set of circumstances reported

on the 3rd of January, specifically. Over the coming hours and days, we

will complete those inquiries firstly before looking at any

possibly links with the wider investigation.

That wider investigation began with the deaths of these patients, Derek

Weaver, Arnold Lancaster and ard ar ard and continues with Bill Dickson

who died on New Year's Eve. All four received saline solution,

contaminated about insulin. It has left some who work at Stepping Hill

Hospital suspicious of the people that they call colleagues.

What is the atmosphere a the staff like? I would say very tense and

suspicious, you know. You like to trust the staff you

work with, but you never know, do you.? This is the second arrest at

Stepping Hill Hospital, nurse Rebecca Leighton spent six weeks in

jail before all charges against her were dropped. Tonight she is said

to be watching the developments closely. In the middle of what is

happening at Stepping Hill Hospital are the patients.

Are you worried about what is going on inside there? Of course we are

worried. I think that everything in Stockport is worried in case we

have to come in here. I will be glad when my mum is home.

The police say that they understand the frustration of the patients

here at Stepping Hill, but they also say that this is a complex

investigation that could take some time. That they have not ruled out

making more arrests. The Labour frontbencher, Diane

Abbott, accused of making a racist comment on Twitter has apologised

for any offence she has caused. Diane Abbott, the first black woman

to be elected to Parliament said that "White people love playing

divide and rule.". She was responding to comments on the

Stephen Lawrence trial. She said that the remarks were taken out of

context. She is one of the country's most

well-known black MPs, but today, Diane Abbott found herself at the

centre of a race row on Twitter. In 1987 she became the first black

woman elected to the Commons. For decades she's campaigned for racial

equality and finally became a Shadow Minister last year. Now a

Twitter conversation has gotten her into trouble. Responding to a

suggestion that some black commentators did not understand the

communities that they talked about, I think that what Diane Abbott has

said was just a stupid and crass generalisation. She should explain

and apoll guise for what she has said.

Some Tories went further, calling her comments racist. She tried to

explain herself. Tweets taken out of context refers to a nature of

19th century European colonialism, a bit much to get into 140

characters. Later inside, Diane Abbott received a severe dressing

down from Ed Miliband. I am told she kept her job because inspite of

what she wrote, she insisted that she does not believe in making

sweeping generalisations about white people. Diane Abbott has

apologised for any offence kauzed. Her actions speak Lauder than words.

This is somebody who has campaigned strongly for equality.

The editor of the newspaper here says that the row is distracting

from more important issues. I think it really has taken away a

lot of the important issues that happened two days ago regarding the

result in the Stephen Lawrence case. But it's not the first time as

Diane Abbott has caused controversy. Here, her description of David

Cameron and Nick Clegg. Two posh white boys from the Home

Counties. In Hackney in East London, voters

had advice for their MP. I tonight think she should resign,

I think she should keep her mouth shut a bit. Sometimes you say

things without thinking. She should know what is right and what is

wrong. Some Conservatives that I Diane

Abbott has overstepped the mark and Ed Miliband is weak for not sacking

her. It is not the start to the New Year that the Labour leader wanted.

A jury's been told that a 15-year- old boy was beaten, tortured and

drowned on Christmas Day, 2010 by his sister and her boyfriend

because they believed he was a witch. The prosecution have

described the killing of Kristy Bamu as an attack of unspeakable

savagery. The couping both from the Democratic Republic of Congo deny

murder. William Hague is making the first

visit by a British Foreign Secretary to Burma in more than

half a century. He said he believes that the civilian-led government

installed last year is insincere about reform. William Hague held

talks with the President and with the opposition leader, Aung Sang

Suu Kyi. We have been following the visit. This report does contain

some flash photography. These are brighter Burmese days.

A country so long isolated, now opening up to the world.

And today, the first visit in half a century by a British Foreign

Secretary. He pressed the reforming President,

Prime Minister Thein Sein to free for political prisoners.

The President did not speak publicly, but privately promised

reform. The President said in those words

that the progress of democracy is irversible. The words are there,

but we also need to see the further action to release other political

prisoners to see free and fair elections, then the world will

believe it. It is a long way from all of this...

Brutal crackdowns, shootings and disappearances.

It is quite extraordinary to come back here and work openly as a

journalist in Burma. The most profound change that I sense is

that the essential dynamic which drove Burmese life for so long,

Fiat, is fading away. -- fear. Changed his Uchida run by regional

realities. The Burmese have -- is hugely run by its regional

realities. The Burmese have long depended on China but an opening to

the West has been prompted. Burma needs the prosperity only political

stability can bring. The opposition leader, Aung San Suu Kyi, whom I

first met nearly 20 years ago, now talks warmly of the country's

president. Words unthinkable in the old days. The most important thing

is that the President is an honest man, that is how he struck me. He

is an honest man, he doesn't make big promises that he would be

incapable of keeping. It is 17 years since I sat in this room,

listening to speak of hope. There have been many false dawns since

then, can we really believe what is happening in Burma now is going to

end in real democracy? I have always said that hope should be

joined to endeavour. You can only hope that you work very hard to

realise your hopes and we have been working very hard over the last 23

years, and I think this is why we have the right to hope. What happen

in your lifetime, that we will see a full democratic election? -- will

it happen in your lifetime? I think it will be in my lifetime, but I

don't know how long I am going to live. If I live a normal lifespan,

yes. Tonight, the opposition leader met the Foreign Secretary. On all

sides now, there seems to be the sober political the calculation

that the days of isolation must be Still to come, the future for Kate.

We report on the good causes that she has chosen to back in the years

There is the strong case for changing the law in England and

Wales to give some people help to end their lives, according to a

report by a panel of legal and medical experts. They say people

suffering from advanced terminal illness should be allowed to seek

medical help to die. The report was funded by people who support a

change in the law. Critics say the panel was clearly biased. Branwen

Jeffreys is here with more details. The panel included a former Justice

Secretary and senior policemen, and some doctors. It was set up and

funded by people who want change, to make it legal, to help a

terminally ill people -- person to take their own life. How did they

say it might work? It would only include people expected to live

less than 12 months. Two doctors would be needed to assess the

patient, to check they have the mental capacity to make the

decision. And they would need to self administer the lethal dose.

The author, Sir Terry Pratchett, wants change. His books have sold

millions of copies, but he now has Alzheimer's. He part funded the

research behind this report. Supposing a man or a woman had been

beset by a debilitating disease. Which is ultimately going to kill

them. If a friendly physician would like to help them, as it were, over

the style, with certain safeguards, obviously, then I don't think it is

really very much the business of the government. I would like to be

out on a deck chair in the garden, with Thomas Tallis on the head said,

a brandy in my hand -- the head And a friendly position standing by.

Terry Pratchett would not have the option of assisted dying under

these proposals. The report says it shouldn't be offered to people with

dementia or any mental illness. There is strong opposition to

changing did in the doctors' union, the BMA. Jane Campbell is also

against. Baroness Campbell has spinal muscular atrophy and she is

one of the founders of not dead yet, a campaign against assisted suicide.

I have a very full life. I go to the Lords, I amend legislation. We

have fun, but I have pain, I have a horrible things happen to me, like

choking. In my position, I am feeling very threatened, and now we

have this landing on our doorstep, it makes us feel even more afraid,

because we feel we may have a choice to accept death, rather than

living. In helping one or two people, we are in danger of opening

the door to something that will put hundreds of other people in danger,

and it sends out hopelessness, not hope. Assisted dying is an emotive

and contentious issue. The law could only be changed by Parliament.

The last time it was debated, it was defeated. This report is the

latest salvo in a long debate. It is far from over, but the law isn't

likely to change soon. Thank you very much.

The Prime Minister says his new resolution -- new year's resolution

is to get the economy moving. At his first public event of punted

off, he has promised to help small businesses by reducing bureaucracy

and so-called red tape -- his first public event of 2012. He admitted

on a visit to Maidenhead at one of the measures he promoted last year

had not worked out. First day back on the road and it

is time to persuade business that the economy is the government's top

priority. That is what he was doing with supermarket workers and what

his deputy was doing, with young people looking for work. Their

message, we are going for growth. It will be a tough year but the

government is going to roll up its sleeves... He promised small

businessmen and women he would scrap health and safety red tape

faster and cut personal injury claims by capping a lawyer's fees.

But he admitted his National Insurance tax breaks to support

start-up firms had not worked. was not as successful as we had

hoped. I think it was perhaps too complicated, too targeted at

specific businesses in specific areas of the country.

businesswoman challenged the Prime Minister, telling him the

government's decision to cut subsidies for green electricity

from solar panels had forced her to lay off 30 workers before Christmas.

I am funding a �100,000 pay roll a month, not being able to sell

anything because of your incompetence. You accept that the

cut needs to be made, it has been put in made. The sooner we can put

in place the new tariff, the sooner you will have the certainty and it

can still be a successful industry. I asked she was happy with what he

said. Absolutely not, I don't think the answer the question and I don't

think he knows the first thing about running a business.

Maidenhead, another business has been forced to cut staff and shops

and move to smaller premises. For 160 years, they have photographed

generations of schoolboys at Eton College, including David Cameron.

Some person you may recognise here, Harry, standing by the wall. In

this one, you have got William in the library. I asked, is the

governor doing enough for him? feel the government could help us a

lot by helping with the finances from the banks. Banks are not very

understanding of small business. They take that umbrella from you

when it rains, really. Maidenhead is pretty prosperous and packed

full of small businesses, but even here, people are finding it hard

going. David Cameron knows he has to get business is expanding and

employing again, if he is to find the growth in 2012 that the economy

desperately needs. The government have to take responsibility for

their own actions on growth. We have seen from the Prime Minister,

a big concession that his National Insurance holiday, his flagship

policy for small businesses has not worked. One thing is clear,

rebuilding the economy is going to take quite a lot of heavy lifting.

Parts of Britain have taken another battering from the weather with

strong winds causing damage and disruption. Gusts of more than 100

mph were recorded and thousands of homes and businesses are still

without electricity. On the Isle of Bute, some residents spent their

third day coping with that disrupted supplies. There are

queues for food at the shops that remain open. On the border between

England and North Wales, the River Dee was flooded. In the Midlands, a

load of rubbish was blown onto the motorway, partially closing it

while it was clear. The public duties to be undertaken

by the Duchess of Cambridge in the coming years have been more clearly

defined, with the new she is to become a patron of several

organisations. -- the news. Catherine will be sporting

charities ranging from a group that helps people with behavioural

difficulties to the National Portrait Gallery -- Catherine will

be supporting. At the time of her engagement to

Prince William, the then Catherine Middleton says she was willing to

learn quickly and work hard. really hope I can make a difference,

even in the smallest way. I am looking forward to have been as

much as I can. In the months since -- looking for two hopping as much

She has taken her time deciding which organisations to support.

which organisations to support. Originally she is to be patron of

The Queen has more than 600 patronage is, the Duke of Edinburgh

has more than 800, so the Duchess has a long way to go. But for a

charity like the art room, which uses art to help children, the

Duchess's interest is a huge opportunity. She's a complete

natural, she has a complete interest in the art and the

therapeutic world. The combination of what we do here is something

that seemed to really attract her. The Duchess is also joining the

Scouts as an occasional adult volunteer, working principally with

a group in North Wales. It may rekindle memories as her own time

as memories of -- off her own time as member of the Brownies. She is

going to be with the young people, she will be doing the arts and

crafts with them, the astrology, the heighting, and she will be

there on the first night away from home at the cubs slipover. -- the

Have heard charity choices been a little over-cautious? -- have her

charity choices? Princess Diana adopted choices like landmines,

leprosy and HIV. The Duchess has played very safe. She could have

made such a statement if she had gone for unpopular causes and they

are great causes, but I think it is a missed opportunity. She says she

has chosen charities with which she feels comfortable and can make a

contribution. She wants to start small with organisations like the