16/02/2014 Reporting Scotland

Good evening. Opponents of an independent Scotland say the "yes"

campaign has been dealt a "significant blow" - because of

comments by the president of the European Commission. Jose Manuel

Barroso said an application from Scotland to join the European Union

would need the approval of all member states, and that would be

difficult. The Scottish National Party dismissed his remarks, saying

Scots should not allow themselves to be swayed by the political agendas

of others. Here's Andrew Kerr. A lack of unity in the European

Union could be a blog today independent Scotland's membership.

The president of the European Commission has said that Scotland

would not automatically be a new member. He seemed to go further

today. He pointed to the possibility of other states vetoing EU

membership. It is a new country. I believe it is going to be extremely

difficult if not impossible, a new member state coming out of one of

our countries, getting the agreement, but having said that, it

is for the British people and the Scottish people, in their

referendum, to decide about their future. Was Manuel Barroso made

particular reference to the government of Spain, well-known for

their opposition to independence in Catalonia and the Basque country. It

intervention was dismissed by the Scottish Government. I think

President Barroso's remarks are preposterous. He has said that his

position is linking Scotland's position to Kosovo. Scotland has

been a member of the EU for 40 years. Comments were music to the

ears for those opposed to Scottish independence. It is an advantage of

the European Union to have members within it, but what Jose Manuel

Barroso was saying is that the negotiations that take place will be

anything but plain sailing. They could drag on for years. As the

president said, it is up to the Scottish people to decide their

future but his comments are fuelling that debate, as Scottish people pour

over what he said. A 78-year-old cyclist has died after

being involved in a collision with a car on the Kirkliston to South

Queensferry road, in Edinburgh, this morning. Police say it involved the

man's mountain bike and a Mercedes. At the Winter Olympics in Sochi,

David Murdoch's team lost their penultimate match of the round robin

stage at the Winter Olympics - going down 7-6 to Norway. The defeat for

the Team GB rink leaves them on five wins and three defeats. With four

teams vying for three remaining semifinal spots, they have a crucial

match against China tomorrow in their final group match. They art

area Lee good team. We ran them tight at the end. Tomorrow you are

playing China? Yes. We need to win everything from here on in.

An exhibition at Glasgow University is celebrating the work of a

Scottish Italian artist, who grew up in poverty in the city after his

family fled Mussolini's Italy to seek refuge in Scotland. The

playwright Harold Pinter described Antonio Pacitto's art as 'deeply

impressive and very important'. The show includes drawings, prints and

ceramics. Suzanne Allan has the story.

This is Antonio Pacitto on the right. Just six years old but

already he felt like an outsider, a refugee in a strange land. Three

years earlier, his family had been forced to leave Italy as socialists,

they were chased out by fascists. Scotland was there a safe haven.

This is one of his Montana more series... The upheaval affected his

whole life. Forever identifying with the displaced. The passion for

social justice, the identification with people who were homeless, who

were victims. Victims of injustice. That was there throughout his life.

As a 15-year-old, he was already influenced by Glasgow's people and

places. He loved the place, the people and the warmth and humanity

of the place and its resilience. Antonio Pacitto's career was shaped

by the fact he felt he had been a untimely ripped from Italy when his

parents were trying to escape the fascists. When he came to Glasgow,

what he found was a warm welcome and he felt the city shared in his

beliefs. In the SPL, Celtic have reaffirmed

their 21-point lead over Aberdeen, with a 3-0 win against St Johnstone.

The goals all came courtesy of Irishman Anthony Stokes - his third

hat trick for the club. Now Gillian's ready and waiting at

the weather map. A lovely day for most today, Gillian - fills you with

hope that spring is round the corner.

most today, Gillian I wish. Let's hope you make the most

of today. Some good spells of sunshine around today, the clear

skies will make for a cold night tonight. Widespread frost, risk of

ice on untreated surfaces, but we will lose the showers in the far

north. Temperatures as low as minus four Celsius in some areas.

Recovering slightly towards the morning as rain comes in from the

south-west. Tomorrow is a return to recent form, low pressure takes

charge once again. We will be without the very strong winds but we

will have a lot of cloud and rain pushing northward across the

country, snow for the hills but to low levels around Inverness and

Murray for a time in the afternoon. A cold fuel everywhere tomorrow.

That is the forecast. A cold fuel everywhere tomorrow.

That's all for now. Our late news is especially late tonight - around

11.20. If you're staying up to watch the BAFTAs, enjoy the show and hope

you can join us then. Whatever you're doing, have a very good

evening. Until then, have a very good

evening. Whilst we are talking about wet and

windy weather in the week ahead, we will